Male Entitlement to Women's Spaces

[Nadine Spirit]

We are discussing whether women are allowed to have spaces free of men, and vice versa.

Except that we are not talking about the vice versa are we? What is the title to this thread? Oh yeah, that's right - Male Entitlement to Women's Spaces. Which is clearly leaning towards the idea that men feel an entitlement to anything they want, because they want it. So really we are talking about male privilege right? The privilege to take anything they want whenever they want.

Yes, I can. Women's social groups, women's fitness classes/clubs, women's retreats, women's organizations in the workplace, etc. All of these are examples of women's spaces. Many of these groups exist to provide comfort and safety for women, whether that be physical or the freedom to express ideas that too often get them in trouble when men are around. At what point are women not entitled to have spaces free of men? Is it the point at which a man decides they're better off in there?

Are there still spaces that exist solely for men, completely devoid of women? Because some men feel a need for comfort and safety, whether that be physical, or the freedom to express ideas that too often get them in trouble when women are around? At what point are men not entitled to have spaces free of women? Does it sound sexist when we reverse the genders?

I personally think it sounds sexist regardless of the gender. Maybe that is because I am one of the few who considers themselves as existing outside of the gender binary. Maybe because of that I see many of these binary gender discussions for what they are - divisive and sexist.