Where did all the Feminists go?

[Portofino]

MN seems to have had a reorganisation of FWR when I was on holiday and me no-likey. Why do we now have a Rad fem section and Feminist light chat. So many of the dynamic, knowledgable and interesting posters have disappeared. I have to say that some of the more radical stuff posted really made me think about my views and re-align them. There doesn't seem to be much of that anymore. I am disappointed to be honest.

I'm here!

Oh, when you said "Feminists" you didn't mean me ... Ah.

After 8 pages, I'm sure someone has pointed out there isn't a RadFem section. Porto, you couldn't possibly have started this thread without bothering to see what topics are available in Feminism? Why would you do that?

There's Feminist Theory and Feminist Activism, if you feel like being theoretical and/or active. HTH.

Could we have the times and dates of Artex's posts Swallowed? Otherwise it just seems like slagging off and lies telling and troll hunting.

Oh the irony...

Here we have, on a thread questioning wistfully what happened to to the FWR boards, an exact example of what happened...

Stop the fussing and (in)fighting, get out there onto all the other threads and raise some consciousness. It will do far more good.

what hully said

I'm with beachcomber: I miss the laughs too and the amazing camaraderie. I loved the tag-teaming in an effort to deal with the persistent derailers and trolls, especially on pornography/prostitution threads.

I always read, sometimes posted but more than anything, just loved to have a woman friendly space here.

There was a radfem section until very recently. It was deleted presumably because no-one was psting there. And nobody posted there because radfems did not want the section in the first place.

TBF Hully, when posters express feminism-informed views on eg Chat threads about strip clubs, a number of posters ask them to piss off back to FWR.

I am about the continuation of the fighting here as I'm sure Porto didn't want her thread to go that way.

That seems reasonable then, MNHQ trying something out as a solution, turns out to be unused and so deleted. Doesn't that show they are listening to people?

Jenny, do you now consider Mumsnet devoid of women-friendly spaces? How so?

Seeker: feminism is all over the boards. It's actually really heartening, especially when so many 'I'm not a feminist but' types post clearly feminist messages without realising it.

No garlic, but one always found real support here for feminism. It was like going into the women's room when I was at uni after a morning of dealing with sexist shite.

Woffline - No. Because radfems consistently said they did not want a radfem board. The only ones arguing for a radfem board were those attacking radfems

Yes Snatch, but equally one can tell them to fuck off in return...and carry on. Loads pf posters come out i supprt os so-called "lib/rad fems" on those sorts of threads. Some even get a bit enlightened..

But there were a lot of people who wanted a feminist board that was more approachable for those that were still at the shell pink end of the spectrum, rather than the magenta end. So it wasn't meant by the majority, me included, as a way of attacking radfems, more as a way of giving people a fast lane and a slow lane, so that those capable of 150mph on the feminist thinking topics weren't held up, infuriated and otherwise pissed-off by those that weren't keeping up. Or who didn't want to go that direction.

Oh, if anyone would like to invite me to any exciting closed feminist groups, I promise to be somewhatmaybekinda insightful, funny and interesting!

Woffling - There were lots of threads on basic feminist stuff like the paddling pool thread. And there continue to be thraeds like that. It doesnty mean that every thread has to be link that though

Thanks for your reply, Jenny. I think (and hope) you can have those discussions here :)

mnhq listened carefully to the voices of its membership and have reconfigured the fwr in a way that suits them best - it is pretty much exactly what most people were crying out for. now, all women can feel totally free to post and have feminist chats, and presumably they do. there certainly were a lot of posters who said they didn't feel able to post- they should feel able to now, and no doubt the board is livelier than ever. I stick to lurking in chat and sometimes posting in style and beauty so can't really say

anyway, hurrah for the renaissance of the fwr boards!

chibi, but my point is that so many of the posters that made FWR an interesting and informative place to hang out aren't posting any more. You NEED the different views to make it an informative and valuble experience.

Agree Porto

I wouldn't want every thread in FWR to cater for the same audience, EBAL, the variety was one of the best things about it. The paddling pool thread was a very recent thing though, as a response to the number of 'FWR is scary, I got called xyz, I asked a question and was flamed, I'm not clever enough to be a feminist' threads and responses elsewhere on MN.
Because a lot of threads seemed to end in a robust response from the comrades' tag-teams that Jenny remembers so fondly. Which alienated a lot of other women.
When you have people who feel they are being attacked, sometimes the response they come up with is not to the other people's liking, then they in turn feel attacked and marginalised.
The answer probably lies in PARD of the differences and the similarities.

I agree too, Portofino.

But many of those posters couldn't handle different views.