Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

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

161 replies

catscan · 07/02/2018 14:59

I am new to this. I’m struggling to think of any, personally.

At the swimming pool, I use communal showers with my costume on, then change in a cubicle. At the gym, I tend to just walk home in my sweaty clothes rather than use the communal shower/changing area - I’d love for cubicles to be put in and change in the toilets if I have to. I used to change in changing rooms at an old gym but felt uncomfortable.

I don’t use the women-only slot at the doctors or the pool (though would if the timing suited me better). I have private healthcare so had a private room last time I had an operation; prior to that I’ve had an uneventful stay in a mixed ward (with the exception of a children’s ward with a violent eight year old boy). I’ve never been in prison. Some of my gym classes tend to be women only, but men can, and sometimes do join. I’ve been in a book club with mostly women and one man. My doctors are male, including a gynaecologist. Didn’t go to boarding school; did stay in an allocated all-girls room on school trips, but an allocated mixed room on uni trips.

I do use women’s toilets but have no issue with using gender neutral ones and prefer cubicles with their own mirror and sink. At hostels I’ve always paid for private rooms because I wouldn’t want to share with men or women (and if it came to it, would choose whichever was quietest/emptiest).

Am I missing anywhere?

OP posts:
Fishfingersandwichnocheese · 07/02/2018 15:38

cat I also don’t mind the toilets much as long as it’s proper enclosed cubicles as you say.

I don’t mind having a man if necessary but I would prefer a woman. It makes me feel more at ease. So I appreciate being able to ask for one.

UpstartCrow · 07/02/2018 15:38

Your 'solution' of safe spaced for abuse survivors is not acceptable.

TimesNewRoman · 07/02/2018 15:37

Toilets
Changing rooms at Gym/ sports place
Changing rooms in shops
Hospital

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 15:34

I don’t think sex offenders in prison should be sharing facilities unsupervised with anyone.

I do agree in scenarios where there’s mental health implications or prior abuse, same sex facilities should be provided (sex, not gender. AND trans-only places).

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.)

OP posts:
BarrackerBarmer · 07/02/2018 15:31

Swimming pool. My daughter and I use it. Communal changing rooms and showers there, and full nudity.
Smear test. I expect a female nurse.
Menopause clinic. I'm not going to discuss meneopause specifics as comfortably with anyone who is never going to experience it on account of being a bloke.
Feminist groups. I expect to be able to meet with other women without being forced to admit men.
Hospital wards. I would expect same sex.
And lots of informal arrangements, like a recent amateur theatre show I was in where the men changed in one room and the women in another.

Original poster
catscan · 07/02/2018 15:30

Is that because you felt a man would be more likely to hurt you ladyballs ? I do understand that.

Should have added, I don’t play any combat sports or any sports to a competitive level. I played county hockey as a teenager on a mixed team.

What sport do you play MiMi ? It seems in some sports (eg roller derby) trans people are fully accepted already. I have a big, big problem with transwomen in competitive sports like the Olympics, though.

OP posts:
Fishfingersandwichnocheese · 07/02/2018 15:29

Toilets. I appreciate not having to share with males.

Changing rooms.

My ability to ask for a female for medical examinations.

UpstartCrow · 07/02/2018 15:29

Hospital wards.
Psychiatric wards. I have PTSD after I was attacked and have been hospitalised twice as a result.
Rape Crisis.
Smear tests and mammograms.
Toilets.
Changing rooms.

I havent had to use a DV shelter but if I did I would only use one that was women only.

I'm not a bigot. I dont hate men. I do have PTSD.
There should now be 3 options IMO; men only, women only, and gender neutral.

furcoatnaeknickers · 07/02/2018 15:28

I would definitely want same sex as me clinician for smear etc, and single sex wards, as having been in hospital before when I was very ill I know how vulnerable I would have felt with a man in the next bed.
My dd is sporty and if she suddenly has to compete against boys that’s a huge issue. Also if school follows Scottish government proposals she could end up sharing with a boy on a residential trip without my knowledge (if the boy identified as female)
Huge safety concerns with that

Not an issue now, but with aging parents I would hate them to have a male bodied career providing intimate care should they need it

And I’m horrified that male sex offenders are being moved into women’s prisons. It doesn’t matter that I’m not in prison myself, as an educated woman with a voice it’s my duty to speak out in support of those less able to do so

MiMi78 · 07/02/2018 15:18

Am similar to you OP, in that a lot of spaces I use are gender neutral.
But in my Sport, if men identifying as women took part, it has potential to harm them due to men generally being stronger and taller than us.
My role involves providing a sex segregated service, which would have to change, I think unfairly on the existing users, and has potential to be very dangerous to them if accessed by a predatory male.

ladyballs · 07/02/2018 15:17

I've recently spent 10 nights in hospital. I was very sick, in extreme pain and weak. I felt very vulnerable and was grateful to be on a female ward.