Finding/ starting radfem groups

[Merchfach]

I'm just back from a long weekend away with a group of women, most of whom would call themselves feminists, whom I've known for several years. I didn't see Genderquake so when some of the younger women (30s) started talking about it I stayed out of the generally pro-trans conversation until one of them said that Germaine Greer ought to be silenced. I piped up to say that she held a valid point of view that represented many women and that I found it worrying to hear women trying to silence other women. One of the younger ones said: 'You'll be saying transwomen aren't women next' and I agreed that I would. It was downhill from there. At some point I was accused of misgendering someone and two young women walked out shouting that I was hateful and should be ashamed of myself. I asked a third party to mediate so that we could see if we had any common ground that we could build from and was told the young women would not discuss this subject with me. So, no debate. There's a surprise!

Most of the other women don't understand why what I said was so offensive but assume I must have said something dreadful to warrant such a response from educated and on the whole pleasant young women. I don't imagine I'll be invited to participate in this group again which saddens me.

I don't feel bad for saying what I think but I do feel battered and there's a tiny part of me wondering whether I've got this all wrong. I know I'll bounce back and there are a couple of people I'm in touch with on line who'll help me do that. But what I could really do with now is a local radfem group: women whom I could meet up with for some eye contact and a coffee and a reassurance that I'm not the nazi dinosaur the handmaidens say I am.

I've googled for radical feminist groups in my area and found nothing. There's a feminist group at a university some distance away but I have a suspicion that it'll be full of handmaidens. If you're a member of a real rather than virtual group, how did you find each other? What should I google for? Any ideas on how to start something up?

PP have you considered that it may have been the way you said it?

Maybe said transwoman was just offended by the tone of what you said or the way in which you said it?

Offred

Yes I did consider that, so I checked afterwards with my other colleagues (male and female) and apparently I came across as calm and reasonable.

Are you aware that women are constantly dismissed by assumptions that the problem is that they are ‘hysterical’ all the bleeding time and why that makes your posts appear goady?

I forgot my other criterion for the sort of feminist group I'd like to join - no men. I occasionally go to mixed discussion groups, it really is true that men's voices tend to dominate. Can be bloody annoying trying to get a word in edgewise.

I would really love to start (or join) a group like this - but how? I've looked in my area and can't find anything like it.

Offred

Given the context of the discussion (a group of women discussing feminism) I assumed it went without saying that the OP was not viewed as a 'hysterical' woman. I also never used that phrase.

Why do you think that so many younger women (and men) become immiediatly defensive when confronted with gender critical ideas? Personally I'm on the fence but I suspect it's to do with the social media opinion bubble that we all live in to a degree.

It used to be that if you wanted to discuss controversial issues, you would regularly experience voices of people who disagree with you completely. Now we can cut ourself off from that almost completely, to the point where even mild disagreement seems shocking. People with less life experience are particularly vulnerable to this.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3246322-A-Beginners-Guide-to-the-Transgender-Debate-A-Signpost-to-Useful-Mumsnet-Threads

This has got some good information. Puberty blockers and transing kids can be a great way into the debate. You could also ask them if they've heard of the 'cotton ceiling'. Lesbians being coerced/guilted into sex cannot be justified by anybody who wants to call themselves progressive.

Had a similar time with my sister who and things got quite heated. I had to have patience and speak about several different issues. These Youtubers helped me. Maybe if you want to chat online to some of these people you can use these.

Lesbians against trans rights

Transsexuals aganst trans rights

@realityhasaliberalbias I think any group would have to be very much under the radar as it seems and public assembly of gender critical women is akin to a fucking Satanic Mass.

Exactly MrsUnderwood, though this wouldn’t be so much public assembly as private discussion. Rather like here, but face to face. Like a feminist salon!

I am drunk.

for you!

Love the idea of a feminist salon. I guess if there’s nothing available to us we will have to start our own?

I found a local(ish) gender critical feminist group through attending a Woman's Place UK meeting. Other Mumsnetters who have attended WPUK meetings in parts of the country without existing gc feminist groups have still used the meetings as a opportunity to make connections with other local women and arrange further meetings with them.

dailycaller.com/2018/05/12/linguistic-minefield-of-politically-correct-tranny/

Snorwich, the writer, who is trans, pulls apart the US murder figures here which is really interesting, and also has no time for whiny trans people.

Its a good read - Leftist transgender people and their bald-headed, hairy-arm-pitted, pink-dyed-pubic-haired, non-binary friends (a gender identity, or lack thereof, by the way, that has no scientific backing) are doing more harm to the public perception of trans people than the most verbally abusive transphobic incel who is angry because they can’t get laid.

Here is another post regarding the stats, a bit more US-based though.

Yeah Germaine had valid points tho she didn't have much time to speak to be honest it was a mess of a show.

I have actually found a group of feminists in my town that hold more radical views but as someone noticed, they do not meet up much, if at all. I suppose because they really would be under radar as we saw with what happened with WPUK events.

And the atmosphere in group is bit quiet and suspicious, as a woman in 20's I feel odd even posting if someone is up for coffee-everyone is in 30's/up and it doesn't help that I'm not local either. Yikes.

It's so damn hard to socialise with other radfems.

In terms of finding a group, some of them are secret so asking in places like these might get you added in some near you.
In the meantime comb through all social media with search like; women's group, gender critical, radfem, radical feminism and well you know the drill. Facebook has plenty where you can always ask someone in it if there's anyone nearby.

As for the starting a group yourself, I can actually forward you email that you can contact for help with that. I wanted to start but as I said above(+taking care of toddler all day) 😢 ...

Stressfull.

Well next time there’s a woman’s place meeting in my area I plan to go along. Hopefully there will be people who want to meet regularly there.

I’m not on Facebook so that’s a no-go.

I follow someone from my town on Twitter who is clearly GC from the people she follows and also liking the odd post. We have lots of mutual friends but I'm too shy to approach her!

FFS ladies what is happening? Women afraid to meet to discuss politics?

Well next time there’s a woman’s place meeting in my area I plan to go along

I don't know how to find out when and where they are even. Apart from seeing a few threads on here, but none near me.

I was approached by a local Journalism student at the weekend who is making a film about trans people.
I was in the local paper recently talking about the conflicts with women's rights, which she saw, and so she wants me to do this on film in the documentary she is making.

I messaged her some fairly blunt GC things about AGP etc and said I would do it if she could read that without thinking it is hate speech.

She wants to go ahead.

It will be interesting to meet her....

@Satorye if you could DM me that email that would be fantastic.

@ErrolTheDragon Woman’s Place UK has a website with upcoming events on it. I m going to the one in Cornwall- it’s not local at all to me but I want to go and listen to what the speakers have to say, and speak to others who are worried.

Thanks... I thought I'd checked their website but couldn't see upcoming events, must have missed it somehow.

womansplaceuk.org/a-womans-place-is-on-the-platform/

Can any Manchester based Radfems DM me?

thanks. Not sure how I missed that.