I think the issue boils down to whether an organisation is a 'private members club'. If it is, I believe the membership of the club can vote to exclude men, or women. Indeed, gentlemen's clubs do still exist and operate within the law. However, if there's no membership, discrimination is illegal. As to the pension issue, equality at 68 is on the way. So you were never gonna get anything at 60 anyway! There was never going to be an easy way to equalise payment of pensions on gender lines: you couldn't, for example, just say to a woman of 59, "Sorry, law's changing overnight. You've got another eight years in work before you get something we'd promised you next year." So the change is being staggered. And I think that's the best and fairest option.