Why a lot of women don't come on the feminism threads...

[Scarletohello]

So I posted this question earlier, why don't more women come on these threads ( considering how many women are on MN)

The replies saddened me. Are we doing something wrong? I remember a thread some time ago asking how many women lurk on the feminism threads but never post. I was shocked by how many women read these threads but didn't feel able to join in. I don't think feminism has to be particularly intellectual and I would like to be able to educate more women about feminism, how it affects women in many different areas of their lives, offer support and talk about what we as women can do about it.

Please have a read of this thread and tell me what your thoughts are. I want us to be as inclusive as possible as it affects us all...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2222959-To-be-a-bit-dismayed-if-4-million-women-visit-this-site-why-are-there-so-few-posts-on-the-feminism-threads

There seems to be a view that FWR is obligated to be a welcoming place for all women. Why? It's a place to discuss feminism, it's not feminism outreach.

It's my problem. I'm not blaming the posters on the feminism threads.

I just feel the posters know more about the issues raised. I'm happy to lurk and nod along.

oh blimey, I've posted in the midst of a row.

I'm not (and won't ever be) a mum. FWR is the main attraction of mumsnet for me: a rare (perhaps unique) mainstream space where women of different ages and social statuses present their life experiences and opinions through a consciously gendered lens.

Even though a lot of the threads seem to go over the same topics, there is almost always a moment of truth when something clicks and I say to myself, "I'd never noticed that, but now it's been pointed out to me, how very obvious it is!" I also take straightforward enjoyment from the company of the lucid minds that frequent this board. Whenever I see Caitlin Moran or Germaine Greer on tv, hired to represent the 'women's lobby', I grit my teeth and despair that the producers haven't sent for LRD or OutsSelf instead.

I don't post much, in part because I live in a sort of bubble of privilege which I've not earned, and which ought to be the right of every woman. That said, I do also restrict my reading on here, because there are some topics where FWR doesn't represent me at all. For example, I find the transphobia repellent, and when it goes unchallenged, that is doubly depressing. It's true that there are lots of other places on the net where I can find the kind of post-whatnot seventh-wave pan-anarcho-feminism to which FWR is not very accommodating (sometimes to its detriment), but at times there’s a bit of a bunker mentality here which deters me from joining in.

I have never seen a thread entitled "recovery" (that is not explicitly about addiction) except the one that Buffy just started.

oh so it IS all about you!! Didn't realise!..kidding!
Buffy, honestly nothing I said was specifically about you, at all. Can we go back to mutually, happy avoidance? It should work...

Well you are an interesting one Pan, you know Buffy was already posting on this thread and so was likely to see your post right?

Usual Come over to the pub!

Actually I'm not happy to lurk TBH , maybe I should just stick my oar in.

Please do Usual

I have long debates about feminism with my DS. I should be able to do it online.

Bella, no I didn;t know Buffy was posting here, it;s a bit of a thread so no time/inclination to trawl back and read all posts. AND..no obs made above wasn't about Buffs at all, but it seems to have been taken that way.

" straightforward enjoyment from the company of the lucid minds that frequent this board. Whenever I see Caitlin Moran or Germaine Greer on tv, hired to represent the 'women's lobby', I grit my teeth and despair that the producers haven't sent for LRD or OutsSelf instead."
yes! I get exactly that feeling!
I have met them in real life too so I knew they can do the personal charisma thing
As can so many others on the board.

Seeing as you seem to have had run ins with Buffy, and run ins about the FWR board, I wouldn't have thought it'd come as a surprise to you to learn she'd posted on this thread already. Which makes your accusation of stalking seem a bit.. odd.

I too, would wish that Buffy would stop stalking Pan.

it is bizarre that a woman who has made feminism central to her life and work, and has provided continual and much appreciated support to so many of the mn feminists, and has shared so many of her great ideas on feminism with other feminists - it is absolutely sickening that this person can find NO OTHER REASON to hang around on threads about feminism, other than to HARRASS PAN

(who no doubt, on the contrary,has many excellent reasons to be on the threads about feminism, although I can't tell what they are as he doesn't seem to like it much)

oh the stalking bit? Fairly regularly Bella, lots of examples across the FWR, where I post and as regular as clock work up Buffy pops to say something personally unpleasant, unrelated to the issue, or as if I've posted something personal about her. It's really tedious, as if it's actually important re womens rights.