Not a Women's Society but a "Gender Equality" Society

[Floeer]

Just browsing through my University's (LSBU) societies as considering getting more involved and thought I would seek out the Women's Society but instead found a "Gender Equality" Society that appears to be doing what the Women's Society at my previous university (Sheffield) got up to...

This is after I spotted that my Gender is labelled as "Female" on my Personal Profile.

Is this a common thing at Universities now? To be replacing women with gender in societies?

Might have to pop along to one of their sessions, or at least email them if I cant escape DS for an evening, to ask them about their choice in name.

If it was to include men then couldn't they have gone with Sex Equality?

(and yes this is separate to the LGBT Society)

It seems so :/

Maybe you could found a 'Women's Society'?

It's pretty easy to set up a society. Not sure how the politics would play out.

You should deffo complain about them assuming your gender on your personal profile, at least!

But that wouldn’t centre trans people, and so wouldn’t be allowed. Members of any such society would be vilified and find it hard to be a member of the university. It is extremely unlikely that you will find anything gender critical in a university these days.

I’ve noticed several groups that used to have “sisterhood” in their names replacing it with “siblinghood”.

You could create a 'female sex' society.

I have asked for Gender to be removed from my profile at least. (Hope nothing outing remains visible there)

Setting up my own society might be too time consuming with DS and my job and my studies! Would have been a good call though

Goodness knows what that logo is meant to represent.

They can't avoid using the word woman in their blurb, although it seems like they've tried to avoid it as much as possible. It's bizarre how the words "woman" and "sex" are now to be avoided at all costs. Kind of makes it hard to explain what you're about.

Is there a feminist society?

It is being too all encompassing now isn't it? Like there is a fear that using the word "woman" or "sex" like it is taboo or somehow its discrimination; never mind women still being discriminated against!

There is no feminism society

Good email.

Am looking forward to hearing the response!

Men are absolutely TERRIFIED of women getting together and talking about things they can't be a part of or take charge of. So they keep infiltrating.
The exceptions might be religious groups who have their men only and women only spaces. They're ok with that. But only because those women are following a patriarchal religious system and aren't thinking independently.

I your email Floeer, delightfully clear.

It might be possible for someone with access to that account to doxx you, as the date, timestamp and content are plain as day. maybe ask MNHQ to delete?

Send them a copy of the 2010 Equality Act providing for sex protections and instruct them that there is no gender designation but only gender reassignment designation.

At NUS Women's 18, the slideshow 'How to Deal with Terfs' was co-presented by a Women's officer:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3222263-Slide-show-on-How-to-Deal-with-TERFs

Yes. When I took my second degree I took some Women's Studies. Now it's been renamed to Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies.

Women are last, as usual.

Do you know what I recommend? Women free associating and not bothering with Uni groups.

We can use the power of the internet to find each other and that's a much better strategy since most Uni's are full of neoliberal bullshit and not even worth your time.

The pressure of young women to conform in Uni is going to stop them from making many changes. Queer Politics has invaded Women's studies depts. and made them uninhabitable by feminist women.

I think if you started a women's society the first people to join would be self ID males and you would be harassed and endlessly obstructed if you refused them.

You could possibly get round the infiltration by calling it not "Women's Society" but something like "The menorrhoea society" (as code)

Well done on your email fleurr. Please do let us know what happens, even if this thread has dropped down by the time you receive a reply. They'll probably have to convene an extraordinary general meeting to discuss their response!

boatyardblues eeeh really? I have no clue how that sort of thing works!

Thank you for suggestions and tips, particularly liked "The menorrhoea society" - I feel though as LSBU is a pretty small Uni and not many students are really involved with actual Uni stuff beyond studies (E.G not even half the SU officers and Reps places are filled!) that I cant imagine I'd gain much interest to form a new society; if I recall correctly I need a certain number of people willing to join before I can apply for Society status.

I have sent an email to the Society anyway, shall let you know when I get a reply for either. Pretty surprised I haven't had a reply from Student Life yet tbh as they are usually really hot on their responses.