- A housing scheme exclusively for women has opened in West London, Kemi Badenoch has been silent on the matter.
- This raises concerns about consistency in attitudes towards gender segregation from such individuals.
Brook House, a women-only social housing scheme in Acton, London, has marked a significant milestone with the completion of its 15-storey structure.
The project is led by Women’s Pioneer Housing which is dedicated to women-only accommodation, alongside L&Q, a major social housing provider.
Interestingly, the silence from figures such as Kemi Badenoch regarding this project, despite her vocal opposition to gender segregation during instances such as Muslims peacefully praying at a Trafalgar Square Iftar event, raises broader questions about consistency and selective outrage. Badenoch has not appeared to express similar concerns in this context, which is rather telling. It invites scrutiny over why gender-specific housing or arrangements in London is being presented as beneficial and necessary, while practices of gender segregation specific to the Muslim community is singled out for criticism. If gender separation is accepted in one context, and within other religious communities, it is reasonable to question why it becomes contentious in another.
The new development will deliver 102 socially rented flats, replacing an older estate of 39 homes. The original Brook House estate on Gunnersbury Lane, opposite Acton Town underground station, dates back to the 1930s, with additional buildings added in the 1970s. Over time, many of these homes fell below modern living standards and were not viable for refurbishment.
Women’s Pioneer Housing, established in 1920 by suffragists, was founded on the principle of “providing women with access to high-quality, affordable homes as part of a broader commitment to equality.”
Tracey Downie, Chief Executive at Women’s Pioneer Housing, said:
“Women’s Pioneer Housing has worked for more than 100 years with single women, including in Ealing, and we strongly believe that providing more good-quality, affordable homes for women is critically important, particularly during this cost-of-living and energy crisis. We are more than just “bricks and mortar” – we support our residents’ independence and wellbeing and this new building will provide a real home for many women in dire need.”
Ealing Council Leader Cllr Peter Mason added:
“The 102 new flats being built at Brook House will provide a safe, secure, genuinely affordable place to call home for some of the hundreds of women on the waiting list for social housing in our borough.
“Many of the homes will be let to women who have experienced domestic abuse and other dangers. There is a big need for this type of specialist women-only accommodation. The flats will be a lifeline for women who are unable to privately rent.”
Gender segregation is a part of Islamic prayer and is practised as such in London. Badenoch maintains that her concerns are not about religious freedom, but about gender segregation in public spaces. However, it appears the same standard is not applied elsewhere as gender segregation within publicly funded social housing is seemingly tolerated.
Similarly, right-wing politicians have largely failed to call out comparable practices of gender segregation within sections of the Jewish community in London, including Purim parades and incidents in which Jewish children were separated from non-Jewish children in a public swimming pool.
