Webchat with Catherine Mayer, author and co-founder of the Women's Equality Party - Thursday 30 March, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We’re pleased to announce that Catherine Mayer will be joining us for a webchat this Thursday 30 March at 1pm.

Catherine is an American-born British author and journalist, and the co-founder of the Women's Equality Party (WE) in the UK. Her latest book, "Attack of the 50ft Women: How gender equality can save the world", asks why there's not a single country in the world which has achieved gender equality. She takes us on a journey to a fantasy gender-equal world she calls Equalia. What is it like? Does gender equality make for a society that is more equal in other ways too? Who does the low-paid jobs? How does gender express itself in a place freed from gender programming? The book is insightful, revelatory and funny and well worth a read.

Please do join us on the day here for a live discussion from 1pm on Thursday but if you can’t make it, leave your question for Catherine on this thread. As ever, please remember our webchat guidelines.

Hello Catherine,

Thanks for coming here to this webchat My question is why do so many people, both women and men, argue that the battle for equality has already been won, and that feminism is unnecessary and outdated? It's as if things are going backwards in some ways rather than even standing still.

I would like to ask why the amendment to Article 50 which WEP tabled with Caroline Lucas omitted sex as a protected characteristic, while including gender. Do the Women's Equality Party consider that sex-based protections are no longer necessary?

Thanks for the link empress. I think they have covered protections for the old fashioned type of women - what used to be the sex based protections, under "pregnancy or maternity" and that is supposed to cover it. The concept of sex based protections or sex itself as a protected characteristic have however been removed.

The piece itself seems very transphobic with references to "breastfeeding mothers" for example. I am surprised at them.

I suppose my question as well would be, why do we need a women's equality party, when anyone and everyone can be a woman, that the state may change on different days of the week, and there are no shared characteristics that define this group (women)? Given the move to remove sex as a protected characteristic, this party seems to be working against people with vaginas (can I call us that?).

What do you think needs to be done so that more working class women feel included in feminism.

Hi Catherine

The older I get, the more I think that in the West, it's all about who does the shitwork in the house.

I am a feminist, articulate and committed. Nevertheless, I still do more than my share of the domestic labour, and almost all of the family thinking. Things are much better than they were, but it's taken a really long time and a lot of misery, tbh, to get my other half to walk the feminist walk (he can do the talk bit quite convincingly).

I have at least five close friends in the same position. What should women like me do? My purportedly feminist teenage son acknowledges that, if he's relying on someone else to do his shitwork, he's part of the problem - but still leaves his pants on the floor.

It sounds comical and ridiculous - but it doesn't feel it from here.

Shashashashoepeople don't do his washing for him? His pants, his problem.

If gender becomes a protected characteristic, what use is gender equality for women? It's not like we'll be able to identify out of lower pay and the rest of the shits and giggles that men can't identify into... Stats will be skewed so it'll appear that perhaps equal pay may be getting closer when that's not actually what's happening if it's evaluated by gender instead of sex.

I think they have covered protections for the old fashioned type of women - what used to be the sex based protections, under "pregnancy or maternity" and that is supposed to cover it. The concept of sex based protections or sex itself as a protected characteristic have however been removed.

Well, as a non-maternal biological woman who thinks gender should be abolished for being a load of pernicious nonsense where do I fit in?

Hi Catherine, which is your favourite Gang of Four Song?

Hi Catherine, do you think there's any way of reversing what I would describe as the dilution or defanging of feminism? I increasingly hear people talk about feminism as 'inclusive/for everyone/about equality for everyone. It really isn't! It's about liberation of women from patriarchal power structures.

The insistence now that feminism is about 'empowerment' and 'choice' is based on a very Capitalist/Neo-liberal axis and it seems to me to be based on the ideas of us as consumers than about any real desire to see women rise up. So many women genuinely believe that equality has been achieved because they themselves are okay. In the meantime, we are in the middle of the biggest global rollback of women's rights in around 30 years. The portrayal of feminism as a fluffy cool 'club' that everyone can join seems to me to be a deliberate attempt to dilute it's power and misdirect the focus away from women, by persuading them that everyone is more oppressed than they are. In the meantime, hey! Look at that great lipstick!

Is 'equality' what we actually want (as opposed to liberation) and how do we get feminism back on track as a genuinely strong political movement, as opposed to a touch feely lifestyle choice?

Hi Catherine,

I would like nothing more than to support a political party that had equality for women as its main premise.

However, I note in your letter to Holly Dustin that you talk about gender equality, not sex equality.

The definition of 'gender' is sex-role stereotyping. Gender is the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

Conflating sex and gender makes sex equality meaningless, not only as 'gender roles' can be adopted by anyone, but also because stereotypically female gender roles are at the root of women's oppression.

Can you clarify whether the word 'woman' in the title of your party has a sex based definition and it is that sex based definition of woman for whom you seek equality.

My question has already been asked, marking place to see how it is answered.

Catherine - why do you think there are no countries in the world that have achieved equality between men and women, despite there being many different types of cultures, government and political systems? What do you think is fundamental to the struggle for women's rights across the world?

Hi Catherine,

What small things do you think that women can do in everyday life to show solidarity with other women and further the cause of female liberation?

Additionally, when the WEP was set up, didn't you state that one of your aims was not necessarily to win, but to strong-arm other parties into making more woman-friendly policies - do you think that Corbyn's incompetency will lead to a surge in support for the WEP?

Thanks!

Hi Catherine,

What is your strategy for engaging with men on the topic of women's equality so that they don't lapse immediately into the #notallmen defensive position? Most of the men I know are all kind, intelligent and brilliant, but they lack empathy for women's struggles and take offence when "men" are blamed.

I'm a firm believer that people should get jobs on merit and ability, not to fulfill some equality quota (whether that's gender, race, disability - whatever).

However, do you think May risks following in Thatcher's footsteps? So far she hasn't really made any great strides for gender / sex equality in the UK since becoming PM... Aside from simply assigning women to cabinet so the split is more equal, what else do you think May could do to help encourage more women (and those from other minority backgrounds) to get into politics to create a more representative House of Commons?

Can you clarify WEP position in respect of Maria Miller's Gender Identity Bill? Are you conducting any research or lobbying for research to be carried out to assess the impact that a move to self-identification may have on women and girls?

The cover to your book is fantastic - I only just realised it's based on a film. Is it worth seeing?

Another question if that's okay - do you have any recommendations for feminist literature? I'm trying to get my daughter to read some literary classics and would appreciate any suggestions.

Hi Catherine. I'd like to ask how you view 21st century feminism. Do you think it's inclusive enough? Is feminism now very white-centric? Does this perhaps play a part in explaining why gender equality has not reached any country in the world as yet?

I love Magicpenny's question: Any feminist literature recommendations?

I'd quite like to know how to deal with the constant 'banter' from men who disguise sexist and sexual comments as interest and endearment. I know that this is an issue faced by many but is there anything that I can do as an individual?

Hi Catherine,

What do you think about the recent announcement to create new laws to tackle domestic violence? What would WEP like to see covered by new legislation? Thanks for coming to do a webchat with us.

Catherine has joined us and is ready to answer your questions. Welcome to Mumsnet Catherine - over to you....

Hello and thank you for inviting me

@StrawberryTournament

Hello Catherine,

Thanks for coming here to this webchat My question is why do so many people, both women and men, argue that the battle for equality has already been won, and that feminism is unnecessary and outdated? It's as if things are going backwards in some ways rather than even standing still.

You're welcome @StrawberryTournament. I had to find some way to see the inside of the fabled Mumsnet Towers.

I agree with all parts of your observation and wrote Attack of the 50 Ft Women as part of a drive to raise awareness of the fact that not only has that battle not been won but we are in danger of losing rights and protections many of us believed to be secure. I also wanted to unpick the mechanisms that not only hold women down but sometimes dupe us into acting as agents for regressive forces. For example, I talk in the book about antifeminist women (and how often the media pits them against feminists) and about why a majority of white women voted for Trump.

How can we try to actively change attitudes in everyday conversations within the UK culture? As opposed to just being reactive.