To get annoyed when other women say "I'm not a feminist"

[Nickabilla]

As if it's a dirty word and a shameful thing to be? I hear it every now and then and always question it. Someone said it today and I'm annoyed again.

Do some women not realise that women didn't used to be allowed to go to university, get divorced, own property or vote?

Rant over.

[skylerwhite]

Sorry yams, I think I misremembered the Cambridge story. The students in question actually carried on the debate, but the Cambridge Union have subsequently announced that they are boycotting Glasgow Union as a result of the behaviour. Does that make it better, in your eyes? FWIW, I would have walked out. Just as I would encourage anyone subjected to racist abuse on a debating platform to walk out.

This is an article written by one of the students in question, detailing amongst other things how she and her debating partner were objectified on male chat forums ('how best to violently rape or sexually assault me'), and arguing eloquently why feminism is still needed in western society. Good on her, I say.

[SigmundFraude]

very good!

[SigmundFraude]

What will we need men for then?

Spider removal.

[yamsareyammy]

Yes that is better.

Not sure if I was racistly abused on a debating platform, that I would walk out.
Dont think I would. I would have tried debating with them first!
Though I appreciate that not absolutely everyone can be debated with.

Spero,btw, I liked how you operate too with people in your office.

[runningforthebusinheels]

As I understand it, it was quite a small group of men v silly boys doing the misogynist heckling. I wish more of the men present had shouted them down - just as I hope people shouting racist abuse at an ethnic minority debater would be shouted down and shamed - perhaps some of them tried?

I agree with Skyler and Cambridge Union's stance on this.

[yamsareyammy]

That link was very well written I thought, skyler.

What is reportedly in lads magazines is awful.

This is the one thing that bothers me about MN actually.

It is thought to be great, wonderful etc by many people.
But there are no men here, well virtually none.

And that, to my mind, is sooo not good.
As is virtually men only places, internet forums and magazines.
Not good for society.
It helps to push men and women apart even further imo.
[I realise I am in a minority on this issue].

[runningforthebusinheels]

Ach, you don't need a hoover or a man - a glass and card does fine

[yamsareyammy]

That is a good point running. I wonder what the men did?

[skylerwhite]

I think there is evidence to suggest that the Glasgow Union Debating Society is institutionally sexist, so it was not just a small group, unfortunately.

[skylerwhite]

I've no problem with spiders either. Anything with wings freaks me out though.

[FasterStronger]

SF - i was thinking about every day disasters - serious crashes (heavy lifting/cutting gear), fire rescue (women can do the job too), bomb disposable robots etc.

brawn is not what it used to be!

[runningforthebusinheels]

Oh - you may be right Skyler. Makes it far worse. I seem to remember that was Glasgow Union's "official' response about it? That is was only a small group.

[SigmundFraude]

I agree that more men need to frequent MN yams. Though the very few ones that are on here have to pass muster, which must be very offputting.


Buffy. I won't add to the list further, because I'm not sure which device you might link to next!

[runningforthebusinheels]

I like to keep a man (well, one particular man) around the place anyway - I actually cook for him, and will iron his shirts sometimes too. But then he mucks in with the childcare and household too.

He's also on wasp duty. {Hates wasps}

[SigmundFraude]

'I've no problem with spiders either. Anything with wings freaks me out though.'

I'd prefer a spider or winged creature over an earwig. I probably really would need a man for an earwig. Does the spider device remove earwig horrors too? (found one in the sugar bowl once)

[skylerwhite]

I think there's a university inquiry into sexism in the Glasgow Union underway, so perhaps judgement should be reserved, but the existence of Last All Male Board annual dinners and the existence, at least up until 2011, of the 139 Club (named after the 139 members who voted against allowing women to join in 1980) is suggestive.

[runningforthebusinheels]

I found a live earwig in the dishwasher the other day. Lord knows how it got there.

[SigmundFraude]

'I found a live earwig in the dishwasher the other day. Lord knows how it got there.'

Noooo. No. No. Too grim.

[SigmundFraude]

'Sigmund. I did have some, uh, more links in mind...'

I can imagine. Not good! I'm a fully fledged member of prudes r us.

[SigmundFraude]

What the hell is a vaganus? Actually, if I haven't heard of it, I probably don't need to know.