Women's Equality Party

[EmpressOfTheVulvaCupcakes]

Just wondering really.... do they genuinely not give a fuck that an increasing proportion of Mumsnetters think they're pretty useless?

First they support Tara Hudson & when we express concern we get Sophie Walker's vague platitudes about anyone being able to be a woman. Now there's the question of their dads on maternity wards policy, which is apparently badly thought through and doesn't take the needs of women into account (again).

Do they really think that a post from Sandi Toksvig and a few straplines and platitudes are enough to get MNers on side? If so, they apparently have no respect for women at all.

I'd really, really love to be proved wrong on this.

The Xxed that's awful.

You want a women's party run to your spec, you start one.

LauraMipsum the thing is, we have created all sorts of women's organisations and services, and these organisations and services are now getting co-opted by all these people who are not women. Setting up our own services and organisations - often at great personal cost, by women who had very little to start with - was always part of women's activism.

And if there's a party that is claiming to be for my equality, and it's anything but, then I am absolutely entitled to point that out. And if that party contributes loudly to the general pressure for women to give up to others everything that they have created - then, well, I'd be daft not to point that out.

This isn't tweaking around the edges. I am a part of all sorts of organisations and groupings where I disagree with PLENTY of the details. That's the price of group action and enterprise. But if a women's party RIGHT FROM THE START prioritises men, then it's in my best interests to try and chance this before it is ingrained. (But I think it's too late in this case.)

I stupidly thought there might actually be a party/person at last who would represent me.

It's not WEP.
The only stuff I've heard about is championing men's rights.

WEP my arse.

A lot of their policies are spectacularly badly thought through and many of the ones that are good are completely negated by their anyone can self identify their sex (yes, they have actually said sex) bollocks. As others have said, it's unlikely to be naice middle class women that are the worst affected by these stupid policies. Shouldn't feminism be focussing on the women who are the worst off though?

"Shouldn't feminism be focussing on the women who are the worst off though?"

I don't see any reason why feminism should (or shouldn't) put focus on just one issue, nor that all feminists are the same. It is totally possible to be either left or right wing feminist. It is totally possible to be a feminist in an extremely rich country like UK or an extremely poor country like Congo. You can care about global inequalities, or ones within your own country, or both. You can be more concerned about things which are nothing whatsoever to do with relative richness or relative poverty.

And you can be totally unattracted by a 'women's' party, because you dislike the potential for othering or for any other reason, such as a silly policy like this one.

As you might tell, I didn't warm to the concept anyhow. And do think they missed a trick by not making this platform about the improvement of maternity services, rather than visiting rights.

I think maternity wards and other women's safe spaces are, in the case of these policies, subjects where you must pick a side.

It's not a case of disagreeing with a couple of policies, it's WEP showing what their priorities are.

There is a middle ground for both fathers and MTT - separate facilities - but that costs money so it's not being entertained as a possibility. Best just take the space from women.

Agree with crayon - these issues indicate mindset

I'm trying to stay positive about them and think 'things can only get better'

They are a political party not a perfect world. Their policies on maternity wards are just words until they ever become elected. If someone wants to influence maternity policy they would be better off approaching the existing health ministers, as they actually have the power to effect change.

But what if WEP did get an MP into the house? Someone to consistently ask questions about women's equality issues. That would be amazing.

The one thing I learned from the last election was that I could no longer wait for the 'perfect party for me' to come along. I have to just pick the best of the bunch and join in.

WEP is a work in progress, but I certainly wouldn't write it off yet.

I have to agree with PPs on the men in maternity wards argument. It is absolutely obscuring the real problem. I would have happily waved off DH if I thought I was in a caring, well organised environment where DS and I would be looked after. But that wasn't the case and so I was desperate to have him there 24/7. Fortunately he's smart enough to know how to behave.

What happened to you sounds horrific Xx, but I wonder, if the ward had been properly staffed and resourced, would that admittedly tremendously ignorant man have been able to get anywhere near you?

I don't think it is in any way unreasonable to expect a serious political party to have some sort of healthcare policy in their manifesto. If they have so much support and enthusiasm, surely someone in their ranks could come up with something?

But more importantly, can we concentrate on the big picture and not get sidetracked on the symptoms of bigger problems?

Buffy: I want a fucking t-shirt with that post on it. I want it spraypainted on the side of Parliament. I want it etched into the pavement outside every location where any party of any persuasion holds a meeting*.

• don't do this, you will go to jail. ** same with this.

Yy Buffy. We all frequently criticise various policies of Labour, LibDem, Tory, Green parties - it's part of political engagement.

And now, with years until the next election, IS the time to criticise. When standing in front of a ballot paper, any choice is a compromise. Right now, let's work to make this option the best possible.

Flinging I think you are missing the point, the man who opened my curtain to ask rather politely that midwife see his girlfriend was naice early 30s, wearing vans,hipster type. I am sure he thought he was doing nothing wrong.

I was cut open bleeding and vulnerable. The midwife gave a sigh as to say you know what they are like. I didn't say anything I closed my curtain and stayed under the blanket holding my DS. I waited until my sister arrived so that she could get me some food. Before she left i asked her to the shop again so i wouldn't need to leave my bed that night I went to the toilet in those cardboard bed pans and buzzed for the HCA to take it away.

There is a huge value in keeping maternity wards women only. It gives women a chance to report domestic violence, it maintains womens privacy and dignity.

WEP seem to be unable to think critically and examine the root causes of women's oppression instead they seems to be happy to promote these dangerous and poorly thought out campaigns.

TheXXed, I'm really sorry this has happened to you.

Thanks almond Punk and shortcut I am fine now I have since found out that lots of women had similar experiences at Kings college. Women only spaces are so important, I can begin to imagine voting for a party that is so willing to give them away.

Practically speaking, that would be really difficult if a woman who didn't want partners around came in and the "partner free" side was full.

Keep you in the delivery suite longer, or try and get you to labour at home longer if you aren't already in hospital.

The WEP aren't thinking about the logistics of splitting up wards. The policy isn't based on women's choice/preference, but on men being centred in maternity care.

No, both sides don't have reasonable arguments NeedaScarf. Everyone would like a friend or relative to stay over when they're in hospital - it's boring, lonely and sometimes scary. But as adults, we accept we're in hospital for medical treatment and that random healthy people just get in the way of the healthcare professionals. There's a whole other thread which goes into the arguments in great detail which is worth a read.

Back to the OP - I'm really disappointed by the way that WEP have handled challenges by MN. And really disappointed by the policies underpinning their six objectives (which I'm fundamentally in agreement with). I'm a founding member but don't really feel that engaged. I agree wholeheartedly with Buffy's post too