{{Shir}} Ugh. Would they really do that (separate men and women)? Hope you're not too freaked out.

They warned me about the discussion threads that follow the Guardian's 'Comment is Free' articles, but I had *no idea*. Trying to remember that it's neither about my writing, nor personal. All the same, I'll think twice if they ask me to write another one!

separate men and women into different cars

What if a husband and wife - or a brother and sister - or Allah forbid, two friends of opposite sexes - oh, wait, Allah kinda did forbid that, didn't He?, never mind - should actually, you know, *like* one another and want to spend their time in one another's company? What if they were shy and didn't want to spend their time in the company of strangers, even strangers of their own sex? Separation-of-the-sexes rules always seem to me to reduce everyone to their gender, and take away any possibility of individual differences. Though maybe that's the point. Erasing a person's individuality makes him/her less likely to protest injustice, or even to notice it.

Many countries have women-only train cars so that women can avoid being groped on their way to work.

It's not that there isn't critique about it from some of religious people themselves - it's just that they're being silenced. I just want to take few transgendered friends and share a car together.

It's funny. Women were the ones to be blamed at being emotional and therefor irrational. But it's religious men who are imposing their "feelings" on life, for all.

Seska: it's important that you wrote. Really. Don't mind the comments - having your voice out there is more important than that.

Women were the ones to be blamed at being emotional and therefor irrational. But it's religious men who are imposing their "feelings" on life, for all.

Yeah, that's true of a large number of religions.

Many countries have women-only train cars so that women can avoid being groped on their way to work.

Yeah. But it's not that kind of trains. It's the kind where they might (and I'm sure they will, in the end) beat you up if you won't go to the car that was intended for your gender. All to keep the men holy, and the women as sinners. In the kind of trains you talk about, it's up to the woman's choice - and that's what it's all about.

I just want to take few transgendered friends and share a car together.

Who are always ignored in these debates.

Seska, that was a good article you wrote, but yeah, I do regret looking at the comments.

Oh, ugh, Shir. That's completely enraging.

And, yeah, Seska, the CiF comment threads are...not pleasant. I thought your article was great, and then I scrolled down through the first couple dozen comments, trying to formulate a response more complex than, Dear God, you are all brimful of wrong; did any of you actually read the entire article, beginning to end? but thinking about detailed responses just made me want to punch my computer. If I have a sudden attack of coherence and eloquence later in the day, I may try it.

The other day I was fantasizing of telling those people, "You know, Bin Laden wants there to be a religious war between Islam and the West. You're playing right into his hands!"

Playing right into his hands? Pfah. They're actively doing his work for him. He's probably sitting in a cave somewhere writing them thank-you notes for their excellent sleeper agent operation.

All of which I'd be sorely tempted to tell them -- even if they are looking for a religious war, maybe they have just enough shame left to not want to be seen as working for the other guy?

Shir, that is awful. I'm sorry.

One of my nephews is starting kindergarten today and the other is starting high school! I can barely wrap my head around it. I can't wait to seem them at T's wedding in October.