Which women-only spaces do you use, and how would their removal affect you?

Hospital - I've only ever stayed in a women only ward, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I'd feel uncomfortable with men in there, and did during visiting hours, at least at those times the curtains could be drawn and it wasn't at all hours. It would have been really difficult to have men there overnight.

Gym - I go to a women's only gym, I've tried mixed gyms and I felt far more self conscious there.

Therapy - I did therapy at a local women's centre. It felt like a safe space, so even waiting in reception felt therapeutic.

Women's toilets - I remember them being a haven from creeps and abusive boyfriends, and would be very unkeen on unisex toilets that aren't a self enclosed toilet+sink unit.

Changing rooms - there's no way I'd use a mixed sex changing room unless the cubicles were fully enclosed, eg. no curtains.

I have c-ptsd after sexual trauma.
I've had plenty of therapy but still feel more comfortable in women-only spaces generally.
I work in a women-only office, which is nice.

Some women who access our services wouldn't be able to come to things if they were 'mixed'.

When I was first struggling with anxiety I asked for a female therapist. If this hadn't been possible, I wouldn't have had therapy.

See also physiotherapist, dentist. (had wisdom teeth out under local even though I require elephant-level doses, as under general I would have had no control over whether men were there.)

Changing room at my gym - if it was inclusive of males I wouldn't be able to go swimming.

Women-only book group. If I couldn't go, I would lose a social outlet (which are helpful for resilience and recovery).

Feminist group - whenever I've attended ones with men they take over.

There's sometimes an implication that if you have c-ptsd you should fix yourself somehow - 'get therapy' etc like it's a big joke. I certainly do get therapy and it helps me to maintain a life and independence but it's not an instant cure-all.

Statistically, males are violent against women on a regular basis. I'm vulnerable due to autism and existing c-ptsd. It's not like an irrational fear of spiders.

I live a fairly normal life, go to shops, go to the cinema, do all sorts, but I'm managing that because I've found ways of relaxing and socialising in women-only spaces.

Re: toilets, I really prefer women-only due to moon-cup noises. Ideally ones with a sink in them.

Entirely closed (floor to ceiling) toilet cubicles would need to be well-designed so noise didn't leak out.

Am I unusual in not really caring about shared toilets and changing rooms, if there’s cubicles? Or not caring about having a man for an intimate examination? (They always have someone else in the room too, presumably for their own protection too.)
I think you are unusual for not caring about having a man do your initimate medical examinations.
For me, I may well not be affected by some of the issues. So what? Yes, I’m not planning on going to prison. My mental health’s ok, so I won’t be in a psychiatric ward with a TIM on it.
But, as you’re new to this ( I assume you mean feminism, not just mumsnet), here’s something to think about.
Feminism isn’t all about you you you.
As a feminist, I think carefully about how other women are affected. Women who are different from me. I don’t just think ‘well, it doesn’t affect me so it doesn’t matter’.
I don’t want to live in a world where we all do that.

so my daughter has to change how she does things just so she does not have to share a room with boys?
She likes to go on her own, she is very independent, she likes to make friends there.

At the sports centre I use the changing rooms are sex-segregated, but communal within that, iyswim. Showers are just behind curtains. I need to use the changing rooms to get changed when I go there straight from work, and I need to shower afterwards because it is a bit of a drive from my home and I get very cold and uncomfortable in sweaty gear.

If men are allowed into those changing rooms, I think I will have to quit my sport. I don't see what the alternative is. I will not remove my clothing and shower when there could be any number of peeping toms or worse in there with me. I've been training in that sport for 15 years and have represented my country, btw.

I also compete in openweight martial arts tournaments. If men start entering those I will have to quit, in case one of them seriously injures or kills me.

I had a mastectomy and would have hated being in bed next to a man on the ward, it was bad enough being really close to the other female patients. Also, want my breast care nurse to be a woman, would have hated having my prosthesis dished out to me by a bloke in a dress

How would you feel about 'sharing' i.e. being in a locked psychiatric ward with a psychotic man?

How do you think it will affect you ability to use the service in future?

OP Have you never retreated to the women's loos in a pub, venue or club to avoid the creepy guy who simply would NOT leave you or your friend alone? Have you really never had to keep peering out of the door to check he's gone? Lucky, lucky you.

Travelling in Turkey with my sister one year we visited an abnormal number of harams just for the opportunity to spend an hour without the constant sexual harassment two unaccompanied women on the streets caused.

My local swimming pool has open changing areas for women. If you put changing cubicles in it would reduce the space for lockers and the space for people to change. Same goes for single toilet cubicles with basins etc. there is always a queue for the ladies, but hey, lets make it worse, just so some bloke in a dress can get his jollies from standing in the queue with us (making it longer).

Are you one of those lucky people who is a perfect dress size so never needs to try a piece of clothing on in store? I, for one, have had a curtain ripped aside more than once while half undressed by someone "checking" that the cubicle is empty. Fine if female, but I'm not best pleased if it's some bloke who gets to ogle me striped to my grey underwear while wriggling into a swimsuit, boobs hanging out (it's happened to me)

I Have a history of domestic abuse, for that reason I always ask for a female gp. Iam extremely grateful for sex segregated toilets, changing rooms in shops and swimming pools/gyms - I wouldn't use a unisex changing room or toilet, and I wouldn't let my young daughter's either who have also been affected by their abusive fathers behaviour. Iam strongly in favour of same sex hospital wards, and I may get flamed for this, I don't think men should be allowed to stay overnight on postnatal wards ( currently 3 weeks away from giving birth and been told my local hospital allows this, I have been in a state of anxiety and panic since )

I disagree. I have never been in a dv shelter, a prison, received rape counselling etc. I have never been raped so would not feel traumatised by a penis in a changing room ( although I wouldnt like it) So none of those things affect me. However I do care about the women that they do affect. To not care about those women would make me a bit of an arse I think.

I want to be body searched at an airport only by a woman. And if I was a security officer, I would only want to search women.

I forgot i'm a guide leader too!
which describes itself as a collective of women and girls empowering each other

I hate unisex toilets and feel really unsafe. Would not sleep in mixed sex hostel dorm, ditto. Imagine that or changing with a load of men. No!

I've been sending my 11 year old daughter to kingswood camp for a week a year since she was 7. She loves it, sharing a room with 3 other girls.
I've told her she may never go again if they allow boys in the rooms with them.
She is gutted, but does not want to have to share a room with a boy.

I went to an all girls school which really pushed science. I was happy there and had no bad experiences.

I ask for a female doctor always. I expect to get an actual biological woman. I would refuse a smear if given a man or TIM.

At my gym I shower and get changed naked in an open area women only. Again I expect biological women only and would not use if I had to share with men or TIM.

In hospital I would wish to be on a ward for biological women only.

I use toilets and whilst nothing stops a man coming in - its a clear signal to get the pepper spray out and exist quickly as its so unusual.

I have requested a female GP for smear tests and for a lump that was on my labia

I 'use' female only short-lists in that I expect a woman who has suffered the biological disadvantages I have experienced to speak on my behalf as those are the issues that are relevant to me as a woman. If no such woman is placed I feel I have no voice.

my niece swims competitively. I enjoy watching her swim and seeing young women getting the health benefits / camaraderie and status from competing in a sex protected category.

Your thought pattern is not correct. A lot of women have no idea its an issue. It doesn't affect you, and you seem to think its all tres amusing.
I guess it really isnt a big deal to you, but maybe if you had to spend a month on a mixed psychiatric ward you might get it.

I dont think its amusing to make women declare abuse to get access to a space or service we currently have a right to.
Do I have to get a card to carry to declare PTSD? What if I recover, will 'they' take it away? then what if I relapse?

I have used communal changing rooms in both public swimming pools and private gym (as a guest). I would not feel safe or comfortable getting changed with men also there. I probably wouldn't use the pool anymore if that was the only option. And I certainly wouldn't let my DD get changed on her own if there might be men in the changing room.

I prefer seeing a female GP and nurse for anything pregnancy or gynae. I will (and have) see a man if necessary but am much more comfortable with a woman.

I haven't needed to use other female only spaces or request a woman, but some of those situations could come up in future. If I became severely disabled or ill and needed help with intimate care; if I needed the services of a women's refuge. I will endeavour not to commit a crime and go to prison, but if I did, I would still deserve the right to not be housed with men.

I want to be able to step out of the shower at the swimming pool into a space where there are no penises- and I want my dd to be able to do the same. I want my frail vulnerable elderly mother to receive intimate care from female bodied people. Ditto women in rape crisis centers and women’s aid

I want girls and women not to have to compete in sport against people who have previously trained as boys or men.

I do not want programmers designed to redress the under representation of women to be taken by people who previously had the advabntage of living as men.

I want crime and other statistics not to be confused by the labelling of crimes of violence in particular by transwomen to be classified as female crimes.

And, more than anything else, if any of the things I listed are going to happen, I WANT A PROPER EXPLANATION WHY!!

I go swimming at a hotel spa - the changing rooms, and a little spa area with Steam room are women only, and it's lovely.

I've also used gyms with shared sauna/steam rooms, and given the choice of being around half-dressed women, and half dressed men, I'll take the women - they don't have loud guffawing chats with each other, they don't take up all the spaces on the benches (and move up if they need to, without being asked) - it's just more harmonious.

Communal changing rooms-would be uniclined to use them with my children but would be fine alone and there are cubicles available so I could use those with my children. Loos are always in cubicles. Showers at gyms I frequent are also in cubicles. Private health insurance as well. So it wouldn't really effect me now. However I did go to a girls school as a child and it was absolutely wonderful especially during the teenage years where being with your own sex is actually quite liberating (in comparison to when you are an adult and have gotten over the whole puberty thing). I don't think I would be as open about and accepting of my body if I hadn't had that environment in my formative years. I would think it a bit sad if I had daughters who didn't have the same option.