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Original poster

what feminism fights are still relevant to you?

130 replies

garden4569 · 16/11/2020 20:50

just curious. i have a female family member who is a 1970's quite strident feminist.
to be honest sometimes it's a bit draining. as in my (female) experience, i personally do not think things in this country, in 2020 are that bad for women. i have worked in what would have been percieved as male industries and personally feel that women in this year, have the freedom to choose what industry they want to work within without barriers.
i think as a mum to 3 boys, that boys have a tough time too and that i wish, we were all humanists, rather than feminists (if you see what i mean)
what battles do you feel still need fighting in this country in the name of feminism?

OP posts:
NiceGerbil · 16/11/2020 21:09

I don't just care about women in the country I live in.

That's a strange restriction?

Am I allowed to care about women in countries nearby? Is it just ones far away not to think about?

There's plenty plenty to do in the UK still anyway.

Rape stats appalling
'she asked for it' murder defences
Online grooming etc, the consequences of freely available really nasty porn
Women still at risk of losing job due to pregnancy, in large numbers
UC impacting women more than men. Child poverty. Absent non contributing fathers.
The impact of covid and I suspect Brexit will fall harder on women
Funding to DV and rape services was destroyed during austerity
Etc etc

Is that enough?

Original poster
garden4569 · 16/11/2020 21:08

i thought that from the 90's women were included in medical trials here in the UK

I do understand feminism and don't feel i need educating.

when i worked in a male led industry, at that time there were no work wear clothing that was made for women. However, thankfully times have changed and work wear/medical trials etc is now catering for women too. i believe has changed.

abortion in this country is legal - and available... it is this country i was specifically talking about.

young men are also raped and have been lured into sexual exploitation. i know of a young lad that was exploited by a female peer and had that content put online.

there is more support for female victims of domestic violence that there is for males.

though i do agree that women suffer far more at the hands of male abusers than men do at female - though it does happen both ways.

OP posts:
BlackWaveComing · 16/11/2020 21:03

Where I live, homelessness is rising the fastest among women over 50, so women's housing, and housing more generally.

Pay for childcare and aged care workers - most employees are female, many do not have parity with male - dominated industries of similar skill/training. My own award was adjusted a year ago on this basis.

Abortion only just removed as a crime in my State. That was a 30yr battle for me, longer for other women.

Reform to policing re DV - largely affecting women. Reform to the way Family Court understands abuse and it's effects on children - an issue that largely disadvantages mothers.

Porn and it's portrayal of women and girls. Providing exit strategies for prostituted women and girls.

Attitudes towards violence and control in relationships - male attitudes worsening where I am.

Globally? Education of girls, provision of safe birthing, safe toilets for girls and women, access to contraception and abortion, treatment of birthing injuries, helping women establish financial independence through micro business, FGM.

There's quite a lot to be getting on with. But you do you. It's not compulsory to centre the issues of women and girls.

IDontMindMarmite · 16/11/2020 20:57

Domestic violence and the number of women abused and killed at the hands of men.

IDontMindMarmite · 16/11/2020 20:56

You need to read invisible women.

Medicine has next to no idea about women's bodies. Women are underrepresented, often ignored completely in medical trials so women get surprising side effects and are often massively over medicated. Women's pain is often ignored, women are expected to suffer far more than men generally. Rights during childbirth are a mess.

Abortion rights around the world, and close to home e.g. Republic of Ireland are abysmal. Women are dying, we're a hair's breadth away from the return of coat hangers.

Women and young girls are objectified, sexualised in school uniforms FFS. See the red light district 'managed' area in Leeds thread to see how that's going.

Just today I read of a young woman who was kidnapped, raped, filmed and put on pornhub. Porn is basically rape on tape, women are regularly abused for profit.

Typing all this out is depressing. I'm sure someone else will volunteer to educate you.