An Island Without Men

In the summer of 2018, a small pine-covered island in the Gulf of Finland welcomed its first guests. SuperShe Island, on the island of Fjärdskär near Raseborg, was a wellness retreat built around sauna, nature and quiet, with room for eight guests and two staff at a time. A week cost around 4,000 euros. More than 8,500 women applied, most of them from the United States, and about 120 were chosen. Very few applications came from Finland itself.

From the boardroom to the Baltic

The woman behind the island was Kristina Roth, a German-American tech entrepreneur who built a successful consulting business in New York in a field dominated by men. After selling the company, she realised how few women she had around her, at work and in her free time. SuperShe grew out of a simple need: to meet and connect with remarkable women from around the world.

An expat who found home by surprise

Finland was never the plan. Roth originally intended to open her retreat in Turks and Caicos. Then, on a trip in 2017 to visit friends, she was surprised by how at home she felt in Finland. She fell in love with the area and with one of the locals, and decided that if the place had won her over, it would win over others too. It is a familiar story for many women who live between countries: sometimes the place that becomes home is the one you never expected.

Life on the island

Roth described the woman she hoped to welcome as someone striving to be mentally, emotionally and financially independent, who knows what she wants and brings positive energy. She said this could be a young woman needing a break from a male-dominated tech job, a mother of three who needs time for herself, or a woman who loves travel and wants to meet others from different cultures.

Days on the island were simple. The main rule was to disconnect and be your natural self. There was no alcohol or sugar, just yoga, sauna, swimming in the Baltic, forest walks and long conversations.

A debated idea

The island also had one rule that set it apart: it was for women only. Roth said this was not about rejecting men. Her explanation was simple: on holiday with men around, women often start performing, reaching for lipstick or a cover-up instead of relaxing. She also argued that there are some subjects women find easier to talk about among themselves.

The idea was tested legally. Finland's Ombudsman for Equality investigated the concept after receiving a request, and found that it did not break gender equality laws.

Legal is not the same as convincing, though. Critics argued that the island was less about empowerment and more about exclusivity. One opinion piece in The Guardian called it elitist, pointing out that a week costing thousands was out of reach for most women. In Finland, a country that prides itself on equality and open access to nature, the concept drew little enthusiasm.

SuperShe was not the only attempt of its kind. In New York, The Wing opened in 2016 as a women-only club and coworking space and grew quickly, reaching 12,000 members and a waiting list of 35,000. But a 2019 lawsuit forced it to drop its ban on male members, it faced criticism over how it treated women of colour, and it closed for good in 2022.

The end of a dream

When the island opened, Roth spoke of taking SuperShe global. It did not turn out that way. In November 2023, it was sold for one million euros, far below its asking price of 2.9 million. Finnish media reported that the retreat had never become the busy operation the headlines suggested. The new owner, shipping executive Deyan Mihov, said he would not continue the women-only concept and planned to enjoy the island with family and friends. The island has since been offered as a holiday rental, open to everyone.

What remains

Roth once called the island her baby and her lifelong dream, and said she was tired of the negativity and prejudice around it. The dream did not last, but she built something from nothing, on her own money and on her own terms, and thousands of women from around the world wanted to be part of it. That in itself says something about what many women are looking for: time to rest, the company of people who understand their story, and space to simply be themselves.

It also leaves an open question. Do women need spaces without men? Women-only spaces can offer rest, safety and the freedom to speak openly. But when they come with a high price tag and a selective door, who are they really for?

For women living between countries, the question is familiar. Where do we feel most ourselves, and who do we need around us to get there? Perhaps the answer is not a private island, but a sauna evening with friends, a network of women who have walked the same path, or a community that makes you feel at home wherever you are.

Would you choose a women-only retreat? We would love to hear your view.

Sources

1.     Yle, Few in Finland warm to exclusive women-only island retreat (8 August 2018)

2.     The Points Guy, Meet the Entrepreneur Behind the Women-Only Island, SuperShe (8 April 2018)

3.     Fox News, No men allowed on exotic wellness island in Finland (2018)

4.     The Guardian, A women-only private island is not empowering – it is elitist (3 July 2018)

5.     Fortune, The rise and fall of the Wing (7 October 2022)

6.     Svenska Yle, ”Supershe Island” får ny ägare (6 November 2023, in Swedish)

7.     Hufvudstadsbladet, ÅU: Sjöfartsexpert ny ägare till Supershe island (31 December 2023, in Swedish)