Who's going to the WEP Conference this weekend? Fancy a thread?

[RhymesWithOrange]

I'm the only person I know going. I would be interested to get others MNers thoughts on the conference and the agenda as it happens.

And of course the emergency debate.

If you can arran I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. It was attending FiLiA last year that re-awokened my desire to do feminism not just talk about it - I rejoined WEP shortly afterwards. Beatrix Campbell spoke at a session about her own struggles as a Green Party member (she’s been VERY vocal on recent developments, good on her!) but that she felt she had to stay in the party to effect change, or critical voices would be lost.

Re-awakened! Awful typo

Well I'm in Kettering. Bloody traffic meant it took 7 hours quick turnaround at the hotel and then hoofing it back out again to the conference centre.

Btw: Fox and Owl are hosting a transgender event on Saturday

A must do, obvs! I'll clear my diary.

Cwen

I'm watching to see how all this pans out, then possibly I might jump ship from Labour.

I'm in!

Opening session. All very lovely. Mass tweeting to Theresa May on NI abortion rights.

I'll be there tomorrow.

Oh good.

Sandy's on stage. She's very loved. Starting an open mic session. I.e. anyone can say anything.

Courage calls!

First few speakers' topics:

DoE consultation on sex education open until 7 November

Person standing for party position on VAWG

Climate change and the environment

PhD student doing research on how feminists use Twitter/social media when talking about VAWG

Cross border families, parental separation in the UK.

Equality of treatment in the media

Thank you for the thread. I will be following it.

Me too.

Next few speakers:

Nice story about ancestral suffragette

Women specific healthcare and medical treatment (lots of talk about women-specific biology (another candidate for a party position)

Equal pay

Ending VAWG (another candidate for a party position)

Ending period poverty

Failures in maternity care

Sport and it's role in building confidence in girls and women; equality in sport, sports coverage

I'm a WEP member at conference. Waves to @Cwenthryth and @RhymesWithOrange**

@RhymesWithOrange

Is it busy?

Have you spoken to anyone about GC issues yet?

There's a group here who have fair play for women leaflets which will be handed out tomorrow. I'm in their WhatsApps group but I haven't found them yet.

RNBrie - if ever there was a time for a secret Mumsnet scarf knot of recognition, this is it. :)

Next lot of speakers:

Positive stories of inclusion and support of disabled people in WEP.

Equal pay.

Inequality in healthcare; recognition for carers (candidate for party position)

General lament on state of politics; levels of apathy amongst young women in particular; poor state of main political parties

Sexual violence and sexual harassment in schools (some shocking stats on epidemic of sexual violence in schools)

(The bar's also doing a roaring trade, it's not all business!)

@RNBrie hello must work out how to identify each other

No GC talk yet. But no mention of the T word at all yet, and the word "women" used without qualification.

I think there is about 400 people here. Mostly women of course, good range of ages and geography, pretty overwhelmingly white.

It all sounds very good so far. Wish I was there!

Next speakers:

Budget cuts in schools and disproportionate impact on mothers, girls, children with SEN, families on low income, immigrant families

Under representation of women and girls in STEM learning and teaching

Harrowing personal story about devastating effects of abusive relationship and losing access of a baby because of it, making a point about access to legal aid

Race and identity; systemic racism

A policy committee candidate talking about inspiring women.

Children in care - problem of them having to leave at 18 - asking for parity with foster care which can go on to 21

Another candidate, this time for equal representation. She's written a great poem called "Dicks off the table". Could not agree more

I might have to go go bed soon . There's no end in sight and I'm shattered from a mega long drive.

Someone talking about period poverty did refer to "people with a vagina".... interesting....

Ugh 🙄