What is going on with the Feminist Library in London?

[ArcheryAnnie]

This isn't a rhetorical question. I am seeing on twitter that loads of sensible gender-crit women and transwomen have been banned and blocked from the FB message boards, including pre-emptive bans, and that posts on such things as, er, the menopause have been deleted as transphobic.

The Feminist Library was set up by second-wavers decades ago, and I thought it was still run by second-wavers. What's going on?

(I'm not on FB so don't know if I am pre-emptively banned or not.)

I've been following it on Twitter open mouthed. I got the impression that they have recently got some LibFeb/genderqueer etc volunteers who have certain ideas about how the library should be run. They run the FB group and have suggested that the library should be more intersectional, which seems to mean - ban certain discussions and certain groups of women.

I also get the impression that they don't place much value on second wave material (one admitted to hiding it when she worked in Waterstones), which has absolutely gobsmacked me. Its very much the pig in the manger attitude - 'I don't want to read this because it might challenge my opinions and I don't want anyone else to'.

*Libfem

But the Feminist Library is heaving with second-wave material! They just had a Spare Rib event! I don't know why anyone would get involved if they weren't interested in second-wave thought or history.

Do they have trustees, I wonder? Because if it is newer volunteers who are trashing their reputation like this, someone ought to take note.

Its also the only large feminist archive. I assume thats the draw.

Feminism is being done WRONG so they must FIX it!

I am very disappointed that no-one else from the library has commented on the situation. I would like to think that its because they are unaware/out of touch with social media.

Oh and its 'dog' in the manger attitude, I have been watching too much Shaun the Sheep with the DC.

They are threatening to close their FB group and I'm beginning to think it might not be a bad idea.

The Library itself is a fantastic resource and it would be a shame if it were tainted by what appears to be the entirely unselfconscious idiocy of one young woman who has, so far, deleted comments about uteruses, banned piles of people for "liking" comments she disagrees with, posted a terribly pious sermon on not talking over minorities and then deleted a WOC's complaint of racism.

Somebody should take away her shovel before she buries the huge amount of goodwill the library has accumulated over the years.

Who does she think donates all the material in the library? Tedious old second-wavers, that's who.

(I've got a TON of classic stuff earmarked for them in a load of old suitcases, when I can be arsed to sort it out, but not if they are going to be ridiculous.)

Have you got a link to all this, Laura? Because I can't find it on the public page. Maybe you have to be logged-in.

The feminist library is also in a precarious position at the moment, they are fundraising for a new and secure home.

Any hint of controversy and donations become harder to collect, their existence harder to justify.

Who also is going to donate? Turning away more than half of your potential donation pool is a foolish thing to do.

I can't link the threads but they are here:

www.facebook.com/groups/7086189852/?fref=ts

Some of it doesn't make sense because of deleted posts.

They've posted approvingly about M.A.Melby, a woman who was one of the main movers within the blockbot, which has been used to vilify and silence anyone who doesn't immediately fall into line with whatever new bullshit the transactivist caucus wants to raise as being transphobic this week.

So, it seems it's all gone deeply anti feminist.

I went to have a look as I'm a bit nosy and it seems to be a closed group now.

Is this a privately run resource or a charity or what is it, who decides the look n feel of it?

It's a registered charity with trustees. Nowhere on their website does it have any names of who works or volunteers at it, so I went to the charity commission website, where I learn there are three trustees. One of them is Gail Chester, who I remember was given a ton of really nasty abuse online for "transphobia" a while back (she asked for a women-only space at an anarchist event or something, not sure of exact details), so maybe the newer volunteers are busy trying to push her under the metaphorical bus before they get accused of the same.

If the people staffing it etc have decided to go down a certain route - and quite extreme if talking about the menopause is banned (I haven't seen that thread obviously) - then aren't they going to want to get rid of most of the books?

Most books about feminism talk about our bodies don't they. If that needs to go then what is left?

This is what the new admin says:

I never even knew there was a feminist library. Such a shame I'd now be excluded from it!

Emrys Travis seems to be fresh out of university, identifying as trans (or non-binary?), and writing for/co-editing Get Real magazine where she argues she can call all 'cis' people transphobic and it's not an insult.

Yet another example of deciding what gender you are/want to be while trying to hang on to male privilege by attempting to exclude women.

Bye bye, Feminist Library.
Way to alienate most of your supporters.

Travis describes themselves as 'afab', so female, but I have now seen prefers 'they/them' as pronouns. 'Non-binary' seems to me to involve creative hair dye colours, green lipstick and wearing denim dungarees. But I've only had a quick squizz at their (publically available) FB profile so what do I know?

Have I understood this properly? Travis was "assigned female at birth" and presents as female. In what way is she trans then?

Excluded if you think your biology makes you a woman or female -

WTF

What planet am I on?

Some of these young libfems LOVE being thought police, don't they? It's a bit funny cos the Feminist Library manifesta says 'The Feminist Library wants to be a force for good, a living breathing space with a growing collection of work that reflects the diversity of the movement we serve.'
here
Are we sure it's the same Feminist Library?!

She's perhaps trans in the same way that technically I am.

Biologically a woman, wanders around every day not being worried about people thinking I'm a woman (because, you know, I am), but don't have a gender identity of 'woman' - I don't have a gender identity at all according to the definitions available, therefore, I'm trans or gender queer or some other pointless label.

Personally, I prefer just 'woman'

That manifesta uses the term 'radical feminist' twice. Either Travis didn't read it or they don't know what radical feminism is or means.

Oh, and I believe they're trans as in they're genderqueer, as in they get to call all us other people cis and transphobic with impunity.

I read this ask fm page a couple of days ago. It seems it's run by Travis - it's referenced in the Get Real article NiNo linked above. A lesbian is asking if she is transphobic because she is attracted to female bodies (and not transwomen), and is being told that she is transphobic for this!

I think this is the 'cotton ceiling' thing I've read about. I don't know if Travis wrote that answer (dont really understand ask.fm) but they say in the article that you can ask questions there.