Could women strike?

[GarlicNovember]

It'd mean finding enough supportive men to take over child and other caring duties. Could it be done? Would it make the point that the world would grind to a halt if women didn't do all the supposedly invisible stuff they do?

[PuffinsAreFicticious]

Interesting idea. Would be fascinating to see it happen!

[slug]

It's been suggested before

[partialderivative]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean OP.


It's 'interesting' how the country carried on during the World Wars when women were required to fill roles that were traditionally seen as male. (I have no intention of belittling the role of any person during those years)

Could the reverse be true these days? Or have the lines between a 'Male' job and a 'Female' job been eroded to make that meaningless.

But then that might not be the sort of thing the OP was alluding to.

[cailindana]

What exactly would the strike involve?

[ArgyMargy]

But this fact is already known. What would it achieve?

[GarlicNovember]

Well, what I'd want from it may not be what everyone else would want. I'd like to make the point about women's work being essential - work both outside and, importantly, inside homes. So, yes, a national sex strike would be interesting but I was thinking more of a total downing of tools! Tools to include kettles, pots & pans, mops & brushes, vehicles and everything.

If I got to state the strike's demands, I'd want an immediate revaluation of "wifework" and a total restructure of business practices, working conditions, and so on - because my utopia has both sexes taking equal responsibility for "life tasks" instead of implicitly assuming some woman would take care of all that.

There's probably a massive array of changes women would like to see as a consequence of proving their value. I just wonder whether it can be done in the first place? How would anyone else like to see it work out?

[cailindana]

What struck me about your OP was this: "It'd mean finding enough supportive men to take over child and other caring duties"

If we could do that, there'd be no need for a strike.

It's not the case that men don't understand the work women do. It's that men don't see women as people.

A strike wouldn't work as men already just take care of themselves. The ones who would suffer would be children and elderly people who actually need women to look after them. Men would just sneer and use it as another stick to beat us with.

[GarlicNovember]

Yh, Cailin, that is the problem. But, say the big unions supported an all-out strike by women, perhaps they could organise a day's worth of substitute carers, drivers, and so forth from their male memberships? And if all the women fucked off down the park for one specified day, maybe all the dads would have to get the day off work and look after their own homes & families?

It's just that I find it depressing that this idea is always instantly shot down with "couldn't work, all the children would starve." I don't know.

[PetulaGordino]

it's like nurses striking isn't it? the reason why they don't do it (or very rarely, and for very very short time periods) is that patients are so vulnerable. and the critical nature of that responsibility can be easily abused

[partialderivative]

But nurses aren't all female

[almondcakes]

I think women can't go on strike, for the reasons given by others.

And that is the kind of trap of it all. Women keep on doing all this stuff because nobody else will.

I find housework threads irritating - when people say to just firmly tell your husband he must.

Like they are dogs or something! As if sexism will just go away if women are firm about it.

[PetulaGordino]

i didn't say they were, that's your assumption. i was saying that the reasons why nurses don't strike may be similar to those of women

[PetulaGordino]

that was to partialderivative

[SevenZarkSeven]

I was thinking sort of this earlier.

How it would be if all the women could magically fuck off to another dimension or something for while, maybe take the kids with them.

The whole planet would grind to a halt.

Clearly this was in my imagination rather than a genuine suggestion

[SevenZarkSeven]

I didn't take the kids in my original imaginary plan but have included them now as an option as some on the thread were a bit worried about them!

[AnyFucker]

No, because there wouldn't be a critical mass of women willing to piss men off enough

[MuttonCadet]

My husband does all the childcare, tidying and cleaning around the home. We both work full time, but mine is a more demanding role.

So if I went on strike my business would collapse, how would that help the cause?

Or are you just suggesting that I do even less around the house? (That would mean not picking up after myself or cooking the occasional meal).

[ApocalypseThen]

Funnily enough (or not, probably), I was thinking about this the other day in the context if women in politics. I'd love if there was some way to lady tea party it - women withholding tax until we're adequately represented in decision making. Of course, PAYE taken at source makes it almost impossible. But it'd be great for everyone to see the extent to which society relies on the economic activity of women (while pretending that women do virtually nothing useful).

[GarlicNovember]

You business must be fragile, Mutton, if it would collapse as soon as you took a day or two out.

I agree, AF.

[AnyFucker]

Sad, innit, garlic ?

[MuttonCadet]

So you want me to stop doing my job for a day and stay at home? For what purpose, I honestly don't understand the point you're trying to make.

And I am integral to my business, your snippy comments are why I tend to stay away from this board.

[maddy68]

That's assuming though that men don't pull their weight at home or in the workplace. In my experience that's just not the case.
I work silly hours my dh works much less. He does more than his fair share, just realised how little I actually do at home! I rarely cook, clean, do washing, home maintainance etc
And I certainly have equal responsibility to my colleagues while out of the home. Don't really see what point is trying to be made in all honesty

[SevenZarkSeven]

Clearly if all the women in the world stopped everything they do for a week it would cause massive disruption.

Can't see that others can't see that.

IMO it is a very interesting thing to consider (what it would be like) even if it's not going to actually happen.

[WidowWadman]

I can't see how I could take part in such a strike seeing as my husband and I are sharing all responsibilities equally, and work both full time.
If you don't want to live in an unequal relationship, look for a relationship which isn't unequal.

[AnyFucker]

maddy, that sounds suspiciously like an "I'm alright Jack" post

I too am in your situation....but I don't deny the experience of many other women who are not