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.

It stands for "feminism & women's rights", tidy. There are a few boards under that heading, of which feminist chat is the most active.

Lurker here too, I've donated and bought merchandise and am starting to tentatively start to say the words out loud but am a bit scared so this thread will help. Thanks to everyone who is less scared than me for paving the way.

What do the initials FWR stand for? Thank you

Feminism and Women's Rights

this is a lovely thread

hello all you lovely lurkers!

Hi! Long time lurker, I've learnt so much from you wonderful women.

I'm not normally one to stick my head above the parapet but now is the time to stand up and be counted - my girls are tiny but when they are adults I want to be able to look them in the eye and say I did what I could.

Hi! I post occasionally but not often, I rarely feel I have anything to say that hasn't already been said, but better, by someone else.

Plus a lot of what I read about on hear leaves me so angry I'm incapable of little more than incoherent spluttering.

Morning everyone. I’m an avid reader/lurker, but have posted once or twice. Just want to say thank you to all those women who are so eloquent and brave and who so beautifully make the arguments that others among us can’t find the words for. Yesterday I donated to Standing for Women and I hope to do the same for WPUK very soon.

Sophocles - thank you.

I don't remember what first brought me to these boards. I think it would have been a link from an Active Thread.

There has been so much to read and learn over the past few months. Without these boards, I would still be ignorant of so much that worries me.

Hi I'm a very occasional poster but mostly a lurker. I lurk because I'm not hugely articulate and I find you intelligent women disrespectful vipers put into words perfectly what I'm thinking but can't always explain. Essentially I steal your words to use later so I can hold my own in arguments and discussions.

I very rarely post because someone has usually already said it far more eloquently than I could, so all that would be left for me to say is 'I agree with ...'.

Hello,
I lurk and learn. The posters FWR are intelligent and articulate people and I can't add any more to the discussion.
IRL I am unable to have these sorts of discussions at work (in the NHS) but women do talk about all the issues in FWR and many have hit peak-trans.
To all of you who post: keep going. this is one of the few places where FWR are discussed.

Please don't be scared to post, lurkers!

Another lurker here! Not brave enough to post in FWR but very impressed by how articulate those that do are and thank you for educating me on these issues. I opened Posie Parker’s rant the other week thinking I’d only watch a few minutes but watched the full 30 minutes!
Please keep doing what you’re doing

I am posting on behalf of someone who told me last week that they are massively supportive, but their job would be at immediate, direct risk if they said anything public.

I am not as out as many, but am slowly posting comments and links and stuff - changed my FB pic to the billboard, share the rules of misogyny etc

Given the attacks that this forum has to contend with I realise that so many newbies might cause problems, but it's fantastic that it's getting proper old school feminism out of the cupboard and giving it an airing in front of a new audience.

(Takes large, comfortable pants from draw and flaps them about the way my gran did with washing)

We came to understand the transborg, we are staying to fight the patriarchy!

I’m another lurker. I found out recently that my sister is lurking on here too, being gender critical and we were both very reticent to say what we really thought and then really relieved to be able to do so and then very passionate and had a good old rant.

I’m scared to speak out professionally but working up to it and find FWR is giving me the courage. I work for a mental health trust, who’ve now made it policy that you go on the sex-segregated ward of the sex you identify as. I emailed the lead person for this policy and suggested that this may put vulnerable women in danger, but just got a “thank you for your comment” and the next time I looked, it was trust policy. I don’t know quite what to do now.

Hello!

I think I've posted twice on FWR, but lurk here a lot. I'm a bit meek and mild in real life and not very articulate; that plus the rage makes it difficult to write or speak coherently on the subject. I try to challenge sexist ideas and point out untruths where I can and I think helped peak trans my mum too!

Just yesterday I watched Posie Parkers cognitive dissonance video - really spurred me on. Thank you to her and all you fabulous regulars who are fighting the good fight (articulately!) to keep women and girls rights!

I have lurked for ever, I have read and learned so much.

It's true though, with few words or many all of our voices need to be heard, I'll take your lead OP and join in, thank you.

I've been lurking for years. I'm on here most days. I used to be very much live and let live when it came to transpeople, and if it wasn't for mumsnet I would have had no idea about the plans for self id, and so would have probably have been wondering what all the fuss was about. This board has opened my eyes and now I can't shut them again. It's also shown me that I've been a GC feminist all my life - who knew?!
I find it beyond depressing that the stereotypes that I've fought against my whole life are now taken as facts and that so many people don't know the difference between sex and gender.

I am not a lurker but.... I like hearing about lurkers’ extended family members lurking. Since Posie’s excellent rant, after which DH declared himself officially angry (ie peaked) about the erosion of women’s rights, he’s been asking me to send him links for the media clips this week. I don’t think it would take much for him to start lurking independently, particularly if I withdraw my ‘wifework’ labour in forwarding links.

Long time lurker and v occasional poster - have found so many inspirational women on these boards. I'm not clever enough to post much but I've learned so much- I am (was) your classic leftie liberal live-and-let-live type but have been well and truly peak transed.

I have 2DDs, one of whom is very GNC and bi and I massively worry that she is very vulnerable to trans ideology but I think she gets it and is secure enough in herself 🤞

I really want to get to a WPUK meeting soon- I feel strongly that I need to put my money (not that I have any 🙁) where my mouth is as such.

I've shared the odd article on fb but have only had tumbleweed.

I feel completely politically homeless- I was a longtime Labour Party member but left when Corbyn was elected due to his misogyny even then. Would love to support WEP but they are too hand-in-glove with TRAs.

Long-term lurker here (started reading Mumsnet when I was pregnant nine years ago). About a year ago I must have seen a post in AIBU or Active which brought me to this board. I am so in awe of the intelligent, thoughtful and well-informed women who post here. You have honestly changed the way I think! I feel like I know you! I’ve written to my MP, filled in consultations and spoken to friends and family. I’m drafting a second letter to my MP as she didn’t reply to the first one, which I wrote last December.... I will continue to follow the debate and will keep trying to do my bit, however small!

Oh and I am blocked by certain Twitter accounts despite the fact that I have never sent a single public Tweet or liked or re-Tweeted anything. I only read and follow. I think that’s very telling...

There must be thousands of us out there, silently reading and thinking.

I have been lurking for awhile and have just signed up. We need to support those putting themselves on the front line even if its just messages of support or donating a few quid.

Hello, another lurker here. Never been brave enough to post for fear of saying the wrong thing, or not using the right terminology. But I enjoy reading the posts and have learned a lot.

*I am trying to help in other ways by making (small) donations, filling in things etc.

I swear there needs to be a section of the board for, Things We Need to Fill In, Letters to MPs and Organisations, Complaints about Programmes etc.

I love you all! I’m not a lurker but I am new to posting- since the beginning of summer- we’ll since peak trans happened to me. This board has changed the way I see the world. I am never going back. Im off later to give out my fair play for women leaflets! That’s how far I have traveled mentally between August and end of September, my little girl is coming with me.