Mumsnet Talk

Well tomorrow, and every thursday is a meeting of a local feminist group and ive decided to go along and see what the deal is.

Yay!

Go for it! Report back to us!

Well i feel like a prat! The normal venue is closed and it says check facebook for details ... Nothing on the site. I dont have facebook.
Hmmm off to investigate if i can see the page ....

Theres anotherone next Tuesday, another group and its focussing on rape trials.
That meeting, i mean not in general. I'll certainly be there.

Have a great time!

Okay i found the venue and its tomorrow.
They have a list of ... Well to says anti racist, pro choice etc

One bit says pro sex worker.

What does that mean?

Ps i didn't go to the other one i had a cold and im a wuss!

It ususally means they are in favour of legalising prostitution. Hope it goes well!

It says you have to agree with principles.
Im not sure yet. From what ive read it doesnt sound like something i agree with.

Could the pro sex worker mean they are in favour of changing the legislation and make it a criminal offence for someone to buy sex but not to sell it.

Both Sweden and Ireland have this model.

Personal I'd love to see any kind of sex work left in the history books.

Will you let us know how you get on. (I'd love to go to a feminist meet up).

Okay so here is the update.

I went along and there was about 6 of them.
there was a do after so it was a short meeting and they apologised to me for it being a bit messy. Messy meaning, they had some group business to sort out so I basically sat with them and I did get the opportunity to make a couple of comments on it which were well recieved (IE I felt I was part of it as opposed to looking in).

That said, I did feel awkward which was mainly being in a new group of people.
The other awkwardness was a women who was there for research purposes and a bit rude to me over something which took me aback. Okay this has not much to do with this I guess I am just giving a rundown.

The sex worker part. As much as I can gather they are insupport of decriminalizing the sale of sex but not legalising the buying. Apparently decrim and legalise are differing things.
If anyone can explain that would be cool.

My views are still being formed here SO please correct me if I get anything really wrong but be gentle.

I do not think I can go, you have to agree with the views in order to take part and the only thing that I disagree with thus far is supporting prostitution.

Why? I hear you ask ...

Well to support it to me means trying to make prostitutes lives easier and that I can agree with. Of course I want them to be able to operate safely.

However, does that not mean ipso-facto we are then supporting the buying and feeding into the idea women SHOULD be for sale.

If it's a case of 'well men will continue to buy we might as well help the women' THEN to me that seems to be not fighting the idea women are for sale.
'Men will do it any way, let's let them'.

I don't think they should be allowed. I'm sorry, but I don't.

Whoops that was a bit of a circle there, I hope it makes sense.

Stick kudos to you for going! I'm afraid I can't help much with parsing out their position on prostitution. I bailed out of RL politics quite a long time ago because I was sick of the People's Front of Judea / Judean People's Front aspects (I know that ages me). I'd love to get involved in something now but I think it will need to be single issues to avoid this sort of thing. That's a shame really because often an overall perspective is very helpful. One of the things I like about this board is hearing a range of different feminist perspectives.

Please keep us posted if you decide to go back.

It does seem strange you have to agree with all their principles rather than just be a feminist and agree with most of their issues but not that one.

You've probably got a lot in common. But I do know how hard it is when people are discussing and agreeing on an issue that you are at odds with. Do you speak up or say nothing?

But at least you went.

I didn't speak up the meeting was about how to elaborate on those views on the website so they are pretty much engrained.
Which is cool, it's there group.
It's me that has issues.

Am I right to have these issues? I can't work it out.

I'm tempted to make a link to it I've said I am from Brighton a few times on MN I guess I might as well.

Here goes

https://www.brightonfeministcollective.org.uk/

Interesting group - I understand most of what it says (been on here for a long time)

So what are your views on prostitution?

Should it be banned - so if a prostitute was caught, she'd get a criminal record?

Should the men using prostitutes be arrested if caught?

Should there be services for prostitutes to maintain sexual health etc even if men using prostitutes using it are arrested?

I guess the group supports the rights of sex workers - but I don't know what rights they mean. Do you think you could find out more about what that means?

What are my views as in me? Or the group?

I am not sure, all I can say is I wish it didn't happen in the first place, but we know it will.
Hence me feeling uneasy ... It's not an easy thing to decide upon.
All of those questions above lead to more questions ... etc ... like I say I'm not very sure of it all yet.

It all seems like a very messy catch 22 .... (IE Men will always want the service and ultimately that is what I think is wrong)

I almost feel like it's 'Stick how would you with the deficit'
I have opinions but still wouldnt like to sort it out!

I had a look at the website Stick and I'm going to assume they are not against prostitution. It's not explicit but the combination of "sex positive" and "pro sex workers rights" suggests this to me.

I read the review of Naomi Wolff's book and the statement "Unlike many of her younger contemporaries, Wolf has not learnt an important lesson from the history of the movement" is enough to put me off. I can't stand Naomi Wolff and it's ironic that Wolff made her career from criticising older feminists is now facing the same thing from younger feminists but I don't like it. In 10 years another group will come along and say the same thing about this group.

From what I gathered at the meeting they were pro 'look after them' or the like.
I cannot disagree with that while it still goes on.
I think.
Majorly confused

What do you think of the other statements?

On the site?
Yes, easy, all of the others.

Unless I'm missing something.

I think you should go and try it for a while. It might enable you to make your mind up on the sex worker issue.

Love Brighton by the way.

I wondered about picking a part i feel most strongly about.
I particularly feel an attraction towards pro choice. That has its own set of groups, etc.
does that make sense! Im so tired