Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Who to vote for as a feminist

419 replies

WorkingBling · 20/01/2015 11:27

I am really struggling ahead of the elections. I have decided that commitment to feminist principals needs to be a strong part of my voting decision making process. But I honestly am not sure this helps.

Lib dems have terrible track record and while I like nick's wife, I can't vote for a party where there's only one woman I am impressed by.

Instinctively i am more of a labour supporter but with the exception of Harriet H I honestly feel underwhelmed by their female representation and view on women.

This leaves the conservatives. There are a number of woman in the party who impress me. But Dave doesn't strike me as a man who really believes in feminist principals.

Help please. All you lovely informed women must have some thoughts.

OP posts:
FloraFox · 20/01/2015 23:15

You do realize buying and selling sexual services is currently legal in GB? (between consenting adults indoors except for brothels)

You haven't been here long, have you?

TeWiSavesTheDay · 20/01/2015 23:17

This link a bit biased (naturally, though I think theu tried not to be!) but I read it the other day and thought it was quite a good breakdown of specific feminist policies.
I was really surprised by how many really good policies Labour have relating to women, and I'm pretty sure I will vote labour this time. It'll be the first time I've voted for them.

Blog linky: thejarbelles.wordpress.com/2015/01/13/votes-for-women-2-electoral-boogaloo/

Lweji · 20/01/2015 23:23

As a feminist, vote according to who presents the best propositions in many terms, including the economy, health, education, and human rights. Not necessarily on who is the most Feminist or has more women.

Alternatively, you should vote for the best female candidate in your constituency, so that Parliament gets the most female MPs as possible.

Lweji · 20/01/2015 23:24

They are also very supportive of gay rights.
Is that supposed to be bad?
Or was it presented as counterbalance to their stance on prostitution?

fayyive · 20/01/2015 23:31

"so that Parliament gets the most female MPs as possible."

Is this what it's all about getting as many females as possible? Just because an MP is female doesn't mean you are going to agree with everything she says and advocates for (for example there is a massive number of female MPs and MSPs who don't support the Nordic Model).

Wouldn't it be better to put gender aside and vote based on policies?

fayyive · 20/01/2015 23:32

"They are also very supportive of gay rights.
Is that supposed to be bad?
Or was it presented as counterbalance to their stance on prostitution?"

That's good, and their stance on prostitution is also good. Which is partly why I intend to vote for them.

fayyive · 20/01/2015 23:33

*the Green party

Lweji · 20/01/2015 23:35

Wouldn't it be better to put gender aside and vote based on policies?

That was my point.
But as the UK votes for MPs, it might make more sense for the OP to think of her own candidates rather than the party in general.

Amethyst24 · 21/01/2015 00:15

TeWi That is a really helpful breakdown, thanks.

PhaedraIsMyName · 21/01/2015 01:14

Selling sex is legal in the UK. Running a brothel, pimping and soliciting are not.

To get back to the question if I lived in England in a seat where there was any possibility of UKIP winning I'd vote for the party most likely to make sure UKIP didn't win. Keeping UKIP out is a feminist act. Otherwise probably Labour.

As I don't live in England this will not be a concern. As I do live in Scotland then I will vote for whichever party in my constituency is most likely to defeat the SNP. That has nothing to do with feminism. I just loathe the SNP.

fayyive · 21/01/2015 01:26

"Selling sex is legal in the UK. Running a brothel, pimping and soliciting are not."

Selling sex is only legal if the prostitute is alone. If she is working within a brothel (any establishment including private homes/flats where 2 or more are selling sex) then she is committing a crime- this is also the case with the Nordic model. Under decriminalisation however, prostitutes are not arrested for working together.

Buying sexual services from another adult in GB is legal.

PhaedraIsMyName · 21/01/2015 01:38

I'm not sure what your correction is meant to add. I'm perfectly aware, as I'm sure most posters here are, that 2 women working out of a house constitutes a brothel.

Edinburgh Council used until recently flout this by licensing "saunas" and turning a blind eye to what everyone knew were brothels. It was a disgraceful policy which eventually became untenable because of the problems of trafficking.

I am not in favour of the Nordic model. I don't realistically think making prostitution illegal is achievable but I see no need to promote anything which makes it easier.

fayyive · 21/01/2015 02:15

AFAIK some of the Edinburgh "saunas" are still operating without a licence. And AFAIK there have been no confirmed cases of trafficking within them

AWholeLottaNosy · 21/01/2015 02:21

Green for the first time ever! Used to be Labour but they don't seem to stand for anything now.

AWholeLottaNosy · 21/01/2015 02:27

I think to not vote Green just because of their stance on prostitution, if you agree with their other policies is a bit silly tbh.

NotTheKitchenAgainPlease · 21/01/2015 02:57

Labour for general elections.
Green / Labour for Mayoral, local and EU elections.

fayyive · 21/01/2015 03:19

Green all the way

PetulaGordino · 21/01/2015 07:10

Thanks tewi for that link

FloraFox · 21/01/2015 07:17

Yes it's silly to vote based on an issue you feel strongly about Hmm

fustybritches · 21/01/2015 08:10

My feeling is perhaps the greens would improve things in other areas, thus making life easier for the poor, thus meaning fewer women need enter prostitution ... Just a thought.

IrenetheQuaint · 21/01/2015 08:23

Fortunately the sitting Labour MP in my constituency is a woman and very good, so it's an easy decision.

The Greens seem to be reinventing themselves as the protest party of the left, which is not a bad thing but disinclines me from voting for them.

I was talking to a friend the other night who said he liked the stance of the Scottish National Party on the major issues much better than that of any of the English parties and wished he could vote for them down here! I can see his point, actually.

FloraFox · 21/01/2015 09:18

I don't think the Greens would be effective in holding the balance of power so I don't think they would necessarily improve things for the poor. Also, poverty is only one reason women go into prostitution and helping the poor would not help women targeted by pimps. I don't like that their policy is based on individual liberties, it makes me concerned about how they would behave when making compromises with other parties.

scallopsrgreat · 21/01/2015 10:17

"Wouldn't it be better to put gender aside and vote based on policies?"

Yes wouldn't it. Except that isn't what happens now and redressing the balance is not unreasonable.

I am so lucky with this. I have a female Labour MP who really gets it and is likely to be voted back in. Because she is good. And she gets it.

I am less lucky when it comes to councillors so as a rule of thumb I would try and vote for a woman (for example we had mayoral elections a couple of years ago and there was only one female candidate out of about 20. She was Green Party and got my vote even though I don't agree with their stance on prostitution). If the only women are right wing I would probably go Labour (even though left-wing men don't have a great track record on prioritising women).

Caught between a rock and a hard place sometimes.

OddBoots · 21/01/2015 10:28

I'm not sure it's even worth looking at policies, there is nothing to make a party stick to it's pre-election promises or pledges - they seem to get tossed to the side once actually elected - just look at the promises compared to actual action when it comes to the NHS.

I will vote but I really don't know who to vote for, I feel entirely let down by the lot of them. I think it's between Labour and Greens but I don't like how freely Labour seem to like to go to war and I think the buying of sex should be illegal.

TiggyD · 21/01/2015 10:28

No parties' policies are going to perfectly match your own, so it's a matter of looking for the best fit. I used to vote tactically to keep Tories out, but now I'm not doing that again I'm voting green.