Soho Lesbian Hangout – Saturday 9th August – Women Only

[LCommunity]

Hi all,
Just sharing this in case any lesbian or bi women here are looking to connect in real life without fluff, without pressure, and without men.

We’re running a casual women-only hangout in Soho next weekend. No agenda, no speeches just a space to breathe, talk, and belong.

📅 Date: Saturday 9th August
🕕 Time: 6.00 PM
📍 Venue: The Yard Bar, 57 Rupert Street, Soho, London W1D 7PL
🗺️ Google Maps link

🔗 RSVP on Meetup

It’s informal grab a drink, meet other women, come as you are.
You can show up solo or with friends. You’ll be welcomed either way.
This isn’t just a social. It’s part of something bigger. We’re building what no one else will fund: a permanent, female-only lesbian space.

We’ve been blocked from venues. We’ve been erased from funding. But we’re still here. And we’re not backing down.

Support the mission: thelcommunity.com/back-us

New? Join the Entry Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/C6mUDhMFgz89qsbhFUl3FF

No one’s coming to save us. So we’re showing up for each other.

Hope it goes WELL!

I'm just a little worried tho - the "women only" tag can almost "invite" men to turn up and cause problems. Do you have security in place?

Respect! I really hope the evening and all your future events are a success. I have used your template to write to my MP (Hove).

We booked one table for our event last 31 July. Thought we’d get ten. It was a school night just a quiet L Community drinks. 45 turned up. We ran out of room. Lesbians took over the back bar. By the end, there was dancing.

Still building. Still ours.

Hoping to get more women to join us next Saturday.

My MP has just responded to my email:

Dear Peter Kyle,

I’m writing as a constituent to ask for your support on a serious and time-sensitive safeguarding issue.

Southwark Council is currently under investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission after refusing a lawful, single-sex space for lesbian and bisexual women despite a formal request under Schedule 3 of the Equality Act.

The request came from L Community a lesbian-led, not-for-profit CIC, supported by over 300 professionals across healthcare, education, policing, and social work. No public funding was asked for. Just access to one underused council-owned railway arch to run a female-only space for a protected group.

Instead, the council offered:

1. A shared LGBTQ+ venue not opening until 2026
2. A mixed-use building that can’t lawfully be designated female-only

This is not safeguarding. It is exclusion in breach of the Equality Act and it puts councils on the wrong side of the law.

Kind regards

P.S. Brighton and Hove Lesbians and women in general are also being prevented from having single sex spaces locally too. I look forward to hearing your views on the matter.

Dear.....

Thank you so much for writing to me regarding same sex spaces. I completely understand your concerns and I do agree that it is important to uphold same sex spaces for the safety of women. We have our minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has experience protecting single sex spaces, who ran a refuge for women fleeing abuse and who served on the APPG on Domestic and Sexual Violence. The failure of Southwark council to provide these spaces is a failure and puts women’s safety at risk.

I hope it can reassure you that I am aware of this case and will ensure that the relevant people in the Government continue meaningful discussion.

Yours,

Peter
Peter Kyle
Labour MP for Hove and Portslade
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology