Boyfriend Creche- Success

• According to the following article , the Ikea 'Man Land' was a success within stores; 

'The Sydney branch of Ikea have hailed their trial of Manland, a creche for men, a great success. PR Manager Jude Leon told us that around 500 other halves were checked into Manland for half an hour where they were free to ‘kick back and relax in a male haven offering everything from games of table football and arcade machines to non-stop sports coverage on TV, followed by massages to sooth the purchasing pains and rounded off with a complimentary hotdog.’ ‘The men loved it and the women thought it was a great idea,’ said Jude. ‘And, as far as we know, no men were abandoned!’

• There are no other articles claiming to the success of the Man Land, and in addition, there are no reports to show that once the trail was finished, the Man Land was permanently implemented into Ikea stores across Australia. 
• Moreover, there is also no evidence of the success rates of other 'boyfriend creches' within England. All known 'boyfriend creches' were set up as trails and no longer seem to be functioning which suggests that either the trails weren't a success or nobody has taken the idea further.

When originally launched, the Man Land and other concepts like it faced a backlash of sexist and derogatory claims.

• This article talks about the the idea that the Man Land allows men to get away with not having to make decisions, not have to help out around the home and ultimately act in the same away as children do given that they are similarly given a creche to 'play' in while their partners make important shopping decisions. 'The idea that men are like babies is pretty damn obnoxious and should be offensive on the face of it. But this is more insidiously problematic even than that.  It tells women that they can’t expect men to be grown ups.  And if men can’t be grown ups, they we certainly can’t expect them to do their share of the dishes or the hard work of raising families or, for that matter, be a true and equal emotional partner.'
• Moreover, another article also contemplates a similar thought, and attacks the idea of sexism and gender roles. 

'But my second thought was sadness, since Manland suggests that I, a woman, am not welcome there. I can't "hang out." My job is to go pick out the couch and light bulbs and leave my husband or boyfriend in a nag-free zone where he can chill with his bros. Which brings a third thought: is this 1952? Isn't the point of shopping for your home together... shopping for your home together? And what about the men who like picking out duvet covers and lighting fixtures, and the women who'd prefer to watch TV?  Now, I'm not opposed to the idea of offering a resting area from the hell that is the lower level of any Ikea. But can we call it Peopleland? (I'm going to keep working on that title.) Where no one has cooties and no one is from Mars or from Venus?'

• The Guardian too, posted a strongly worded article regarding the patronizing nature of the boyfriend creche towards men themselves. The writer, Eva Wiseman examines how men are demeaned to the level of a child, and similarly to the article above, women cannot expect men to act grown up if they are subjected to time in this 'creche'. 'Rarely will a week pass without some recognition of the fact – whether in an advert for washing powder or as the punchline of a sitcom – that grown men must be babysat.'  
• "Despite most men dreading a trip to the shops, we still attract a high proportion of male customers," she said. "So we're expecting the scheme to be a real success with both sexes." The thing is, I like the idea of a fun space where you can eat sausages when you get bored of shopping – everyone should be free to not shop. It's only when it's a gendered space that it becomes maddening. When men are encouraged to be adorably mediocre and leave the "real work" to the women – women who often feel disempowered in every arena but for the shop floor, where we storm down aisles like credit-charging armies, and at home, where women claim ownership of areas like the kitchen, happily tutting at their husbands' attempts to cook beans.' (Quote from article)
• The rotten thing about this idea – the idea that men must be coddled while their wives get things done – is that it looks a little bit like feminism. It has all the harmonies of feminism, but none of the tune – it shows women as capable, powerful, successful, strong. But the focus of the relationship remains the man, chewing on a hot dog in his brightly coloured pen while the woman rushes through the throws department frantically checking tog ratings before her buzzer sounds. There's no hint of equality; it's been bypassed by faux maternalism.Everyone comes off badly in this man-child cliché – the happily pathetic husband and his domestic goddess wife, only powerful when shopping. It simultaneously mocks men and promotes "the man".  (Quote from article)

• The concept of the Manland creches alienates women, so although the idea is predominately aimed at males, if I was to develop this further, this sexism issue would need to be addressed. Saying that, it is only a small proportion of people that feel this way about the concept.