This board is the most frightening .

SeeJaneKick- I also have daughters and have the battle of trying to instill in them the thoughts that they are not inferior to men/boys.

I've ordered a book for my eldest today (as well as the book club one)

Sorry if I'm not making too much sense-have had some alcohol!

GC, making points like that in a non-confrontational way (just like you did) should not annoy anyone

Feminism: A beginning?

Goblin, I may be wrong, but wasn't SN initially set up so people could have a place to talk where they weren't expected to be simultaneously explaining themselves?

It is very important that no one worry about being "annoying."

how about "feminism: step 1" or chapter 1 or something or tell me to shut up!

' you don't want to have to think of the audience and tone it down but rather just say what you want to say. '

I see your point, but I post a lot on the SN boards. We regularly get people arriving who want to know more about some aspect of SN, education, legal stuff, rights or just how to survive. We try and be patient and give calm and simple explanations, even when it's basic stuff that should be obvious and is asked over and over again by different posters.
Some are in denial, or angry about the cards they've got, some want to know how to change things. We want them to stay and find the SN boards a source of support and strength, not a scary place full of experts with sharp teeth and an unwelcoming attitude.

I have no idea if that made any sense at all, or if I've just annoyed you all again.

Yes, I think a lovely chat would be a good intro, and then we could move to the literature and theories once people felt ready/interested.

joining the book thread is a good idea, definitely a good place to start.

dittany, not knocking what you're saying, but I still find the book threads quite hard to tackle and I've been posting here a little while now. I just feel as if I'm more comfortable basing my ideas on what I can reason out and what I see in my daily life.

I don't know how typical it is, but I would think at least some newbies will be 'new' precisely because they've not found the existing literature about feminism has quite got through to them, like me?

If I'd read 'Letters of a Fainthearted Feminist' (which is, er, still the only book mentioned on here I've read and not exactly highbrow) before I got used to posting on here, I'm not convinced I would have 'got' it.

dittany...I am also afrid to join the book club...though I have a huge interest in feminist writing...I feel like if I try to read Vilette and then comment I will be going

"Waffle waffle, blah" and none of what I think will be relevant...how "serious" will the club be? And is Vilette heavy?

I battle daily to make my DDs have no fear of men...no idea that they should do as they're told or cow-tow in any way...sometimes have to battle DH wh is lovely and very enlightened in many ways...but he's entrenched in the old way f thinking to some degree and I have to give him the "look" to make him undo some comment or action which may affect my DDs in a negative way...enforce steryoptypes.

I'll try to come in here more often and not be afraid.

@ mog

We can have another name, if you prefer. The important thing is to have a space where people feel comfortable asking questions and exploring views who may not have done much of it before.

I think a fem-lite section is a good idea, even though I agree it sounds like a tampon for teenagers.

Booy - me too! I really like that about this section, especially when it's a topic I've either not thought hard about, or a topic where I know I've slightly uneasily clung to the ideas everyone else seems to think are right. It's really nice having people around who take the time to explain things slowly and don't take your every question as an implicit attack - which honestly seems to be what happens on lots of other boards.

When I pop in I feel like it's a bit of a treat...a sort of indulgence because I know that I won't have the nerve to have much opinon on many threads...or I will get ignored...not sure why THAT should feel like a treat but it does somehow!

seejanekick, i also feel unqualified, but i dont feel unwelcome here. i think the motto must be "if any of this sounds right to you then you will fit in here." i really do mostly lurk but not through fear anymore, just that i am enjoying learning so much.

But still, dittany, don't you think a nice consciousness-raising fem-lite section would be good?

Let us draw people with love and help them see.

this is actually the safest space on MN

if I had something sensitive to post I would do it here

it is just as googlable, just as public

but the protection offered by such intelligent, razor-sharp, eagle-eyed, strong women is immense against the marauding fuckwits and inadequates who like to search out people to pick on

I have seen it in action, and it is awesome