Women in Iran Face a Real Barrier

Many of the feminist activist groups will be outraged over Billy Payne reaffirmation of the Augusta National policy on no women members.

"He's had several years to speak out as a member and clearly did not have the courage to do so. As the chair, I thought his backbone might be a little stiffer." - Martha Burke

It is understandable that certain women might feel obliged to see this as sexist and unfair. But Augusta is a private club, and certainly has the right to not allow women members.

Will these same groups that despise the likes of Hootie Johnson and Billy Payne raise their voices over Iran and its ban of women from the World Cup games? This is from the AP:

Iran's women will be barred from attending soccer games, a reversal by the president that comes a month before the national team plays in the World Cup.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had ruled in April that he would allow women to go to soccer games and sit in a separate section of the stands. He wanted to "improve soccer-watching manners and promote a healthy atmosphere."

But Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- who under the Islamic Republic's constitution has the final say -- opposed the move.

"The president has decided to revise his decision based on the supreme leader's opinion," Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said Monday.

I hope that Martha Burke, and women who think like her, will shift their focus to Iran, where women are really made to suffer.