Lurkers of FWR, pop in and say Hi!

[SophoclesTheFox]

I've just been reading this thread and I am utterly blown away by the number of women who say they are lurking here.

It's quite, quite wonderful to read that thread and I wanted to acknowledge it and roll out the red carpet if any of you wanted to post. I know it can feel a bit intimidating, like you have to have the right vocabulary, or some huge knowledge of feminist theory, but you don't.

Your words are valuable, and your unique view is important because together we're powerful!

We're also rude, funny, and most of all DISRESPECTFUL in all the ways that matter. Don't just lurk: join in you are very welcome.

Well, I've just outed myself as GC on facebook. A FB friend posted links to several great pieces & I commented. I feel sure she must be on these threads too!

I've lurked without an account for a while, but recent threads made me scream internally so much I had to make an account. Heya

Great nickname homoseXXual - and welcome! (Same goes for all the lovely lurkers coming out of the shadows.)

hello, hello, hello all you wonderful delurkers!

Bosomy hugs all round

I lurk, read and learn. I'm a regular poster on MN who is not brave enough for this section. But I read everything.

Keep up the good work you wonderful FWR people.

Hello, I've lurked for a while. This is my favourite forum and the only one I post on. I only post occasionally but read everything. I think this forum is awesome and the one that's gradually turned me into a radical feminist.

I am involved in quite a lot of real life activism. I've been out leafleting as a Fair Play volunteer every weekend.

Thank you to all the amazing women on here, you are doing great work.

As a result of this thread, I have tonight attempted to explain to my DH about our concerns. I don't have all the answers to his questions, and don't think he feels it's as big an issue as I do, but it's a start and he has been very open minded about what I'm rather haltingly and ineloquently trying to say.

Perhaps I'll try speaking to some RL friends this week. Where can I direct them to read a summary of what is going on?

littlecabbage - do you think it might be worth watching some of the videos on Fair Play for Women together and talking about them?

There are several linked from their home page and each is quite short: fairplayforwomen.com

Thank you. I will look at the videos. Have also just ordered a campaign starter pack

I lurk too - it’s a fascinating board! I have learned so much - thank you all!

I have had enough. Been lurking for two years now on FWR since I wondered why loads of posters had Spartacus in their user names.

But fuck this shit now. I have had enough. I have peaked so many times and I move between rage and sorrow and disappointment and hopefulness.

This evening I have laughed, shook my head, nodded my head, felt my heart racing with both anger and hope. There’s a constant underlying despair that has been holding me back but I’m reading The Hourglass Factory at the moment and I have just read of some suffragettes in a court room and that’s done it for me.

Sign me up, give me a sash, a flag and a banner. Fuck this shit. Now.

My son and daughter deserve more than this. I deserve more than this.

I am a woman. I am angry. I am an angry woman. I’m not sitting out of this one.

Thank you to you wonderful posters who have been brave and eloquent and knowledgeable.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Thank you to those who disagree and continue to argue their point.

I have screen shotted so, so many things and I have questioned and folllowed links. I have analysed and formulated my thoughts. Time is ticking on though and I’m no longer going to stay silent.

Your courage has called to my courage.

I'm with you Temper!

I feel like a new wave of rad feminism is on its way and I'm going to be part of it.

Another lurker here, these threads are so important to me, but I never usually feel articulate enough to comment.

Keep up the good work!

Long time lurker
Have read these threads daily,with increasing disbelief and then anger
Slowly finding the words to get my point across in rl
Thank you

Smelly, my adrenaline is spiking too close to bedtime. Just ordered pack from FairPlay. What next?

I have lurked for ages, name change a lot. Too intimidated to post because I feel my feminism is probably old fashioned.

I have learned a lot, was especially impressed with the Posie Parker thread last week.
I do often wonder whether the posters in here realise how little most ordinary people understand ( or care really) about the issues on here. If I mentioned any of that stuff to friends irl they would think I was barking.

Imo thats part of the problem Goose, we sound like mad extremists when we try to discuss it.

I've been lurking for ages and had the scales removed from my eyes by these boards

I dunno, I have to get the gra consultation completed,
I've done the sports one. There's a thread with info I think. MP? I have to get my pack ordered too. Bit by bit we'll get there.

Imo thats part of the problem Goose, we sound like mad extremists when we try to discuss it.

This thread is about why we sound extreme because the scale and scope defies belief:

This right here pretty much sums up the problem for gender critical feminists. A handful of activists are being allowed to make policy and influence legislation on the basis of views that are so ludicrous, the rest of the world can’t believe anyone actually holds them.

Whenever I try to discuss self ID with people who are relatively uninformed, I have to spend the first few minutes just battling through their suspicion and scepticism that anyone can really, genuinely be arguing the things that trans activists are arguing.

Then, when I do persuade them that some people hold these views, they assume such people must be such cranks and eccentrics that their influence is insignificant. NOPE. They are currently shaping policy on sex and gender in pretty much every political party and public sector org. (continues, it's worth your while to read the whole thread)

twitter.com/boodleoops/status/1041236141968699392

Dear new delurkers, be welcome! I "came out" on the last delurking thread - probably only a couple of months ago - and now look at the state of me

You are needed and wanted. Yes, some of us will have answered "newbie" questions a lot, don't be afraid - read the intro threads referenced in this one, and ask if you think you've missed something. This situation is madness and there are umpteen strands to it. But every one of us has unique perspectives and skills we can bring to this fight. Just one extra person filling in the consultation is valuable. One flyer in the right place could tip someone with power. It's all worth it.

Special mention for those of you in the public sector, especially education - I get it. It's so hard to speak out when your job is on the line. You can still do work behind the scenes - the consultation, putting flyers out, crowd funding. The support work is so valuable; we can't all be on the telly like Posie, but do you reckon she's folding all those t-shirts by herself? Don't underestimate what you can do even if it has to be incognito.

Hi all,

Just curious really.

Can you get into trouble with the law if you made a film/tv show/song/Work of art which was controversial? Entirely fictional but based on true life stories?

Just wondered

I don't think so. Art (visual, literary, musical) has a very long history of use in protest. Satire etc.

Hi all.

I am a regular poster on other boards, but lurk on the feminism boards, DH tells me off for reading it when I cannot sleep because he can hear me muttering in agreement and getting wound up reading all the amazing, informative and enlightening posts I have come across in the MN FWR rabbit hole.

The women who post here make me feel sane. I feel like no-one in my real life is actually talking about this issue at the moment. Today I decided to brave it and posted a gender critical photo of a woman protesting with a perfect poster that sums up exactly how I feel along the lines of 'woman is a biological reality,' and 'there is no ethical or moral duty to lie to soothe a male ego.." I have since received several messages and negativity for expressing this view and very little support...I am being made out to be transphobic and I just feel like screaming in real life because people are missing the point completely!

One woman messaged me starting with 'I'm a feminist too, but transwomen are women too, what harm are they in our spaces,' and I just didn't know where to start...

Any who, with the 19th of October looming I am deciding to just say 'fuck it' and be honest about how angry I am and keep on sharing my 'bigoted' opinions if it just makes one more woman stop and think about the implications we are facing.

I am still peaking; thank you all for enlightening me.

Oh and I emailed my MP today, a massive rant. My MP is a woman, I'm hoping that helps?