Who counts as a woman? This question lies at the heart of many public debates about sex and gender today. While we increasingly recognise the desire of some to eliminate the sex binary in law, a particular boiling point emerges through conflicting demands over women-s spaces. Which should govern access to these - sex or gender identity?
Karen Ingala Smith, a veteran campaigner for women-s and girls- rights, opts for the former. In this trenchant critique of inclusivity politics, she argues that we cannot ignore the wealth of evidence which shows that people of the female sex have a unique set of needs which are often not met by mixed-sex spaces. Drawing on her 30 years of experience in researching and recording men-s violence against women and girls, she outlines how certain spaces, including refuges, benefit from remaining single sex - and what they stand to lose. Written with sensitivity and respect for all concerned, this book nevertheless dismantles the idea that we have r
