January 28, 2022: ‘No Boys Allowed’ is now… Illegal?
Women-only gym spaces were just banned in Connecticut
Rulings like this beg the question, when do single-sex spaces make sense?
What happened in Connecticut?
The state Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of two men who complained about women-only workout spaces that exist at two different gyms.
“A reading of (the law) to imply a gender privacy exception, although presumably to benefit women, could also negatively affect the rights of women in a different way,” Chief Justice Richard Robinson wrote.
Women want protection and privacy
One British study reported that 91% of women said they had been stared at while working out at a public gym. Some clubs have attempted to address this problem by creating these women only spaces. Many universities have single-sex residence halls too.
But does it go both ways?
Single-sex spaces are a phenomenon all over the globe, from elite business clubs to private islands.. where women are not allowed to go. These spaces have increasingly come under fire, including in the US, where there are still multiple golf clubs that do not admit women.
Debating online spaces too
We have a feeling these debates about the role of single-sex spaces aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they’re even becoming part of the conversation in online spaces; this week the Washington Post’s women-focused publication The Lily announced it is shifting focus away from women’s issues and instead focusing on gender & identity at large.
The end of No Boys Allowed?
Is there still value in women’s only spaces, on or offline? Let us know what you think.
Here are a few other top picks for the week…
READ: My Experience with Vaginismus
A vulnerable sharing of one woman’s experience with this painful condition that can sometimes happen in the female body.
WATCH: Invisible Women Book Club Discussions
One of our most popular FemCatholic book club picks on how a world designed for men leaves women at a dangerous and even deadly disadvantage.
LISTEN: HBR on Making Yourself Heard at Work
A fascinating conversation on how men and women communicate differently at work, and what women can do to make our ideas heard when it matters most.