With elitist Mumbai clubs, some of which farcically call themselves "sports" bodies, now suffering from an election fever epidemic, the happenings in one of Melbourne's leading clubs would be of interest to MiD DAY readers.

Whereas ladies of some blue-blooded clubs in India have successfully stormed the gentlemen's citadels, Melbourne's exclusive Athenaeum Club is now in the grip of a "civil war" over whether it should admit women members for the first time in its 142-year history.

Don Heathcote, the president of the club, has shot off a furious email to all 1600 members of the club demanding some members resign for what he termed their "deceit and cowardice" in going to the media to expose the club's refusal to admit women members.

In the email, the president fumes that there were "rats" within the ranks who had "behaved dishonourably" by leaking information to the media.

A group of pro-change members, which includes the crème de la crème of Melbourne society, have been thwarted in their bid to admit women members.

The Athenaeum Club PIC COURTESY:  Athenaeum Club website

Leaking info

In his communication, Heathcote said: "One or more members have chosen to ignore the principles of honourable behaviour by leaking information to the media. This act of deceit and cowardice contravened our club by-laws.

"I call on the member or members responsible for this act to demonstrate the courage of their convictions by resigning."

If only similar standards of rectitude were followed in our pretentious burra sahib Indian clubs!

The president argued that the club was widely "recognised for its strong spirit of inclusion" despite its refusal to admit women members and the ban on women even entering certain rooms within the club.

Heathcote stressed that the club willingly accepted the presence of women at selected club functions.

"We have indeed created an environment in which a diverse range of people of intelligence and good character may meet together," he wrote. There is no room in this environment for cowardly, disingenuous behaviour."

The reformists reasoned that because women were now firmly entrenched in the upper echelons of Melbourne's business, civic and political life, it was illogical to bar them.

The president promised that the committee would consider a fresh requisition from a reform group, which is pushing for women to be admitted.

Last December, members of the Athenaeum Club voted by two to one against admitting women, with younger males notable opposed to the move. Some prominent members of Melbourne society, including one of the nation's most senior diplomats, resigned their membership as a result of the vote.

"Particularly shocking to me was the attitude of younger members ... who are clearly unable to adjust to the world as it is and who seem to want to retreat to some kind of boys' tree house where they might be untroubled by half the human race," the diplomat wrote to a fellow club member.
 
(Source: The Australian)