women welcome

Lohbado walked down St. Hubert in Montreal, past a store filled with old mannikins, past a bar that had bienvenue aux dames (women welcome) painted on the window. This was about ten years ago. Maybe it's still there. Strange expression, it made Lohbado uneasy. The occurrence of such a sign is a testimony about a time and place when women were not welcome, an outrageous state of affairs. Who decides who is welcome and who is not welcome?