New here, don't kill me

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I want to pick your collective brains. What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue that feminism needs to be tackling in the western world? And what do you think needs doing about it?

never giving up.

I think that Overton window stuff is key to changing it.

I think cultural change is really important.

People often come along with regard to, say, lap dancing clubs or page 3, shouting about how feminists want to ban them. What I want is to live in a world where lap dancing and page 3 would not make sense. Where they would be seen as a really odd way of wanting to see women. If an alien came down to earth and saw that, what would she think about relationships between women and men on earth? So changing the way people think, what is seen as 'normal' etc is key.

That's not to say I wouldn't ban those things before cultural change happens, but cultural change is way more important. So its about challenging rape myths, making people more aware of domestic violence stats etc etc etc.

Other more day to day things matter too. But cultural change for me is where its at ultimately.

Male violence is a massive problem the world over. I believe it (or the threat of it) underpins and/or causes the vast majority of inequality, be that of sex, class, disability or other.

Male violence against women and children is my no. 1 priority as a feminist. There are many other issues that run hot on the heels, though.

And I agree with Alice about the route out being via cultural change. The less things make sense, the less they will happen the world over. But the status quo needs to be challenged, no matter how frustrating it might seem. And getting more women into positions of power. As Madeleine Albright says in this fascinating interview "Well I do think, when there are more women, that the tone of the conversation changes, and also the goals of the conversation change."

Chickens! You came over! :o

Quotas? What 50/50 even when the work force is not 50/50?

I support quotas for all 'minority' groups. Too many female, non-heterosexual and non-white children just don't see People Like Them in enough places. Enforce it for long enough and it'll become normal

I support tax hikes as well - 'we'll leeeeeeeave the country!!'. Meh - call their bluff. No more mealy-mouthed tolerance of the widening gap between rich and poor.

They've been asked to share and they won't. Let's just take it.

For me, abortion rights because I live in Ireland, women have no bodily autonomy

Hi, I've never posted in this section before but have read with interest...I think maternal mortality is one of the biggest problems, but maybe not in the western world. Hm. Education of girls likewise. (With the idea that education provides girls with the tools to protect themselves/change their own societies.) Has anyone read 'Half the sky: How to change the world'? It's about lots of things, but the basic premise is that educating girls worldwide is key to most problems! It's an amazing read.

Welcome Pippaandpolly and thanks for the book recommendation. I'd not heard of it, although I have heard similar things about educating women and girls.

Elephants, I have taken the plunge I have to say, I am most disappointed that no one has called me un-feminist yet. You're slipping, people

Ooh, you're so unfeminist. Where are your dungarees? And are those shaved legs?

Aw, thanks sponge. Now I feel like one of the gang

well-i dont know where to start and i dont want to "impress"you with one of my long posts-so...........................
welcome Chickenshavenoeyebrows-glad you made the step.
we re not as scary as we sound.

sparky

Why don't you want to impress me? I'm quite easy to impress. Just putting the word 'sparkly' has me mesmersed.

Had forgotten about that "burglary" thread

wonderful, that was

I am still concerned about rhubarb's parrot though...

im meaning quite the opposite Chickenshavenoeyes[impress]
ah i didnt put the word sparkly-im definatly not sparkly.

sparky