What is Yoni Circle? Clubhouse alternative for women

Alice Hearing

After Clubhouse found a huge amount of success as an audio-only based platform, it’s only natural that other apps will follow in its footsteps. The new app Yoni Circle claims to be an alternative for women-only. 

In the midst of a global health crisis, people around the world are desperate to find new and interesting ways of connecting with others when in-person meetups just won’t do. Clubhouse was able to capitalize on this while retaining its exclusivity.

However, while Clubhouse is largely described as a networking platform, Yoni Circle has been born out of the idea of encouraging women to connect with other women by telling their stories.

Yoni Circle was created by Chloë Drimal, one of Snapchat’s early employees, who spent much of her time running women’s initiatives. After its beta launch in April 2020, the app now has 4,000 members.

Yoni Circle app screenshots
Yoni Circle now has more than 4,000 members.

How does Yoni Circle work?

The Yoni Circle app involves daily “Storytelling Circles” that allow members to join 60-minute live-virtual chat sessions in groups of 6. For those who prefer to listen, the app also has the Yoni Radio feature, which allows you to listen to others’ recorded stories from their time in other circles. Unlike Clubhouse, Yoni also offers the option to video chat as well as use audio.

Each Circle is led by a Salonniere, an active community member who is trained up. This person will guide the group through introductions, a breathing exercise, and a storytelling prompt based on a specific theme, such as “Stories on Gratitude” or “Stories on Surprise.” The group then takes turns to speak.

If you get involved in a circle, you can choose to record your story, and make it private or public on your profile. Stories will be curated and highlighted on the app’s homepage so members can listen in their own time. You can also go to other profiles to hear more stories.

There is still an element of exclusivity to the app, much like Clubhouse. You won’t need an invite, but you will need to complete an application of up to five minutes long, which will ask you questions such as why you want to join the app. The review process can also take up to a week.

For women looking for a more chilled-out approach to connecting with their peers through audio, Yoni Circle may offer just that.

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About The Author

Alice is a former writer at Dexerto based in London, covering online entertainment. Alice specialized in influencer culture on TikTok and YouTube as well as news and trends across prolific online platforms.