Mumsnet Talk

Just that while it is sometimes nice to preach to the choir (and comfy)..but the people who could really do with a bit of learning actually block the feminist section as a whole.

I have been annoyed when subjects get moved from chat to feminism for that reason.

Oh and before someone deliberately misinterprets what I have said.. I love the feminism section and have learned loads. Just realize many are missing it.

No, I think it's a good thing. It shows that feminism is accepted and I think that feminism awareness or whatever does filter out into other threads too. Just do a search for "partner housework" in a year before the feminist section existed, and then for a more recent year - there's a definite shift in how the threads tend to go and advice that posters get - and I don't mean leave the bastard (although that comes up too!) but there is much less commiserating, agreeing, patting on the back/men don't see dirt, my husband is the same etc etc. There are far more posters now willing to stand up and say, well, my husband pulls his weight, don't expect anything less! and offer strategies for talking/discussing the issue like adults rather than suggestions to "train" him or withold sex if he doesn't clean

So, I don't think that people do miss out. But I like the fact there's a safe space (well, to an extent) that subjects can be discussed which are perhaps a bit heavier, which some people might want to ignore. That's their choice. But the feminism section has changed things for the better on mumsnet, IMO.

I've thought it's strange that a forum that's populated mainly by women has a separate FWR section - as if FWR are somehow optional or separate to women's lives generally. And I think it's a shame that seemingly quite a lot of MNers avoid the FWR boards or have said they think FWR is not for them.
But no, I think it's great that FWR section is here. Love it. Find it fascinating and have learnt a lot from it. So wouldn't want to be without it. But yes, often I wish that discussions which are over here were on AIBU or somewhere where more posters would get involved. And wish that some of the very brilliant psts on FWR boards were in AIBU so more people would them.

That's a good point Bertie, Maybe the fem section trains you up so you can go out in to the "real world" chat and aibu and deal with things better. I do like that if I ask a question here it won;t usually be mocked or shot down in flames straight away but I do worry about the people who gleefully admit they block the feminism section.

Do people really block it?? Why?? This section is so eye-opening, once you read and learn and take a new look at issues concerning women that are NEVER mentioned elsewhere to any great degree. I would even go so far as say life-changing...at least it has been for me.

I think just going from my own experiences (I was curious about mumsnet after having children and this section caught my eye) I am SO GLAD this section is here. if it hadn't been here, I would be a different person I think. I would see things differently.

Well I thought it was odd when I first joined that a forum mainly populated by women didn't have a women's rights section. Although I get your point completely LastTango! There should be no need for it.

Umfortunately, not everyone wants to talk about feminism, I see your point but I don't see where else it would go?

Some people have enough of their plate and don't fancy considering something they see as political. Or they come here for entertainment rather than debate and enlightenment. Where else would you post feminist stuff?

Odd. Isn't feminism really within most conversations or events? Bit like politics. Most conversations revolve in a fashion around politics and recently I'm either getting older or more political as I'm noticing more stuff relating to feminism!!! It should crop up within most boards shouldn't it? Even with a separate area for deeper discussion....

Isn't feminism really within most conversations or events?
This is what I think, Cicc (as do most regular FWR posters, I should imagine). Also SWYM, Sparklers about people feeling they have 'enough on their plates'. But feminism's so interesting in that respect, isn't it? I wonder how many women have felt they don't want their everyday lives 'politicised' until a point comes when the ostrich path of least resistance ceases to be an option.... WRT which, was also thinking about how feminist perspectives outside FWR boards on MN seem to be most visible on Relationships threads where OPs are posting about how things have reached breaking point for them.

"nice to preach to the choir" - implying that everyone here agrees on anything? That'll be the day.

In fact, that'll be the day we know we live under dictatorship.

It's been good and bad. I post the same as I do/ did in the In the News, Politics, Relationships etc. The conversations on FWR are brilliant. It's a great space but it has attracted MRAs where feminist convos on In the News went under the radar more. The MRAs are fucking tedious and the attacks on this board make appreciate more and more women-only spaces where I wouldn't have said that 3 years ago. Still love this place.

Feminist conversation still goes on off the FWR boards, IMO it's just a good place for theoretical conversation as well. And it has often been a place of refuge for rape survivors, before the trolls roamed free.

No.

I don't change what I say on this section, than I would on any other

I love it. When I'm in the outside world (ie. the rest of Mumsnet) I feel a bit nervous about saying anything too feministy for fear of being seen a bit nutty (although I do it anyway) whereas here, I know that I'm in the company of like-minded people and that I can be myself.

Sometimes I don't even mind the outsider trolls who come in here to tell us we are all harridans and need to be grateful to men for going to war, etc, because they are usually, um, not very eloquent and get put in their place good and proper.

I do know what you mean, halloween, and have wondered if this section is a bit 'ghettoised', for want of a better word.

At the same time, I'm very glad it's here.

This is probably the most thought-provoking section of mumsnet and one of my favourites. Long may it prosper.

Unfortunately, the general populace's ignorance of feminism is such that discussion informed by feminist thought is often rubbished on more main-stream forums, even those used mostly by women. On the other hand, I'm sure many women have stumbled upon this section and learned from it and that can only be a good thing.

yes, FF, very true

Whoever said that this area spreads out to the rest of the MN is right.

It was great to see a very lively debate on sexism in the Asda advert in the main chat area.

I'm not sure

...... Shall I ask my DH?

it spills out into Relationships topic very regularly, also

True, AF, it does a massive service to women in awful relationships on that board.

Was thinking about your great posts on Relationships board when posting above, AF.
But sometimes it seems that unless posters have reached the very desperate situations that are often posted about on Relationships, there's antipathy towards obviously feminist arguments outside the FWR section - or, as FrancesFarmer has said, a sort of knee-jerk rubbishing of feminist ideas. (Or perhaps I'm giving too much weight to the very view but somehow very vociferous posters who say they avoid FWR boards when every now and again a thread starts elsewhere about FWR.) It seems sad that feminism (or Feminism) can still be seen as some osrt of 'alternative' political thought, or some sort of luxury banter, when it's so relevant to everything, and when such 'extreme' (violent, life threatening) examples of women's experience sometimes seem to be what it takes for people to start thinking along overtly feminist lines.

I agree that FWR threads are sometimes quite theoretical - and maybe it's 'different' from other MN boards in this respect in some ways. And I guess that's one of the great things about the FWR section. I still 'miss' posts by posters like KRITIQ on other MN boards, though.