The demand for free childcare dropped from new list of feminist demands

I know this is a bit old now, but have just been reading Reclaiming the F Word, and all their new claims (such as the subject of this thread) have a full chapter discussing the whys and wherefores. So if anyone wants to know their reasoning for this change, it's all in there.

IIRC it was to do with men sharing responsibility, and also the problem of the 'care chain' with nurseries, where poorer women take up jobs to care for richer women's children in order to have money for their children, but then not being able to be there physically to care for their own children

Equal pay - companies to be compelled to publish pay audits and pay a sum equivalent to the gap in male and female earnings into a special "Women's Hardship Fund"

Paying for sex to be made illegal

Employers to be forbidden to profit from the nudity of their employees

Free 24 hour childcare to be made available countrywide

All women to be considered to be in a state of non-consent to sex unless they state otherwise

Increased representation of women in parliament and at cabinet level

Er...free popcorn for all.

problem with an wish list is it will always mean different things to different people

and as labour party know from the new labour rebrand this will always be met with accusations of sell out/abandoning core principles

to rebrand feminism there would need to be an acknowledgement,that there is perceived issues/problms with stsus quo.a definable shift from current to something new

God that list of demands is a bit rubbish isn't it? Could mean anything:

1. Liberated bodies - freedom to pole-dance in the street, or walk around with your cock out.

1. Sexual Freedom and Choice - to go to prostitutes for example, or have sex with 13 year olds.

1. An End to Violence Against Women - fine

1. Equality at Work and Home - fine but who's to measure and say?

1. Politics and Religion Transformed - into what? A Handmaids Tale-esque uber-patriarchy? The church of the living pot noodle?

1. Popular Culture Free from Sexism - fine

1. Feminism Reclaimed - and transformed into darling little rag rugs. Again - what does this mean? And surely if the demands are all met then feminism will no longer be needed?

In effect - but making it a "wage" rather than "lots of bits of benefits stuck together" could be more empowering? Treats everyone in a more grown-up manner? You do need to have faith in human nature to make it seem sensible.

On the universal benefit issue - yes, I think the problem will be the level at which it is set. But could be a step in the right direction - if believe the approach can be built on.

Before legislation got(gets) enforced, workers doing undervalued "women's" work definitely were (are) a special group of workers needing specific attention. That's the point.

See all the stuff ever written on mn about the gender pay gap, see the many pay discrimination claims lost by local authorities over the last couple of years etc.

home care/hca/respite all employed by nhs or local authority or agencies,theyt have contracts,a min wage and t&c.they aren't special group of workers needing specifc attention

By "professional / out-of-the-home" I did mean people that do it for a paid job.

HCAs are surely a great example of a mainly female group of workers that the idea of Equal Pay legislation is aimed at?

home care/hca/respite all employed by nhs or local authority or agencies,theyt have contracts,a min wage and t&c.they aren't special group of workers needing specifc attention

SGM - do you know how close the proposed 'universal benefit' will come to that? If it's a simple enough system, and pays at a living wage level, then would meet the criteria?

(Hark at me, almost supporting a Tory policy - I await correction )

hca are employed by nhs and receive wages like everyone eles.they aren't special case

a universal wage for doing nowt?dear god thats risible.and costly

I'm thinking of things like home carers who go in to help elderly, respite carers, health care assistants. Jobs that were traditionally for women, and low paid. Some of it is of course being addressed as the Equal Pay legislation is enforced.

what does professional / out-of-the-home caring work actually mean.what examples do you have in mind

I was also going to say something about extending (4) so that it encompassed fair pay for professional / out-of-the-home caring work. But actually that is covered by (1).

I've heard other people on here with suggestions in this area (eg a 'citizen wage'?). Suspect various groups have made proposals? Maybe someone else can add?

4 - I don't have a full answer/manifesto. It could be pay. It could be through mechanisms like CB and CTC - and somehow an extension of these in to other aspects of 'wifework'?

As well as the practical aspects of having enough money, I think putting a tangible £ value on this time would also change attitudes and perception of equality/justice.