Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Who to vote for as a feminist

419 replies

WorkingBling · 20/01/2015 11:27

I am really struggling ahead of the elections. I have decided that commitment to feminist principals needs to be a strong part of my voting decision making process. But I honestly am not sure this helps.

Lib dems have terrible track record and while I like nick's wife, I can't vote for a party where there's only one woman I am impressed by.

Instinctively i am more of a labour supporter but with the exception of Harriet H I honestly feel underwhelmed by their female representation and view on women.

This leaves the conservatives. There are a number of woman in the party who impress me. But Dave doesn't strike me as a man who really believes in feminist principals.

Help please. All you lovely informed women must have some thoughts.

OP posts:
fayyive · 20/01/2015 21:38

"ShirakawaKaede Tue 20-Jan-15 12:23:25
Green would be my choice, my one reservation is that they support legalization of buying sex - although whether they'd get that through is another matter."

You do realize buying and selling sexual services is currently legal in GB? (between consenting adults indoors except for brothels)

LetticeKnollys · 20/01/2015 21:34

There are no parties which represent women in any way resembling a democracy, so if this is a deciding factor for you then there is literally no one to vote for. This kind of thing is why people spoil their ballots.

TheCowThatLaughs · 20/01/2015 20:51

Het up that should be

TheCowThatLaughs · 20/01/2015 20:51

Are you ok fayyive? You seem a bit get up!

fayyive · 20/01/2015 20:44

I suppose if I were to reveal the Green party also want to decriminalise possessing very small amounts of cannabis for personal use that would put even more of you off voting for them?

It's been a year since Colorado legalised cannabis for personal use, I wonder if the sky has fallen down over there yet?

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/a-year-after-marijuana-legalisation-in-colorado-everythings-fine-confirm-police-9989723.html

fayyive · 20/01/2015 20:40

"What, all one million of us, or whatever MN is at now?"

I meant most of the current regulars in the feminist section. I get the impression you want the Government having a big say in what citizens should do and what not to do.

YonicScrewdriver · 20/01/2015 20:33

"you people "

What, all one million of us, or whatever MN is at now?

fayyive · 20/01/2015 20:26

You want the name of a party that supports criminalisation of prostitution? OK here you go- the BNP

fayyive · 20/01/2015 20:26

I'm surprised some of you are voting Green (which is whom I intend to vote for). The Greens are very liberal, I would have thought you people would prefer a draconian nanny-state society where the Government sticks its nose into anything and everything.

Yes the Greens do support the decriminalisation of prostitution (The New Zealand model), but try and see their reasoning why.

greenparty.org.uk/leaders-blog/2014/11/01/pushing-prostitution-into-the-dark-is-no-way-to-keep-vulnerable-women-and-men-safe/

And their policies (including their stance on prostitution) are here:
policy.greenparty.org.uk/rr.html

They are also very supportive of gay rights.

Trills · 20/01/2015 20:07

In the last election I voted for the candidate who had studied science, because I wanted more people in Parliament who understood how "proof" and "evidence" and things like that work.

Trills · 20/01/2015 20:05

It's been said already, but vote for the best option of your local MPs, nt for the party.

If they have been an MP before then they probably have websites that will give details of how they have voted and what questions they've asked.

I've just moved, and my local area has had the same MP for over 20 years. So not much going on here.

PuffinsAreFictitious · 20/01/2015 19:40

I was going to vote Green, but their stand on prostitution has turned me right off, which is a shame, because I agree with pretty much everything else they talk about. I hate this blind spot people have.

God alone knows who I'll vote for now, but it won't be Tory and it definitely won't be that shower of shit UKIP.

EElisavetaofJingleBellsornia · 20/01/2015 19:37

I'm going to vote Labour. In most areas a Green vote will just detract from Labour and leave it open for the Tories. This government is actively trying to dismantle public services and the NHS, which are major employers of women who also benefit from them.

didyouwritethe · 20/01/2015 18:07

It's because we'll get a coalition anyway that we should make the point that we care about the planet and we want it still there for our dc. With some trees and animals, if at all possible.

grimbletart · 20/01/2015 18:03

I agree there would have been a recession whoever was in but the fact that the govt went apeshit with the nation's credit card didn't exactly help. Nor did the fact that as a population we decided to live beyond our means on tick as well. Governments can't stop a global crash, but wise choices can make it a bit less painful.

I can't remember in my lifetime of voting (and I've been voting since the 1960s) any government of any party that seems to really "get" economics.

We'd really do better to let the country be run by successful business people and let the politicians decide why they want to spend the income on (only joking as it ain't gonna happen).

Sorry don't want to derail. Looks likely we will get a coalition anyway, so we will all get the government no one wants (think Italy).

specialmagiclady · 20/01/2015 17:40

Not sure that the government as an elected body have as much power over The Economy as one might think. Interest rates are set by the Bank of England MPC, prices and inflation are set by the market, business values, housing prices are set by the market etc etc.

What governments have control of is "the public purse". This money is ours and I guess we have to decide which group we think are going to spend where we want them to.

Believe me, if the Tories had been in power in 2008, there would still have been a major market crash in this country and very probably a deep recession.

Mitchy1nge · 20/01/2015 17:03

I was joking about the greens and their lone MP

was going to vote for them though until I read about their stance on prostitution on their own site

robin4 · 20/01/2015 17:00

The current government are failing in their promises to 'mend' the economy and their priorities are not stuff for women. Economy is about the movement of money and it's certainly not 'moving' round where we need it.

robin4 · 20/01/2015 16:56

How many MPs do they have? Greens can not make a Government. Vote for a party that can make a difference.

grimbletart · 20/01/2015 16:54

I'd go for any party that understands how the economy works and how to handle it.

If that is fucked up, everything is fucked up.

Mitchy1nge · 20/01/2015 16:47

got to be green, 100% female MPs

robin4 · 20/01/2015 16:18

Why vote for the female candidate on the basis of gender? Surely policies are what count. I like to see who is nearer to wanting what I want. Who's promoting equality? For Pro women candidates, living wage (lets face it mostly women are in low paid jobs), mostly women work in services and dare I say it rely on services. Which party believes and started the Welfare state? Still the labour party

OllyBJolly · 20/01/2015 16:04

I'd usually vote for the female candidate, unless there is a good reason not to (i.e. if she was UKIP). However, this time around I am so fed up with Labour and their abandonment of principles that I'm torn between Green and SNP.

I agree with previous poster, there is likely to be a coalition so all votes will count.

FloraFox · 20/01/2015 15:55

I don't think Labour or the Conservatives have any policies on prostitution. I think they'd each be more likely to favour the Nordic model (if the issue was to come to Parliament) than the LibDems or Greens because they don't have the same background of individual liberties. Labour are more likely to consider women as a class and Tories are more likely to consider law and order or family and community values.

I'll probably choose based on the individual MP.

sara47 · 20/01/2015 15:46

I think that this current government is a very family/women unfriendly one, and so the obvious choice is definitely not the tory party. I have two sons and also consider myself a feminist and I don't see it necessary to go for policies just for women. I want a party that strives for opportunity, equality
with the importance of services that I/we can rely on like the NHS and Education that can benefit all of us, not just women. We are all linked and need to support and promote each other. The party that strives for these things has to be the Labour Party

Swipe left for the next trending thread