Between 1972 and 1976 all motorcyclists in the UK had to wear a helmet. In 1976, the Motorcycle Helmets (Religious Exemption) Act was passed, granting Sikh males exemption from wearing helmets while riding motorcycles. This exemption was granted on the basis that Sikh men are required to wear turbans as part of their religious observance. Exemptions such as these are often granted in the belief that members of particular religious or cultural groups should be exempt from certain laws or policies in order to protect their cultural or religious identity or practices. This rules-and-exemptions approach adopted by the British government has sparked considerable philosophical debate, particularly among liberal philosophers. Liberalism, a philosophical tradition that developed in the 17th century, emphasizes the rights and personal autonomy of the individual. It also supports the idea that all human beings should be treated equally before the law. The debate that arose around the exemption approved by the British government in 1976 centered around two distinct groups of liberal philosophers. Those opposed to the exemption who proscribed the difference-blind school of liberalism argued that differences in ethnicity, religion, culture and gender should be ignored. The emphasis should instead be placed on the universally common traits of our humanity. They argue that cultural, religious, racial, and gender differences are private and do not concern public institutions. From a liberal perspective blind to differences, the 1976 religious exemption was unjust. Those in favor of the rules-and-exemptions approach argue that difference-blind liberalism is inherently flawed as it can create inequality in… half the document… and rarely in the full process. Denying an individual some aspects of a culture or cultural tradition in which they grew up would leave the individual feeling lost or adrift and would have a detrimental effect on them as they are unable to live as they prefer (Reading 3.1 ). Difference-blind liberalism ignores cultural differences and risks destroying traditions and cultural resources, which are fundamental to an individual's autonomy (Pike, 2008 p.114). By denying Sikh males the right to religious observance by wearing turbans while riding motorbikes, the original 1972 law hindered their autonomy by prohibiting the full expression of their cultural and religious practices. Therefore, liberal philosophers should support cultural exemptions that support an individual's autonomy and should be in favor of the religious exemption clause applied in 1976 (Pike, 2008 p.116).