YOU'RE BARRED!

Throughout history, women have faced barriers and discrimination in virtually every area of daily life. We explore eight of the most unusual bans imposed on members of the 'fairer sex' in Britain and beyond - and how they were finally revoked

- RACHEL DINNING

In much of the western world today, men and women are considered equal - at least from a legal perspective. In Britain, the Equality Act 2010 states that no one should be discriminated against because of their sex, although there have remained a few exceptions to the rules (the armed forces, for example, could refuse to employ or promote a woman in certain combat roles until fairly recently).

In the past, however, women weren't given nearly the same opportunities as they are today. That women weren't allowed to vote until the early 20th century is common knowledge, but it might surprise you that taking on specific types of jobs and even pursuing certain hobbies was also illegal. We look at eight particularly striking examples...

1 BARRED PLAYING FOOTBALL

During World War I, with so many men off fighting in Europe, women in Britain rose to the challenge of filling in for their male counterparts. This happened not just in the workplace, but also on the football pitch. As the war progressed, the women's version of the beautiful game' - which had slowly been growing in the 19th century- kicked off big time.

Formalised into leagues, women's football drew huge crowds, and the powerhouse team were undoubtedly Dick, Kerr Ladies, formed by munitions workers in Preston. Their Boxing Day match in 1920 against St Helens was watched at Goodison Park (home of Everton FC) by 53,000 fans, with another 14,000 outside trying to cram in.

But the war had ended by then, and there was a desire among many men to put society back to the way it had always been with women back in the home and, in terms of sports, relegated. In December 1921, the Football Association banned women's games on their grounds and forbade its members from acting as referees and linesmen. Women's football was effectively hobbled.