Tips for getting involved/ helping feminist causes please?

[Stillonly8am]

I've always identified as a feminist, but lately I'm just so fucking angry. I just want to do something to help women, however small and trivial, but I'm a single mum with very little childcare so getting to marches and demos is tricky. I also don't have much spare cash, although I donate what I can. Does anyone have any suggestions, please? Some posters on another thread gave me some great suggestions re pro-choice organisations to support. I feel particularly strongly about violence against women (including sexual violence).

I'm not a single parent but mostly struggle with marches etc due to childcare. I write to my MP a lot and sign every petition going. I donate carefully and when I can. There is a feminist To Do list thread on here somewhere. Doing little things can make you feel a bit better about it all.

Here's one OP

go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=chng.it/KpymKQCNzs

Thank you!! I've been writing to my local MP a lot lately but sometimes I feel a bit hopeless about it because my MP is an arse.

Are there any ReSisters groups near where you are?

resistersunited.org/

I don't think so. Being located in the back of beyond doesn't help, unfortunately! But I'll take a look at their website - thanks.

My MP is an arse also, but I write to him nonetheless as it makes me feel like I'm doing something, however ineffective it may be.

I've started writing directly to Ministers and cc'ing him...

Gender Critical to do list www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3553125-Gender-Critical-to-do-list

I think there are 3 main ways to be active;

• get out and do it.
• donate.
• Get writing - write letters in real life, be active online. Try to email and talk face to face with your MP.

Womans Place are asking everyone to distribute their manifesto so send them a copy.
womansplaceuk.org/2019/05/20/this-is-what-we-want-the-wpuk-manifesto/

You can sign petitions.
You can put up stickers in toilets, saying they are for female only and asking male bodied people to respect that.
You can borrow books by female authors in the library.
You can go on BBC Iplayer and watch some of the women's world soccer championsships.
You can call your local fitness club and inquire wether they respect your wish for the changing rooms to be single sex.
You can vote for women in the elections. In all sorts of elections, really. Parlement, council, church council, president of your club, cashier for your club.

Google Violence against Women and Girls Strategy for your local council or police force or Police and Crime Commissioner. Find out what they are working on and who with.

The strategy started in 2015 and ends in 2020, so projects, initiatives and services should have been developed. See if one of the service providers chimes with your own interests. They might appreciate an offer to leave leaflets in women's spaces, for instance.

If you feel inclined, please, please, please consider going to a public meeting locally and question councillors, police commanders and the Police and Crime Commissioner about their VaWG strategy.

I've been to shed loads of public meetings about local policing, (to give an account and listen to public views and complaints) and I've never, ever been asked about domestic violence or rape or murders of women. I will go as far as to say that the audience's eyes glaze over and their attention starts wandering, when I've introduced the subject.

This non-involvement leads the council/police etc with the impression that no one will ever ask them the tough questions : 'why are you so bad at convicting rapists?', or 'why are so many women being murdered every week?'

Don't get me wrong - you'll find that there are some fantastic services and women's groups doing great work locally. I just believe that there is much to be gained by going to public meetings of the Police and Crime Commissioner - where the police and councillors attend too - to put the people who hold resources and have responsibility for results, on the spot. It's not for everyone, I know.

Good luck in finding an activity that suits you and your interests.

If you're able to say where you are there might be something happening.

I was a single parent for 6 years and...

In the past I've...

Organized conferences
Organised talks/panels
Set up a book group for women reading feminist books
Collected gifts and toiletries for local women's aid
Written blog posts
Donated to charities
Organised groups going to million women rise

I think it has to start with whatever feels doable for you.
Maybe it's reading a book.
Maybe then you ask your library to order more feminist books.
Maybe you tell a few friends about a good feminist book.
Etc

Become a #StickerWoman! Easy to do in your spare time wherever you are.....and in addition to other feminist activism too of course.

Thanks for all the great ideas! And that's a good point about starting with what feels doable. I've been feeling a bit cramped and have lost a lot of confidence in the last couple of years - motherhood is great, that's not the issue, but it's the way the people around you use motherhood to put you in a little box and tell you that you can't do X or Y anymore (go for a weekend trip to the city you used to visit every year because it's suddenly "too dangerous" for a mother; attend peaceful protests; get involved in political activism, etc etc). So I'm probably going to have to start small and build up. I've been making small changes, even just stuff like consciously buying books mostly by female authors and correcting people if they come out with sexist crap rather than being too embarrassed. But obviously I want to do much more.

I'm sure there was a small feminist act thread a while ago...

Reading books by women is a really mind blowing thing. I started in about 2010 and have stuck to it. Can't believe how many books I would have missed out on if I'd stuck to the rut I was in

I know, me too. And it changes your perspective because, when I do read a book by a man now, I'm far more likely to notice if the author can't write women for toffee.

Think I found the small feminist acts thread - can't seem to link but it was back in Feb. I loved reading it because it made me realise that I've already made a start, even with little things like recognising the conditioning that makes me want to use "he" as a default pronoun when talking to DD ("oh, a little dog. Isn't he sweet?") and overriding it. Or paying her two compliments for being brave or curious or funny every time a stranger at the shops tells her she's pretty and that it's nice to see little girls looking "properly girly" in a dress.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3508611-small-feminist-acts
I was thinking of one a super long time ago but this is the one you found I think

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3465705-Tiny-Acts-of-Feminism
I found this one too

I can't find the one I was thinking of but they're all along the same lines. It was 2011 or 2012

Its great that you feel able to do more and worth remembering that one of the first Women's Liberation groups in London was the "2 o'clock club" (a mother and toddlers group)

So are there any other single mums you are friends with? You could maybe work together or alternate childcare so you each have the opportunity to go to a meeting or something.

Another option might be volunteering. For instance some local women's refuges have a charity shop in their town.

Or is their a local Council for Voluntary Action? These are women only organisation but it maybe where local women's groups advertise for volunteers.

And as others have said if you cant easily get somewhere keep an eye on your local paper and council web site and write or email.

I think you will find that your status as a "local mum" will get you listened to!

sorry - sloppy typing - Local Councils for Voluntary Action are NOT women only but ....

Thank you, stumbledin (and sorry for the late reply - I'm still a bit vague about managing my MN notifications so I missed your reply!).

I'm quite isolated at the moment but I have a couple of potential mum friends who I'm pretty confident would be interested in feminist activism, so we might be able to work something out in future.