Wow this is a lively thread. I went back to the orginal message that started this thread. The app already exists. It is up to a host and guests if they want to use it. If you like the idea, sign up. If you don’t like the idea, then don’t join. The market will either prove the concept or not. I’m a bit ambivalent about signing up and I don’t know if I will. However I owe it to my business to be open to thinking outside of my current rental structure which may mean this app or another.
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I just checked out the app & website. I’m understanding the concept better now. Maxine, thank you for sharing your bold bio. I’m still not sure I willl join, but I understand more than I did which is probably one of the reasons you brought the app to this forum.
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I’m afraid I didn’t explain well: When my front facing camera of my phone is forced to take a picture, can I hold a selfie like photograph in front of it and will the system accept this. I admit probably I have seen too many movies 
.
I asked just to help you waterproof your system 
, which is certainly well thought of.
Just let the app make sure the user doesn’t take a selfie when it’s raining 
This is an important point.
While I have made the case that building exclusionary systems are counterproductive and less ethical, if this serves as a springboard for such women to eventually give up their fears, prejudice or lack of confidence and open up to travelling and staying at a place on the merit of the host and not their genitalia, the initial practice of segregation/exclusion can be acceptable.
But I’m not optimistic, because of institutional inertia and similar factors.
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In the U.S. belonging to a community doesn’t give you the right as a business to refuse services to those outside your community. I’ve seen vile, disgusting posts on Reddit where people say that black people commit more crimes so hosts should be permitted to exclude black people. I assume that you don’t think hosts should be able to practice racial profiling, so why should they be permitted to practice gender profiling?
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Agree, if this website/app does allow only women to host/book, it crosses that line.
You are making assumptions about my past. You are incorrect about most of them.
I wonder if a host signs up to welcome women on one site (@Maxine_Outerbridge’s app), everyone on another (Airbnb), LGBT on another (misterbnb) - they have proven they are not refusing anyone in particular.
If hosts welcome everyone they are not discriminating even if they advertise on a platform that targets a particular demographic. Even so, I would never advertise on the original poster’s website (even if my sweet, gentle husband didn’t live here) because the website encourages profiling and discrimination.
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Thats a great concept
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I am a woman and I have experienced the full gamut of male sexism and abuse. And I mean the full gamut. I do not think this proposition is a good idea, it’s not just men’s opinion. Perhaps I have finally reached that age when you get irritated by the complaints of the young and see it more as whining. As in 'my god, you think THIS is bad? Grow a backbone! In my day we had to '…blah blah. It’s not helpful, I admit. But I deeply believe that in these times where there is a backlash against all the progress made and when many political leaders are legitimising the most hateful and regressive elements, it is vital that people who do not share this mindset stick together. If we start segregating ourselves, by gender or race or religion, we are lost. I really believe that. Creating a platform specifically for one group buys into that division and makes it legitimate. If my opposition to that means someone is ever so slightly inconvenienced in finding somewhere to stay on vacation, well I can live with that.
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I will reiterate, we are not stopping women from engaging with men while on their trip. We are not segregating society, they will clearly be around men and are clearly free to do that as they wish. Our platform is intended to be used primarily prior to their trip as a planning tool to prepare and equip these women (meaning the ones who need it as the ones who don’t just simply won’t use the app) to have the confidence, based on their needs to have a safer and more comfortable trip. Nothing in life can be 100% guaranteed or assured but we’re doing our best. We are bringing together like-minded women, who want to meet other women who are in a similar position as them to be the best resource for each other. We are creating a supportive network where women engage with each other to share information, resources, advice, and make hopefully lasting connections. And with our latest feature (which is among many and not the SOLE purpose of the app), we are helping women to find female friendly accommodation spaces for those that seek it already. By your logic…We should essentially do away with the following all together: separated bathrooms or locker rooms, male and female sports teams, girls scouts and boy scouts, sorroities and fraternities, mommy and me classes, gender specific support groups/therapy groups, women’s domestic violence shelters, any other kind of segregated housing such as college dorms, summer sleep away camp, segregated hostels, the list can literally go on and on. As one commenter said…There is a thin line between reasonable and discriminatory. I’ve been at several pitch off events (mostly among millennials my age) and have not had ONE male be offended by this app, in fact I get a lot of ("wow I’m going to tell that to my sister or cousin and that will make me feel better to when they travel etc). My developer is a man and pretty feminist if you ask me. Even though he can’t use the app himself he’s so passionate and thinks it’s fantastic. I was just presenting at a travel tech event last Friday in a conference room full of men and again not ONE person was offended. I have literally yet to meet a man that has been offended by this. We have been on social media marketing about this app for a year now and post just about every day or so and have NEVER had a man on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest leave a comment or send a message about being offended. The messages we have got from men are again very supportive. Perhaps the initial description in this thread is where I failed and the messaging wasn’t received as intended. That’s unfortunate and I regret that.
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There are so many inconsistencies in your logic, I don’t even know where to begin. But this one stands out@
Could it get any more patronising ffs? Seriously, what a lot of nonsense. I despair.
edit: sorry, I know you mean well but please - read up on feminism.
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And please explain what you mean by “like-minded women”. It is a meaningless phrase when there is no context. What criteria are you applying? I have more in common with my (lovely) tomcat than I do with Theresa May, for example. We both have vaginas but that’s all we have in common. Although I’m sure we could find something to talk about. It would be an awkward conversation, though.
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How is that my logic? These are comments I get from other people, not my words. I’ve been patient enough but the insults are just unnecessary at this point and I don’t need to read up on feminism. I know who this platform serves and if you’re offended because an older brother wants to refer this to his younger sister because that makes him feel better when she’s traveling alone, that she may find a travel buddy or local connection that can tell her everything she needs to know to be a more informed visitor than that’s your problem. Good luck to you and your hosting business. Good luck to you all. Wish you a lot of continued success! 
apologies if I missed anyone elses comments. Please feel free to inbox me as many of you have and I’m so grateful for that additional feedback. Also feel free to email me, our contact info is on the website or just inbox me for it. Thanks again!!
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No. Just NO. This perpetuates a stereotype that women are not capable of looking after themselves. UNACCEPTABLE.
And yes, you really do need to read up on feminism before you spread this nonsense any further.
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On the app we distinguish travel styles. I gave them fun names. You take a quiz to determine this. The difference styles are: Danger junkie, beach bum, globetrotter, backpacker, classic tourist. So by like-minded you can easily identify someone who may have a similar travel style as you, or it could be something in the person’s bio that indicates the have other things in common. For goodness sake I’m sure you knew what was meant by “like-minded”. You’re just getting childish at this point. See you’re criticising something before even looking into it. 
I’m sure there are many other threads you can attack people on because I’m exhausted.
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I feel very strongly about this issue. I am not attacking you, I am disputing your stance. There is a difference. There is only one person being childish and it’s not me. No, I do not know what you mean by “like-minded”. Why should I automatically “just know”? But I see you have explained. Danger junkie etc. OK. Pffft.
I’m tired too. Goodnight.
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Seeiously, You need to chill out. And you completely contradicted yourself. The fact that the woman is GOING ALONE, doing her own research, planning her own trip and using the app to get info, meeting or connecting with complete strangers, alllllllllllll on her own is IN FACT evidence that she can handle and take care of herself. Being referred to that service or platform doesn’t mean she didn’t do it all herself including going on the trip. That’s insane, ppl give people tips and advice all the time! Doesn’t mean they can’t handle or take care of themselves. For someone who says you’re so “serious” about this issue… I feel nothing but discouraged and degraded as a woman after this thread. Yes!!! Good night!!!