Is it possible to find a feminist group IRL?

[Bi11yOneMate]

I really like the support here, but sometimes it would be nice to have that with real people who you can see and have cuppas with.
I have googled but the nearest feminist group that I can find is at least 45 minutes away, and only meets in the evening once a month. I can't do evening s due to breastfed toddler relying on me to get to sleep. And other default parent reasons.

Ideally I would like a child friendly local group that meets weekly with pre set topics for discussion, to work around school runs, tea time, bed time etc. And the moon on a stick.

So, as an inexperienced feminist who doesn't really know anything, how would I go about trying to set up such a group? Would there even be a demand for it?
Has anyone experienced this outside of London or university?

There’s a feminist group near me, we’re not in London.

Have you tried Facebook?

...but it’s not weekly during the day. It’s more ad hoc/infrequent, but the online community is helpful, and there are local events and some of these are during the day.

I set up a local feminist group with an XTOWN feminist group type title.
Women found it and joined but it was never heaving with members.
I also set up a women's book group and told women about it if I met them at conferences or talks etc.
Every other month we read fiction like Alice Walker and alternated that with non fiction like Gail dines.
That worked better.
We found an accessible pub with parking and cheap lime and soda.

Have you looked at your local WI chapter? They're all run slightly differently, with some having much more emphasis on feminism than others. Lots only meet once a month, and often in the evening (which as a fellow bf mummy I totally get isn't ideal!) but lots of them have sub-groups that meet more often and at different times (e.g. mine also has a feminist book group and a pub quiz group). You can also start your own if there isn't one nearby.

Thanks

I have checked FB and the nearest group is over 45 minutes drive away. In rush hour it would be over 2 hours. And it's at bedtime monthly.

WI is worth a try - I hadn't thought of that as the only WI members I know locally are true blue conservatives. But they can't all be like that!

Book group sounds like a good idea as well, thanks :)

We didn't talk much about books but it was a good pretext to meet up

@Bi11yOneMate hiya. There is the Irish Feminist Network but any dealings 've had with them has ended up with me telling them to f off as they are very pro gender and (imho) anti feminists telling us to suck eggs and accept self iding MTF as women. I don't know what your stance on gender is so they may be for you.

If not, set up your own group. Maybe start soundboarding other mums out, see what their stances are and if you could get along with a group. That way you can decide where, when and how to meet up.

All the best

It might be worth saying 'women's rights' in the title - because feminism is such a misused word.

If you don't want it to be hijacked by the 'safe space for sex workers and transwomen' MRA thought-police squad it might be even worth making it expressly biology specific.

'Mother's Liberation and Women's Rights' or some such thing.

yes i'd love a baby friendly group in london if any body knows?

got no time to read though as working too

I have been looking for one but there is nothing where I am. I’m sure there would be interest, but I’d need to set it up and don’t really know how! So it’s tricky- I think so much happens online that people don’t do these groups so much any more. But I think face to face is really valuable.

I'd love to go to a group that focuses on our female biology and the issues that arise from it in a sexist society (I developed a chronic disease after giving birth so this is a big thing for me.)

I'm not interested in being a fangirl to a load of blokes with ladyfeelz.

I'm in London, BTW.

Have you London lot seen the London feminist network? They have a yahoo group and meetings.

I set up a feminist book group recently in my town. I organise it via Facebook and we meet IRL as well as having FB discussions of issues and books. It was really easy to do, so if you can't find a group local to you, I'd strongly recommend setting one up yourself.

I love this thread by the way!