Political Activism in USA. (PP, JL, VA)

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I am having trouble understanding why some GC UK feminists consider it a liability. This is fairly standard, and even celebrated in the US

theintercept.com/2019/02/04/ana-maria-archila-queens-woman-who-confronted-jeff-flake-will-be-ocasio-cortezs-sotu-guest/

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History

Because they hate us anyway so this was a great excuse to shit on us publicly?

It doesn't make sense.

This whole thing is exposing a hierarchy in feminism, where the well-established mouthpieces are being shown as egotistical and unpleasant.

JL, PP and VA didn't do anything wrong. Nothing.

I am saddened to see this friction, but when it comes down to it, I would rather DO something than just talk on Twitter.

I think you are awesome drradfem and PP and JL!

So inspirational!

But this bullshit is pretty standard when some feminists make a break for it - you get the 'I would have done it differently' brigade turning up - even though they wouldn't have had the idea to do it all.

In fact it's not just feminism - anytime anyone does anything bold, creative or game changing their closest contemporaries do them down. Bloody human nature. But we all know who gets the last laugh and who ends up looking stupid.

It reminds me of that song "but ho! ho! ho! who's got the last laugh now?"..

It's really depressing to see Rosa Freedman attacking Posie, instead of defending her. :( Women telling other women that they 'should be good'.

be good. Pah.
How far did good get us?
Its relying on women's politeness, our supposed willingness to put others first, to be kind, to step aside for others, that has got us into this mess in the first place.

All the left wing / right wing / assaulting by questioning BS is really destructive

It certainly is successful in us taking our eye off the ball. Let's stop wasting time infighting and remember where the real problems are.

I never did understand that comment out of the blue about liability. It is sad because I have admired everyone involved in this quarrel, but am a bit fed up with Dr. Kathleen Stock who came out with that comment and has never deigned to explain herself.

There's a tradition of it here too op. Christabel Pankhurst once spat in a policeman's face (Manchester 1905). I dread to think what they'd have made of that.

I assumed at first it was mostly unease about tactics mixed with some personal animosity, but I thought the tweets from Freedman about violence crossed a line. I agree with Redemptive about not taking our eye off the ball (which I'm now doing) and there's no law that says we all have to get along, but I think everyone concerned should have the courtesy to keep their personal disagreements private.

Brilliant OP. Double standards everywhere. I support these women for their part in the struggle.

I think the people who do the public denouncing just make themselves look a bit up themselves, spineless and thick. I think the situation with Jean was more understandable because she has such personal pressures at the moment.

I don't think lawyers or philosophers necessary have any understanding of direct action and it might look a bit a distasteful, but tbh, I don't want to dwell on it. Nobody is perfect and these women are clearly imagining that their audiences are not made up of people like me who find it the indignity of making personal comments a bit cringy. Perhaps some feminists see it as upstanding and noble. But hey ho. I have been disappointed by friends, role models, all sorts before so I no longer feel devastated - just a bit world-weary.

I'd rather look beyond. I think what went on in America is amazing, what is going on in the UK is amazing. The women doing the denouncing are not our 'leaders' - they speak for themselves. Let's koko!

I was very shocked at the attacks Posie and Julia got from the academics and even Julie Bindel joined in. It's all disgusting actually. We need to unite together. The academics are not the leaders whose approval is needed or wanted and it just detracted from our common goal and fed fuel to the TRA fire.

Well done PP, JL and VA you were amazing.

telling others they're doing it wrong

Everyone, including women, love telling women they're doing it wrong.

They can all fuck off.

I actually have no problem with women disagreeing- being nice is what got us here. What I do have a problem with is a) making shit up and b) doing it on a platform where you know the person you're making shit up about doesn't have the right to reply. That is not debate in good faith. It's whipping up a pile on and its really passive aggressive and unpleasant behaviour.

I have lost a lot of respect for some of my sheroes over the last few weeks.

I actually have no problem with women disagreeing- being nice is what got us here.

Disagreeing is one thing. Trying to police other women's behaviour is not acceptable though.

Absolutely Juells. I just think it's important to make that distinction clear.

What Fidget said.

Something JL, PP and VA have got in common is that they are bloody fearlessly truthful and connected to what they are saying. They come across as having a common touch, a courageous refusal to back down and also a sense of humour - not overly earnest (but compassionately driven) - so you can watch and re-watch or listen and re-listen or read and re-read what they say and do and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

The Get the L Out protest at pride gave me chills, the transcript of Venice's 'trial' left me open mouthed in wonder and there are a fair few Posie vids i've watched over again and again.

It is amazing that these women are working together. What a fab trio!

I have no idea why a small handful of women thought it was appropriate to make these pompous announcements about them. They probably need a bit of a reality check- which is a bit difficult in the 'through the looking glass' weirdness of social media which is being manipulated by misogynist perverts in silicone valley with a vision of totalitarian control. However, I will still support them if they continue to fight for women's rights - that's the end game. It's a shame they behaved like twats, it's a shame that they are causing a distraction from what needs to be done, and it's a shame that they are trying to take the shine off some brilliant women and might dishearten actually them for a beat- but, but, I still have the twatty feckers backs if they fight for women.

But more importantly VA, JL and PP please know that I totally support what you did without hesitation.