Jeff Dunn <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>I say give these people a chance to be proud of their solidarity.  Give
>women the opportunity to play brass, percussion and bass where they are
>rarely found in other orchestras.  Give the WP the chance to follow its
>other noble goal: to expose the public to works written by women which
>may have otherwise never seen the light of day.

As one member pointed out, women in the US have the chance to play brass,
percussion and bass due to the changes brought about by musicians' union
actions, such as blind auditions, which ensure acceptance by the only
criterion which counts: merit.  Descrimination against women based solely
on their sex is illegal in the U.S.  If an organization similar to WPO were
to exist in a country in which women did not such protections, I would be
the first to applaud and root for them.  But this orchestra exists in the
USA, and these women are practicing the same sort of sexism against males
they no doubt condemn when it is directed against females.  I have no
problem with this orchestra playing existing works by overlooked female
composers of the past.  I applaud this, too.  My issue is in hiring only
females to play in the orchestra, and in accepting new works only from
female composers.  I'll be the first to hold open a lady's door or carry
in the groceries, but, if they don't want to be the victims of unfair
discrimination, neither should they be the beneficiaries of it.

--Leigh