BY KEVIN SAWYER – What some, females mostly, consider to be sexist while others, males mostly, consider to be discriminatory, it seems that women only parking spaces have been popping up all over the world. No one really seems to know why this is happening but in Europe and China it seems to be the norm.
In Germany, most parking lots are required by law to ensure that at least 30% of the space are reserved for women only. Many German parking lots are usually much larger with more room than a typical American parking lot. The design seems to be that it will make it easier for women to maneuver their vehicles around and into parking spots.
German women seem to think that society is implying that women are not as good drivers as the men are and the men are taking offense and calling it discrimination. Even Germany’s largest newspaper asked, on the front page, why can’t a man park in these spaces? Why are there not any “men only” spaces?
Germany has been abuzz with this argument for two decades and both Austria and recently China, as well as South Korea and many other countries, have instituted the women only spaces in their parking lots. It all started, for Germany, back in the 1990’s in an effort to try and prevent attacks on women. Women were asking for better parking access that was closer to the buildings and stores and that the areas be better lit. While German government authorities declare that there is no need for these spaces anymore, because parking lots are extremely well lit all over the country, women have become so use to them that it seems almost impossible now to get rid of them.
China recently put in women only parking spaces and they are causing a bit of a stir on Chinese social media because the spaces are actually a size and a half bigger than the regular spots. And, yes, China remains a seriously patriarchal and male dominated country and many are just shrugging off the implication that women need the wider spaces because they aren’t as skilled as the men. That seems to be a given in China.
Well, there are already discriminatory parking spaces in most of America’s parking lots for the handicapped and for expectant mothers. So, what’s next? Parking spaces only for people who are left handed?
PHOTO CREDITS: The New York Daily News / Today.com