Sawt Falasteen - Rooms of their own: women-only communities thrive in China

Women come to share mutual support and "talk freely about intimate stuff" while others seek companionship or refuge from harassment, participants told AFP after making steamed buns in a bright kitchen overlooking the mountains.

"An all-women environment makes me feel safe," said Zhang Wenjing, 43.

"Among women, we talk more easily about certain things," she added.

Chen Fangyan, 28, said she felt less self-conscious without men around.

"Not being forced to wear a bra is already a kind of freedom."

Demand for single-gender spaces -- including bars, gyms, hostels and co-working hubs -- has grown in China, as women flex increasing economic power to secure peace of mind and physical safety.

At "Keke's Imaginative Space", participants pay 30 yuan ($4.17) a night, with costs going up to 80 yuan from the fourth day.

Founder Chen Yani, nicknamed "Keke", told AFP she was motivated to open the space after bad experiences with men in the workplace.

"I encountered various degrees of harassment from men, to the point where I often found myself unable to work normally," the 30-year-old said.

"I started thinking about what a safe and relaxed work environment would look like... a place where I wouldn't feel apprehensive."

- 'Just be themselves' -

Chen started by renovating a house in Lin'an, a suburb of Hangzhou, roughly 200 kilometres (124 miles) from Shanghai.

Believing that other women might share her desire for somewhere they could feel at ease, she organised a stay over Chinese New Year on the Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, also known as Rednote.

Twelve women showed up.

Some wanted a change of scenery for the holidays, others were keen to escape intrusive questioning or pressure from relatives, including to get married and have children.

"Within the family, women often have to take care of grandparents, children and household chores. Not to mention work responsibilities," she said. "They need a place where they don't have to play a role and can just be themselves."

Women's increasing economic independence -- as well as educational opportunities -- means a wider scope of options, said Yuan Xiaoqian, 29, a participant.

"They can focus more on themselves... and on new needs," she said.

Social media is also exposing women to alternative lifestyles -- particularly Rednote, which offers a growing number of options for seeking community.

In Xiuxi, a village in Zhejiang, Yang Yun opened "Her Space" in June to offer women a "spiritual haven".

With its rustic furniture and calligraphy on the walls, the property has the feel of a boutique hotel.

The idea, she said, was to ensure women always have a place to go.

"If (a woman) loses her job, her parents, has an argument with her husband, or feels exhausted by city life, she knows she can come here and find some warmth," said Yang.

So far, 120 women have paid the 3,980-yuan membership fee to join the quickly expanding club.

"Whether they come or not is not important. The important thing is that this place exists. It gives them mental strength," Yang said.

- Women still lack places -

Critics claim that single-gender communities foster antagonism between men and women.

At Keke's Imaginative Space, Chen Yani denies that anyone is harbouring antipathy towards men and insists women have a right to spaces of their own.

"Women constitute a social group with shared life trajectories and problems. It's often easier for them to understand each other and show empathy," she said.

While she has yet to turn a profit, Chen said that was beside the point.

"As long as there's demand, this place will continue to exist," she said.

Founder of the all-women cultural space "Half the Sky" in Beijing, Lilith Jiang, said these community-oriented facilities fill a void.

"Men have plenty of opportunities to socialise, while drinking or while exercising," she said.

"Women don't have that."

Down the line, she said non-traditional structures could offer an alternative for single women worried about ageing alone.

"Women are constantly told: 'If you don't get married, what will become of you when you get older?'" said Jiang.

"But long-term, all-female shared co-living spaces where women can grow old together could be a solution."

S.Barghouti--SF-PST