I work with an uber/lyft alternative called empower. They have had the option to match riders with same gender since day 1.
This isn't the problem you think it is. Many many women would feel better with another woman behind the wheel and if there are enough non binary or trans drivers to also pair them with riders that may feel safer with someone like them behind the wheel, this is a good thing.
I am often ashamed to be a guy with the stories I read and hear directly from my female customers about how some male drivers have treated them.
The only part of this that is ridiculous and an insult is to not include males in this as well (as empower does). Many people don't want to believe or face it but men can be victims too and some would likely prefer to know they are matched with a male driver.
To anyone who doubts what I said above. Find your nearest female acquaintance or family/friend who actively uses reddit, twitter, etc and ask them how many UNSOLICITED dick pics they have received from creeps. While you are at it, ask them about their or their female friends experiences when taking an uber or lyft. You may be as appalled as I am, if you aren't bothered by it, you might be the problem.
Feeling more safe with your own gender is something understandable. I also absolutely agree that woman are much more in the need of such feature.
What I don't get and hate is targetting something that could be useful to anyone in need and slice it to work only for woman.
In the city I live there is a clinic that announced free medical help for people with risk or after heart attack. Those are not some support groups, you don't meet others and the clinic is mostly public funded for all. But they just decided to only offer this to woman, they advertise everywhere about free tests for woman. I asked some people from there and they have no idea why it is done that way, someone propably changed it and everyone accept it as ok.
Im going to say this as nicely as possible, comparing this to white only toilets is not cool... its a little racist. Using poc's actual historical oppression like a prop to express your distaste for safe spaces for women and nb people is just not a great vibe.
Ignore them. They don't realize that they are being the problem they are railing against by deciding for all women everywhere what they should be bothered and offended by. I don't think this guy has ever met a woman that wasn't related by blood and probably has never talked to any woman about how they are treated by drivers, random creeps online, random creeps around town, etc
You are right. Comparing this to segregation insults the many many many men and women of all races that fought for fair treatment. It also insults all of the woman and men that have fought for women's rights and liberation.
I have no distaste for making safe spaces for woman and non-binary.
What I have is distaste for deliberately making safe spaces only for woman and non-binary, where there is no cost making it for everyone.
Lyft could do a switch saying "match my gender", but they went making basically "match anything other than man" just diffrently phrased.
And this is sexists and really disgusting.
Many can feel exluded by that, why wouldn't they? Personally I am never going to drive Lyft again, there should be no place for sexism of any kind in 2024 especially when we talk about strict corporate and mass decisions.
I know this is a small part of the feature; but it is the small part that offends me, and I see it all the time, so I am going to complain about it here.
Can we please stop saying "women and nonbinary" when we mean (charitably) "fem presenting people"; or (non charitably) "women and people who are actually women, but call themselves non-binary to be cool".
Most people using this feature will not be happy getting matched with a masc presenting person. And the insinuation that non-binary is a type of women is common, offensive to afab enbys, and erasing to amab enbies.
Empower has had same gender matching since they launched. This is lyft taking their sweet time copying them and the other services that have popped up to make life better for both drivers and riders. Uber and lyft started showing drivers upfront info 3+ years after empower had already been around.
This is definitely a good thing but I'm not ready to say that lyft has changed their tune or their direction. They still pay drivers shit, treat them like shit and they make uber look good and uber is anything but.