Who have we lost?

[Pratchet]

I hope uterati comes back. I have seen all the great women today plus lots of new ones.

This is an important feminist space, always has been. That's why they attack us. It is one of the only female-dominated, high profile, politically active spaces on the internet - and we should fight for it.

Yes to this. I'm mostly a lurker or an incoherent inarticulate poster but I have learnt so much here in the past year and even with the restrictions, what is allowed to be said here is being seen by the mainstream and is the most likely avenue to keep getting the message out there.

True crunchy. Where else is there? Before mumsnet, I considered feminism to be something that other people did. Quite a shock to discover I agreed with everything and am one.

In some ways it is even funny They complain, we get censored, we come up with other ways to say the same thing. They cannot silence us.

You don't have to say lies to not be banned. There are ways to phrase things. We shouldn't have to, but the issue still needs to be talked about here.

Mostly a lurker and posting today to show support for all those clear sighted women who argue for our rights on this board. I felt as though I was the only woman on the planet who was troubled by self id until I found mumsnet. And discovered I wasn’t alone and lots of women able to help me work out what was going on and what consequences were. Gave me courage to meet women in real life and help organise submission to Scot Gov consultation. Understand why women would leave given new rules. Know you have had a real impact.

Pratchet There are radical feminists and gender abolitionists on every form of social media. Face book, twitter, tumblr, reddit, etc. As well as meetings and events in real life.
But mumsnet is read by women who do not see themselves as feminists. It is important that women stay here.

pls sign in if you can

Yes exactly, also I agree with your previous comment.

boatyard

"There is absolutely nothing stopping us from using MN as a noticeboard for links out to other resources and to signpost other sites/boards where the discussion is not curtailed."

Sorry to say that is not the case. The owner of one feminist group I belong to has recently been banned from MN for mentioning our group on here.

So MN is saying, we cannot discuss these matters here PLUS we won't let you tell women where they CAN discuss them.

We need a new proper forum set up and we'll all go there.

Once we are all gone, the tra who threatened to boycott the advertisers they never shop with anyway, will also leave MN because their job is done.

It is also great to ask if other MNers are going to events or meetings. Feminism in London for example is coming up soon. As well as the Fair Play for Women and Its Good to Talk events. And the radical feminist social weekend. Also RadFem Collective are organising a conference for next year.

Southfields I don't know what group you mean? I often see women talking on this board about talks and events they are going to.
You are not allowed as a group to advertise your event, but that goes for all events. But it is very common for women to say on here - who is going to this? And that is natural to do as often MNers want to meet up.

I've been lurking a longtime, only not joined in as I felt I had nothing original to add that hadn't already been said. I am definitely spurred on to be more vocal on here, the attempts at silencing debate are becoming Orwellian.

And to lurkers - come along to a talk or event. It is different hearing women speak in real life.

But mumsnet is read by women who do not see themselves as feminists. It is important that women stay here.

I agree.

Can I echo a pp?
Do go to a live event if you can!

It really engages you to meet other women who really do understand what they are talking about, can give you clear and concise statements to use in debate.

You will feel strong and able to carry on

What is the Fair Play event? Thanks for the filia reminder.

Been lurking here for a few months to learn about the issues facing women. I don’t feel confident enough to contribute to the discussion as yet - the reason being that I’m not very eloquent, but want to say thank you to the posters here who have raised my awareness of issues.

And for radical feminists who don't know anyone, the radfem social weekend is great fun. Next one is in Sherwood Forest in February next year.

Maybe if people are getting close on strikes they can post and empty post with a fullstop or something to show they support but have been silenced.

I once worked out how to do a post which was apparently empty but actually contained a link ... maybe that's a bit too subtle though! Making a post with just a full stop which is actually a link is trivial.

Pratchet I meant a Women's Place. Sorry for confusion. Fair Play for Women have a website though. And RadFem Collective have a monthly emailed newsletter.

We have to keep the conversation going here. We reach more people if we keep this up than if we disappear behind closed doors for our conversation. If it’s not the wonderful and established posters then it will have to be those of us who mostly lurk coming out of the shadows. The language is always a challenge but I am sure that we can manage to still speak out. What we must not do is abandon this space to those who support our silencing.

And who posts here regularly changes over the years.

I'd be very sorry indeed to lose the articulate voices here, who speak as much to lurkers as to regular posters. I've lurked here for years and learned a lot. Haven't posted much since NCing. We can find ways to talk about the necessary. We shouldn't have to resort to Private Eye-style euphemisms but we can.

And I agree with pps who don't want to indulge in hatred. We can say No withoit being nasty, though it's worth bearing in mind the 2nd rule of misogyny:
Women saying no to men is a hate crime.

Eternal thanks to bewilderness for these rules