Feminist pub no 12: The Bluestocking Returns, this time with goats!

[YonicScrewdriver]

Welcome!

"Women - are they really necessary for feminism?"

i liked

a magazine for MEN who care about

I laughed at 25 FEMINIST WOMEN TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER that you can beat off to but it came with a euw. And 5 WOMEN WHO NEED TO SMILE MORE. Why don't they smile more? THEY'D LOOK BETTER IF THEY SMILED.

Then I read the bottom right headline: PLUS! CENTREFOLD SPREAD OF LEAKED CELEB NUDES and my heart sank.

I know it's a pisstake but it's far too close to reality. I fear we're going backwards as a society and it's just a bit scary.

I have just tried and failed to tidy up the Cable cable by nailing to the skirting in my newly-painted downstairs loo with some cable pins. Slightly tricky because of toilet in the way, pipes along the wall and tricky corners, but it's still just banging a nail into wood when you get down to it. Except that I seem to be incapable. It's just a fucking disaster and I'm ruining the beautifully painted skirting.

DH will come downstairs, ask how it's going and I will have to say I gave up because it's all utter crap. He will, with the best of intentions, because he is better at DIY than me, ask if I want him to do it. But I don't fucking want him to do it. I want to be fucking well capable of hammering nails into wood myself! Grrrrr and aaaaargh!!!

Excuse the language but I am very cross with the nails and the cables and the wood and the pipes and the toilet.

sympathies annie

i had a galling moment when i found that while using the drill to attach a spice rack to the wall, i could only do one screw before i had to go and do something else until my arms recovered, because they were too feeble to hold the heavy drill up at eye height for more than one screw at a time. i thought it would be a quick job until i realised that my arms and shoulders weren't as strong as i thought they were. took me two and a half hours. at least the bloody thing has stayed up

I'm pleased to report the meeting with DS1's high school principal, went well.

The principal (TP) was genuinely shocked that T hadn't been disciplined for the comments he made. She said to me, that even if T was 'only joking', the comments are still inappropriate for a classroom environment.

TP told me that it was right that DS1 was spoken to, for calling T an idiot, and I assured her I wasn't complaining about that. I said I'd spoken to DS1, and told him he was right to speak up, but should have not have resorted to an insult. I told TP that DS1 has acknowledged this and even apologized to T yesterday, in art class.

I explained to TP that my gripes are that (a) T wasn't disciplined at all, for using far more offensive language than DS1 did, and (b) how casually Mr Health Teacher dismissed T's comments as not being serious, when I phoned him to speak to his letter to us about DS1. I added my main concern was the attitude of the Mr Health Teacher, and TP acknowledged that he had not met the standards required of him, as a certified health teacher.

Anyway, I won't bore you with everything that was said, but TP said she would follow up and get back to me by the end of the week.

I came away feeling positive.

bravo tess, it does sound as though you were listened to and heard properly

hopefully TP follows up with appropriate action

That's great Tess. If you haven't heard by Fri after lunch, I would be calling to ask to speak to the principal myself. Ask her what the action plan will be to rectify the situation - and they must be action points, not a bunch of waffly spin-shit gabbled back at you. This is the sort of bullshit that we as women have to take a stand against and ensure that action is taken. Actions speak far, far louder than words.

Thanks for the cake annie!

You have my sympathies with the DIY. Grr.

Good morning.

We solved DS1's trigonometry problem.

I don't know what homework is for if they won't help him if he can't do it. I've been agitating for the school council (DS2's little friends ) to campaign for no homework. Unfortunately plenty of parents want more homework. I give up. This is a prime example of why grown-ups don't always know best.

Rant over. Cheese sandwich making time.

Well done Tess. I would love to be a fly on the wall when TP is at home telling her do about today. I bet the health teacher is a thorn in her side - I generally believe these sort of incidents aren't isolated! Hopefully some real action will follow.

Hello all
without going into details, I've been given a scary but exciting opportunity today to debate some of my political views in a fairly public way. I shall be drawing virtual strength from you all as I launch my feminist cannonballs later this morning

On a related note, anyone read the Fabian report on the current wave of feminist activism that came out yesterday, Riding the Wave? Might start a thread on it later (assuming I survive this thing today)

ooh all the best demis sounds like you will be fab!

i hadn't heard about the report, but i've just googled it so i hope you don't mind me linking here for ease www.fabians.org.uk/publications/riding-the-new-wave/

In the aftermath of the Microsoft CEO's gaffe recently, ie "women should not ask for pay raises", an interesting article from the Harvard Business Review on improving the gender balance in corporations, and how some CEO's do (or are at least trying to) get it.

blogs.hbr.org/2014/10/gender-balance-is-hard-but-its-not-complicated/

I've just had an email that says (summary) "Hello, I'm an MRA and I want a free ticket to your feminist event for research purposes." I'm trying to decide between kindly no-sorry versus kill-with-fire in response.

Tell the MRA that there will be a special price just for him/her - 100 x the usual price .

Go Demis

Ha - Karma .. you wonder what goes through their minds..!

An overwhelming sense of entitlement and a total devaluing of women's work?

Just wanted to say thank you to Buffy, Petula, and everyone else fighting the good fight on the "men have done a number on us" thread. I've been finding it a very interesting and enlightening read, so thanks all for perservering with it (and kudos for managing not to just give up and weep). Before I found this board I'd have said I've been sexually abused, but never raped. Having to rethink that last part now.

My 'thing' went really well and I'd like to say while I'm still on a high how totally, awesomely amazing you all are here! I know that my ability to confidently put my point across is due in a big, big way to two things: having the privilege to read brilliantly nuanced and challenging debate on here which has influenced my thinking greatly, and the strength and encouragement I have gained by feeling part of a community - even when I've just been lurking on here. So thanks all x

Once I've calmed down a bit I'll be all cool and nonchalant about everything again

stormy you're lovely for remembering my name - others are making much more considered contributions. i hope you're ok

bravo demis! (wish i could have heard you)

i love giving presentations and leading sessions, which is weird because i've never been a "performer" type. shitting myself beforehand, love it once i get going, high as a kite for hours afterwards

I just can't face posting on that consent thread. I just can't. I even kept my head down when someone in real life was saying yesterday that Judy was right. I felt shitty afterwards that I didn't challenge her, but you just don't have the energy every time do you.

Well done Demis.

Did anyone hear Women's Hour today? Didn't catch her name but I thought that the women from the Fawcett society did well. Even if the presenter (not sure who it was today. Gosh my stories are rubbish on the detail!) wanted to make it all about the efficacy of the treatment I thought a good few points about the feminist issues got in there.

i don't blame you penguins, it's gaslight central