Why are certain topics posted here that affect all women, e.g. domestic abuse?

[JessinAvalon]

Just a thought as someone fairly new to Mumsnet.... I wondered why certain topics are discussed in the feminism section and not anywhere else (as far as I am aware). This, and other issues such as domestic abuse, can happen to any woman yet, as far as I can see, they tend to be posted in the feminism section - and sadly, many women don't identify themselves as 'feminist'.

As a site aimed at women, it would be useful to be able to post this kind of topic somewhere where more women would see it yet often these topics are confined to this section. I'm just pondering why this might be.

Is this indicative that feminists are nice, sympathetic people who have an understanding of the power dynamic involved in sexual assault/domestic abuse situations?!

I think you will find that domestic abuse is discussed across the board and is not confined to this section.

This topic is labelled 'Feminism/Women's rights' - I assume some threads are the latter without necessarily being feminist.

I thought it was that if they are here, one is inviting/engaging with etc a feminist response/analysis/discussion etc. Whereas when they are posted elsewhere, they aren't (well they might not think they aren't but I see plenty of feminist stuff that isn't labeled so elsewhere). I think I have seen people, I see as the 'bigger names'/prolific posters refer to this, that they wouldn't jump in with feminist analysis where is wasn't called for, but if it's here then that's what people are inviting.

I think this section is becoming one where women who have suffered from gendered crimes/problems feel safe to come and talk about it. I mean, where else could you post e.g. a thread about sexual assault. AIBU to have been sexually assaulted? (would be awful) Parenting: does my PTSD caused by sexual assault make me a bad person? Relationships? - not many people want to think of their attacker as someone with whom they have a relationship (unless they were having one anyway, of course).

It feels like a very safe place to come and talk.

Also Jess I'm not sure how you use MN but I think most people press either "active threads" or "last 15 minutes" to see what is going on, so these threads are seen by other people than those seeking out this section.

Thanks all...Elephants, to be honest, I skim read the active threads section and then home here which is where I feel most interested. So perhaps I am getting a misleading represenation of topics being discussed.

I don't know...sometimes I get frustrated that women's issues are relegated to being "feminist" and therefore a minority interest. Woman's Hour infuriates me, for example. Occasionally they'll have a discussion about, say, objectification and/or lap dancing clubs, but they'll make it so 'balanced' that they bring in a misogynist prat to argue the other side. And then will go back to discussing how to baste the perfect turkey at Christmas or how crochet is coming back into fashion.

AliceWorld and StewieGriffinsMom - well put. Maybe I am a little biased now because I see everything through patriachy coloured glasses!

there is feminist stuff all over Mumsnet. You will find it in Style and Beauty, Parenting, AIBU, WWYD?, Employment Issues, Adult non-fiction, In the News, Chat, etc etc etc. (Though to date not in Chicken Keepers AFAIK.)
When we were discussing whether to have the topic some people were worried it would make the rest of the board less feminist because all the feminist conversations would be in one easily-avoidable place, but it definitely hasn't happened - if anything there is more feminist stuff everywhere else than there used to be (though that may just be because of the feminist revival in general).

Most of the domestic violence threads are in relationships, not surprisingly.

[off to see how I can work feminism into chicken keeping]

JessinAvalon almost every woman is a feminist, how could they not be? Surely most people using this site would read the threads in the feminism topic, it's not obscure, it relates to every one.

Having hung around MN for ages noe, I have seen DV threads on a lot of different topics, mainly in the relationships and lone parents topics, but often in chat too.

Quite a lot of the DV threads are (or have been in chat) as omdb mentions, for the reason that people like to think they will disappear in 90 days and I think some people find that reassuring rather than the threads living for ever.

I remember quite a few that will of course have disappeared.

Quite a lot of people have received an unsympathetic response to their posts elsewhere in mn and have come here for some sanity

Overmydeadbody - I do think that every woman, or at least 90% of them, are feminists at heart but it is surprising (to me anyway) how few women would (dare to?) use the word to describe themselves. Certainly amongst my peer group there are few who would use the f-word to describe themselves and, sadly, many who would even try to distance themselves from the movement.

I agree with elephants - it just feels safer in this section. I have seen some horrible responses to rape for example else where on the board.

One of my very first posts was asking whether people considered themselves feminists or not and if not, why not? It was in "chat" and elicited some very surprising responses. Many women on here (and elsewhere) take their rights etc for granted and have no idea how hard women had to fight for these rights; there is a bias against using the word feminist; and, of course, you get the "men don't like feminists" claptrap too. I think many people post in here to avoid the ranty-ness that can ensue in other parts of the board. There have been many threads that deteriorated into quite shocking and unsympathetic diabribes.

Not sure I'm making much sense really...

With the SN section, it is often seen as a base camp, with like-minded people who are coming from roughly the same area of interest as other members. Like a seminar session.
A place where you can ask questions, debate answers and come to some sort of reasoned, individual response without having to wade through a lot of crap from posters outside the group dynamic or understanding.
Then you strike out for a wider audience, from a firm base of support, which you return to for refuelling and rest.
So yes, feminist topics should be debated everywhere on the boards, but posting here tends to receive a specific type of response. Not always an agreement, but usually intelligent and considered, and definitely worth reading.

I like Goblinchild's base camp analogy; also the seminar one.
I was talking to dh about some feminist stuff I'd like to write about and the fact that I felt very confident in what I was trying to say and able to articulate it quite clearly and dh said 'the feminist topic is your seminar'.
Anyone else find, though, that they get so used to people agreeing with some mainstream feminist line then they repeat it elsewhere on the board expecting general agreement and other people are, like 'wtf?!'

TBE - good example.