Someone asked me the other day about my opinion of American Airlines’ special site for women, and about sites for women travelers in general. I had to admit that I had barely glanced at the AA site because, as a mature woman and experienced traveler, the whole concept generally offends me. What I’ve always said is that focus on women travelers is generally in one of two areas: either they are for novice travelers (and actually, therefore, appropriate to both women and men), or they treat women as the fluffy pink species. I took a better look at American’s site and found a bit of both.

– it promised to tell me “what shoes, jackets and accessories keep you looking fabulous and which fabrics travel smart”

– it told me that some (not all, mind you, “select” ) Admirals Clubs have bathrooms [that] feature spa-like shower facilities for a moment of indulgence”

-it assumed I would be interested in “magazine subscriptions such as House and Garden, Jane, Inc. and Lucky“

So my last hope for anything substantive was the “Women Connected Through Each Other” section. But it’s not forums or chat, just some posted interviews with women in business. And I couldn’t help but note that in the interview with an American Airlines Sr. VP, Bella Goren, she resolutely refused to be pigeonholed as a “woman exec” and when the frustrated interview finally asked her, “What early career lesson would you pass along to women just beginning their careers?” She said, “I think that most people starting their careers – both women and men –”

My point exactly.

However, this isn’t to bash American. The site is almost entirely promotional for the airline’s various products, and as such seems to be just a way to grab some extra clicks from women who want to see if there is anything interesting to them (take my word for it, there isn’t).

It did make me wonder, though, if women travelers need a place to vent. I just saw an article about a site for expectant mothers to share their wisdom and experience. It seems the publisher suggested opening it to new dads and the women participating in the forums said a resounding “Hell, no!”

I’d rather vent in a place where men might read and learn. After all, it’s anonymous, so women shouldn’t be intimidated–and frankly shouldn’t be naive enough to assume that “Cheryl in Albuquerque” is female, anyway. And women who are afraid to speak up in the presence of men, or be themselves in the presence of men, aren’t going to get very far in the business world.

But in the whole Mars-and-Venus spectrum, one generality that’s generally true is that women vent just to vent, while men want to resolve the issue being vented. And maybe women new to travel would prefer to go to a place where they could get advice from women who’ve been there. I wouldn’t mind that.

But ask me one question about padded hangers and I’m outta there!

PS-I’ve created a new blog category, “Women,” for this post, after some thought. But it’s reserved for articles about women, not just articles of interest to women–because I think that every article about travel is equally of interest to women as to men. You’ll note there’s a new category, “Men,” too.

–Mary Hunt, editor, eFlyer