How to reject politely.

You wanted a way of rejecting politely, there you are- what could possibly be more polite than admitting that you are the ones with the problem of being impossibly tempted by the mere presence of someone of a different gender? Did you want something that places the fault elsewhere?

Congratulations on your grades, but if you can't handle the presence of women in a study group I dread to think of how any of you would react to a professional environment where you'd have to work alongside those ghastly creatures known as 'females'.

Yes, my personal opinion on it isn't going to dictate what he does - I was just saying what I think.

He did say that was the reason:

You wanted a way of rejecting politely, there you are- what could possibly be more polite than admitting that you are the ones with the problem of being impossibly tempted by the mere presence of someone of a different gender? Did you want something that places the fault elsewhere?

Congratulations on your grades, but if you can't handle the presence of women in a study group I dread to think of how any of you would react to a professional environment where you'd have to work alongside those ghastly creatures known as 'females'.

I sense you are a feminist.

How is it completely sexist though? Many males get distracted with a female close by whilst studying: it's normal. I know for a fact when I am revising with female friends I keep on staring at their hair (or face) since I just find their hair amusing, that I forget to what I've been doing.

Wouldn't it be best to not jump into a conclusion and reject them, but let them join and see how it goes for a couple of sessions? This way it would also teach you guys self control as you can see what goes wrong from personal experience.

Thank you. Yours and Birkenhead's responses have been incredibly useful. How should we as a group go about declining politely?

Did you tingle? :O


Seriously though, sod the 'other places are single gender' discussion for all it's worth. There's a far bigger problem here if you genuinely cannot handle the presence of women without being 'tempted' by them.

Oh dear, I'm not good at these things lol. Perhaps phrase it in a way that appeals to their understanding: "You know how it is when boys and girls try to revise together, I'm not sure we'd get that much revision done (hahaha)." ... you can probably come up with a better wording

How ridiculously petty.

Yes you really tingled my pringles there.

You and I both know that in this kind of situation, gender mixing will most likely lead to flirtatious behaviour. Why not save it for after work?

How is it completely sexist though? Many males get distracted with a female close by whilst studying: it's normal. I know for a fact when I am revising with female friends I keep on staring at their hair (or face) since I just find their hair amusing, that I forget to what I've been doing.

Wouldn't it be best to not jump into a conclusion and reject them, but let them join and see how it goes for a couple of sessions? This way it would also teach you guys self control as you can see what goes wrong from personal experience.

Yes, I understand that. My point was that he didn't ask for opinions on organising a single-sex revision group, he asked for advice on how to explain to girls the principle as politely as possible. If it were a case of how to most hurtfully bully someone I would understand challenging the idea but this is a perfectly acceptable set-up with neutral practicality motivating it. Starting a discussion about whether it is or isn't sexist is spam and more importantly unhelpful.

I see; good thing I wrote a defence for that being the potential reason in my post.

I don't know, I somehow manage to get on with my work in the presence of people I am sexually attracted to, and save the flirting for when I'm finished. Perhaps I'm special.

Why is it "petty"? There are many female only study groups and these are accepted. Why should males be refused the same rights to set up a male only study group?

Your wit is noted and a rep point is on the way.

Honestly, I don't see this as sexist. You want boys only for your private club thing or whatever, fair enough.
Just tell them that you have enough members already.

This made me laugh - you'd get nothing done with my hair, it constantly looks like I've made a detour through a bush and seems to move of its own accord