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Original poster

Being a student when you're Fed Up With This Shit

32 replies

IMissGluten · 15/07/2019 13:38

Have just finished my second year at what feels like the world's wokest university and am pissed off at the prospect of yet another year buttoning my lip about gender shite. I go to a women's college which, the year after I leave, is going mixed (though technically it was mixed anyway as they announced about a year ago that they'd accept anyone describing themselves as a woman), and although I didn't choose it because it was a women's college, I've enjoyed being in a female environment. It's pretty much the only female environment left, because every event, society, whatever, that in the past would've been for women, is now for "women and non-binary". Why?! Including people who call themselves non-binary isn't even necessary to placate the TWAW lot. They're not women, according to them. So why invite them?

It seems the new gender orthodoxy has even been taken up by non-students; when I've made the odd irritated comment, I've been argued against. I do know of one department member who bravely signed a letter protesting a student union publication decrying "TERFs" but I don't have anything to do with her. And I know of one other student who feels how I do but she's also quite right-wing and we agree on little else. So I feel very alone — I'm planning on joining the radical feminist society but TBH I'm not utterly sure I'd describe myself that way.

The then-upcoming decision on allowing self-declared women into college was almost the sole topic of conversation in the one and only college LGBT society meeting I attended. Eight or so gay and bi women sitting around talking about how to bully the college into accepting male students. Fucksake.

I don't even know what answer I want to this. Just… the loss of female spaces, the silent pressure to stay quiet about the nature of reality, the posters and stickers everywhere saying TWAW and informing you that a man in the ladies' loos absolutely belongs there and you're a prejudiced bigot if you even think otherwise… it's bloody annoying.

OP posts:
northernresister · 15/07/2019 14:01

Start your own group outside of campus environment. A friend of mine did just that. Its only a small group right now but it'sa breath of fresh air. They cant stop us!

Original poster
IMissGluten · 15/07/2019 13:59

Oh heck, other replies arrived while I was typing a response to Temporary!

OhHolyJesus, there is a radical feminist group I'm planning to join, but not sure how much I'll be able to participate as I'm in my final year. But I'm looking forward to meeting them.

Truth — I'm a mature student, which doesn't always help with that sense of not quite fitting in! But yes; I feel there are probably quite a few students, even among the younger ones, who don't particularly appreciate the absolutist gender dogma. But they keep quiet about it, I think.

Spinster — interesting it's the postgrads; is that just because those are the people you know, maybe, or perhaps because they're older?

It would be an interesting project, I agree. I know a couple who did, one of whom was disappointed it wasn't more segregated, cause she was hoping she could slob around the house without her hijab 😂

One thing that irritated a lot of the students during the "consultation" was the words "job done", used repeatedly, in reference to the aim of improving women's opportunities for higher education. My arse.

OP posts:
Original poster
IMissGluten · 15/07/2019 13:49

It's a couple of the fellows I was thinking of when I mentioned speaking to non-students — there might, perhaps, be a few GC ones I haven't spoken to, but I wouldn't blame them if they were reticent about it.

I suspect talking to fellows and donors (such as they are) would change nothing — the new leadership seems very keen to make a mark, and all the changes have passed through all stages barring actual implementation. They changed other entry requirements at the same time and feeling among the students is that it was unnecessary to overhaul everything (despite the statements made publicly that imply the student body and everyone else are enthusiastically approving of the changes). But all student "consultation" was purely for show.

I'd consider writing a book but my uni workload for the next year is insane 😂

OP posts:
SpinsterOfArts · 15/07/2019 13:49

And I know of one other student who feels how I do but she's also quite right-wing and we agree on little else.

Hi. Grin

I know at least a couple of other postgrads who feel the same way, although not strongly enough to do anything about it. Just the common-sense position that self-ID shouldn't be enough to get you into a women's college.

I actually think it would be a really interesting project to conduct interviews with students who chose the college because it's a women's college. An end-of-an-era sort of thing. I've read the books about the beginning of the college and how important it was in the 1960s, and think it's a real shame that the space is being lost.

truthisarevolutionaryact · 15/07/2019 13:48

You're amongst friends here OP. We're all concerned at what is happening in universities in particular and the bullying and silencing of young women..

On the quiet, countless people - young and old - can see what is happening and don't agree with this shit - they comply and support because this is being implemented through fear and intimidation - nothing else.
I see it like being in a school where there's a group of bullies that strut the corridors, intimidating others and insisting on complete compliance. Others keep quiet through fear, but they see the bullying and loathe the bullies and once the bullies are finally challenged / removed, then they will speak up. It's just at the moment the male bullies are in control.

OhHolyJesus · 15/07/2019 13:43

Have you got any feminist groups you could join? You could start a GC group with fellow students but meet off campus. It sounds like a lovely place to learn, very sad that this will change but great that you benefited from it before it became mixed sex.

TemporaryPermanent · 15/07/2019 13:41

Write a book.

The backlash is coming. Talk to the fellows, off the record if you have to. Talk to the big donors - If you're where I think you are, they gave money to a women's college not a mixed one. of course they may not agree with you, I'm not saying everyone will. If you publish at the right moment you'll have a career.

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