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And now for some welding
A group of women has turned an empty space in the London borough of Hackney into a new, women-only (trans-inclusive) social centre.

The ‘wominspace’ may not be around for long, as this is taking place in a squatted building, and a court case today could see them served with an eviction order as soon as April. But if you get down there now, you will get the chance to participate in a whole list of exciting-sounding workshops and events, including, yes, welding, “feminist singing”, yoga, a women’s health workshop, stencil-making, and a daily cafe and kids’ space.

Call 07939381562 for more information, or email womenorganise@yahoo.co.uk.

the importance of women-only spaces:

Because it is in women-only space that a woman’s voice can be heard on her own terms. In women-only space she is free of the ‘male gaze’, free of the spectre of patriarchal judgement, that in mixed space- aka the ‘real world’- threatens to denounce, silence, talk over, appropriate, or ridicule her voice.

Women have made many important gains into previously ‘man-only’ space, most notably governmental politics, but because these gains have been made in a world where male privilege still remains, where male values continue to dominate and hold the most credibility, women’s voices are still mainly deemed subordinate. Where men’s voices and values dominate, a woman’s voice is often only given credence if she appropriates the male voice and values, if she tows the patriarchal line.

So while this continues to be the case, women-only space remains relevant because women need space free of male influence and control in order to forge our own politics on our own terms. Otherwise those dominant male voices and values will worm their way in, leaving us where we started.

as posted on http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2008/03/womenonly_space