Last year The Wing-a social club whose members are only women- opened its doors in Manhattan. This club was conceived as a safe space for women to work, network, nosh, primp and talk politics. Now, the New York City Commission on Human Rights started an investigation against the club for possible discrimination violations. The arguments of the commission are that The Wing is discriminatory because it does not accept men among its members while others womens’clubs do it and because the few men who work for the club are plumbers and electricians.
Personally I do not believe that the creation of exclusive spaces for women is the solution to avoid harassment and have freedom of expression in a world dominated by men, on the contrary, I think that spaces should be promoted where men and women can have the same rights and opportunities . However, I do consider exaggerated the Human Rights Commission investigation and very biased against women and the question then arises: Why in this case the Human Rights Commission does act but does not do it to defend women who daily are abused and discriminated ? This is a clear example of how laws deepen gender inequality.