Services relating to religion: paragraph 29
Effect
741.This paragraph contains an exception to the general prohibition of sex discrimination to allow ministers of religion to provide separate and single-sex services.
742.The minister can provide such services so long as this is done for religious purposes, at a place occupied or used for those purposes and it is either necessary to comply with the tenets of the religion or for the purpose of avoiding conflict with the strongly held religious views of a significant number of the religion’s followers. This does not apply to acts of worship (which are not themselves “services” within the meaning of the Act so no exception is required).
Background
743.This paragraph replaces a similar provision in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The requirement regarding avoiding conflict with the religion’s followers has been altered in order to give consistency within the Act and some explanatory provisions have been added for the same reason.
Example
A synagogue can have separate seating for men and women at a reception following a religious service.