The built environment and the homes we live in are not gender neutral. As men have historically informed urban planning and design, our design processes, data and building standards tend to reflect heterosexual, non-disabled, cisgender men and overlook the needs and experiences of women, trans and gender diverse people (World Bank, 2020). For instance, office temperatures are typically set to accommodate average male metabolic rates (Perez, 2019, p. 214) and shelves positioned based on male height standards (Perez, 2019, p. 12). By predicating the built environment on the standards of a default- male user, the safety and comfort of other bodies are compromised.

Presenting as female, trans or gender diverse increases both real and perceived vulnerability in public and private spaces. In the UK, 64% of women have experienced some sort of sexual harassment in public spaces (Greater London Authority, 2018, p. 22). It is little surprise then that in a recent survey of 8000 Londoners, 74% of female respondents reported feeling worried about their safety some, or even all of the time in the public realm (Cosgrove, Lam & Henderson, 2020, p. 15). In the US, 1 in 5 transgender people avoids using public services for fear of harassment (James et al., 2016) and across Europe, 50% of LGBTQ individuals surveyed reported avoiding public spaces for fear of harassment (FRA, 2013). In providing a housing option that blurs the boundaries between the private and public realm for a diverse group of people, the coliving sector must recognise and respond to the gendered nature of spatial experiences, and the potential situations that can arise in coliving communities. Awareness is just the first step in the process toward gender-inclusive design and management, but it is fundamental to ensuring the accessibility and safety of shared living environments.

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The Gendered Experience Of Coliving

The real and perceived danger presented by the public realm for women, trans and gender diverse people can make the safety measures of coliving appealing. In research I undertook at the University of Cambridge in early 2020 exploring the nature of coliving communities, younger female residents within a large London coliving building described their discomfort with past housing experiences and the appeal of the building’s safety. For these residents, the surveillance, electronic access, concierge and security staff engendered greater feelings of protection than other housing options. While coliving does provide an added boundary to the public world beyond, in bringing some aspects of the public realm into the home environment, gender imbalances can emerge in the use, sense of comfort and safety of communal spaces. For instance, one female resident described a male resident who “sent a lot of strange messages to girls” in the building that made them feel uncomfortable. Another woman described the experience of men from the building “trying to get with” her and her friends, commenting that, “basically you get loads of older guys there and they think they can just start flirting with you, and it makes you really uncomfortable.” This sense of discomfort led her to withdraw from participation in social events and avoid communal spaces, significantly restricting her use of the building and engagement with the community.

Interviews undertaken by Penny Clark earlier this year revealed similar stories from a minority of women in large coliving spaces. They described not wanting to work alone in communal areas in the evening, avoiding parties and events with alcohol and feeling uncomfortable approaching male concierge staff in their loungewear. In comparison, different gender experiences did not emerge in smaller coliving communities. Clark’s interviews with coliving staff also revealed incidents of sexual assault. One interviewee commented that cases are rarely reported due to assault victims’ fear of the potential social consequences of “destroying a friendship group.” In a revealing comment, the interviewee described that reporting such incidences in a coliving context is “a huge risk for a victim. If they report an assault, not only do they risk their friendships, but also their home.” The delicate social situations that residents can find themselves in is something that operators need to be aware of in order to create policies that protect residents and nurture equitable, safe communities for all.

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Advancing Gender Equity In Coliving

Whilst existing research on gender imbalances within coliving is limited and preliminary, what has been identified may point to a broader problem across the industry. As urban theorist Ash Amin (2007) suggests, the vibrant nature of public spaces forms the basis of developing trust in society. For coliving residents, the access, safety and inclusivity of their home environments is the first step in developing this trust. The gendered challenges experienced by some in the coliving environment can compound, ultimately feeding into systematic social inequities.

Greater emphasis can be put on gender equity within coliving through consciously acknowledging gender experiences and actively developing gender- inclusive design and policies. The World Bank Handbook for Gender-Inclusive Urban Planning Design (2020) and recent UCL publication on Safer Cities (2020) are invaluable educational resources with practical tools for advancing gender equity in the built environment – methods that can also apply to coliving. Such tools include participatory planning (World Bank, 2020, p. 57) through actively involving the voices of people of all genders, ensuring that they are heard and play an integral role in the project design. Collecting gender-disaggregated data is a crucial element of participatory planning. Gender- disaggregated data is data that can be divided by gender groups to enable investigation of the divergent challenges they experience (World Bank, 2020, p. 66). As in the practical case of shelf heights and building temperatures, such data can ensure that inherent design biases and assumptions are tested. Undertaking women, trans, and gender diverse people’s safety audits alongside such data collection may be valuable in creating policies for building and community management (Cosgrove, Lam & Henderson, 2020, p. 33).

In considering coliving through a gender-lens, it is paramount to have an inclusive view of gender by considering people of all genders and sexualities, as well as intersections with factors such as race, ethnicity, income, age and ability. With such data, it will be essential to continue sharing and updating information and tools across the coliving industry, as well as growing the capacity and influence of under- represented groups in key positions of decision- making.

Over half of the global population are women, trans and gender diverse people. Acknowledging and including the experiences and needs of all people is fundamental to fostering safe and meaningful connection and, ultimately, integral to the relevant and lasting impact of coliving.

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