Women not allowed to serve food at Hague summitt

[Mr. Coffee]

But not food service?

Maybe a titty bar?

Hooters would be a damn odd place if they had the boys working out front instead of in the kitchen. Just imagining hairy backed man-ass in those orange short shorts kind of gives me the creeps. The local Hooters used to have this cat in the kitchen that looked like Chewbacca and a Hollywood Central Casting Italian Male Stereotype had a love child. Furry beast of a man. Would not look right in the waitress get up. In fact, that might put some customers off their lunch entirely. So yeah, I can buy the male/female only waitstaff thing in certain food service environments.

[His Divine Shadow]

What?! People are using the word cunt?! And not insta-banned?!?!

[Broomstick]

The summit organization forced the caterer to pick either only men, or only women.

Then the summit organizers are a pack of sexist tools.

It would be just as bad if the decision had been "all women" rather than "all men". It's bullshit.

The decision to do that was based on the desire for a "uniform look" that would make the catering staff as invisible as possible. If having only one sex serve food and drinks furthers that invisibility that characteristic is not in fact irrelevant. It's fine to be sceptical of whether it actually does; I'm not entirely convinced myself, but I can see where they're coming from.

I can consider their viewpoint and still conclude they're in the wrong.

Incidentally, the caterer's website has a picture of their staff's usual uniforms plastered over its front page. It's pretty much the "same uniform whether male or female" that you yourself described.

Then were did the bit about "delft blue dresses" come in?

Even in such a venue there's room for men. It might be argued that *especially* at such venues male wait staff are necessary, to provide additional security.

Caterers should be caterers, not guards. What, exactly, about experience in serving food makes a person suddenly qualified as a security guard?

One situation I can think of is a religious function. Say there's going to be a conclave at a monastery. There aren't enough monks there to cater, so they bring in an outside caterer. If the particular monastery prohibits women upon its grounds for religious reasons, then what can you do.

That's a case where I'd say it's appropriate give the nature of the institution. On the other hand, matters of public policy and government meetings should not be held at such a venue.

The point is that the contexts where a single-gender wait staff is required are very limited.

Yes.

[Thanas]

What?! People are using the word cunt?! And not insta-banned?!?!

[His Divine Shadow]

I'm faking outrage, fake one is about all I can muster nowadays.

[Elheru Aran]

Even in such a venue there's room for men. It might be argued that *especially* at such venues male wait staff are necessary, to provide additional security.

Caterers should be caterers, not guards. What, exactly, about experience in serving food makes a person suddenly qualified as a security guard?

I was talking specifically about wait staff, not catering. I suppose I could've been more clear about that, though.

[Broomstick]

I fail to see the strong overlap between "wait staff" and "security" as well.

[Lagmonster]

I'm not even sure about an overlap between 'security' and 'all-male staff'. Women can shoot guns, right? They have index fingers, and everything?

[Elheru Aran]

Yeah, it was a hypothetical more than anything, so I'm not really going to stand on it all that much.

Someone might decide to double down on the roles though, especially in a place like a strip joint where they might not want to have that many wait-staff on premises anyway. In my (admittedly limited, only two or three clubs) experience, whenever I've walked into one of those there's only been two or three waitresses besides the bartender, even in a large place. Switching them out to guys might not be a big deal, and could come in handy.

That's the general logic I'm rolling with, anyway...