Ride-hailing services have becoming more and more popular in recent years. With the success of services like Uber and Lyft, more and more companies are trying to find their own niche to carve out. One popular category are services that cater to women. Women only drivers that only take women passengers have been on the rise. With news of drivers assaulting female passengers, it only makes sense that women would flock to a more female friendly service. But the question arises, is it legal?

More than one company has already been taken to court on charges of discrimination. The company SheRides based out of New York was met with huge opposition from gender equality activists and rejected male drivers. They threatened to take the company to court which would have resulted in thousands of dollars in legal fees. Instead, the company decided to close down and relaunch allowing both gender drivers and passengers. Their new system would make genders of both drivers and passengers known. Female passengers would decide whether to take male drivers and female drivers could choose to pass on male passengers.

This did not deter others in the same category. Chariot for Women is about to be launched in Massachusetts and it’s co-founders are confident that they can overcome legal issues. Harvard Business School professor, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, said The safety issue is a really big deal, but you just can’t discriminate. You can’t turn people away.” But there is precedent, with female-only gyms which carved a very specific legislature. A prospective rider said that she would consider a female-oriented service at night but also said that safety is never guaranteed. Vigilance is the best weapon in any situation.

In this Thursday, April 7, 2016 photo Kelly Pelletz, of Charlton, Mass., co-creator of the ride-sharing service Chariot for Women, displays the app on a mobile phone, in Charlton. Kelly and her husband Michael Pelletz are launching the service this summer, featuring female drivers picking up solely women and children passengers. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)