International Women's Day Event...

[YouBetterWerk]

Going to try and post without outing where I live.
I have just been to an International Women's Day Event run by the Borough Council in my local town. It is only the third year it's been running and the last time I went las year it was in a much smaller venue so it's great that it obviously got the numbers to warrant a much larger, town hall type space.
To be honest, I've left feeling a bit dejected for a few reasons and I may well be reading too much into it. I'll list them in ascending order of what I'm most annoyed about:

1. Giving an award for inspiration woman of the year, the local male radio DJ says 'Excuse me ladies whilst I juggle these notes, you know we can't multi task HAHA' yawn Then, upon finding out one nominee was a burlesque dancer he says 'Oooohhhh, care to show me a little show?'
2. There were only one or two stalls that were actually relevant to women's issues and the reason why we still need a fucking event in the first place. One Womens Aid and one Women in Islam (which I will come to in a minute) All the rest were cupcake stalls/toddler groups/mother and baby groups/adoption services/baking lessons. Whilst I know that these events need to 'appeal to the masses' I can't help feeling the whole point of IWD was completely lost, I felt like I was at a school fete.
3. A burlesque dancer was due to perform. Admittedly I didn't see the performance, but she had a stall and on the leaflet is showing as doing a performance. I am so torn about burlesque as I have many friends who do it and are really into it, again I just think perhaps it wasn 't the place??
4. Islam and Women stand - a stand which was obviously well meaning, but to be honest came across really badly. Posters of how 'no where in the qu'ran are women oppressed' and 'Islam is a religion which respects women'. The woman could see me lookng at it she was really lovely and holds coffee mornings for women of all faiths to get together and watch cooking lessons (?) She gave me a qu'ran but I think the stand was really misleading in that I think most people are aware the religion isn't actually the one purporting these views, it's the culture which it sits. (Also apparently Mohammed did have a wife who was 9 years old but it wasn't consummated until she was 14. So that's cool) Sorry it's long, but I was with girlfriends whom I don't really feel would be open to this sort of discussion and I just wanted to see what you 'orrible feminists thought? Worth a letter to the council or leave it?

I am so torn about burlesque as I have many friends who do it and are really into it, again I just think perhaps it wasn 't the place??

There will be a burlesque event near where I live too :/
International Women's Day...it just feels like, hey, can't we at least get one day without objectification of women, without being reduced to naked/sexy/on display bodies?

Yes that's it! Briar
I don't think an event to, say, celebrate men in Business would have a stripper.

It sounds unfocused and unclear what it is trying to do although it's not an event I'd be be interested in.

On the specifics the DJ sounds like an idiot;

burlesque is not inspiring or empowering;

toddler groups/mother and baby groups/adoption services/ are relevant although obviously not exclusively to women.

I don't think an event to, say, celebrate men in Business would have a stripper.

I'm assuming you mean a male stripper, otherwise I'm not too sure we can rule it out.

I would be unhappy about 1 & 3 but not really 2 & 4. I really don't understand the intent behind 3. I would be interested to know why they thought a burlesque dancer would fit in with the theme?

What would you have preferred to see? Maybe you could write to the council, outline your concerns and give suggestions for next year?

I don't think an event to, say, celebrate men in Business would have a stripper.

I wouldn't bet on that.

I think you could be fairly sure an event for women in business wouldn't have one, though.

It does sound crap. I'd have hated it.

If you complain, perhaps put some suggestions in too: eg a female dj or a non sexist host would be nice...I imagine the organisers know it was shit too but were at a bit of a loss.

On thinking about how this happened, one might wonder if a local council is a good sponsor. As the local government, they really can't take a stand for or against anyone or anything. Imagine them saying to the burlesque woman, "Sorry, no, your kind of performance is anti-woman and we won't let you participate." If it were a private group, they could have their own criteria for entry, but I bet it would have been a much smaller event. And then the trans-activists might show up and make a fuss, and the whole thing would get cancelled.