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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

We need to talk about the GRA - Glasgow

483 replies

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 11/11/2017 16:12

www.eventbrite.com/e/we-need-to-talk-about-the-gra-glasgow-tickets-39786635899?utm-medium

I may actually try and go to this if I am feeling brave.

OP posts:
cromeyellow0 · 11/01/2018 22:09

I was sorely tempted to tweet "Bros before hoes, right pal!" (cf. Ereshkigal) but instead I asked a version of your question, Seeingadistance.

53rdWay · 11/01/2018 22:13

surely the "potentially dangerous" reference means they were planning to kick off themselves?

Hoping not. But I've seen a photo of them protesting outside Central (on Twitter earlier) and they all seemed to have scarves hiding their faces. Hard not to read that as threatening, really.

Seeingadistance · 11/01/2018 22:13
Grin

I really should stir myself and learn how to work Twitter. I do have naturally low blood pressure, but even so, it might be more than I can bear.

Seeingadistance · 11/01/2018 22:17

53rdWay, yes, I saw that photo too and thought, well, thought lots of things but one was that we didn't hide our faces, but they did! We didn't hide our faces, but their actions last night and at similar events in the past, meant that we couldn't talk freely about arranging to meet, and the issue of people not wanting to be seen on the TV footage was also raised by the organiser last night. We are reduced to sneaking about, looking over our shoulder, doubting who we meet, because of them and they don't even show their faces!

Ereshkigal · 11/01/2018 22:22

They're scared of "violent" photographers exposing their faces when they might kick off. As at speakers corner.

terryleather · 11/01/2018 22:26

Seeing and camomile

I'm super keen to meet up again soon too for a chance to chat irl (that's not on a cold Glasgow street in January) but also to plan how we can take action.

As you say I'm not sure how easy it is to arrange things as a group through PMs.

I'm not a FB user and don't really want to be either (yes, I am a member of the awkward squad!)

AgentProvocateur · 11/01/2018 22:28

Yes, count me in, too, please.

Lemonjello · 11/01/2018 22:29

And me

camomileteadrinker · 11/01/2018 22:35

I feel so impotent with all this. If we can't organise a meeting on here, or through private messages then any chance of organised dissent is gone and so are our rights. This is not going to happen by osmosis, this is going to happen by women's bravery. We wouldn't be voting without it. We wouldn't have attended the meeting. I really feel that there is no hope when I see the lack of belly for women getting together. We need some balls!!!

terryleather · 11/01/2018 22:49

Don't be down hearted camomile, we will organise it's just the logistics...

SonicBoomBoom · 11/01/2018 23:01

I'm in too. Definitely want to meet again.

Seeingadistance · 11/01/2018 23:11

Yes, it's the logistics as terry says.

ALLIS0N · 11/01/2018 23:21

Me too

I’ve NC for other threads I’m on right now but I’m legit - plectrum knows who I am.

camomileteadrinker · 11/01/2018 23:46

But what does logistics mean? We haven't very long till the consultation ends. Then, how long have we got to actually make something happen? How big is the window of time? I'm now trying to be brave and speak to friends I was too scared to as direct action. My first was completely taken aback didn't know what I was talking about. It's a big climb! I will try and make another 3 listen next.

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 11/01/2018 23:55

Complete the consultation. Take your time and do it well. Challenge the language and answer in your own terms, not TRA terms. Look at FairPlayForWomen for resources. If you are struggling with a question, come back and ask here.

Try to get as many friends and family to complete as poss too. This is important

This is the process and it has to be done

Sevendown · 11/01/2018 23:56

I think there were quite a few mners there.

Kate, Ruth, Stuart and Heather were a good mix of speakers and made some good nuanced points esp about the governments role in society and the impact of teen girls.

We do need irl meet ups.

I don’t know how without getting harassed though.

Seeingadistance · 12/01/2018 00:17

Plectrum has a list of people she sent messages to before last night's meeting. She did an advanced search and filtered out a small number who had little or no posting history. My thoughts are that if we use that existing list, and add others to it - those who were there last night and others who can be checked out by advance search - we could arrange an initial meeting - soon - by individual messages. Then, when we meet up we can work out how we continue to communicate in an easier way than sending lots of individual messages back and forth on here.

Does that sound like a plan?

Ereshkigal · 12/01/2018 00:26

It's a good plan. I can't join you in Scotland sadly but I know other women's groups have organised offline meetings in a similar way. This is how gender critical women have to conduct themselves at the moment. It's like the fucking Handmaid's Tale. Under His eye.

terryleather · 12/01/2018 00:27

Seeing That sounds like a plan!

camomile has I think already PMd some of us including myself re: meeting up within the next couple of weeks but Plectrums list is already compiled and will have loads more folk on it I would have thought?

I can see how it's a pain to organise, irl trying to get 3-4 of my pals to agree on a date for something seems to take weeks - we're trying to organise something bigger with folk who don't all know each other and have to make sure they are not infiltrated by malevolent forces into the bargain...

terryleather · 12/01/2018 00:29

*Ereshkegal
*
Under his eye indeed AngryAngryAngry

Seeingadistance · 12/01/2018 00:36

The other thing we might want to think about is whether we meet in a cafe or pub - where there will be others about making it harder for us all to sit together, and we might feel we're looking over our shoulders all the time, and people might overhear us - phew... I used to meet up with a woman who fled Eritrea for this same fucking reason!

Anyway - maybe we could look at getting a small private room somewhere. Some libraries in Glasgow used to hire out meeting rooms at low cost. Don't know if they still do that.

terryleather · 12/01/2018 00:45

Yes Seeing I was saying the same thing to camomile - I suppose it depends how many folk we can get together, if there's lots of us a pub or cafe may not be ideal...

Seeingadistance · 12/01/2018 01:00

While I remember - I'm going to write to the Grand Central Hotel to thank them for providing us with the meeting room at such short notice, and for the calm way they dealt with the protestors and the general helpfulness and good humour of their staff. I was going to email them, but it's a standard contact on their website which looks for phone number and so on.

I noticed that there was a male member of staff standing at the top of the stairs while we were there, presumably to keep us safe.

Redonionricedpotato · 12/01/2018 06:17

You can also leave a review on the Central Hotel FB page to thank them.

Redonionricedpotato · 12/01/2018 06:24

Does everyone have a FB account?

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