anti feminist on women & equalities committee

Fair enough re davies - i don't know much about him, but anyone who criticises feminism can pretty much expect to have the word "misogynist" thrown at them. It's an unfortunate debating tactic as it's now been taken on by the trans lobby to shout down any criticism of them. If he is indeed producing bad evidence about the sentencing of women vs men, then it will come out surely. He unfortunately represents a growing number of men who seem to think that feminists are not actually interested in equality at all, it was on this point that that I was saying there do seem to be feminist women who (it appears to me) just think women are better than men. They like them more, it's a bias.

Bertrand

I would probably sit anywhere. Without have some preconceived notion of what topics a person would find interesting based on their sex, which seems the very opposite of equality, it would be odd to think I would have more interest in one person or the other based on their genitals. It's even more surprising to hear this from someone who I would assume would criticise expectations based on sex.

girlwith are you suggesting that Philip Davies isn't misogynistic and anti-women? His words, actions and associations say he is, from what I know of him.

What has Davies done?

Tabled a private members bill seeking repeal of the Sex Discrimination Act 2002.

Called for women to be jailed in equal numbers to men in the name of "equality" despite statistical evidence suggesting that women are actually more likely to receive custodial sentences than men for the same crimes, they just commit them in far fewer numbers.

Aligns himself with J4MB, whose website includes such gems as "13 reasons why women lie about rape".

Is he misogynistic - well, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, hangs around with other ducks... yup, getting a big fat raving misogynist tick from me.

There are, quite rightly, strict laws about employment.

There are no laws about social interaction. How would you choose who to sit next to at a social function?

I am more likely to find something interesting to talk about with a random woman than a random man

I find this most odd. So you think the possession of a vagina is an indication that you will have a more "interesting" chat with a stranger ? Surely you can see how when someone employs someone who they have to work very closely with, all other things being largely equal - they will choose someone who they think they are more likely to have more in common with.

M0Stly

There are several posts on this thread, none of which you felt you had to ask about, which are not directly related to philip davies or his appointment. Why is that ? FYI i was responding to the surprise that was expressed about women on MN reacting badly to feminists. BTW - i don't know much about the guy other than that he was laughed at by Jess Philips for wanting international mens day recognised by parliament. What has he said that is misogynistic, because I bet you he would claim he is not.

Philip Davies was the only MP who stood for nomination. So the question is, were there no other MPs who wanted to do it

Oh that's interesting and alarming. Why is the committee so unattractive?

As I understand it, the Conservative party had to nominate someone to be on the committee, so they have a ballot to choose from those that want to be on it. But, in this case, Philip Davies was the only MP who stood for nomination. So the question is, were there no other MPs who wanted to do it? Or was there another reason why he was the only candidate?

Not sure what I would google to find that thread- could you link?

no, actually, I think that far more people talk about women thinking a man offering help is being sexist than there are actual incidents of it. And yes, sometimsnan offer of help is sexist.

Why would I choose to sit next to a woman, all other things being equal? Well. I have lived a long time, and experience has shown me that, in the absence of any other social cues, I am more likely to find something interesting to talk about with a random woman than a random man. I don't have the slightest problem with men feeling the same.

Someone is massively taking the piss with this appointment. I'm extremely heartened to hear that Jess Phillips will be there too - she's well used to his bullshit and is not afraid of a scrap.

Dear god. Dark days.

girl, I have to ask this: given that this is a thread to discuss a particular man, who, as an MP is in a position of power, and who, given his rank and public misogyny, has been unnaccountably elected to the equalities committee in the House of Commons, one incidentally who hates women so much he is prepared to filibuster a bill to protect victims of trafficking - why the hell are you seeking to derail this thread into a thread about "feminists hate men"?

Do you have anything substantive to contribute to the discussion of Philip Davies, MP?

Bertrand

I wasn't aware i had to narrow my comments about how feminism is perceived to this board only. However as regards my comment about the justification of man hating, the thread I'm thinking of can easily be googled and people can judge for themselves whether the expressed desire to live in women only villages etc (which as i recall was not criticised) is indicative of a healthy attitude towards men.

I do think the "a man is a sexist because he offers help" thing is a bit of an urban myth

Do you mean that you think people do not say these things on twitter or elsewhere - would you like me to find you an example !?

I don't hate men at all- but if I had to choose who to sit next to at a social event I would probably choose a woman, all other things being equal.

Why ?

Not sure what you mean by "petty point scoring

The main reason I agree with girls comment on point scoring is the attention threads get on the feminist boards.

So yes there is a place for the "all penetration is rape" style threads and they are really busy. But the ones on equal pay slip by with only a few comments.

There seems to be more interest in academic discussion than the more practical threads dealing with (for example) equal pay or child care costs.

Im probably being a bit hypocritical here as I do love the odd purely academic thread

Metro article on Davies' attempted filibuster

Woodlander - I think your assessment may be too generous to him, but alas, my extensive repertoire of swear-words is proving inadequate to describing the sheer nastiness of this man.

Richard Osman has just tweeted "I don't want to cause a stampede ladies, but Philip Davies MP is single."

If it's possible, I dislike this man even more today after reading that TheWoodlander.

Girl- you did post this "People on here have justified hatred of men as a valid reaction to living in what they perceive to be a patriarchal society."

And now you are talking about preferring to sit next to a woman, and quoting opinions expressed on Twitter. (Incidentally, I do think the "a man is a sexist because he offers help" thing is a bit of an urban myth)

I think I have lost track at bit- could you explain again? I don't hate men at all- but if I had to choose who to sit next to at a social event I would probably choose a woman, all other things being equal.

He's currently in Parliament trying to block the Istanbul Convention to combat violence against women and girls.

He's an utter fuckface.

I tried to be careful and not use the "man hating" phrase what I'm getting at is they prefer women to men. They would rather work for a woman, sit next to women etc, people who complain on twitter that if a man offers help, automatically a sexist because he assumed the women wouldn't be able to do it herself - that's the kind of thing I'm getting at. They would probably employ women over men if they had the choice - which is logical if you really believe that women need help to overcome the systematic oppression visited upon them by men. But it is not equality.

I think it is a commonly held view on here that women are right to fear men and that they should.

WhenShe.

Yes there eve issues around "pink stinks" but it was an effective and thought provoking campaign.

Some women "do" behave as "handmaidens" and "cool wives". Are you saying that it's anti feminist to call them out on it? Or it's not anti feminist to be one of those "types"

The "all PIV is rape" thing is quite an academic discussion- some women find that sort of debate interesting. It's not anti feminist not to be interested. It is anti feminist to grab the headline and rush around waving it and saying "See? This is why feminists are man haters!" without stopping to try and understand what it's about.

I wasn't around for the hamburger one so I can't comment. it does sound a bit bonkers.

Not sure what you mean by "petty point scoring"

Oops, missed a bit of my post.

The post that I'm thinking of about hating men had as its central point the fact that feeling like that distressed the OP. She didn't like the conclusions she was reaching about men. It saddened her and she wanted to change it.

I've never seen it expressed as something that women enjoy or relish.

I'd be interested to see some examples of man-hating, too. I've been here about 18 months I think, and I can only think of one thread that touched on reasons why some women fear and yes, perhaps hate, men. I think there were maybe three or four posters, none of them regulars, who expressed it, and the view was held universally as a result of abuse or assault at the hands of the men in their life. It's not a commonly held view in feminism at all.

On the contrary, I think the attitude of "boys will be boys" and "what can you expect from men" that I see on other boards speaks to a far lower opinion of men than is held by your average feminist. There's a poverty of expectation about men in a lot of postings that I find quite depressing. Feminists are more likely to believe that men can do better. It's the whole point!

My mouth is hanging open at some of the proclamations of Philip Davies. Common sense indeed! My arse.

Of course. I can't immediately think of any, but I am sure there are lots

Some the ones that spring to mind are a dislike of pink "pink stinks" campaign.

Calling women handmaidens and cool wives as a degrogatory term.

There was a discussion on a while ago on "is all penetration rape?" probably not the actual title Lots of posters in it was it was an interesting debate. But for most women it probably sounded somewhat academic and out of touch with the real world.

There was an utterly hilarious thread years and years ago about ultra sound scans. There was a description that a girls genital looks like a hamburger on a scan (it kind of does - I saw my own daughters scan). There were loads of posters saying the reason people said it looked like a hamburger was because women are treated like meat and as possessions. Couldn't possibly be because it was a pretty good description of what the scan looked like.

So I agree with girlwith sometimes sone of the online discussions can look like petty point scoring.

Actually, my dd did ring me up once to tell me she hated all men. She was walking home alone late at night after an evening of being hassled in a club, and had just been sexually harassed in the street. She was back to only hating horrible men and understanding that the patriarchy damages men too by the morning......

"People on here have justified hatred of men as a valid reaction to living in what they perceive to be a patriarchal society. I would say that suggests they prefer women wouldn't you ?"

OK. Maybe I'm desensitized- but I have been a feminist for longer than most mumsnetters have been alive, and I have hardly ever heard anyone express that opinion- except maybe in a moment of hyperbolic anger. Not even in the angry consciousness raising 1970s. I honestly don't think I have ever read it on Mumsnet.

I have heard women say they prefer the company of women- but that's rather different.