IBM's Rometty attends Masters on Sunday

[weakmagneto]

Fox Sports
Updated Apr 9, 2012

Bubba Watson won his first green jacket in a thrilling playoff finish at the Masters on Sunday, but the question over whether the all-male Augusta National Golf Club would invite IBM's new CEO Virginia M. Rometty to become its first female member remained unsettled.

IBM is one of three corporate sponsors of the Masters. And Augusta National, which hosts the event in Augusta, Ga., has offered membership to the past four IBM CEOs. But because of the club's all-male policy, it is unclear whether an invitation has been extended to Rometty. IBM and the club would not say whether she had been invited to join

http://msn.foxsports.com/golf/story/ibm-ceo-virginia-rometty-at-masters-question-of-augusta-national-golf-club-female-members-remains-040812

Recently, in the media, there are some high profile stories of clubs and pageants that are being challenged on their policies on membership and criteria of individuals relating to gender. For example, recently a transgender beauty queen was hoping to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant and challenged the rule that states contestants must be "naturally born female".

Would you consider this gender exclusion or is it fair and within the organization's rights to determine criteria for membership? What are your thoughts?

[Watson]

Those with the keys can invite, or exclude who every they wish. They can do either, overtly or more subtly. Men, women, kids and pets get excluded if you want to hunt down an example to make a point. Maybe Rometty did get an invite, or maybe not. Or maybe she did and told them to stuff it, politely of coarse. There is a lot to be said for not going where you're not wanted.

[CanadysPeak]

SCOTUS has ruled that religious organizations are shielded from discrimination suits. Beyond any doubt, the Augusta Masters is a religion.

Seriously, if they were only playing a game down there, I suppose they would have the right to exclude anyone they please. However, what goes on at Augusta (and at many golf clubs) is a mixture of spectacle, corporate power, and networking at the highest level. Discrimination against women at Augusta amounts to workplace discrimination.