How do I become a feminist activist?

[Springheeled]

Getting increasingly frustrated with the sexism all around and in particular violence against women and girls. But what do you do, where do you go and who do you see about doing something about it? Since leaving university many moons ago it's not especially obvious. Do you join a political party? Write letters? Chain yourself to something? Go on the internet? And then what sort of feminist do you have to be? I just want a change in the culture and law. I want men to want that too. So....?

Have both a dd and ds and am baffled by the way that both have absorbed such gendered messages already despite constant challenge from both me and exh! It's a daily conversation. Best I can do at the moment with dd is point out that Tiana and Elsa and Anna have considerably more going for them than aurora or Cinderella! And for ds to respect girls and women.
Many other things are a given with them, it's weird how both, despite being so little, know that gay is ok and people of all colours and creeds are cool, but their views of gender are so entrenched.

Yes, to all of those things re double-standards and the toughness of engaging on an uneven field. It's the way it is, and has been. But to say that a way f/wd is to not engage with the folks who designed it thus is utterly blinkered and frankly stupid.
and of course yes to educating sons, it;s logical to do so. I don't have one, but that is the way to go.

Engaging with men is appropriate in many feminist spheres, but it is not what I would recommend to someone who is in the early stages of becoming a feminist activist. Plenty of time for the men later.

Sure, we men can come later.
But challenging an assertion that 'feminism is growing and having a comeback'. Where exactly? Where is the evidence? Some powerful individual women are doing well. Outside of that, in an economic recession which hits women most, where is the counter evidence?

OP - if you're concerned about the messages your DC receive, check out Let Toys Be Toys - feminist campaign started by MNers.

"So you recommend women who have just became a feminist to avoid half the population? Is that because men are all pigs/rapists/oppressive/violent??

And you wonder why so many women reject feminism?"

Surely you have run out of straw by now?

Roll on Tuesday.

I agree about engaging with men. Working in mixed groups about femninist campaigns, you will still be dealing with sexism from men. As you are still at the angry stage, that can be very difficult to deal with. You need to feel positive and enetgised by your activism, and that is more likely at this stage if you work with women only.

And feminism is beginning to make a come back. Where I live two years ago there was nothing. Now there are 3feminist groups that meet and 3 different campaigns different feminists are working on. It still needs to grow, but it is growing without a doubt.

Femen are misogynist and racist. They are also run by men. Hence why people are saying other women maybe a better port of call to start your activism.

That now seems like some random statement because zukizuki's comment was deleted . Needless to say I wouldn't recommend Femen as your first venture into activism!

I agree entirely about Femen scallops, when they first started getting publicity I did a bit of digging and found they were one mans idea and only women with a certain body type are allowed to join.

I find it quite heartening that many of my daughters' friends describe themselves as feminists, and aren't afraid to call out their male peers for casual misogyny. DD2 is especially good at this. :o

I'm disappointed about Femen, I thought they were sort of interesting. Hm

I'm not sure it passes. There's an article about rape in the guardian today and the comments beneath it made me furious. In fact, I'm getting furiouser and furiouser