Ok, nothing like a challenge for our first edition. Women only networking, is it really necessary?

This is something that has been troubling me over the past six months or so, and I'm keen to find out what you think. I have a simple opinion on Women Only Networking. I don't like it. Its not that I don't enjoy them, far from it, but as a woman trying to build her business from the ground up, is this a good idea?

Women only events are there to empower and encourage women to reach their full potential in business. Women that want to build face to face relationships and work closely together in a collaborative environment. This is all fine and dandy, essentially for those of us who are just starting out and finding the whole networking experience a little intimidating. But i cant help feeling that this is simply discrimination.

Sahar Hashemi, co-founder of Coffee Republic (and now managing director of healthy confectionery venture Skinny Candy) said: "I've never come across any gender difference when it comes to entrepreneurship. All we have to do for future generations is remove these mental barriers, as the idea that gender remains an issue, is so outdated".

Now I know this can be something of a red herring, but I don't understand why there are groups for women only in business. Some sort of 'Fem-masons' meeting secretly to discuss the merits of Karen Miller over River Island. We seem to have reached a cruical point as working women, and finally have the healthy respect from our peers we fought so long to receive. So why do we need to take dainty steps back and isolate ourselves once again?

It reinforces a sick notion of separation into two groups. If your good at business and want to grow your company through networking, does it really matter if you're a man or a women? I don't want to spend my time exclusively meeting women in business, I just want to meet people who are good at business, period. If not, we are limiting our client base, by half.

I think at this point I should point out that I am very much Pro Women! My mother and grandmothers drummed into me the fact that we should never sit back and accept our fate. As many seem to think we should. My great Aunt Vera Bray, who was the first mayoress of Bootle in 1967-68, struggled endlessly against 'the fate' to gain her position im sure.

So the question remains. Is it necessary to separate ourselves from what we have fought for, for so long? Maybe I have this opinion because I'm gender blind. Maybe I've missed the point all together. Maybe woman isolating themselves is a statement of confidence. An empowered gesture of intent. However you look at it, you cannot ignore the fact that to isolate ourselves in this way, is allowing ourselves to become vunerable within the workplace once more.

If you have any thoughts or opinions on this topic, then don't hesitate to email your views to me. All are welcome, male or female!

"We must be the change we wish to see"(M.K.Ghandi)

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