[Avodah] Glasses look to keep women out of sight

[Joel C. Salomon]

On Fri, Aug 10, 2012 at 9:18 AM, Chana Luntz <Chana at kolsassoon.org.uk> wrote:
> Ie, if a man needs, in his going, to go past sights that are inherently
> problematic for him then indeed he needs to have the defence of
> necessity in his going (ie a heter), and not go that way if there are
> other realistic alternatives (which would include staying locked up at
> home).

IIRC from when I learned that sugya in yeshiva, the poskim define "no
other route" as including an inconvenient detour, with a fairly low
bar: crossing the street to the side not overlooking the riverbank
would be required; walking over to a parallel street a block out of
the way would not.

And this extends to matters more severe as well: Must one take a
longer route to avoid the pleasant smell of incense burning in a
idolatrous temple? (No; just don't deliberately sniff the air for
pleasure.)

I do not know why this idea was not raised in the context of women
singing at military events a few months ago.

—J. Chesky