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It makes me really, really happy when I read about women coming to feminism. It gives me the heart to carry on the fight

If you don't fancy a book, then a browse through the Feminist Current website is definitely worthwhile. Meghan Murphy does some great analysis.

And for an amazing perspective on where we'be come from, The Women's Room is a must read.

The Female Eunuch and the update The Whole Woman.

Great starters for 10.

But what really got me into feminism was Misogynies by Joan Smith. I was young, I was free, had my teeth nice and clean then. And this was before the internet. It really blew my mind.

www.amazon.co.uk/Misogynies-Joan-Smith/dp/0571139965?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I still have this book.

I'm pretty used to being overlooked at work myself tbh.

I don't think it was because I was a girl but I often wonder of it's because I'm not a sheep I don't just follow people I can't be moulded into some kinda clone for business purposes. Ive only had crappy jobs anyway so dont worry i never walked into offices questioning ceos. But I have been treated as too stupid to do things. In fact alot of people over the years have just assumed I'm stupid unaware that i see straight through them

I am a bit cheesed off at that now

But at the time i thought

Meh...fuck it

giles

I was due for a promotion that involved travelling round the country

I got pregnant and was refused the promotion as i would have a child. I was refused the far more family friendly hours i requested

So i didnt bother going back after my maternity leave...then i got used to being off and never went back to a career

MN is indeed an eye opener in itself.

It opened my eyes.

I was brought up in a feminist household, so thought I knew it, and stupidly thought we had achieved equality. Becuase I personally broke the stereo types, and achieve everything I wanted (as I was told I could by my mum)

I thought there was no need for feminism anymore. My mum was also sexiest towards men though (as in, all men a useless sort of jokes) which also put me off feminism.

So I was happily going through my life. Sometimes somethings bugged me, the rise in pornography normalizing sex as something you do to women for male pleasure. Children's adverts and such, but I didn't look deeper.

Came on to mumsnet, and took and an instant dislike of the feminist boards and what use to be routine threads in other parts of mumsnet asking why people didn't use the feminist boards.

I use to lurk on the boards, so I could scuff and snigger to myself at these unenlightened people living in a bygone era, whining about perceived slights...........

To say I've done a full about turn, is an understatement

Whereas in actual fact Giles you were noticing sexism, stereotyping and being treated in a certain way due to your sex and challenging it!

I'm in my thirties so now so I was just a "trouble maker" in my parents eyes when I moaned I couldn't wear trousers at school or I got annoyed I kept getting given barbies as a kid or I wanted to play football and rugby.

All I know is in finding more and more things in getting pissed off at and I thought i was just getting old and miserable

And then I get pissed off that I'm not pissed off st things I've experienced but I can't work out if it's because it really was no big deal or I "knew" it was all my fault anyway or it was just the done thing back then etc

I haven't got a clue most if the time either Giles

I spend all my time saying

I agree with vestal

Or

I agree with datun

Indeed Bertrand. The final was well attended but the lack of attention considering their huge achievement is frustrating. The England women's football team also regularly perform far better than the men's in tournaments I believe.

And England Women have just won the Cricket Workd Cup.

And Clare Balding is waaaaaaaaay down the list of sports presenters by salary,,,,,,

Speaking of rugby, I was considering starting a thread about this but was quite irked to read of this - despite being World Champions, England's women's team aren't being offered new contracts: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40704074

I dont any more don't worry, started off as kind if an accident I'd just click on a title and not realise the section it was in.

I do find it all fascinating though. Luckily for me I'm quite headstrong so whenever say family would dare suggest something I seemed unfair or wrong or bullshit I'd jolly well say! Drive them crazy as I was probably some horrific defiant chikd who loaned about mot being able to play rugby at school....

Please don't say you're too dim (would a man ever say that? )

For something easy, but very telling follow #manwhohasirall on Twitter. I don't see how anyone could fail to be a feminist after reading those tweets!

Wow so many suggestions.kind of reminds me why I used to avoid the threads I am just to dim to really fully understand it all.

Definitely don't think that - it's definitely not the case. Whatever you've read (or not) you know what your experiences are and what you're seeing. You're doing a great job raising your daughters to be confident and powerful. Don't avoid threads!

I'm sure you are not too dim!
There is probably a ton of good videos on YouTube but I hate watching videos! Or there is the guilty feminist podcast.

Wow so many suggestions.kind of reminds me why I used to avoid the threads I am just to dim to really fully understand it all. I try and I am trying to do my best to ensure my Dds are aware that they can do or be anything they want and wear what they want and any problems are nothing to do with them.

These threads always scare me though because I just never realised til now just the little things along the way I've had to put up with that I just assumed were normal.as trusted adults would never allow anything bad happen right? The whole "boys will be boys" thing...

Sorry for starting the reading avalanche! I only suggested Caitlin Moran's because it's very readable and quite light touch on feminism so an easy introduction. Also apparently she's a mumsnetter. Sometimes I wonder if she's a regular on this board

I'm probably not the best to advise anything someone should know about feminism but as well as all the issues raised male violence against women and girls, street harassment etc is all key for me. The sexualisation and objectification of women and girls starts so early, especially now with pornography further normalising and enforcing such a view.

"Everyday Sexism" by Laura Bates is well worth reading and I certainly third (or fourth) "Delusions of Gender".

I'm another one who didn't give feminism too much thought but was woken up by the trans isssue. I have three daughters, two adults and one teen and if anything, I think gender roles are becoming more rigid than when I was young. This board has been an education to me, I don't post much but I read a lot.

We have robust debates, but I've rarely met a finer bunch of women.

I agree Xenophile. The knowledge, personalities and indeed wit on here is fantastic - it's my favourite place online to discuss things.

Add message | Report | Message poster FreezerBird Tue 25-Jul-17 01:46:35
a whole chapter on "no means no," and how, in ordinary conversation, people of both sexes don't use a straight "no". People typically defuse tension/avoid conflict by a more roundabout refusal - "I'd love to come for a drink after work, but I've got something else on..." She points out that men not only understand this sort of style of discourse in non-sexual contexts, they typically use it themselves. So the pretence that "she didn't convey her 'no' clearly enough" is exactly that - a pretence, used to excuse criminal behaviour, not a genuine failure in understanding.

Agree with freezer