Places Hostile to Women

Why on earth should any dress code insist on heels? Some people never wear them, either through choice, or because they have foot problems which mean they can't.

I've been in a betting shop a couple of times. I guess this would be more if I actually gambled (was putting on a bet for someone else). I've certainly sat in bars on my own. Never felt inclined to play golf, and prefer to swim than gym, so don't really have to deal with those either. I'm single, so I do have to deal with the garage by myself, but I've not found the local one I use to be problematic.

Like Elephants, I work in a male-dominated environment, so I've got used to being in a minority, and I don't often feel uncomfortable just because I'm the only woman there. I guess I've developed a thick skin over the years.

There's also the issue of being young. Young women/girls are really expected to defer to others. Older women tend to shrug it off no matter what people try to impose on them.

I'd love to distill it down into bullet points. What is it exactly?

Amethyst I think that you have pointed out something that it very important as well, in the dynamics of women in more male dominated spaces. I feel it is important that as women, we feel confident and empowered enough to go into a male space and assert that you want to be there, you want to use the equipment, and as a paying customer, you have a right to use that equipment. It is worth recognising situations which are actually hostile to women (eg making up excuses so you can't enter a certain space, giving you odd looks, dismissive mannerisms and attitudes), and recognising situations where women are uncomfortable with the sheer majority of men there - the latter you can do something about, the first one, not so much.

I can't think of anywhere, although I have one garage be idiots, but they might well have chosen to be pricked to a young male student to.

I'm a scientist, I'm used to being one if a very few girls/women in the group and many if our town dancers were held in the local rugby club, so I'd have told them where to stick their dress code.

I feel that way about the free weights area of my gym. It's not a men-only area - in fact the only sex segregation the gym has is a woman-only two hours on one night a week.

But still, I feel awkward going there. It's just a space in a mixed environment, but it's such a male space. Men are so fucking grunty when they work out. And they hog space and equipment in a way women don't. I only use the space in quiet times when there's a free bench - I would never ask a man to move/whether he was using the bench next to where he had his stuff, even if he wasn't on it at the time. A woman, I would.

To be fair, when I have used it, the men there have never been anything other than courteous and polite, so it's definitely my issue not theirs. But it's still an issue, I think.

Yes to betting shops-but that may be because I've never been in one.

However I have no qualms about going in a pub or bar on my own, at all. I've had to do this many times for many reasons and also, I quite like to take a book and get myself a couple of glasses of wine, when the opportunity arises (not often now I'm older)!

Gyms, yes-I go to a predominantly male one though, and I don't feel uncomfortable in it. I think I would, if it wasn't a family business. The Grandmother is often the one behind the counter. If she wasn't there, and wasn't so welcoming toward me it might be a different story.

I think it often depends on the place itself rather than the type of place.

Yep, a man I once dated tried to take me to the members section of the rugby union match we were at. I was refused entry by one of the guys in the group, because I was wearing flat shoes, and the dress code for women was heels. There were only a couple of women with this group of men, who obviously knew about the high heels rule. I think most male dominated sports are not particularly friendly to women, and the boyfriend at the time made a comment about rugby union have a reputation for being misogynistic. Yuck. These sporting clubs tolerate women because, legally, they can't refuse them, but they would rather not have women there.

Some gyms are... and I still remember an old friend complaining about men-only or at least extremely women-unfriendly golf clubs.

I'm sure there are more that I've experienced but can't think of them just now!