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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Would this women's social group put you off joining?

144 replies

purplestrip · 23/06/2026 14:31

In my local town there is a group called the town's name girls collective. Its supposedly a social group for women to come along and take part in various activities like running, yoga or crafts as to make new friends. Sounds good right but on their socials they make it very clear that anyone who doesn't think transwomen are women are not welcome and presumably men themselves who imagine they are women are welcome. They also have a whole list of prerequisites of any potential joiner's political views such as being pro-Palestinian, opposed to ICE, pro asylum seeker, pro-refugee to be welcome yourself and that if you ignore the suffering of people in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, Iran and Myanmar then the community is not for you. If you think women's spaces should exclude males transwomen then this is not the community for you and so on.

Now for what it's worth I agree with most of their politics but I am gender critical but I also think that not every interaction has to be founded on complete political alignment and that they are actually being quite exclusionary.

Personally I'd be put off attending myself and I wonder how many other women they are driving away with such a confrontational set of requirements. I don't know if they have any males who go to their group but I do think its somewhat ironic that a group set up for women prioritises male inclusion over those of women they don't happen to agree with on everything!

OP posts:
SidewaysOtter · 23/06/2026 21:05

@CassOle

whether they had the right opinions on Buckskin Vs Dun regarding horse colours

Suggest a Connemara is 'dun' and see what response you get. I think that will make this 'girls' group look open and welcoming by comparison Grin

viques · 23/06/2026 21:01

overnightangel · 23/06/2026 14:38

It’s not a women’s group, it’s a cult

I wonder if they encourage modest clothing and women covering their hair…. It could be an entry level conduit to some end of days religious group run by TRAs….

EmpressDomesticatednottamed · 23/06/2026 21:00

Biscofffan · 23/06/2026 18:49

This sounds like 'Heathers" for so-called grown ups. Or the Freemasons. Do they have a bizarre joining ritual involving crochet, sticky-backed plastic and swearing allegiance to Sam Smith?

They could try and get Emma Hilton to develop an opinion screening cheek swab?

viques · 23/06/2026 20:58

BeMoreBear · 23/06/2026 14:36

A social group that is that prescriptive would not be top of my list of things to do, no.

Agree. While I would probably subscribe to some of their rules I wouldn’t subscribe to all of them, ie men can’t be women, and I think it all sounds a bit parochial and woke and I would look for a group with some fun people in .

pimplebum · 23/06/2026 20:57

Start your own group and invite the rest of the town

Emilesgran · 23/06/2026 20:55

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 23/06/2026 15:55

It's about creating a safe space for everyone. Sounds great.

If you have different opinions then just don't air them. Be respectful, and there won't be an issue.

How is it a safe space for everyone if some women are advised not to even express their perfectly legal opinions?
Not a safe space for those women, is it?

13RidgmontRoad · 23/06/2026 20:31

I hate this sort of thing. I'm a butch lesbian, and a Jew. I'd love to participate in more women's social events. I spend a good proportion of my time online being targeted by events that look promising but mention either TWAW or Palestine or both.

Now I think I have fairly nuanced views on both TWAW and Palestine and lots of other things and I'm happy to speak to anyone but if that's the first thing I spot on the poster for your event then (reasonably?) I assume I'm not welcome.

user293948849167 · 23/06/2026 19:50

No it sounds awful! No way would I be joining any group that thinks they can tell me how to think.
Reminds me of primary school “you can’t be in our gang if you support X football team” 😂

disturbia · 23/06/2026 19:19

purplestrip · 23/06/2026 14:31

In my local town there is a group called the town's name girls collective. Its supposedly a social group for women to come along and take part in various activities like running, yoga or crafts as to make new friends. Sounds good right but on their socials they make it very clear that anyone who doesn't think transwomen are women are not welcome and presumably men themselves who imagine they are women are welcome. They also have a whole list of prerequisites of any potential joiner's political views such as being pro-Palestinian, opposed to ICE, pro asylum seeker, pro-refugee to be welcome yourself and that if you ignore the suffering of people in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, Iran and Myanmar then the community is not for you. If you think women's spaces should exclude males transwomen then this is not the community for you and so on.

Now for what it's worth I agree with most of their politics but I am gender critical but I also think that not every interaction has to be founded on complete political alignment and that they are actually being quite exclusionary.

Personally I'd be put off attending myself and I wonder how many other women they are driving away with such a confrontational set of requirements. I don't know if they have any males who go to their group but I do think its somewhat ironic that a group set up for women prioritises male inclusion over those of women they don't happen to agree with on everything!

They sound a bundle of fun and laughs....I don't think

onlytherain · 23/06/2026 19:13

They won't be discussing anything though, will they?
"I am against ICE."
"Me too."
The end.

The town name mixed-sex echo-chamber fun bunch.

thebrollachan · 23/06/2026 18:59

ChamonixMountainBum · 23/06/2026 15:25

Just rock up with your Harry Potter book under your arm while wearing your IDF t-shirt.....

I have an excellent one with the slogan 'Guns 'n' Moses'.

hahabahbag · 23/06/2026 18:58

Personal choice as it’s a private organisation, start a rival organisation perhaps. I wouldn’t join because I hate organised groups!

mylifeisexams · 23/06/2026 18:55

EyesOpening · 23/06/2026 18:46

That's not a social club, that's a job at Lush.

😂

yes fuck that OP. Can you start your own group?

Dabralor · 23/06/2026 18:53

EyesOpening · 23/06/2026 18:46

That's not a social club, that's a job at Lush.

Yes, this.

‘can I buy this pongy bathbomb please?’
’not until you state your position about the Judean Peoples Front, love’

WearyAuldWumman · 23/06/2026 18:52

CurlewKate · 23/06/2026 16:47

It calls itself a “girls collective”? Are you sure?

I'm doubting that they're girls, somehow.

CassOle · 23/06/2026 18:52

Biscofffan · 23/06/2026 18:49

This sounds like 'Heathers" for so-called grown ups. Or the Freemasons. Do they have a bizarre joining ritual involving crochet, sticky-backed plastic and swearing allegiance to Sam Smith?

.

High School Film GIF by Arrow Video
WearyAuldWumman · 23/06/2026 18:50

I'd give it a wide berth. I don't expect fellow hobbyists to share my political views.

Biscofffan · 23/06/2026 18:49

This sounds like 'Heathers" for so-called grown ups. Or the Freemasons. Do they have a bizarre joining ritual involving crochet, sticky-backed plastic and swearing allegiance to Sam Smith?

Dabralor · 23/06/2026 18:48

Tbh the trans thing doesn’t fuss me nearly as much as the list of political and ideological positions I’d have to prove I have. Sounds a bit intense for a community group. I’d just want to chat about things on the telly whilst having a knit, I’m not needing to discuss ICE.

EyesOpening · 23/06/2026 18:46

That's not a social club, that's a job at Lush.

MassiveWordSalad · 23/06/2026 18:42

Dear lord, no, I couldn’t join this club. They sound like the Judean Girls’ Collective or the Girl’s Collective of Judea or something. It would be better if they classed themselves as a political group that likes to do yoga and crafts, at least that would be honest.

Nogreenskittles · 23/06/2026 18:31

As pps have said, the vast majority of these opinions are pretty widely held. It’s all a bit virtue signalling. And even within these parameters, there are a lot of differences of opinion.

DrBlackbird · 23/06/2026 18:30

Tell them they're not doing nearly enough to support the right causes and they need to knit to support Initiative Petition 28 in Oregon.

It gives all animals the same protections from cruelty that Oregon grants dogs and cats. Hunting, trapping and any kind of fishing would be outlawed, but also no more scientific research on animals, no lethal pest control and no conventional livestock production eliminating in-state meat, dairy, and animal protein production. Oregonians would be forced either into a vegan lifestyle or to rely on food shipped in from other states or countries. Oregon First Nation Tribes would not be exempt so how does square with decolonisation 🤔 .

The goal, said David Michelson, a substitute teacher, vegan and the petition’s organiser, “is to have a system where we’re not killing or hurting animals anymore.” Those lefties really don’t believe in live and let live.

SideboobToYouToo · 23/06/2026 18:20

TransParentlyAnnoyed · 23/06/2026 16:09

My local GP surgery, dentist, opticians etc are friendly and polite to my son. They use his name even when his deadname's in front of them.

Some of them might be GC, who knows? But they're polite, respectful and professional toward him, creating a safe space in which he feels able to trust them. That's incredibly important.

Lots of people are quietly racist, homophobic or misogynistic, and view their bigotry as sincerely-held, evidence -based beliefs.They still know not to air those views in public spaces.

Although public transphobia is emboldening them. Enable one bigotry, open the door to the rest.

The whole of the T ideology is homophobic.

DrBlackbird · 23/06/2026 18:15

See, it’s these threads that make love FWR. Such witty and funny women.

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