Are Women Only Spaces Still Important

The topic for last night ( 5 May 2015) was whether women’s only spaces were still needed. Our responses were:

“yes it’s important – especially given the amount of domestic violence, it’s perfectly fine for various groups to have their own spaces as long as it’s clearly marked and as long as it doesn’t belong to a dominant power group – so yes for ‘Men’s sheds’ or gay men’s hang outs, no for Rotary Clubs etc, preaching to the converted, the women’s pool in Coogee is a very special place, worried that people might think the fight has been won when women are still a disadvantaged group, unisex toilets are awful, really important to have specific interest groups, a woman’s only night shouldn’t have male bar staff, any group that is in a minority or has less power has the right to certain helping hands, safe spaces need to be a jumping off point to create more power for the powerless, not keen on segregating people and keen on diversity’.