Harvard sued over ban on single-sex social clubs

HARVARD is being sued for sexual discrimination over its attempts to clamp down on single-gender social clubs.

A group of fraternities and sororities have accused the elite US university of violating their civil rights.

Harvard stopped formally recognising single-sex organisations in 1984, but they continued operating off-campus, and as informal clubs. The latest crackdown meant students who joined such clubs could not serve as captains of sports teams, or as leaders of officially recognised student groups.

They also could not receive endorsement letters from college deans for prestigious postgraduate programmes.

In the legal claim, brought in a court in Boston, Massachusetts, it was alleged that the university was unfairly punishing men and women who chose to join all-male or all-female groups.

It was argued that Harvard had incorrectly sought to link all-male fraternities to sexual assaults and had erroneously contended that single-sex organisations subordinate women.

The complaint said: “Harvard has engaged in an aggressive campaign of intimidation, threats and coercion against all students who join single-sex organisations and advocate for their continued existence.”

Stanton Jones, a lawyer for the sororities and fraternities, said: “Harvard should get out of the business of trying to dictate who students spend their time with off campus.”

The university had no immediate comment on the case.