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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Go Feminist!

25 replies

wantstosleepnow · 17/01/2012 19:34

Are any MNs going to this?

I have only recently become interested in feminism, so don't know alot but am really keen to go.

Non of my friends would be seen dead at a conference like this so looks like I'm going on my own and im a bit scared!!

Do people ever go on their own to these things??

OP posts:
ballroompink · 17/01/2012 20:14

I'm going :)

I always go to these things on my own as I know no-one IRL who would. I went to my first feminist conference in 2008 and I knew no-one. I was too shy to chat to anyone once I got there too. These days I meet up with internet friends once I get there.

This aside, I think GoFeminist is going to be really good and I'm looking forward to it. I think some of the topics covered are a bit of a departure from some of the more established feminist conferences but that this is also a good thing because it'll be nice to go to some different sessions.

StewieGriffinsMom · 17/01/2012 20:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
wantstosleepnow · 17/01/2012 20:41

Well ballroompink if you see a strange looking women with white hair looking scared, give me a knowing wink!!

I am looking forward to it though, am a student so it's only £5 for me. I think the sliding scale is a fab idea as well.

OP posts:
TBE · 17/01/2012 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsClown · 18/01/2012 11:36

I would love to go but cant.

As I am the 'only feminist in Doncaster' I go to many of these things on my own. I must say, I am never on my own for long. They are very friendly and I have NEVER been left sitting on my own. I went to Feminism in London 2010 on my own and met some wonderful people. Dont be scared or worried about going to any of these things on your own.

Feminists are amazing, have a great sense of humour and are incredibly friendly.

AlwaysWild · 18/01/2012 17:35

I'm not going. I was put off by their listing of sexism as just one of their priorities. It's kinda central for me. I can't go to everything in the big smoke and the sidelining of women's rights made me a bit Hmm and like it might not be meeting of minds for me. Looking forward to feminism London and million women rise though Grin

BertieBotts · 18/01/2012 17:41

Ah that's a shame it's so soon. If it was in a few months I'd probably have looked into it.

tintoytarantula · 18/01/2012 21:15

Wish I could, but I can't afford train tickets. I personally love that they are specifically working against multiple forms of oppression, if only because all those are things that happen to women - if feminism doesn't have anything much to say about racism, ageism, ablism etc. then how can we truly serve women of colour, old women, women with disabilities? Oppressions intersect, they don't lie separately side by side, and the misogyny directed against me as a white woman will often take a different form to that directed against, say, a black woman - we have to deal with all of it or we are failing a lot of women.

AlwaysWild · 19/01/2012 07:34

Oh yes, working on lots of forms of oppression is great. Feminists have been doing that for a long long time.

Putting it near the bottom of the list, not so great. I would find it equally odd for the Stephen Lawrence foundation to just have racism somewhere down on their list rather than at the forefront, for example.

ballroompink · 19/01/2012 10:17

AFAIK that's just because the issues the conference will focus on are listed in alphabetical order rather than the fact they don't place much importance on sexism.

I agree with you tintoytarantula - I think if we don't look at multiple forms of oppression we fail a lot of women and risk getting more and more criticism that feminism today is only 'for' white, middle class, university-educated women.

sandhya72 · 28/01/2012 17:45

Yes ballroompink they are listed alphabetically. This does not mean that we think ageism is more important than sexism - just that a is before s! We hoped calling it go feminist would have made it clear that our focus is on feminist activism and this is the prism through which we will view all the other oppressions listed. We really hope to see you all there - there is a sliding scale from £0 to £50. Do pay what you can afford (don't get too hung up on the wage brackets). We hope to live stream it as well - watch our website, facebook and twitter for details.

AlwaysWild · 28/01/2012 18:00

So a feminist conference can really say with a straight face that sexism isn't first on their list because of the alphabet? Hmm

Seriously if that one needs explaining then I think I made the right decision. Roll on the next feminism in London.

wonderstuff · 28/01/2012 18:11

Going to write out next months buget later, see if I can afford the train ticket. Would love to go, I'm so angry at mainstream politics these days.

TBE · 28/01/2012 18:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BasilRathbone · 28/01/2012 19:21

I'm going. I don't think it'll be as good as Feminism in London, but I'm up for any meeting with feminists tbh. And the pizza afterwards...

JuliaScurr · 03/02/2012 15:33

The capacity of rooms for different topics: 'Faith' - 80; 'Cuts' - 18
Which one do you think affects most women more?
Surely, the cuts to the Welfare State has to be a more important subject?
Tell me I'm not the only one
(I wasn't going anyway - going on a local cuts march)

AlwaysWild · 03/02/2012 18:04

It might just be done alphabetically Julia.

ballroompink · 04/02/2012 06:39

Despite the fact there is a whole plenary session in the main room on women and economics, Julia. Just saying.

JuliaScurr · 04/02/2012 19:01

Was it any good? Our march was good, lots of support. Plan to get them on failure to conduct Equalities Impact audit to kick off with.
Anything planned following conference?

watersign76 · 05/02/2012 13:03

Didn't go, but someone tweeted this link to content from yesterday. gofeministconference.posterous.com/

Original poster
wantstosleepnow · 05/02/2012 14:33

Yes I did go and it was fab, am very glad I attended. I went to the inclusion workshop and the identity panel discussion.

Am very keen to get involved in more things now, but am not sure where to start. I have looked and there are no groups local to me in Northampton.

OP posts:
AlwaysWild · 05/02/2012 15:24

You could set one up wantsto? A group on Facebook is a start. Or if you look on
Uk feminista's website they have regional coordinators so the one in your area might be a good starting point

You could also come to million women rise in march

Original poster
wantstosleepnow · 05/02/2012 16:49

Ahhh I'm desperate to go to a million rise!! But I'm away for our anniversary. I would love to set up a group but don't really have the time to dedicate to it properly, have had a look at feminista yesterday and joined the
Midlands fb group. Thanks for the tips though. Is a million rise the same as reclaim the night or are they different marches?

OP posts:
AlwaysWild · 05/02/2012 20:57

They're different. Rtn is in nov/dec in the evening. Mwr is march in the daytime.

ballroompink · 12/02/2012 08:12

Yes it was really good. Everyone was very enthusiastic and positive, and in the open session lots of women were getting together with a view to forming groups, carrying out actions etc. I was very impressed with the way it was organised and run.

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