Women's communities are booming in China

Keke's Imaginative Space is a co-living space exclusively for women in a suburb of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province. Here, they come together to support each other and "talk freely about intimate stuff," as they told the AFP news agency. As they talk, they prepare steamed buns together in a kitchen with a view of the mountains. Participants pay just under €4 (about $4.60) per night.

"I encountered various degrees of harassment from men, to the point where I often found myself unable to work normally," said 30-year-old founder Chen Yani, known as Keke (at right). This experience prompted her to create a safe haven. "I started thinking about what a safe and relaxed work environment would look like... a place where I wouldn't feel apprehensive."

Chen began renovating a house in Lin'an, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Shanghai. She suspected that many women shared her desire for a place to feel at home, and organized a stay over the Chinese New Year holiday. Twelve women came — seeking peace, community and freedom from societal expectations.

"Within the family, women often have to take care of grandparents, children and household chores. Not to mention work responsibilities," said Chen Yani. "They need a place where they don't have to play a role and can just be themselves." Another central aspect of the stay is the conscious connection to nature, which many of the participants rediscover in the process.

Her Space, as the shared house is called, aims to provide a spiritual refuge for all women who need it. With its rustic furniture and calligraphy on the walls, the property gives the impression of a boutique hotel. Already, 120 women have paid the membership fee of 3,980 yuan (€475/$555) to join the steadily growing group.

There is a lively atmosphere as everyone plays board games and drinks coffee together. Some women are looking for conversation, others for protection from harassment. Demand for gender-segregated spaces such as bars, gyms and co-working spaces is on the rise in China.

Critics see women's only communities as a problem, saying they divide the sexes. Chen Yani disagrees, and emphasizes that 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 told AFP.

In Beijing, Lilith Jiang founded the cultural space Half the Sky, another safe space exclusively for women looking for a non-traditional lifestyle. "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."