Thank you thread for those standing up for women

[ArcheryAnnie]

I just wanted to start to say thank you to some of those who have given me the courage to begin to speak out, too. The calmness and persistence in the face of absolute hate and vileness is really something. (And it must become very tiring to know that when you google your own name, the search box will autofill "...should die in a fire", so I wanted to add something psoitive to the mix!)

There's lots here on mumsnet that I am grateful to, but I will start with people I got to know elsewhere first.

Linda Bellos. I have only seen her name recently on this issue, but she's been inspiring me since I was a teenage radical, so very long ago. I can't tell you how happy I am that she is here and still fighting. Linda, thank you.

Glosswitch. She was one of the first they went for. She's brilliant and brave and funny and I am so glad she's writing. Glossy, thank you.

Sarah Ditum. Also funny and brilliant and calm and persistent. If you haven't signed up for her tinyletter, I suggest you do so immediately! Sarah, thank you.

Claire Heuchan. Fantastic, thoughtful, insightful writer. Also introduced me to the fact that the Glasgow Women's Library exists! Claire, thank you.

Miranda Yardley. Calm, devastating, and unbelievably persistent. Currently filleting Peter Tatchell on twitter. Miranda, thank you.

There's plenty more, and I'll add them later, bit by bit, but I wanted to get a start. I have begun threads to express my disappointment and anger at those that have drunk the kool-aid, so I thought I'd come here and express my joy and gratitude to those that are standing up for women. I hope this can become a long list!

And anyone's non-appearance on it doesn't mean they aren't wonderful or their work isn't appreciated, it just means they aren't known to me. This isn't a list of any in-crowd, and shouldn't be read as such. We're all doing what we can!

I told her to give it another go Beyond, said things had shifted. Really hope she's back!

and to Germaine Greer, marvellous woman, and Mary Beard.

Hello! I'm back.

Thanks for the mention.

I have loads.... if I forget anyone then apologies.

1. Dittany... without this wonder woman I would not have had the feminist awakening I needed, I did think I was a feminist before but she switched a light on and I didn't know I was in darkness.
2. Anyfucker Just for being ace
3. Jess Phillips and Caroline Flint, the latter being just a little braver than the former.
4. Bindel, fighting this fight before most of us knew what the fuck was going on.
5. Stephanie DA... the amount of work that woman has done and does is phenomenal... I bet she's literally saved someone's life with her stuff.
6. So many amazing women on twitter.... go to any TERF block list and you'll find lots of women speaking out!!
7. My secret sisters.... all of you. We are powerful.
8. Mumsnet towers... you had me worried back along about whose side you were on, I'm glad it's ours...

For us x

♥️♥️ Posie

Agree with every one of the above and especially to MN for allowing freedom of speech for women. 21st century suffragettes you rock!

YY to all those already mentioned. And all you erudite and insightful lot, who I've learned the most from on these issues.

I'd also like to mention Lierre Keith, who wrote "The Girls and the Grasses" chapter in Female Erasure, and Rachel Ivey whose speech on Youtube was one of the earliest materials that helped crystalise my views on this. LK also got splatted with a chilli pepper pie at an anarchist bookfair in the US (can you spot a theme here?)

Maybe they should change that "by parents for parents" tagline to "21st century suffragettes"

Great list!!!
Lots I admire and a few I’m off to google

An unexpected one, but Irish comedian Maeve Higgins beautifully confronted and stood her ground about a sexist remark fellow comedian Des Bishop made to her. Great example of how to call a spade a spade (about 20 mind into the interview)

www.dailyedge.ie/maeve-higgins-des-bishop-podcast-3714922-Nov2017/

In addition to the many great people listed already, I'd like to add Memoree Joelle, the editor of the After Ellen website, for returning it to what it was originally (a website for lesbian women) and, along with all the pop culture stuff, including articles on lesbian history that don't re-write gender-non-conforming women as men and articles on feminism which challenge the current narrative:

www.afterellen.com/people/547033-lesbian-feminism-asserts-future-female-not-fluid

Thank you

Germaine Greer
Julie Bindel
Maryam Namazie

Thangam Debonnaire - another MP who has spoken out for women!

Already mentioned, but Magdalen Berns is a legend for coming back from life-threatening illness as feisty as ever. I don't always agree with everything she says, but she is a brave, inspirational woman who has withstood constant abuse & threats from TRAs.

Also, MNHQ - I know you must be taking a world of shit for allowing us freedom of speech. Women have cause to be very grateful. (Now sort out those banner ads )

Brilliant thread and it's not going unnoticed...

Just to add my voice to those saying thanks to all the wonderful women ( and some great supportive men) names on this thread.

Meghan Murphy is incredible! Owe a lot of my knowledge to her. Also Julian Vigo is brilliant academic / writer on this whole thing too. Sheila Jeffreys as well. Heroines the lot of them.

I want to list all the women, but now I am terrified of leaving someone out.

So it will have to be collectively.

All the fabulous journalists storming away on MSM and backing it up on Twitter.

The kind, funny, feisty, genius women at Fair Play, Transgendertrend, A Woman’s Place and Gendertrender.

The astonishingly diverse women on here, all bringing their experience and perspective to women’s rights.

The women with stats at their fingertips. The ones who can make theory comprehensible, even to me.

The political women, who see the alarming trends and patterns developing. The ones at the coalface, helping women in real life.

Those who come on and tentatively ask questions because of something unsettling at the back of their minds.

The ones who have posted on Facebook and lost friends, or gained unlikely allies.

And the ones whose posts read like a series of blinding, crackling light bulbs, dropping sparks like raindrops as my brain goes into overdrive and relief in equal measure.

The only person I haven’t seen mentioned is Maria MacLachlan. The feminist who was beaten at Speakers’ Corner.

I believe that was the tipping point. The reprehensible behaviour of transactivists caused women everywhere to reach critical mass.

The traction it gained overnight lit the collective touchpaper of women’s outrage everywhere.

And boy, when women get angry, there is nothing like it.

Thank you. All of you.

And to Mumsnet feminism boards.

You wonderful women made me a radical feminist overnight. When I just couldn’t stop reading. It may have been one night, but it was a looong one.

And thank you ArcheryAnnie for starting this thread.

It is being noticed. And appreciated.

Helen 'McLibel' Steel - a hero of mine.

Everyone on here.

MN has its moderation issues but allowing these threads has been very significant. Thank you.

I’ve been nodding in agreement with every post.

I am indebted to mumsnet. You especially datun and empress, and uk sure there’s others. And anyfucker made a few pennies drop in the relationship section. I hadn’t a clue about feminism - what it really was and why it was still needed - till I read about it. I guess I’m now a radical feminist, except I prefer to think it’s basic common sense.

I think I’d been living in a bubble where I thought feminism wasn’t needed anymore, or hadn’t noticed the gaps where it was needed, till I became a mother.

And Jennie Murray. I’ve listened to her since I was really quite young as woman’s hour was always on. I think there was always back ground drip feed going on about women’s issues.

I'm a recent feminist thanks to mn and the relationship board.
Two young daughters and escaped from an abusive marriage.
I'm not yet brave enough to stick my head about the parapet but my daughters are now being taught everything I'm learning here. Thank you everyone

I am amazed by all the feminists on twitter. I try to engage a bit each day and it's hard, the abuse you get can be pretty vile and it does make you feel like shit. But then just when you are feeling like poo in sweeps a fellow feminist and she's got your back. They are articulate and polite, and also very funny. I hope that when lurkers read threads that comes across and makes people think.

Wonderful thread. I can only say “yes! yes! YES!” to all of the brilliant and brave women already listed- it was Rebecca Reilly-Cooper, Glosswitch, Sarah Ditum, Gallus Mag, Purple Sage Fem, Julie Bindel, Meghan Murphy and Stephanie Davies Arai who clued me in to what was going on. And the wonderful women here o gave me somewhere to talk about what was happening and what was going to happen.

A heartfelt thank you.

The EU.
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Greenham Women, Miners' wives, Trades Union leaders like Annie Bessant, Greer, Adichie, Beyonce, HRC, Virago press, Dworkin and the many BAME and working class sisters whose names have been 'forgotten'.

Us.