Should we campaign for even more women only spaces

55 replies

Trexical · 25/07/2019 19:48

I've been lucky enough to spend the hottest day of the year at Hampstead womens pond in London and found myself queuing for well over an hour to get in.
In spite of there being a huge expanse of space on hampstead heath with many accessing the mixed and general ponds only the ladies pond had excessive queues and it highlighted just how in demand women only spaces were.
The atmosphere inside was incredible..women of all ethnicities, religions and ages freely able to walk around semi nude without fear of being photographed or gawped at.

I have rarely felt so at peace in a mass crowd but thought how many similar spaces are there in the uk for those who don't live in london and is this something worth campaigning for?

OP posts:

thatdamnedwoman · 25/07/2019 20:45

Have you heard of the Womyn's Land movement and women's land trusts?

Womyn's Land incudes areas of land in the US, New Zealand and here in the UK too, bought by lesbian separatists where men aren't permitted. There's no reason why non-lesbian women couldn't crowd-fund to buy land and buildings and run them as women-only.

Original poster

Trexical · 25/07/2019 20:35

Re additional space Dpwm, I was thinking outside of London where land and prices are more reasonable.

I just never hear of the need for women only spaces being on the agenda (apart from the obvious need for DV shelters etc) yet judging by the number of young people I.e appearing under the age of 25 I think there is real demand possibly even more so after the furore of "me too".
I also agree that if men want dedicated spaces they should campaign for that but I know at my gym whilst we have womens only sauna and swim sessions no men opted to have male only sessions obviously preferring mixed sessions and to be fair I don't think men have the same worries as being ogled and photographed as women do.

OP posts:

JessicaWakefieldSV · 25/07/2019 20:03

I’d love it but yes, space would be the issue. Men can campaign for their own spaces though!

DpWm · 25/07/2019 20:01

I think the women's only pond at Hampstead is a very unique space, and something similar would be very hard to gain seeing as space in London is so extortionate. It only exists because there is also a men only pond and a mixed pond too.

It's not very "equality" to create a space exclusive for women without creating a similar space exclusive for men. So you'd need to campaign for women-only and men-only whatever-it-is spaces.

Obviously not against the idea, it's just practically very difficult.

SuzieQ10 · 25/07/2019 20:01

The ladies' pond is so much nicer than the mixed pond and has a nicer area to sit afterwards.
I love the atmosphere and that it's all women. I'm all for women only spaces.

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