How can I reconnect with feminism?

[Chemicalromance]

Sorry for any mistakes-this is my first thread and I'm using the app

Im in my very early twenties, and I really struggle to connect with the feminist movement. I'm absolutely pro-equality and ensuring the global rights for women, but my experiences have left me feeling uncomfortable about calling myself a "feminist".

When I was at school, women's issues and feminism were never discussed, so my first awareness of the movement came from websites like Tumblr and EverydaySexism. These websites were quite radical, and I struggled to identify with issues such as 'man spreading', 'mansplaining' and the general man-hating subculture that seemed to be present. It felt to me like a group of quite privileged, fortunate western women looking for reasons to complain despite there being so many serious women's issues to deal with around the world, and there was a lot of talk about the western world supporting "rape culture", which I don't believe to be true, so I grew up feeing like feminism wasn't for me.

When I got to university, I attempted to get involved in the feminism society, but found that most of the events/talks centred around 'trans liberation', 'micro aggressions' and trigger warnings/banning topics or events that might be triggering. When an infamous male misogynist was scheduled to have a talk at the university, I was excited at the opportunity it would open for a real debate on gender and equality, but the feminist society held a rally and protest that ended up causing the visit to be cancelled, which I felt was a waste of a good opportunity and probably not a great move in terms of free speech. I eventually left the society when I was openly mocked at an event about future ambitions for saying that I would like to be a young mother. Over time, I completely stopped calling myself a feminist or having anything to do with the feminist movement.

Recently, I've discovered Hannah Witton's youtube channel, and although I don't agree with everything she says, I have found her videos talking about sex, relationships, women's bodies and what it means to be a woman to be really interesting and encouraging. I've been inspired to read more books and interact with more information about feminism and women's issues, and I really want to start reconnecting with my own female identity and feeling proud to be a woman again.

The only problem is that I really don't know where to start. Can anyone recommend some influential women, works or materials that I can look into, or tell me some of the things that make them proud of being a woman and a feminist?

@scallopsrgreat I'm not really sure what friend I've made, sorry for not understanding your reference!
In terms of what you have said, though, I completely acknowledge that many feminists are involved in these organisations and causes, the problem is that I haven't come across many in my life, so I don't have anyone that can introduce me to ways I can get involved or learn more about them. That's why I came to mumsnet - the feminism I have experienced previously has been centred on feelings and topics of micro aggressions, trans rights and no-platforming.
I really do want to learn more, please don't think that I'm deliberately ignorant about these things!

And can I just point out that our rights (as in women in the UK) to access abortions (and other rights) are constantly under threat. Even more so in the US.

I don't think Bertrand is angry, probably just confused, as I am. The two websites are completely unconnected and always have been, they are nothing at all to do with each other. Neither represents a "movement", but both campaign on different topics.

@AssassinatedBeauty my experiences of the everyday sexism/feminism was on tumblr around 2010/11, when there was a blog/page of that name that featured experiences that people tagged as "everyday sexism". Having now looked at the proper websites now, the page that I remember is closest to everyday feminism, which makes me think that perhaps it is what the page I remember has either become or inspired in some way - they seem really similar.
I really do apologise for how much confusion I've caused, I didn't realise when I made my post that everyday sexism and everyday feminism were actually pages of groups independent of the community on tumblr I had experienced, and my understanding has now been corrected

I'm not angry. I just found it a little frustrating that you kept saying things like "it looks as if it has morphed into" and "I might get a better understanding of the differences" and "as far s I am concerned they are
one movement" despite several people explaining that you are mistaken!

"No need to apologise OP. I know nothing about feminism other than the hatred and discrimination that gets directed my way because of the genitalia I was born with."

Care to say some more about this?

@BertrandRussell does my latest explanation above your comment maybe help? I really don't mean to sound as ignorant as you perhaps feel I am, I'm just not very good at explaining this

Chemicalromance Maybe you could publish your dissertation as a blog and link to it. That would be a useful introduction.

@DJBaggySmalls it's currently being graded, so I don't think I'm allowed to put it up yet, but I would like to share it when I can - these threads aren't locked after a period of time are they? If not I could post a link when I'm able to

OK let's start again. What aspects of feminism or which issues affecting women are you interested in? Then may be we can help. As demonstrated feminism has many facets and is campaigning on many fronts.

On a general front, as well as Assassinated Beauty's recommendation, "The Equality Illusion" by Kat Banyard is good, if a bit depressing, to illustrate the problems that still exist.

P.S. that cryptic reference I made will come clear if you read the Nordic Model thread currently going (also in Feminism Chat). Googling Nordic Model threads on Mumsnet in general could also help you connect with another larger issue feminists are interested in.

Threads are only "locked" if they get full which means reaching 1000 posts, so you're a way off that yet. You could always start another thread in Feminism Chat for it if you wanted to.

I don't know how to put this, but you have only just submitted a dissertation on rape culture and gendered violence, but you say you've had "years of not being exposed to material about women's issues"

How on earth did that happen?

@BertrandRussell it's an anthropological piece examining ethnographic anecdotes, so it was mostly compiled in the library, and looks more at communities in Asia and certain areas within the African continent, so very little of it discussed the work of feminist movements in the west and their involvement, or the experiences of women in the west.
When it comes to feminism relevant to women in my own part of the world, I have had very few personal experiences and anthropological works aren't necessarily the best ways to learn about individual experiences from a personal, emotive perspective

@scallopsrgreat I've just had a quick look at that thread - I didn't realise there were so many different approaches to sex work that people supported, thank you for suggesting it. I'll also take a look at the book you've suggested!

I'd like to second reading Kat Banyard's The Equality Illusion. It's a great book with everything backed up with lots of studies and statistics. I think she does a very good job of showing how the things you term micro-aggressions all contribute to a bigger picture.

I have to take issue with your projections onto other cultures, OP. I don't think it is your place, living in the UK, to decide what is sexist or not in another country when you still seem to have difficulty identifying what is sexist in the UK.

For example, I live in Mexico and Mexican women also hate the way some men sit on buses and trains taking up more than one seat. This is a small issue, but an issue.

And I read mumsnet and see that so many British women seem to assume that they have to do all the housework, for example, yet here in Mexico, none of my friends of that mindset.

So please do stop stereotyping other cultures. Being British does not make you superior.

The trouble with young uns today is that they think everything happens online.
OP, you are overthinking it. Look around you.
Feminism is needed because we earn less than men for the same jobs (still)
Because usually women's careers take the hit almost exclusively when couples have children.
Because court cases still examine a rape victims sexual history, as if that had anything to do with being raped.
Because FGM is rife in the UK, and still no one has ever been prosecuted.
Because women still do the majority of housework in families, despite working fulltime.
and on and on..
Men like to say things like "why cant we just all be eequuuaal! Why can't it just be huumaan riiigghhts??"
Well, when we are all considered equal in society, we can dispense with feminism. We are not there yet by a long shot.
And, feminists come from all walks of life, of all races, and levels of income.

Fair enough. I just can't imagine writing a dissertation on rape culture and gendered violence without referring to feminist thinking.

OP if you have been knee deep in writing about the extreme misogyny and complete failure to support women in other countries, both culturally and legislatively, it's not surprising that you take a lesser view of a man spreading his legs on a bus. It is, however all part and parcel of the same picture.

You will often find two threads running simultaneously on the feminist boards, one about a woman who is infuriated that her bank insists on addressing correspondence to husband, and another about raising the profile of FGM. People can get upset over both these things, whilst at the same time fully realising that one has a far greater impact on the individual than the other.

Feminism is about the rights of women to be considered equal to men. Inequality shows up in all manner of ways. It's still inequality.

I care little for feminist definitions. I want a world free of gender terms. Male/Female. Father/Mother. Brother/sister must go

I have a dream

But as we discovered in the other thread, you're all about wanting to be able to abuse women, and not willing to try out what you want them to experience at all - so really, you're all about the difference between men and women.

And another thing, a lot of the hard won gains of feminism are being eroded as we speak.

I once had occasion to do an indepth of study of Irish women in the 20th Century and found that women were treated with more respect in the 1910s than they received in the 1950s.

"And another thing, a lot of the hard won gains of feminism are being eroded as we speak"

Not just being eroded-being voluntarily given up.

"Clogs to clogs in three generations"

Sub to Jollylads gaming

Sorry to hear of the offputting university experience OP.

I hope some of the leads on here prove useful.