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Feminism: chat

Feminism: sex and gender

Original poster

Val Mcdermid

91 replies

Meceme · 01/02/2022 16:29

Val Mcdermid has been a life long supporter and major sponsor of Raith Rovers football club. Today she severed her connection and withdrew support in protest at the club signing a player previously found guilty of rape in a civil case. The police had previously not prosecuted as they felt there was not enough evidence.

Sorry I dont know how to do links but the story is easily searchable.

Standing up against violence against women.

OP posts:
bishophaha · 01/02/2022 23:16

I assume the club have done their calculations and come up with a goals:rapes ratio they find acceptable. If he hadn't scored so many goals per rape, I doubt he'd have been signed.

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 01/02/2022 23:33

He's 32 and was always a fairly mediocre player. I don't know why they've chosen to put themselves in the firing line for him at all.

Oh wait, he's part of the RR family Confused

Sexnotgender · 02/02/2022 06:50

@IKeptYouLikeAnOath

He's 32 and was always a fairly mediocre player. I don't know why they've chosen to put themselves in the firing line for him at all.

Oh wait, he's part of the RR family Confused

I was wondering that too. He’s way past his prime, he was never particularly good anyway, why cause this upset for him? Very odd decision.
ClariceQuiff · 02/02/2022 07:15

I've always had a lot of respect for Val McDermid - great to see her taking this stand and I hope the club reconsider.

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 07:16

I think it's yet another illustration of just how completely women are not part of the thinking of groups of men.

Original poster
Meceme · 02/02/2022 08:40

If its a choice between standing up for women and someone scoring goals with the kudos and money that brings, the women will always come second.
Organisations will only stand up against violence against women and girls if it doesn't cost them anything. Virtue signal as long as it doesn't cost anything.

OP posts:
unstitching · 02/02/2022 09:02

The goals:rapes ratio Sad

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 09:08

I wonder if they did some sort of thinking around it, or if the thoughts/feelings/safety of women didn't even enter their thinking?

I have friends who have all ripped up their season tickets and are no longer going to take their sons to the game because they don't want them to get the message that rapists should be celebrated.

Those are adjustable women, not the people who thought going a few points up in a nothing league is important in any way.

queenofcauliflower · 02/02/2022 10:07

@IKeptYouLikeAnOath

I think it's yet another illustration of just how completely women are not part of the thinking of groups of men.
This, 100%
IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 10:26

Not adjustable women, you stupid phone! Admirable women! Grin

Original poster
Meceme · 02/02/2022 10:54

Val Mcdermid on women's hour now. Clear and straightforward reasoning.

OP posts:
nettie434 · 02/02/2022 12:09

Just hearing on the news that the women's team are planning to disassociate themselves from the club. It sounded as if Val McDermid is going to transfer her support to them.

This is sending an important message to the club and other men's teams. Well done women of the new team and Val!

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 12:31

Wow that is awesome! Women actually coming together and creating change, with power and dignity. Fuck me. ❤️

Sexnotgender · 02/02/2022 12:55

@nettie434

Just hearing on the news that the women's team are planning to disassociate themselves from the club. It sounded as if Val McDermid is going to transfer her support to them.

This is sending an important message to the club and other men's teams. Well done women of the new team and Val!

That’s amazing! What a great outcome from a shit situation.

For anyone interested the protest at Starks Park is meeting at 2.30 on Saturday.

Whatsnewpussyhat · 02/02/2022 12:57
  • Sturgeon 'The fact they're in this position [needing to end association with the club] at all reminds us that our society still has a way to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a reality."

Yes nicola, but you do realise almost all sexual violence is committed by men against women and children, and that by you pretending sex isn't a thing, you have opened the doors to female only safe spaces to ALL men which is proven increase sexual assaults?

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 13:19

Massive sigh eh @Whatsnewpussyhat Hmm

emsmar · 02/02/2022 13:33

I spoke to a member of staff there this morning and he's having to resign today as he's been emailed abuse - rape supporter etc.

I agree with boycotting the club, but that is too far. Poor man was distraught. I wish the remaining directors can go back on this ludicrous decision.

I wonder why he never came up against this at Clyde?!

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 13:50

I think there was a bit of this when he was first signed at Clyde but society has changed since then and we are, happily, less accepting of men raping and killing us. I think if it weren't for Mason Greenwood it wouldn't have seemed quite so despicable but the timing was unfortunate - for them.

weebarra · 02/02/2022 13:58

I'm a huge Scottish (not Raith Rovers) football fan and a season ticket holder for a similar club. I don't agree with Val on everything but I fully back her on this. My DD who is 8 plays football for a local club and people like Tyler Rattray (captain of RRWFC) are her idols.
FWIW, all the Scottish media pundits were coming out on the Sportsound radio show last night deploring Raith's decision.
Now, this is outing, but DS1 plays football for a neurodiverse team. They are having the third of their quarterly league meetings at Starks Park later this month. All the autism teams in the area come together to play each other. I have qualms about letting him go in view of this.

emsmar · 02/02/2022 14:00

@IKeptYouLikeAnOath

I think there was a bit of this when he was first signed at Clyde but society has changed since then and we are, happily, less accepting of men raping and killing us. I think if it weren't for Mason Greenwood it wouldn't have seemed quite so despicable but the timing was unfortunate - for them.
Yeah absolutely! The boycotting send a strong message that rape will not be tolerated. Why does he even want to play for them, I can't imagine he's going to enjoy it. Hope he fucks off. I've heard though that the board are counting on this blowing over and are prepared to ride it out..
emsmar · 02/02/2022 14:01

Love your username btw - @IKeptYouLikeAnOath fellow swifty here too 😂

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 14:03

Well I suppose he needs an income like anyone else, and his salary at clubs like Clyde would have been pretty basic for a football player.

Not that I give a shiny shite about him or his financial security, but he can't turn down work. The board shouldn't have given him the opportunity though.

Agree it looks like they're trying to ride it out. I really hope they can't. Awful about the RR employer above, but it's absolutely the fault of those in charge. The safety of how many employees equates to, what, half a dozen goals scored in what's left of the season?

unstitching · 02/02/2022 14:21

Well done Val McDermid! What a superstar

meditrina · 02/02/2022 14:34

Updated BBC story

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-60218045

Currently in the top stories bit at the top of the News page

Couple of extracts:

"The chief executive of Scottish Women's Football, who is a former MSP, said: "The fact the women's club have lost their captain as a result of this is devastating.
"That would be a devastating consequence to lose women from the game as a result of this poor decision."

"Judy Hamilton, chair of the Raith Rovers Community Foundation, said had been shocked to learn about the signing on Monday night.
She said: "I think the decision is very, very risky indeed and I did feel the that the fall-out and the reaction to that decision was not risk assessed"

I think your DS will be fine at an event that just happens to be hosted at the ground webarra as it will be only them there for an occasion such as that. But it's a disaster for women who play there regularly, as the men couid well be training at much the same tine.

And it's also shit for the decent men in the team - I mean wouid you want to be close and cooperative with the likes of him?

It's a long time since the rape, but if he had shown remorse and a firm purpose to make some sort of amends, surely something wouid be known of that, and the club would have been able to make that point. But silence

IKeptYouLikeAnOath · 02/02/2022 14:36

When the attack happened we shared mutual friends although I don't think I ever met him, and IIRC the feeling was entirely 'no way did he do that, she's full of shit and trying to cover up the fact that she cheated on her boyfriend'.

So I think it remains to be seen how uncomfortable a lot of other men in football are around a rapist. I'd like to think young men have moved forward, but well, see Mason Greenwood.