Is Gender Separation Bad for Women? : An analysis of the gender separate swimming hours in Swedish public institutions

Abstract: The essay explores the potential conflict between feminism and multiculturalism from a liberalist perspective. As a point of departure, the analysis has been guided by the question raised by Susan Moller Okin Is multiculturalism bad for women? and examined the practice of gender separate swimming hours in Swedish public swimming centres. In particular, the essay aims at critically examining the directive published in 2016 by the Swedish Equality Ombudsman with respect to this practice in order to understand whether gender separate swimming hours can be justified in a liberal state or not. From the liberal concepts of neutrality and autonomy, the essay finds that contrary to the Equality Ombudsman’s directive there is insufficient justification for the separation of gender based on cultural and religious reasons.