Little or big feministy things you can do to help

[BriarRainbowshimmer]

I got the idea on the thread where people said they felt sad and overwhelmed by all the sexism everywhere, I feel the same. But surely there are things we all can do.

So let's brainstorm!
I'll start
#1. Donate to Women's Aid

A sort of "Everday Feminism" Gina

If you work in a male-dominate area, make an extra effot to ensure that women are included equally as far as possible.

and

Implement "family friendly" practices within your sphere of influence at work.

I advocate the phrase "Think Women!" professionally. It means that I make an extra effort to ensure that women are included.

Yes Mardy - converting victim statements into an action plan - not sure if that is the best way to express it. It's just a bit depressing to read endless incidents.

Pet hate, if I'm out in an evening 'is DH babysitting' no he isn't he is being a parent

Was refreshing to see at kids Pirates and Princess's party where one mum had dressed the son as princess in pink dress and daughter as a pirate.

teach sons to be respectful of women; not only in their actions but also their words and teach daughters to expect men to be respectful. I work with teenagers and some of the stuff the girls accept as 'banter' and the only way boys will like them makes me so sad and angry.

Oh, I agree with so many of these.

If you feel able to, be honest and open about "taboo" subjects like abortion, harassment, workplace discrimination.

Already been said, but a variant - don't let boys get away with worse behaviour than girls "because they are boys".

#Play Spot the Sexism in TV and films with your kids. You'd be surprised how good they get at it.

"#Play Spot the Sexism in TV and films with your kids. You'd be surprised how good they get at it."

And introduce them to the Bechdel test. My kids love finding films that pass it.

Pull people up when they say 'I'm not a feminist but….'.

Even if you say it jokingly - ask them which part of feminism they are most against? The right to vote? Right to divorce your husband? Right to equal pay? etc.

Remind them that feminism just means believing in equality between men and women. Saying you are not a feminist is a bit like saying " I don't have a problem with racism but….'.

• Don't hover over your small daughters saying "be careful" if they are doing something like climbing

• Teach your daughters to have zero tolerance of DV i.e. if he hits you once - he's toast. Gone.

Sadly my DM is too nice to whack your patronising head with a frying pan.

If you are still at reading to your children age, make sure non gendered characters like dinosaurs etc are "she"

If you spot eg a motorcyclist on the road, say "look how fast she's going"

Basically, try and challenge the "unclear sex = male" thing!

Thats a good one yonic, i will make an effort to do that :)

Try to hide any anxieties about maths or other subjects from girls - studies have shown that girls are just as good at maths as boys until they start questioning themselves - if they don't get full marks they will beat themselves up far more than boys and it puts them off trying again. If you back this up by saying "it's OK I was crap at maths too" it won't help but it will reinforce that they don't have to keep trying and get it right.
Without maths GCSE it is almost impossible to do subjects like Engineering of which there is a massive shortage of girls/women.

ElephantsNeverForget - Why so abusive? Surely this thread is for ALL types of women to show what can be done to increase equality and show acts of feminism.

Following alsoflamingo's post, point out all the things that feminists and feminism have achieved. Here is a good list, although some are still clearly a work-in-progress. (It's from a US site (I'm American) but also applies to the UK and most Western democracies, I think.)

www.nownys.org/thankfeminist.html

Because I hate the way women's traditional role as homemakers and mothers is devalued by some feminists.

I don't understand why going out to work, while another woman probably on the minimum wage, looks after your DCs is somehow so virtuous?

We could all go around the country grafitting on posters of men with arrows to chest hair and "Ewwww! Get a wax man!" or pointing to wrinkles with an arrow "Get some cream for those crows feet oldie!"

Gotta say, i do agree with elephants point, even if i might have worded it in a gentle, more girly way

Great, so many contributions! I agree that its important to start with attitudes and behaviours at home and think of how you talk to children. We often treat them differently (based on sex) without even being fully aware of it.

Whether you work or not, bringing up children is still predominantly done by women.

Because bringing up children is seen as women's work it gets bugger all respect in government policies or wider society.

So yes it makes me very when other women fall into the same trap.

Elephants yes, it is only devalued because men don't value it but treat it as a given if they have a woman around. This is why anyone who has a stay at home partner should really be challenged if they make the partner feel guilty - they don't have to take time off work if the child or minder is sick, they get full updates if wanted through the day, they know they are relying on someone they love and trust to raise their child the way they would expect and usually get housework and food on the table thrown in!

Otherwise I agree with most of the feast of the thread.

I have a long standing battle with DD2 over maths because the best mathematicians in her class just happened to be boys.

Ridiculous as one is so good because his DM is a maths teacher and she knows women with first class maths degrees.

Finally winning this one as they at last have the very good (female) teacher after lots of supplies last year and she's decided maths is ok.