In a world that is increasingly interconnected and diverse, some may question the need for women-only spaces. Do they matter? 

Absolutely. 

As the Founder of an online community for non-native English speakers, I would argue that it is profoundly important that women-only spaces are available to support their journey - either wholly or in part - to ensure they transition from dependent learners, to fluent and confident communicators in their target language.

Women-only spaces have always been important. They provide support, encourage open and honest conversations, allow meaningful friendships to bloom, offer mentorship and create opportunities to connect with role models whose journey aligns closely to her own lived experience.   

The need for safe spaces increases when you consider minority groups.

Women who are communicating in a language they are not yet confident in using are vulnerable. Migrant women who are living in a country they are not yet familiar with - without familiar networks, routines and safety nets - are vulnerable.

Suddenly, the need for a space that offers her support, safety, connection, and recognition becomes even more important.

Consider women whose cultural or religious beliefs preclude her from socialising and interacting with men in public places (online and offline).

Online learning spaces that are available to so many other, are unavailable to her. These complex layers of intersecting challenges and discrimination may impact her ability to freely and fully participate. 

Whether it is just the perceived risk of inappropriate comments, humiliation or something more sinister, the reality is that women can easily be silenced or discouraged from using her voice and speaking up in public spaces online - especially when it involves meeting strangers and communicating in a language that you are still learning. Unfortunately, I’ve seen this play out first-hand through my YouTube Channel mmmEnglish, where I share educational content with over 6 million students worldwide. 

Women-only spaces are still relevant, they remain important. They create space for courage and participation in a world where it’s often “safer” or “easier” for her to not speak; not engage; not participate.

4 Reasons Women-Only Spaces Are Still Important

1. A Safe and Supportive Environment

Women-only spaces are perceived to be safer; spaces where women can express themselves with less fear of criticism, harassment, judgement or even the experience of being spoken over or spoken for.

 Now… Do women-only spaces remove the risk of this entirely? Of course not! But for women who are speaking in their non-native language, the knowledge that their interactions and experiences while meeting new people are with women can remove a significant barrier to participation. My experience is that women tend to undervalue their competency as English speakers. They default to apologising for their bad English and are often too anxious to put themselves into a position where they might “fail” or make mistakes. 

Finding the space and courage to speak up is difficult for many women in their non-native language. A safe and supportive environment encourages participation, a sharing of experiences and confidence-building.

2. Honest and Open Conversations that Encourage Participation

Many women feel more comfortable discussing sensitive topics - such as career challenges, gender bias, caregiving responsibilities, and personal struggles - when they are in a space where others can relate to their experiences. Recognition and shared experience are a powerful tool for  The shared understanding encourages open and honest conversations that might not be possible in mixed-gender settings.

In a women-only space, these topics can be discussed openly without fear of dismissal or judgment. And speaking first-hand from the tens of thousands of hours of conversations we’ve had inside Hey Lady!,  these deeper discussions are where connections are made and friendships are forged. 

3. Empowering Women to Speak Up

Confidence and assertiveness are qualities that are often in short supply for women - a fact that is often explained as decades and centuries of societal attitudes and genetic predisposition that has resulted in women have less self-confidence than men on the whole. Women have always been conditioned to be softer, to take up less space, be less aggressive - and if they are not, they are viewed negatively (as pushy, bossy or domineering) In mixed-gender settings, women can be interrupted or overlooked because they don’t always convey confidence or assert their dominance. 

Women-only spaces empower them to share their thoughts and ideas more freely and develop the courage and experience to use their voices in broader professional and social settings. This is especially true for those women who are speaking in their non-native language.

A note on Male Dominance & Power Dynamics in Conversations 

A study by Slate indicates that men interrupted others twice as often as women did and were three times more likely to interrupt women than other men. In a conversation class or a language practice environment, this has a substantial impact on the opportunities a woman has to speak up and participate.

According to Caitlyn Grubb, men tend to exert conversational dominance (more time spent talking and more times interrupting someone else) more than women and especially in contexts where there is limited familiarity between the participants (i.e. when introducing yourself to a stranger or acquaintance) When women are meeting someone new and speaking with people they do not know well, the conversation tends to revert to social norms and towards traditional roles. 

Here again, we see the compounding limitations that a woman speaking in her non-native language has to contend with as she tries to gain experience and practice communicating with others.

4. Role Models and Mentorship Opportunities

Representation (being able to see oneself in the world around you) plays an important role in building confidence and self-belief. Understanding that the struggles you are facing have been faced by others before you and overcome is equally as powerful. 

Exposure to role models is a powerful contributor to self-belief and unlocking potential. Women-only spaces make it easier to connect with female mentors and role models. These interactions provide inspiration, guidance, and encouragement, helping women navigate their careers and personal aspirations with greater confidence and clarity.

They also create the opportunity for more female mentors to emerge. Within women-only spaces, more women feel empowered to step into the role of mentor. And when she gains experience and self-belief in this role, she is more likely to volunteer beyond her circle of women, and mentor, host, or lead within her wider professional and personal networks!

Women-only spaces are not about exclusion; they are about creating environments where women can thrive. These spaces provide the safety, support, tools and networks needed to help women reach their full potential. And in a world where gender inequalities still exist, the need for women-only communities remain as important as ever. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with women-only spaces! 

Emma Jakobi 

Emma is the Founder and Head of Community at Hey Lady! An online community connecting women learning English as a second language and helping them to build confidence and find their true selves as English speakers.