Feminism chat thread

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Hello

Been saying for ages that it'd be nice to have an area for just saying hi, letting off some steam and sharing the little things that don't warrant a whole thread.

So, I'll start...

My brother made me :o:o:o last night when we were talking about some crap sexist song. And he said (in all honesty) - well this is just one of the millions of ways the patriarchy keeps itself going.

Also got the updated email from the Feminism in London conference this morning - can't wait.

Anyone else?

Well done Zaha Hadid!!

(sorry couldn't find a thread and am really happy for her)

who she Marsha? (sorry ignorant!)

Just won RIBA, British architect. May be first woman not sure... Has been nominated loads of times and won for the Maxii museum in Italy. Really good dh and I went yes! (on bbc2)

Ah that's brilliant! Will watch news later and hope she's on.

I adore her. Architecture is so European male led - authority and authenticity and all that malarkey - I feel really happy (does jig too).

I've discovered that the Fawcett Lecture 2010 at The Women's Library in London will be given by Sandi Toksvig. Her lecture is entitled "Post-Feminism: thank goodness the need for feminism is over!"

I hope the title is ironic.

If you imagine her saying it, it clearly is.

Am getting excited about the Reclaim the night march! Any Birmingham feminists welcome!

I've been on holiday and I've been sneakily lurking a tiny bit on ipod touch doing no MNing. .

There are loads of threads to catch up on!!

I've just booked my Feminism in London place! Will add into the other thread and the FB group etc so I can meet up with other attending.

Whilst away (in the USA) I bought Motherhood and Feminism it is by a US academic and it came out just a few months ago.

I've skim read it and it's really good - it traces the history of motherhood from the Industrial Revolution to today. (Obviously it's from a US perspective.)

I had a real OMG moment on holiday when I realised that the airport transfer driver bascially was very unhappy with me checking that the bags all went into the van and moving DS's gruffalo case as it was a bit close to the door and I needed to tuck it's long strap up as it was in danger of getting caught .... because I am a WOMAN. .

He later very clearly asked DH which terminal we were going to to by addressing him as "sir" and avoiding eye contact with me - even though DH was busy sitting next to DS entertaining him etc.

Anyway that's clearly me back into the long rambling posts again.

I have a couple many of things I am angry about - just off to start some threads!!

Have you got a link for that vesuvia?

Should all workplaces be a third female? by Helena Kennedy - great woman.

ElephantsAndMiasmas, this link should find the Women's Library Fawcett Lecture.

Thank you! That looks great. So could theoretically go to feminism in london one weekend, that midweek and Women at the Cutting Edge on the 30th!

Hello everyone

I have a classic, quite boring and very minor feminist quandry!

So DD1 has been invited to her second ever birthday party! Very exciting.

It is a girl from nursery, the theme is princesses and pirates, and the invitation is pink with a picture of a disney style princess at the top.

You can imagine my joy!

DH's reaction was the same as mine ie she can go as a pirate. But really, she can't can she. I mean she can, but she'll wonder why she's dressed up as a pirate when all the other girls are princesses. It won't pass her by. And I think that at this age (3 - 4) they are aware of this stuff, and of fitting in, and so on.

So I guess I bite the bullet and try to source a non-pink princess outfit! But its just annoying isn't it... How to go about being all gender neutral when most of the outside world seems to conspire against it!

Yes she can go as a pirate if she is happy with that. I just asked dd (aged 5 and veteran of several princess/pirate parties) and she said she can!
The correct answer to the question 'Why are you dressed as a pirate when the other girls are princesses?' is 'Because I like pirates.' (We'll leave aside the terribleness of the fact that violent criminals are being held up as suitable role models for the modern child!) Kids of this age understand that people have different tastes.
You would also make her aware that there were girl pirates as well as boy ones in case anyone tries to tell her otherwise.

If she hates pirates and really really wants to go as a princess then you probably have to do princess.

Or you could attempt to both have and eat your cake by sending her as a pirate princess.

DD and her best friend at school (a girl) play pirates all the time. (though I have no idea what this involves.... )

Or you could subvert princess and rather than being a pink glittery princess she could be a funky kick ass one!

I do agree it depends on what she thinks though. But if it has been me as a child, I would have been happy to be the funky one.

Am liking the idea of a pirate princess!

All this stuff is a bugger isn't it. Why does a party for tiny children even need a "theme" ie let's face it you probably have to spend some money on a costume. It's silly grrrr

Again, yes I could cobble something together, but I remember feeling "out of place" a lot when I was young and I don't want DD to feel like that IYSWIM

Maybe I'm projecting!

Can I leap in here (hi all!) and say that dd who is now 13 had a Robin suit at age 3 (to go with her brother's batman costume - not sure if that counts as subversive or not!).
Anyway, I've just asked her if she remembered feeling out of place at the Christmas party when all her friends were dressed as the ubiquitous princesses. She said no, but she'd probably feel that way if it happened now - not that she'd want to be a princess necessarily, just not conspicuously different.
I just remember her looking cute, although I must admit to feeling a little pang that she might feel she was missing out. Couldn't quite bring myself to swathe her in pink, though.
Hope this helps. Mind you, a pirate princess could look fab - baggy trousers, hoppy earrings and scarves trailing from her wrists (stop it now!)

I don't think a 3/4 year old cares about fitting in. They love the attention you give them individually - if you make a fuss and tell them they look fantastic they will feel fantastic.

I think pirate princess is a fab idea, and cheap too. Her party frock and an eyepatch and cutlass

Meant hoopy earrings.