Weird and baffling as it may be, this is a real thing that is seriously happening.
The city of Perth is trialling a series of “pink” parking bays in a multi-storey car park, which are designated as being “female friendly.”
The trial mimics similar action being taken in a handful of countries overseas and is being run to test the market to see if there’s any demand for the service locally.
Perth’s Pier Street car park has set aside 28 parking bays (out of the 700 the facility sports) that are being designated primarily for the use of women. All of the bays now feature upgraded lighting, extra CCTV surveillance, have assistance intercoms, and are located close to the exits of the building.
Whilst overseas programs have copped criticism for allocating wider car parks – the not-so-subtle implication being that women are worse drivers and need the room – the bays in Perth are of “normal” size.
City of Perth chief executive Martin Mileham also confirmed that the women-only rule will not be strictly enforced – men won’t be fined for using them – however it’s encouraged that everyone respects the trial.
“Men won’t be fined if they park in the bays but the City encourages men to support this trial.”
“The aim of the trial is to provide parking options in the city to improve service and the customer experience.”
It’s a nice idea, sure. And the sentiment is at the very least reasonably genuine.
Here’s the bloody thing, though: Segregating the innocent is a fool’s errand at the best of times, but segregating women in the name of “their protection” is some backward-ass 1950s bullshit that only propagates the shitty image of women as the “fairer sex“; a weak and enfeebled gender who requires constant monitoring to keep them safe.
Creating safe and inclusive spaces is not about putting people inside a dome that shields them from the bad. It’s about working to remove the insidious elements from everyday situations.
What happens, pray tell, if someone parks in a regular spot – unmonitored by “extra” CCTV – and they fall victim to assault? The inevitable “they should’ve parked in the safe space” howls would boom from everywhere.
Yes, the vital question we’re all working on is “what can we do to make women feel less intimidated in normal situations?” But the answer to that is sure as shit not “remove women from normal situations.”
It’s ludicrous in conception, and flat-out insulting in execution.
Source: PerthNow.
Photo: PerthNow/Twitter.
