Another headline about excluding women: The annual conference of the Puah Institute, which addresses medical advances in gynecology, has refused to allow women to speak publically, and thus, a number of medical professionals have withdrawn their papers.
Now, it may seem absurd to have a conference on women’s health issues and not have women speak. But the conference organizers have chosen to cast their net to the right wing. If I understand them correctly, they are willing to pay the price of excluding women, in an effort to expose the ultra-orthodox community to some of their issues relating to women’s fertility.
Yes, they acknowledge, the conference would be more substantive with women’s voices being heard, but then the ultra-orthodox wouldn’t come, and we need to service them as well.
When presented like that, the argument almost sounds plausible.
Of course, it isn’t.
Would you pay this price?