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Join me in celebrating the suffragettes

58 replies

MipMipMip · 15/06/2018 23:02

Now, more than any time since the fight for the vote, women are having to fight.

FGM. Unequal pay. Sexual harassment. #MeToo. Mental load. Women's spaces. Pink toys. Sport. Caring responsibilities. Unconscious bias. Sector limits. Forced marriage. Prostitution. Exploitation. Femicide. Domestic violence. Maternity leave.

The list doesn't end.

I've brought some ribbon : green (give) white (women) violet (votes). (Good shades at the works right now). I'll be making up something subtle, both to celebrate the Suffragettes and thank them for what they did, and as a symbol of my commitment to keep fighting. And a reminder, I'm sure I'll need it.

I hope some of you will join me.

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madja · 21/06/2018 16:16

Ooh yes. I've actually been toying with the idea of a suffragette ribbon tattoo, perhaps around my wrist. Real ribbon would be easier in the short term ( and significantly less painful! )

ISaySteadyOn · 21/06/2018 16:12

Watching this as I needlepoint. Seems appropriate. I do like Lucy Worsley and her way of making sure she gets to wear clothes from whatever era she is talking about.

Kettlepotblackagain · 20/06/2018 20:48

If anyone hasn't yet seen the Lucy Worsley documentary film on the Suffragettes, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Ooh thanks I'll definitely give that a watch!

concretesieve · 20/06/2018 19:30

Oh - that's lovely!

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MipMipMip · 20/06/2018 11:06

Great to hear about these celebrations. They really were such amazing women.

I love your nails Katya!

I was originally thinking of doing something a bit more subtle so let me know if anyone thinks of something.

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KatyaZamolodchikova · 20/06/2018 07:43

Inspired by this thread, here are my subtle new nails, celebrating the Suffragettes!

Join me in celebrating the suffragettes
BingTheButterflySlayer · 20/06/2018 07:37

One of the school mums works at a place that does all this printing to order (you know the sashes that usually appear on stag and hen dos etc) and apparently they've been absolutely swamped with orders for replica votes for women sashes with the anniversary and media coverage lately.

Doobigetta · 20/06/2018 07:07

If anyone hasn't yet seen the Lucy Worsley documentary film on the Suffragettes, I can't recommend it highly enough. What those women went through on our behalf is horrific, and humbling. Some of them were force-fed three times a day for months, and they just went on enduring.

chuntersalot · 20/06/2018 07:06

A Women in .... organisation I’m involved in will be hosting the Suffrage Flag one day next month Smile
I’m going to be using some of these ideas, thanks. Will definitely add something to the event.

ISaySteadyOn · 20/06/2018 06:30

It's lovely! And I am glad you like Give Women Voices.

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MipMipMip · 20/06/2018 00:21

What do you think of my mini rosette? As soon as I added the green on to the striped ribbon it was incredibly clear what it represented so I figured I may as well go the whole hog!

I didn't know the give women votes was false, although I did know the sufgragette jewellery frequently wasn't, if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing that.

Would love to turn it into Give Women Voices!

Join me in celebrating the suffragettes
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concretesieve · 16/06/2018 14:05

ISay - oops, my mistook Grin There were some great photos of a woman outside the HofC meeting with a lovely banner I'd guess she'd made herself - SOS - Save Our Sex.

ISaySteadyOn · 16/06/2018 13:08

@concretesieve, no links necessary, I believe you. The who says was to Absinthe Friends and intended to reassure her that romantic notions need not be dashed because we can just make our own.

concretesieve · 16/06/2018 12:42

ISay I'm sorry I can't make links.

Google for Elizabeth Crawford on suffrage jewellery and Ivor Watkin's 'Suffrage Memorabilia'. The colours and their significance were officially announced in 1908. In her classic history of the movement, 'The Cause', Ray Strachey describes 'Votes for Women' as the 'war cry' of both suffragettes and suffragists.

Great idea for 'Give Women Voices'!

ISaySteadyOn · 16/06/2018 11:57

Who says? If it's an urban myth, fine. How about we make it our own thing and have it be G (ive)reen W (omen) hire V (oices) iolet?

KatyaZamolodchikova · 16/06/2018 11:55

I’ve ingested st been to my ribbon stash and disappointingly only have the green. I shall try & remedy this. I will, however see if I have any yarn in the right colours. Think it might be the opposite problem.

AbsintheFriends · 16/06/2018 11:42

concretesieve don't apologise for adding insight! Thanks for the Elizabeth Crawford suggestion - will google (am wifi-less atm) I was aware that the Give Women Votes connection wasn't contemporaneous but I didn't know that the jewellery itself wasn't specifically made for the market - not to pass on a secret code, but I liked the idea of women wearing it to signify something other than being the 'property' of a man. A romantic notion dashed!

Southfields · 16/06/2018 10:20

Mip MipMip "I want sure whether to put porn or not as not all femanists are anti."

If feminists aren't anti the content of current online porn films, either they have not watched any, or they are not feminists.

Maybe they are fe-"man"-ists, though.

Apologies for the derail but it needed to be said.

concretesieve · 16/06/2018 09:43

I really, really don't want to be a wet blanket but the ' Give Women Votes' thing surfaced on the web about ten years ago and is an urban myth. The WSPU colours were purple, white and green signifying dignity, purity and hope and the universal slogan was 'Votes for Women'.

Also, as PP said, please be wary of 'suffragette jewellery' - the idea is mostly a way of inflating prices and the ' Give Women Votes' thing tied in with it as a supposed 'secret code' when the colours weren't secret at all and were used extensively in public by suffragettes. I'm sorry I can't make links but google for Elizabeth Crawford on the subject.

Sorry again. Craft ideas are fab!

AbsintheFriends · 16/06/2018 09:14

I love your idea of making something. Not quite in the crafting spirit, but I was looking for antique jewellery as a 21st present recently, and hadn't realised there was so much suffragette jewellery made in amethyst, emerald and pearl/diamond. I kind of fell in love with it. There's lots on eBay - some pieces pretty pricey and not all genuinely from the period - but the rings I came across in local antique centres were more affordable and definitely authentic. Am thinking that maybe I should buy one for myself to mark this year...

ISaySteadyOn · 16/06/2018 09:06

Ooh, suffragette wristband I would love. Also, OP, thank you for spelling out the colours. It is obvious now but neither I nor DH knew it before.

Northumberlandlass · 16/06/2018 09:02

I’d love a wristband!

I met Helen Pankhurst at a book festival in May & bought her book ‘Deeds Not Words’ - it’s a very interesting read. Looking at the changes in women’s rights over the last 100 years & how far we have still to go (i’m sure you have read it!)

i’m now googling for suffragette wristband/ bracelet!

Writersblock2 · 16/06/2018 08:54

Definitely put porn. The only feminists I know who aren’t anti haven’t thought it through enough.

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MipMipMip · 16/06/2018 08:45

I want sure whether to put porn or not as not all femanists are anti. But I suppose that's the case with all things.

I'll post pics if they're not too identifying. The trouble with crafts is that the items are obviously one offs so it might be recognisable. I try to keep this account anonymous, particularly with everything going on right now.

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PointlessTV · 16/06/2018 08:00

Posting pictures of your finished crafting, would be pleasant.