The other day, I received a comment that was so predictable it almost felt scripted:
“Is this for women-led businesses only?”
Now, I didn’t need a name or profile picture to know who was behind that question. Women don’t tend to ask why a space exists for them - we already understand the need for it.
So I answered simply:
Yes.
And right on cue came the follow-up - the question that many businesses are apparently terrified of:
“Isn’t that discriminatory not to include men?”
Again, the answer was simple:
No.
Let’s unpack why.
Dope Soul Village (DSV) is, unapologetically, a women-led marketplace. It exists to support women entrepreneurs, women owned businesses, and independent brands women are building - often from scratch, often without the same access to funding, visibility, or support as their male counterparts.
But it’s more than that.
DSV is not just a place to sell products. It is a community space for women. A space built with intention, not just for profit - but for purpose.
Because behind the marketplace is something much bigger.
DSV is part of a large movement -one that recognises that women don’t just need opportunities; they need safe spaces, support systems, and real-world resources. That’s why 20% of profits are reinvested into building domestic violence shelters and drop-in centres for women, children, and their pets.
Not awareness campaigns. Not empty promises.
Real services. Real spaces. Real support.
And here’s the truth that made that conversation end very quickly:
Men are not excluded from DSV out of spite. They are simply not the focus.
There is a difference.
For generations, most industries, platforms, and marketplaces have been built with men as the default. Women have had to adapt, adjust, and fight for visibility within systems that were never designed for them.
Now, when women build something for themselves - a feminist, ethical business that prioritises women - suddenly the conversation shifts to inclusion.
Suddenly, it’s:
“Isn’t this unfair?”
“Shouldn’t men be included?”
It’s an interesting reaction.
Because when men build platforms for themselves, women don’t gather in the comments asking to be centred. We don’t question the structure. We don’t demand access.
We build our own.
And that’s exactly the point.
If men want a marketplace for men, they are more than capable of creating one. Truly. No one is stopping them. And you’d be hard-pressed to find women complaining about it.
But what tends to happen instead is this: women create something intentional, something supportive, something designed to uplift - and immediately, there’s a push to be included.
And history shows us something important: when women’s spaces are not protected, they often lose their original purpose.
This isn’t about exclusion - it’s about preservation.
DSV is a space where women entrepreneurs can grow without competing against systems that undervalue them. Where handmade by women products are prioritised. Where ethical business isn’t just a buzzword, but a standard.
It’s also a space where women who have experienced domestic violence can access support without fear, without judgement, and without having to explain why they need a space that centres them.
That matters.
Deeply.
So no - this is not discriminatory.
It’s intentional.
It’s necessary.
And it’s long overdue.
The idea that women must always make room, always include, always accommodate- even in spaces built for their healing, their growth, and their independence - is exactly why spaces like DSV exist in the first place.
Women are allowed to build for themselves.
Women are allowed to prioritise themselves.
Women are allowed to create businesses, platforms, and communities that serve their needs first.
And the best part?
We’re not asking for permission anymore.
We’re building anyway.
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