The Feminist Pub is Open - Chat, Rant, or pull up a chair here!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

This thread started when we all decided to imagine what the perfect local for feminists would be like. So far, it has taps with plenty of good real ale, and some decent non-alcoholic alternatives too. There are comfy chairs and there's a feminist film night, as well as lots of nice feminist-friendly books on the shelves and space to curl up and read. The open-mic nights are attracting feminist singers and comedians, and we're just sorting out the feminist creche.

Please come along, draw up a stool, and have a good chat about whatever you fancy - as serious or as trivial as you like.

For starters, I have a half-pint of lemonade. What can I get anyone?

The women there think we're weird because DH shares the housework and child care. They seem to think it's funny that their husbands are fairly useless. And they seem to think it's ok to call their kids sexy etc. bleurgh. I shall have the last laugh. I am infiltrating them. On tour I was made to stand on a chair and down a pint because I had omitted some transgression (probably talking while in possession of a vagina) and the blokes were all a bit disgruntled that I managed it.

I only go because DD loves playing rugby.

I explained to DS1 that I hated the song and would rather he didn't dance to it. He asked why so I told him that the man singing didn't like women much and the sng was about being mean to women. He thought that was rather stupid and offered to put his fingers in my ears!

Children do often have the most practical solutions to problems .

That is funny

I've just read 'I am Malala'. Has anyone else read it? Thought I might read some of it with DD.

Oh, is it any good?
I might get it for DSs who are amazed that anybody would risk a bullet for the right to go to school.

Pacific DH and I are howling with laughter at the mental image of your bath full of penises.

Gnawer That would rile me something rotten. Such a discordant sight. I have a DH who takes on anything and everything. He used to be a trained ballet dancer so already transcends some folks ideas of what a real man is. Rugby and Ballet-his loves. And F1 but we won't get into the discussion of the Pit Stop girls unless you all want to see me roar

Pacific - ahem - LRD has a blog?!
Can I possibly be pointed in its direction please?

LRD has said she doesn't mind, so I'll pm you Mildred.

Could you PM me too Penguins? If that's ok with LRD

please no talk about F1 here - I thought this was a Safe Place!

mildred, check your inbox

She said earlier on the thread she would link but was on a dodgy laptop, plus she said how to find it on Google, so I don't think she minds at all. Will PM you too Sal.

Ooops, I am too slow - story of my life

I thought it was very good. Lots of very interesting history of the Swat region. Quite harrowing in places - I hadn't really registered what the Taliban were doing and felt pretty ashamed of my ignorance.

Sorry Pacific. Wasn't even me who was asked

No sweat.
I was busy planning The Revolution. Which I missed because I went to bed last night.

Who is it by, Kim?

Is it too early to have a stiff drink? Sun over the yeard arm and all that, as my old alcohoilc grandad used to say. It's been a bit of a dpressing week what with newspapaers being unhappy abut Mums having sex, a series of posters defending porn and male violence and the whole sorry AnyFucker saga. some things that are bothering me at the moment about some posters on here are:

1. The ones that interrupt/dominte a thread with a post full of questions - eg How do you think that would work? What do others feel would happen if it were the other way round? - In other words, Don't worry, Ladies, you were all lacking in direction but now I'm here to steer the discussion in a way I see fit.

1. Posters who use offhand, casual language to talk about things that many of us feel are important, thus demeaning what we are saying from the status of political insight to cosy chat.

1. Posters who refuse to acknowledge (or perhaps aren't clever enough to realise) that feminism is actually a political theory that requires thought and analysis. I'm sure that were these posters to stumble across a board where other men were discussing socialism or cpaitalism in quite a complex way that was a bit beyond them, they wouldn't dream of interrupting them and telling them that they didn't know what they were talking about.

Actually I suppose 2 and 3 are linked.

And breathe. Sorry for taking up space at the bar and ranting. Gets humble lemonade and retires qietly to the comfy sofas. Thinks about ordering a bacon sarnie as I have been for a run this morning.

Rosabud I completely agree with you. It is only 7 am here so I shall have a cup of tea, but help yourself to a whiskey if you want it.

Everywhere I look on mn people are talking about bacon butties, but it is another 8 months before I can have one with real British bacon. Sob

I agree with you *rosabud. But can you give an example of number 2? (I hope I haven't done this by mistake or something)

OKay, surely Saturday is pub night? In the mood for a pint of really heavy stout.

Watching strictly with DD and she has just asked why the women have to wear 'clothes that cover about as much as a swimming costume' and men get to wear suits. She said 'If I was on it, I'd make a stand. I'd wear a nicely cut block coloured suit and boosh, sorted.'

Ooh, yes.

A pint of stout is lovely for autumn.

Good on your DD, too!

To be serious - rosa, I'm sure I do 2. I mean, this thread is effectively that. All I can say is, for me, the heavy theoretical language is simply not how my brain works. I've always found AF (and Basil, and others) very helpful because they are good at explaining complex political theory in straightfoward terms, with plenty of real-life examples.

I do see that for others that those posters (for me) there's a difficult line between being pithy and colloquial, and being chatty.

I struggle with theory, too. I feel like I'm on a huge learning curve and I'm hesitant to ask things and even to say anything at all at times. I'm sort of relying on this thread to be a safe place to be a bit crap.