Could there be a feminist party in the UK..?

[Scarletohello]

So France, Sweden and Germany put up feminist parties in the European elections, if they can do it, why can't we? I was feeling pretty optimistic about it reading this article. ( until I read the comments underneath it) :(

Love to know what you guys think...

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/09/harriet-harman-sexism-politics-feminist-party

Auntie, I want that too but the reality is, they're not. So a feminist party could help highlight issues that the parties are just ignoring. I think there is a quiet revolution going on re women's rights, facilitated in part by sites such as this one. There's over 4 million members of MN and every day I read women saying how this site has helped them have a more feminist outlook both on a personal and a political level. We can talk to each other like never before and for the most part without men butting in ( apart from people like our friend up thread ). I think there's a real mood in the air and an appetite for change

Unless MN is just a little rarefied bubble...

"quertber where is the hypocrisy of feminists raising the inequalities that women still face"

What inequalities? The fact men stand up to pee? The fact men still exist?

The days when women couldn't vote are long gone. Feminism today is a complete joke.

"We certainly do not want the pendulum to swing the other way so that men then face discrimination"

You don't think a tax only men pay is discrimination?

YY mainstream parties are making slooooow progress. I'd so vote for/join/campaign for a feminist party. Really feel none of the 4 biggest/ mainstream parties appeal at the moment.

Feminism isn't a joke, because I have experienced first hand discrimination because if my sex. I have seen people treat my children differently because of their sex.
Are you honestly saying you can't see that?

And the answer to all that is to ban urinals and make men pay a "man-tax" while calling men animals?

Yup, if feminists ruled the country everything would be flower-beds and unicorns.

Raconteurs - don't engage more fool the people who think feminism is a joke.

I would rather see women treated as equals within the full political sphere than see a feminist party, personally, so while I would support anyone wanting to take that route, it probably wouldn't attract my vote.

the mainstream parties are too reliant on male privilege for their very existence to be able to take on board feminist views to an extent that would make a difference

I think the problem with a feminist party would be the great diversity if opinion and policies. It doesn't work at all for the Tory party, they're really splintering because they're too diverse.

And I know this is an old socialist argument so apologies in advance but I think I have more in common with working class women (and men ) that the very wealthy woman.

I feel the disparity between rich and poor more in a grating way than I do being a woman in a patriarchal world.

I know there's lots if issues involved but I'm curious about how other countries have done it and what it's achieved...

To add, I would definitely vote for a feminist party. To argue against a feminist party because they would only concentrate on feminist issues is like arguing against the green party because they only concentrate on environment issues, which they don't!

The Feminist Party popped up in my Twitter feed today.
thefeministparty.wordpress.com/

ehb wow that's fantastic! I didn't know that even existed in the UK.

For the same reason I didn't want Mike Buchanan to start a single sex party for men I am not comfortable with a party focused on us. It would create a them and us scenario. And I do worry that it would turn into a girls club all white middle class university educated who are so worried about the glass ceiling they forget that 98% of us will never even get close to it (the same applies to men I am implying the small number of jobs). The problem would be it would not be a feminist party instead it would be a radical feminist party and may well alienate women like me with knee jerk policies. And remember others may not be keen either (here)

There is already a them and us scenario. And it hasn't been created by feminists. Feminists just point it out. Just like a socialist party points out social class inequalities. They haven't created that situation. They are trying to rectify it.

And as for focusing on the glass ceiling. Just look at the topics in FWR, for example. Very few about the glass ceiling. Plenty of variety. However, I do take the point about white middle class. Isn't that pretty much the same for every political party though? Feminism seems to me to be more aware of intersectionality than most other political parties so would perhaps be in a better place to not silence BME/working class/lesbian/disabled women.

It is unlikely to be a radical feminist party when radical feminism is pretty much silenced at every mainstream opportunity! And 'knee-jerk policies' is pretty insulting to those women who have developed ideas and thoughts over many years.

I would love it to be a radical feminist party

" Feminism seems to me to be more aware of intersectionality than most other political parties so would perhaps be in a better place to not silence BME/working class/lesbian/disabled women."

I agree with this.

(Sorry for not ignoring but...) men are animals.

So, for that matter, are women (being as we're the same species 'n' all).

So if that feminist party has been around for nearly 2 years what do they stand for, who is funding them, and who are their members? Are there prominant female politicians willing to jump ship (was Harriet Harmen talking in code? I doubt it.)? Why aren't they getting more publicity? The website could have been set up by a single person. Maybe we should take over...

I think this piece in the feminist times sums up why a feminist party would have issues here.

So a feminist party would be no more extreme than the green party? Lets look at who would be unacceptable (other than myself)

Non cis women obviously
Sex workers of any sort (including striptease and porn performers) unless they tow the party line.
Any woman who dares agree with sex workers about them having freedom of choice.
Libertarian feminists unless they are prepared to tow the party line.

I am sure there will be more but the feminist party will be busy excluding females and I for one wouldn't vote for it. Women make about 51% of the UK population but I would be surprised if a feminist party got more than 1% of the vote. What does it say about us when our party is busy excluding those of us who don't fit the party model?

Now you are just making shit up.

It would look like any other party - certain wings/factions might hold more radical (in the normal sense) views, but there would have to be a more moderate leadership. The party would have to work to overcome the image that feminism has, but then they all do - Tory toffs, Labour lefty loonies, sandal-wearing Lib Dems etc etc.

It would be interesting to see whether it could attract a UKIP-style groundswell of support due to the public's disaffection with the main three parties. Is there a charismatic figurehead - someone who can make coherent arguments without alienating large swathes of voters?