Kay Mellor
We have a very strong sense of "girls' night". Couples go out on a Saturday night, girls go out on a Friday. It's chatting, being with your friends, drinking wine, leaving your boyfriend at home. And it's all women - my generation, my daughters' generation, the students. We'll go to a nice restaurant, consume several bottles of wine, organise the taxis and make sure everyone gets home safely.

Maybe it's a backlash against men going out, like they used to. The women reclaimed it, said, "It's our time now." Women have got more money and a general feeling of equality. Men here now treat women with a lot more respect than they used to. Once upon a time, many decades ago, Yorkshiremen went out to work and the women stayed home, brought up the children and suffered. If you like, feminism has had its effect here in Leeds. People do say "strong Yorkshire women". And they are strong. You wouldn't mess with them.

The architecture's also great and the university makes for a very vibrant city, restaurants buzzing, the nightlife - they bring a lot of colour to the city. The Playhouse had a big effect on Leeds, and to have Jude Kelly, a woman, in charge of a £12m building, had a lot of impact. I'd rather shop in Leeds now than London. We have fantastic shops and bargains. A Yorkshire woman is a Yorkshire woman and if she sees a copy of a designer dress in Topshop, she'll go and buy the copy. They're more discerning, really.

I remember in 1996 when my play, A Passionate Woman, was on in the West End, and David Pugh, my producer, got a bus to bring down all my friends from Leeds. And at the end of the night, he said, "You know, Kay, I could point out all the Yorkshirewomen here." And I said, "Why?" He said, "Because they're the only ones dressed up, and they're all dancing." And they were! They were all in their high heels and their low-cut tops, out on the dancefloor, saying, "Look at me!" And that's what was glorious about them. Women do dress up in Leeds. I'm going to a function on Sunday and it's new frock, legs waxed. We do know how to do it. It's a sense of occasion. We don't go out looking grungy. Open any Yorkshire girl's wardrobe and it will be packed with colour. That's a thing about women in Leeds - you'd freeze to death before you'd put a sweater on. They're standing outside the Majestic, stamping their feet in the cold. It's just part of being a sassy, northern young woman. And I love it. That's part of the reason I love Leeds. Kay Mellor was talking to Laura Barton.

Gemma Davey, 22 Solicitors' case worker
I've lived here all my life and I've never found any inequalities. A lot of the women I know are very career-based and in managerial jobs so it's a great city for independent women. My boyfriend's from Bradford, though, and Bradford men are definitely better!

Victoria Walker, 37 Accountant
For a professional single woman, Leeds is great. There are a lot more attractive and successful guys here. The healthcare is good as well. I lived in Nottingham for three years and didn't find it friendly at all, so I moved back because Leeds feels a lot safer. I'd never go out in Nottingham on my own - you saw a lot more violence on the streets.

Deborah Mathers, 43 Bus driver
I totally agree that this is the city to be living in if you're female. It's fabulous for shopping - we've got loads of designer shops. There's so much more money being ploughed into the city and people from everywhere are moving here. I'm a bus driver and the public treat me well. Men are responsive to women - only as long as you're not competition for them

Susan Ball, 45 Secretary in commercial surveyors
The city has grown so much, which means women are going out in groups so there's safety in numbers. There are female-friendly bars, so the atmosphere is comfortable and you don't feel intimidated. Although I tend to be able to hold my own anyway!

Anika Wass, 23 Hotel service manager
My old manager in Germany bossed us around, never told us "well done". I think that was because we were female. Guys were promoted more. Leeds is much better for my self-esteem. Here, I started working as an assistant, and people told me I was good and praised me. I've even been promoted and it was like - wow! In Germany I could never get so far. I also feel safer living here. In Berlin, it's not safe for women on your own.

Meeta Riyat, 26 Hotel finance controller
There are a lot of security measures here because there are a lot of female travellers in Leeds. I was born in Leeds and always find it a very safe and friendly city. There are lots of opportunities for Asian women - more want to work now. There are lots of support groups for elder Asian women too. My mum works for Leeds city council, advising women how to get into business, and she's seen it grow from strength to strength for women.

Nicola Drew, 22 Medic
Generally, I love it. I work for the British Army in Leeds where there's a lot of men who are old school. At my unit at Churchill barracks, I've been the only woman for four years. You do have to be quite tough but the guys tend to be quite protective. Occasionally I've had some quite rude things said to me but generally they've been lovely. Leeds is definitely a great place to work in the army as a woman.

Kiran Hussain, 25 Junior doctor
Hospitals are male dominated - I think I could only name five female surgical consultants out of 100. I had one professor and the first thing he said is that a woman's place is barefoot in the kitchen. Thankfully, he's retired. But women are enjoying all aspects of life that once only men did. Leeds is a multicultural city - you notice it as soon as you drive in. In the hospital, several female doctors come to work in full hijab. Having been born and raised in Manchester, I have to say they offer identical opportunities. Aesthetically, Leeds is great but I've outgrown the city now - it's too small. My heart is in Manchester.

Mercy Offei Essah, 43 NHS secretary
I lived in Austria for 12 years and job-wise, Leeds is very women-friendly. People go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. At work I haven't experienced any prejudice at all - maybe because we are not competing with men at a higher level. I was born in Ghana and people are treated in a more friendly way in the workplace here; they're introduced to higher levels.

Elsbeth Makombe, 24 Mother
I lived in Zimbabwe until I was 17 and it's better in Zimbabwe for a woman in terms of morals. Women are embraced in the culture. Here, girls are free to do whatever they want.

Chantelle Collinson, 16 College student
I would like to spend the rest of my life in Leeds as there are loads of different places to go shopping. Although I can't find any hunky men here.