A couple of year's ago, we ran a contest. I can't recall all the details, but basically the contest was for an all-female trip with a bicycling touring company (they also did co-ed trips). A guy wrote in and asked:

"I'd like to know what your response would be if you encountered a Team Testosterone web site that was raffling off an all-male biking trip. Might I suggest you'd find the above highly offensive?"

My response was:

"Thank you for writing. While I can appreciate your opinion, I don't believe our contest is offensive.

Would you find women-only trips offered by companies such as Woman Tours or Luna Tours offensive? How about couples-only weeks at Club Med? How about singles-only or youth-only events offered by your local church group? My point is that while there are many many options available for all-inclusive trips, people of all stripes occasionally enjoy trips with people with whom they have an affinity.

Sometimes women enjoy the comaraderie of other women, without the testosterone-charged atmosphere that occasionally surfaces in male-dominated groups. To each her own, however. Some women enjoy co-ed groups, while the reality is that some women find those groups somewhat intimidating. Our goal as cyclists should be to promote cycling for everyone, in environments that are comfortable for everyone."

Given the other examples, he seemed to change his mind and decide it was OK after all (not like I "needed" his approval ). But sometimes I think people need to just look at things from another perspective.

Susan