FemiFest

[FloraFox]

www.femifest2014.com

Anyone going? I'm thinking about it.

There were examples given earlier in this thread of women crashing events in which they weren't welcome. I don't believe any of those women or groups were radical feminists. I don't believe radical feminists fall into the 'gett my tits out and that'll learn 'em' camp of 'feminist' activity.

You're doing advanced searches on posters' names and counting how many posts they make on various topics. You're not best placed to be calling other people "obsessed."

I couldn't agree more vicmckie. Thank you.

This week I saw a twitter conversation between Sarah Brown and someone else speculating that "TERFs" were masturbating at the thought of transwomen and hating themselves. I have seen other transactivists speculate that so-called TERFS are obsessed with them that hint towards sexual obsession. This is a reaction to women's discussion that seems to be shared by transactivists and teenage boys. I don't think these people realise how off-putting that sort of thing makes them to women. It's both sexually inappropriate and deluded (as is the notion that it's so difficult to identify transwomen).

I agree with everything when has said about this as a derailing tactic. Am I obsessed with women's rights? Some people may think so. Those people are not feminists.

I've said this before - you can't be involved in feminism these days without trans issues finding you. I do not seek out trans issues but it is increasingly the case that you can't have any discussion of reproductive rights, DV or other women's issues without someone popping up to demand the discussion is reframed to "include" ie make it all about trans. Trans issues and prostitution are legislative and legal flashpoints at the moment so I make no apologies if someone thinks I should post less about theae issues. I've been on MN with name changes for 10 years. This is the first time anyone has analysed the makeup of my posts.

It's my ten year MNiversary this year too.

I've seen some very anti-lesbian stuff from those quarters - 'sexually frustrated' etc. It's pretty ignorant schoolboy-style stuff, definitely.

Has anyone been to FemiFest before? Is it well attended?

This is the first one that has happened.

Why do so many feminist conferences these days not provide a creche? So we're excluding single mothers and primary caregivers, wonderful bravo brave "feminists"! A specific oppression that makes it harder for women to access society reinforced by these " feminist " conferences. What's the point then?

I'm totally delighted, Galvanised, for this news that you are going to get CRB checked and trained in childcare practices so that you can offer your services at Femifest and other under-resourced feminist events - or, better yet, that you are going to spend your time and energy on raising money to provide a creche there. Go you!

Why aren't you addressing [topic xyz]? Why are you avoiding my questions?

Why are you so obsessed with [topic xyz]?

It is also hard to organise services such as a creche, when you know your venue will probably be cancelled at the last minute because of complaints by transactivists, and you will have to quickly find a new one.

You might be able to get a local nursery to organise the creche. Due to the summer holidays nurseries often have spare staff when your conference is on. They would be CRB/DBSed, have access to toys/equipment, be experienced etc. Creches didn't come under ofsted regulations the last time I did one. Top up a couple of nursery staff with some volunteers to save some money.

I linked to the Ofsted stuff upthread, TiggyD. You're right, although there are restrictions.
It does require a room, though.

In my experience, women prefer to leave the children with someone else if they possibly can so creches are fairly quiet, but it's good to have them as an option where possible.

I find creches work very well for local feminist events, where mothers are more likely to know the staff, or at least the organisation running the creche, and thus are more able to judge whether they will be happy with the quality of the creche provided.

I really appreciated the creches at feminism in london, go feminist, and the rubbish one at fem11, even.
I think access for all women is an important goal, so I hope national feminist events will plan to have creches if at all possible.

We do have a youcaring fundraiser www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/support-femifest/213065

If we can raise the money, we will put on a creche. So if you need one, please email us at [email protected]

ArcheryAnnie - why the sarcastic response to my post? I and at least one other committed feminist I know cannot attend events like this precisely because we have little kids and no full time childcare at the best of times. So what are you on about?

Galvanised I was sarcastic, it's true, and I'm sorry for not offering a more measured response.

I'm just really, really tired of women spending time they can't spare, energy they can't spare, and money that they can't really spare to create events and organisations and campaigns, and other women then complaining because the event/organisation/campaign doesn't provide everything that they want. I think if you are going to complain that a volunteer-created event doesn't offer what you want it to offer, then the solution is for you to join in, and help create the things you want and need out of that event.

I'm a single parent. When my DS was small, as well as looking after DS I was working part-time and overseeing the care of my disabled mother (ie I was looking after her, and she certainly wasn't in any state where she could offer childcare to me!). I know how limiting it can be when you want to do xyz and you can't because you can't find childcare, and when you can, you can't afford it. (And I had significant health problems myself, so was always tired.) But the answer to my frustration, and yours, isn't to complain that already overworked volunteers aren't doing enough - it's to pitch in yourself, when you can.

If you want something done or something provided, and you can't offer time to volunteer yourself, maybe you can send a fiver to help with the fundraising. If you can't send a fiver, maybe you can offer to retweet/FB/whatever fundraising messages. And if you can't do any of those things, then you can at least have a measure of understanding why the volunteer event organisers can't do everything you'd like them to, either.

We have been looking at ways we can meet the childcare needs of women who want to attend. If you can not attend without childcare, please email us and we will do our best to provide suitable childcare.

Femin how confident are you that it'll be able to go ahead at the advertised venue? Have the organisers and the venue had a conversation about the possibility of objections from transactivists?

Thank you Archery for your measured explanation, I appreciate where you're coming from.

vicmackie, it is not happening at Islington MetalWorks, the venue have cancelled. However, we are in the process of booking another venue. The event will go ahead, just not at the advertised venue.

Wow, that's horrible. I'm sorry you have to deal with this kind of thing.

Good luck with the new venue. This is quite grim.

Femin I can't go but would like to support this event by making a (very small) donation. The Eventbrite page has a donation feature - does the money actually get to you if I do it through that?

I'm sorry you are contending with venue cancellation. I'm getting really tired of hearing about conferences being cancelled because of transactivists.

The donation feature on eventbrite is supposed to be for those who can't afford £30 for a ticket, so they can pay what they can afford. I will look at rewording that option, as it is obviously not clear.

Thank you for wanting to donate to the conference, every bit helps. You can donate through this site. We get every penny. Thanks.

www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/support-femifest/213065