When we had women-only spaces: A nostalgia thread

[EmpressLesbianInChair]

I came out as lesbian in London in the late 90s.

I remember women-only discos, Cherries at the Minories & the mammoth Girls on Top in Hemel Hempstead.

I remember the Glass Bar by Euston station, a small brick women-only bar run by the amazing Elaine, with armchairs & sofas & board games & a lavishly decorated toilet, where there were comedy nights & music nights.

I remember Silver Moon Books, and the women’s discussion group at Gay’s the Word, and message boards and book clubs that were all female.

Anyone else?

Sorry, apart from the PE changing room at school and public toilets I've never been in any women only space.

Women's group at Uni.

I went to an all girls school where I felt safe and supported. We didn't even have any male teachers. Loved it.

I remember the glass bar! It was like a secret hideaway, tucked away inside what looked like a war memorial.

I remember the glass bar! It was like a secret hideaway, tucked away inside what looked like a war memorial.

Yes! And most people walked straight past it.

Gateways, Sols Arms, women's monthly events, A woman's place. We miss them all

Hampstead Heath Ladies Pond - everyone just stripped off and relaxed when I was in my 20s ... so liberating

I wish I’d been to Hampstead Heath Women’s Pond when it was guaranteed to be just women.

Yes Hampstead Ladies Pond. Wonderful mix of women of all ages. So peaceful.
I also went to an all girls school with no male teachers until the last year.
I am in a women only book group , that is nice.

I worked at the LLGC, London Womens Centre, the Drum, the Glass Bar and an assortment of pop ups, short lived and longer running spaces, both on the door and behind the bar. I don’t think there was a women only space I didn’t visit, work at or volunteer at from my coming out in the late 80s.

It’s a shame the bars and spaces don’t exist any more (although GTW is still there) but every single one of them failed for the same reason, women don’t spend money in the same way men do.

Oh and every single one of them was inclusive to trans women. Every single one.

I went to a girls’ grammar, too. I loved it.

Oh I remember the Glass Bar! Such a special place.

The Women's Monthly Events sound bloody awesome from what I've heard! We should bring them back.

I remember The Glass Bar. It wasn't so long ago. What happened to it?

Greenham Common

The Women's Centre was women only, we used to use the meeting rooms to put out a feminist fanzine, and plot against Clause 28.
There was a women only nightclub above a pub one night a week, called Mickeys. It was the only place I've ever danced. I was spat on by 2 men when I left one night.

Not a woman only space, so apologies for the cul de sac but a celebration of womanhood in the late 1990s.

At 1 min 30

Beth Gibbons, Porthishead, "give me a reason to be...a woman"

Crowd of adult human females cheer.

Hate speech now, I guess?

'Embrace the base', Greenham ,12/12/1982

'Old and strong
She goes on and on
You can't kill the spirit
She is like a mountain'

In Budapest with my Mum about 15 years ago went to a spa filled with lots of naked Hungarian women and we were naked too. It was very liberating and felt so safe.

I remember Silver Moon! I used to spend hours in there when I first moved to London. I have a pair of silver sheila-na-gig earrings I think I got from there. I haven't worn earrings for years but I'm tempted to stick them in the silver dip then see if my piercings still work.

I went to Greenham with my mum for the embrace the base demo when I was about 13. I think that was my first experience of positive women's space. It was magical and energising. I loved all the stuff the women had woven into the fence. Proper witchcraft

The women's tent in the greenfields at Glastonbury festival. I had gone with my abusive boyfriend and our 5 week old son. Within hours of arriving the boyfriend had hooked up with an ex and basically moved her into our camp so I decamped to the women's tent and spent most of the festival breastfeeding, laughing and crying with an amazing assortment of women.

We need to rebuild women's spaces. We can do it. The will is there - look how quickly our women's events are sold out. We can fudraise - we just raised £60K+ in 3 days. We need the wisdom and expertise of the women who built these spaces last time round but it's totally do-able.

It’s a shame the bars and spaces don’t exist any more (although GTW is still there) but every single one of them failed for the same reason, women don’t spend money in the same way men do.

Oh and every single one of them was inclusive to trans women. Every single one.

TBF, I don't think I'd spend much money in a space that advertised itself as women only and then wasn't.

In Budapest with my Mum about 15 years ago went to a spa filled with lots of naked Hungarian women and we were naked too. It was very liberating and felt so safe.

YY
Turkish baths, Russian Banyas, Morroccan Hammans.... very special powerful experiences.

Greenham
Wild Court, the GLC Women's Centre in Holborn .
A bunch of women's nights carved out of other spaces, and the odd Lesbian Disco (when disco was a thing).
The Fridge in Brixton had lesbian nights.

If I had a time travel machine I'd go to Gateways.