# Why is there a Y? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2000, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786 "2000-02-03T22:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/1 "2000-02-03T22:51:00Z")
YWCA, that is. I have seen a few commercials with women saying they’ve been members of the Y **M** CA for so long and what kind of wonderful things the Y has done for their bodies & self esteem what with having had x number of kids and blah blah blah… So what is the Y **W** CA for? Am I going to be seeing commercials soon featuring men telling us guys that it’s cool to join the YWCA? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/2 "2000-02-03T23:13:00Z")
Historically, the two organizations were segregated by gender. In recent years, the YMCA has discovered that family memberships are popular, and has let women join. I don’t know how much the YWCA has moved in the other direction, but they may allow men to join for the same reasons. The one function in which they differ is cheap housing for single people. That’s still one gender only. * * * “East is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.” – Marx Read “Sundials” in the new issue of Aboriginal Science Fiction. [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/3 "2000-02-03T23:28:00Z")
Here in Vancouver, the YWCA is fully co-ed (as is the YMCA). They tend to focus their marketing on women, though. I am a member of the YW (mostly because my girlfriend used to work there, and it’s the nicest fitness facility in town, IMO). The two organizations are not affiliated at all, so the YM’s going co-ed does not affect the YW’s existence, which is (I think) what you’re asking. > [@](#): > > The one function in which they differ is cheap housing for single people. That’s still one gender only. I’m not sure about other cities, but the YW here runs a hotel that is open to any gender. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/4 "2000-02-03T23:32:00Z")
After a little browsing the only thing I found in common for the two groups was the web site they share for hostels. The only gender specific thing I found was that some YWCA hostels are female only. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Propski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@Guy\_Propski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Propski)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/5 "2000-02-04T13:53:00Z")
And don’t forget the YM and YWHA. They are open to Gentiles as well. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-y/6786/6 "2000-02-04T14:35:00Z")
Your topic was “Why is there a Y?”, but then you ask about the M and the W. Y? What the A? 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 * * * Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination.