For a century, the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond on Hampstead Heath has been a serene swimming space and cherished refuge for women and girls. Here, women thrive, finding acceptance and solace in the tranquil surroundings. Women’s-only spaces like the Ladies’ Pond offer a community free from judgement and free from threat. They are so wonderful because they offer a community free from men.
But in 2017, the City of London (CoL) announced that transwomen would be allowed into the Ladies’ Pond and changing spaces. Women objected, some self-excluded, and activists stormed the Men’s Pond, prompting embarrassment and anger. Despite identifying as men, they were peacefully removed and a police officer explained, “You can’t enter a facility for the opposite sex.”
