Woman's Hour 20 October: Has Mumnset become too politicised?

I come here because it's so bloody refreshing to be surrounded by women for a change

oh this. mumsnet is an incredible place

I have read the book this is based on and it is fascinating. The writer is very critical of the idea that women should only talk about babies. She is an academic and it is a study of the influence of the site.

OK that does sound interesting! I've not listened to a whole Woman's Hour since my mum had it on when I was younger.

I no longer trust the BBC as a broadcaster though, after reading the continual misrepresentation of feminists (such as JKR) whilst every other day there is the steady drip drip drip to promote transition of children with no discussion of the medical realities or recognition of the often sexist and homophobic backgrounds. Ditto the many articles on "sex work", focusing on the privileged middle class few and conveniently ignoring trafficking, poverty and addiction. Not to mention the victim blaming stance they seem to take when men kill their partners.

So I'll listen but I'm not hopeful.

The BBC's deliberate silencing of women's voices in all this is shameful. Let alone their collaboration in feeding young children copious amounts of "born in the wrong body" woo.
I know they're not alone but I pay for them - unlike the Guardian etc that I stopped funding years ago when I saw their inbuilt bias and misogyny.

I have read the book this is based on and it is fascinating. The writer is very critical of the idea that women should only talk about babies. She is an academic and it is a study of the influence of the site.

There are 10 pages on Man Friday!!

Woman's Hour - or rather the BBC - has really missed a trick: probably the biggest upheaval in UK women's rights for a couple of generations and they bottled it.

Exactly. If you are looking for incandescent rage-- well that was me when BBC and WH!! were keeping completely silent about this gigantic issue facing women. I will not forgive the nasty misogyny required for that programming decision.

I will be listening with interest tomorrow....

If you think about it, Mumsnet is probably the first time ever that women from all walks of life, different ages, different backgrounds etc have had the opportunity to get together and talk, without worrying about what people think of them or having to put up a typical 'female' front.

This, 100%. I don't even have kids, but I come here because it's so bloody refreshing to be surrounded by women for a change.

And while I was always a feminist and FWR helps me critique and focus my feminism, it's the boards like relationships and AIBU, with so many stories of the shit some women get dealt and how low their expectations are socialised to be, that keeps my feminism burning hot.

Woman's Hour - or rather the BBC - has really missed a trick: probably the biggest upheaval in UK women's rights for a couple of generations and they bottled it.

"Can't I just say that most things I think depend in the context? No problem with a bloke in the next cubicle, big problem with penis in my fanny uninvited?"

Bloke in the next cubicle will unfortunately be a very big problem for those women who have suffered sexual assault . Female only spaces should be for females only.

Reminds me of this.

I am looking forward to seeing what Emma Barnett will do with Women's Hour.

She seems a sensible type.

Well yes, if women talking about issues that affect women, it's political. Or to put it another way, has polarised politics seeped into every aspect of our lives, so that every point of view is immediately seen as left wing or right wing? Can't I just say that most things I think depend in the context? No problem with a bloke in the next cubicle, big problem with penis in my fanny uninvited?

I listen to R4 science and politics as much as possible but turn to R6 when WH is on.

Not for me at all

This is the only female centered space I have found on the internet that discusses things I’m interested in. If WH did the same I’d still be listening to it!

I feel exactly the same! For me WH has turned repressed archetype 50s housewife, merrily dusting the lampshades while ignoring the massive elephant sitting on the plastic sofa.

Incandescent? You should hear me when I'm apoplectic.

This is the ONLY website I visit on a daily basis, starting with the feminist forum, then active, AIBU, relationships and then a quick look at what has disappeared into Classics. This is the only female centered space I have found on the internet that discusses things I’m interested in. If WH did the same I’d still be listening to it!

I thought the only place outside MN that MN could be discussed was in The Paper that Supported the Blackshirts. A bit like the club portrayed in a film with Brad Pitt in the late 90s where the first rule is you don't talk about the said club.

How wrong I am!

I do think it's fascinating how MN is perceived in wider life.

If you think about it, Mumsnet is probably the first time ever that women from all walks of life, different ages, different backgrounds etc have had the opportunity to get together and talk, without worrying about what people think of them or having to put up a typical 'female' front. And some people seem to be astonished that women might have things to talk about other than weaning, buggies and what to wear on the school run (although over the years I have certainly partaken in threads on all of those subjects too!) The idea that women getting together to talk might have political ideas that they believe may affect their lives seems alien to some?!

And if women get together and say things that men might not like? Well, then things get serious....

I've never listened to woman's hour I assumed it was about jam making and chats to people I'm not interested in. I am fairly interested in politics . But I watch political programmes or the news. I'm not interested in having running battles about politics online with people I don't know.

Ffs is my incandescent go to

With a side order of "not again."