Gender Critical 'Lurkers'

[BadasIwannaB]

I’ve been reading the Gender Critical threads on Mumsnet for a few months now and I’m ‘delurking’ to say THANK YOU! To all the intelligent, articulate gender critical feminists here - you are my absolute heroes, and you’re really giving me hope!

I’ve thought for a long time that many aspects of the supposedly right-on rhetoric about gender is deeply misogynist, and I was unsettled and annoyed at how much pressure there is on women not to challenge it, and how much supposed ‘feminists’ enforce that pressure. But for a long time I felt like I must be the only person who thought this, because I wasn’t seeing anyone speaking out, and on the v few occasions where I mentioned any of this to friends, it didn’t go down well. So it’s been hugely inspiring and reassuring to see that there’s this growing community here standing up for women against the bullshit. I’ve literally been reading the discussions here every day for the last few months, and it cheers me up so much! I’ve become such a fan of so many of you: LangCleg, Datun, Bowlofbabelfish, Ereshkigal, Angry Attack Kittens, I could go on and on…

So I started wondering, how many people like me are there reading these threads and cheering silently from the sidelines? I’m hoping there are lots of us. I think it’s easy to think we’re a tiny minority because of all the fear surrounding joining the discussion, but maybe if we all delurked we’d see that that’s not the case.

So any other lurkers wanna delurk?

I lurk on these threads in particular as I am mostly unable to articulate what I feel as well as the regulars on this subject. Thank you for making me understand that it's not me and it IS an attack on women. I too have tried to verbalise this with a group of people, and seen it go down badly. I've peak transed a few people though.

I lurk and silently fist pump at all you remarkable women! Especially in the light of what's been going on the last few weeks...... How you have stayed calm in the face of that storm cos I would have been full of [choose suitable expletive]. Stay strong we will win the tide is turning, all the people I have spoken to in real life are peaked.

me too, I am Lurkacus.

I mainly lurk and am also a huge fan of people like Datun and Bowlofbabelfish. You guys say it so much better than I ever could. Keep up the good work!

Regular lurker, extremely infrequent poster, but very grateful for these threads

I am a regular Lurker. Thankyou to the contributers i have learnt so much.

As well as cheering from the sidelines, anyone who hasn't already done this - please consider signing this petition :

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/214118

And share it anywhere you think is relevant.

Another lurker. I don't type fast enough or feel educated enough to have much to add (other than occasional outrage!). But I read and learn so much from many of the regular posters and it has given me the confidence to go to WPUK and WNTT meetings which have been brilliant.

Another daily lurker and supporter here

I am Lurkacus too. I’ve learned so much from you wonderful women.

I lurk and have learned how to vocalise my concerns in a more articulate way thanks to what I have read here. Please please keep posting here

Another lurker here. I read almost every thread and am in awe of all the articulate posters. I have signed petitions, written to my mp, contributed to fundraisers, shared stuff on sm - I must find the courage to speak up on the threads. But everyone always seems to say it better. Thank you to everyone

Happy to lurk and learn. Thank you.

Not a lurker, as I have posted recently. I have lurked. Alot. And found exploring the arguments enlightening - I had no idea I was a Rad Fem until the MN FWR showed the arguments: the theories, the facts and the route of the politcal moves.

Still reeling that women are on the back foot 100 years after Women's Suffrage. I raise my glass of wine to all lurkers and the Wise Women of the FWR board.

Lovely to see so many people saying hello.

And all contributions to threads are welcome - easier said than done but please don't feel you aren't articulate enough to join in. This issue affects everyone in different ways and your voice matters.

Oh my God! All the Lurkacus wims!

I'm astonished. And humbled.

I'm not an academic feminist, I haven't read any of the books.

I just know reality when it hits me between the eyes.

So lovely to see you all. Thank you, and so bloody well done to you all.

Im another lurker.
I spend far too much time on here but im learning so much! The regular posters on here are absolutely amazing, so articulate and passionate. Its the best board on Mumsnet by far!

Lurker here! I'm actually braver in real life, have peak patriarchied a few people recently. Also, very excited, was involved in some research yesterday about a kind of human behaviour and brought the group discussion round to why biological sex is important and why we shouldn't fall over ourselves to be inclusive with the labels we use to describe it as it disproportionately affects women and girls. Arguing the other side was a male, pretty senior ranking- the term ranking probably gives you a clue as to what kind of organisation he was representing. The regular posters on here have given me so much food for thought, I was actually frustrated when we ran out of time to debate. You do change minds, change lives, make a difference

the term ranking probably gives you a clue as to what kind of organisation he was representing.

I lurk. A LOT. Everyone I’ve spoken to in RL sees the Emporer’s got his bits out!

I think it's wonderful that lurkers (I was one till recently) are coming on and hopefully feeling more able to post (if they want to).

Too many fantastic posters with a real understanding of the issue are being forced out.

Women supporting each other is what MN should be about.

I really wish MNHQ felt the same.

I'm quite lurky. I'll comment occasionally but like PP I don't feel that I'm eloquent enough. I tend to join in more when the subject turns to cakes!

This is a really useful thread for any new to lurking:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3145470-Break-it-down-for-me

& by way of a boost, this video is called 'Women are Fighting Back!'
(you can find links etc to many of the women mentioned on this thread

When I tell OH that I got a grin from Datun he is going to give me ALL the high fives

That little film directly celebrates all you lurkers.

You're actually in it !