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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Is this really a feminist board?

619 replies

GaspingShark · 21/05/2018 17:11

I am a crap feminist. I haven't read a single book on the subject. Not De Beauvoir, not Greer, not Butler. The reasons for that are to do with a disability that I'd rather not go into, but I am a woman with a brain, and the Republic of Ireland is having a referendum on repealing the 8th this week. There it is, look, thirty threads down. And this "Feminism and Women's Rights" board's primary concern seems to be "What it will really take the peak trans the world?"

So I'm asking you, because I genuinely, honestly, cross my heart and hope to die, believe you are all better read and/or have more experience and/or more knowledge of being a woman than I do.

Doesn't that bother you? Doesn't it bother you that, four days away from the repeal vote, there's one thread on that in the bottom third of a fifty-thread page, and two or three dozen trans-related threads covering everything from Amnesty International to Jordan Peterson to exactly what Munroe Bergdorf told Venice Allan? Does it give you any pause for thought?

OP posts:
UnderTheDesk · 21/05/2018 20:38

@Bowlofbabelfish Brava, fucking brava! Wine

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 21/05/2018 20:33

Ah here you go. But he removed his name, the sprouty one, last night, must have been. Must have thought it could be questionable.....

Is this really a feminist board?
Bowlofbabelfish · 21/05/2018 20:31

I genuinely had no idea langcleg Confused

Polynerd · 21/05/2018 20:26

I was just thinking this!

gendercritter · 21/05/2018 20:25

I haven't really joined in with any of the Repeal debate.

Partly because I find it distressing. My heart fucking breaks for Irish women struggling to over to the UK to access help. I feel pretty powerless to do anything about that.

I also feel that Irish people will vote the way they vote. It's one of those polarised issues you don't really change your mind on. So I'd feel patronising wading in and writing why it's so important to be pro-choice. I literally can't add anything new to the debate that hasn't already been said.

I think there will be a lot more chat about it after the event, particularly if people vote No

SarahCarer · 21/05/2018 20:18

The number of posts about each issue reflects 2 things. 1. The level of disagreement between posters. 2. The level of existing understanding and consensus around how a topic is framed. An issue that virtually all feminists agreen on and fully understand is going to have few posts. If an MRA had turned up fighting against women's reproductive rights you would probably find an awful lot more posts.

Picassospaintbrush · 21/05/2018 20:17

damn sure is a broken record.

Can we hear a bit more about the dog leg cocking theory please damn?

SupermatchGame · 21/05/2018 20:12

Well funnily enough Reluctant would you actually believe there are at-rt P**s?
twitter.com/fmanjoo/status/772879098020376577
(Apparently)

ArcheryAnnie · 21/05/2018 20:11

Doesn't it bother you that, four days away from the repeal vote, there's one thread on that in the bottom third of a fifty-thread page, and two or three dozen trans-related threads covering everything from Amnesty International to Jordan Peterson to exactly what Munroe Bergdorf told Venice Allan? Does it give you any pause for thought?

I'm late to this thread, but here goes anyway:

I went on my first pro-choice marches as a young teenager in the late 1970s, against the Corrie Bill. I've had a lifetime of defending a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body. Like I'd bet many other here, I am a member of the Abortion Rights campaign.

I don't need a thousand threads discussing the in and outs of abortion rights because I came to a considered position on that long, long ago: that every woman has the last word on what happens to her own fucking body, and it's not anyone else's right to force her to carry a pregnancy to term. That's all I need to know, and all my political action on pro-choice stems from that basis.

The debate about gender identity versus biological sex, and what it means for women's rights, is by contrast very new. It's also one where the people trying to destroy women's rights have appropriated the language of women's rights in order to do so. We are just learning how we feel about it, and what we can do about it. And it's a pretty fundamental campaign: every other campaign for women's rights and women's resources will be affected by the outcome.

tl;dr I don't need the OP to lecture me about which campaigns I should discuss on here, thanks.

LangCleg · 21/05/2018 20:06

is it bad to be a self professed feminist

Maria Miller doesn't like the purported ones.

LondonPainter · 21/05/2018 20:06

Ellie Mae, is that you?

Irishfeminist · 21/05/2018 20:03

Damnthatone do you have the slightest notion who the women are that you've just slurred, the British feminists who are associated with We Need To Talk and who've spoken at/attended their meetings? Women of the calibre of Linda Bellos, black lesbian veteran activist who has been putting herself on the line for over 40 years for minority rights? Shame on you and your ignorance.

ReluctantCamper · 21/05/2018 20:03

is the alt right like potatoes SMG? I know you can find yourself in trouble here for discussing tubers..

SupermatchGame · 21/05/2018 20:01

I think you should remove all reference to the at-r**t. I got into trouble for mentioning it.

TransplantsArePlants · 21/05/2018 20:01

Well, regarding domestic abuse, you'll find some sterling work being done on the Relationships section of MN in helping women actually suffering from domestic abuse.

If you care to look beyond the Naxi echo-chamber Damn. Same women, in many cases

SardineReturns · 21/05/2018 20:01

I find it baffling that old school feminists - middle aged lesbians, second wavers who are getting on a bit, women who have campaigned for and finacially supported all sorts of activities to support women, and of course all those involved in LGB stuff (as was)

getting accused of being right wing Grin

It's a real head scratcher.

Maybe not so much though - when it comes down to it. Feminism has come up against what is essentially an MRA movement and guess who's in front and using really ludicrous reversal and shameless lies Smile

ReluctantCamper · 21/05/2018 20:01

is it bad to be a self professed feminist? are you not allowed to be one unless someone else nominates you?

LangCleg · 21/05/2018 20:00

This is actually a new one for me. Are we not usually portrayed as middle-aged lentil-weaving-hippy cat-loving lefties?

Gender critical views being branded as allied to the alt-right has been de rigueur on the Twatter for at least a year now. It's all part of the usual Humpty Dumpty language reversals of social constructionism.

SardineReturns · 21/05/2018 19:58

"No. It's an echo chamber for the allies of the alt-right and religious extremists to spread antitrans propaganda."

This is properly hilarious Grin

"Funnily enough, the consultation on the Domestic Abuse Bill closes in ten days time, but Mumsnet's self-professed feminists don't seem to find that half as interesting"

There was at least one thread with a link to the ocnsultation, I know because I read it.

Anything else you want to tell us off about?

SeahorsesAREhorses · 21/05/2018 19:58

...another lentil weaver here. Actively fought for women and LGBT all my life. Not keen on sexist stereotypes replacing biological definitions, that's backward. Not keen on the young lesbians being treated like shite either, that's homophobic. Stop policing women.

ReluctantCamper · 21/05/2018 19:58

sorry I'm not feministing to your satisfaction m'lady. what shall we talk about for your amusement today?

perhaps a little dance?

Bowlofbabelfish · 21/05/2018 19:57

This is actually a new one for me. Are we not usually portrayed as middle-aged lentil-weaving-hippy cat-loving lefties?

I’m intrigued - the alt right as feminist bastion? This is a genuinely new development. And the conflation with religion - again this is a new one on me.

SardineReturns · 21/05/2018 19:56

" the gays "

????????????????????????????

ReluctantCamper · 21/05/2018 19:56

i'd like to know if gasping is a real shark.

enquiring minds want to know.

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 21/05/2018 19:56

Might just be safer to ask gasping what thread she would like you to start

BUT MAKE IT INTERESTING