Hello Lurkers!

[BadgertheBodger]

Hi. Hello. Howya doing?

I have unwittingly become a lurker on this board as I often find the brilliant long-standing posters have not only got there before me but put my contribution to shame.

But! There’s a place for every woman in feminism and I wanted to start a thread for lurkers, or less confident posters, to share their thoughts. I want this to be a thread which has less of a focus on the most amazingly analytical comment, and more about posters (particularly lurkers) sharing thoughts and working out ideas in conjunction with all the incredible resources available on this board.

Here’s to all of us looking, thinking, but not posting. Your opinion is welcome too. I would love this to be a thread where we shared our thoughts

Hello fellow lurkers, and thank you Badger for pulling us gently out of the undergrowth. I'm an angry but largely frightened lesbian who spends her time reading and talking about these issues when it feels safe. But also as a survivor of sexual and physical violence from males, I'm acutely aware of the fear responses that kick in when I'm venturing into more public parts of the current debates. I think that this is no accident; that those who brow beat, troll and doxx women are well aware of the fear many of us feel. That they use it to silence us.

Apparently, I'm not silent today! As you were.

I read masses of threads but don't say much. Namechanged a couple of times after that hoohah with the catholic and the golf club, as I got quite nervous of being recognised and doxxed.

Thanks to all the articulate posters, long may my education continue.

By the way, where's R0wentrees?

Another lurker here! I have been lurking for about 18 months, and have a very woke dd at uni, so have found this board invaluable. I’m depressed at her lack of critical thinking, but I’m hoping she will come around. At the moment we can’t talk about it without it turning into argument about me apparently denying people’s existence.

I post quite a lot, have been here a while under various usernames, but I agree that my posts pale in comparison to the articulate and eloquent arguments seen on here. Sometimes I read a post and just go 'wow, yes!'

The notes in my phone are full of copy and pastes of excellent points from this board

Just to add to the chorus of how life-changing this board has been.
I used to roll my eyes at anything in the active threads that mentioned "trans" but clicked on one about ocado as I was probably their number 1 customer (spending thousands over ten years and was on their premium freebie list for lots of nice stuff every month), fell out with them and then kept reading.
I've influenced others a bit IRL, donate to crowdfunders and sign petitions.
Thanks for your wisdom, your eloquence and your fight

I just thank the fuck the day I googled 'what is a terf' and came here. Less than a year ago.
I could have easily been directed to third wave/kink/sex work is cool/yay for anal/ fmg hey context/ affirm my AGP/many more

Oh! Meatycankles that sounds just like my house, it's so difficult, dd has a trans friend and so is an expert on all matters trans. It astounds me, how she can be so smart and such a deep thinker, but on this, it's just self imposed blinkers. But thanks to the amazing contributors on here I am able to stand my ground, and give clear, logical replies to the 'feelings' that supposedly replace biological reality. I think she'll blow a gasket if I mention the fragrant Karen White again. I'm a transphobe in her mind, though I know that thanks to FWR I am actually PRO women, so lately we tend not to touch on the subject at all.

Luckily my friends have a broader experience and view of life, so several completed the consultation last year after we talked about it.

I honestly don't know what I'd be thinking without FWR, like so many of us I'm programmed to be 'kind', but now I know the response to that is like the Titanic - Women (Adult Human Female) and Children FIRST

By the way, where's R0wentrees?

Absent for a wee while but I’m pretty sure still around. I am always grateful for her posts, full of links and info I probably wouldn’t find otherwise.

I think she'll blow a gasket if I mention the fragrant Karen White again.

You should print off some of the discussions about the ‘some women have penises, that females should be forced to interact with Yaniv’ (that title may be a slightly longer than needed description 😁) and leave them lying around. Curiosity will have them read them. She may realise there’s more than one KW.

Curiosity will have *her read them.

Also mainly lurk, rarely post. At one point I was like the AIBU posters who complained not another trans thread, but then actually clicked on one and was astounded at the intelligence and wit. Occasionally the gallows humour too, which I think is necessary if you're a second wave feminist (as I've now discovered I am) in today's world.

I really do feel the tide is turning. People are starting to wake up to what is going on, and realizing it’s nothing like what they originally thought.

Thanks Jessica, I hope all's well. And apologies for misspelling her name 🙄

And... I am lurking on this thread too!

Good thread! I lurk a lot. Without consciously setting out to, I think I've developed a rule of thumb on MN to only post on threads I feel I know something about or have particular experience of. Other posters on FWR are far better informed! But I read it and I use the info gained a lot in my non-online life. Can't remember what peak trans-ed me originally (was ages ago) but found FWR through twitter and definitely have been fully radicalised by MN

Hello

I post occasionally, but mostly lurk. Very grateful to have the razor-sharp analysis from the fwr regulars.

Great thread Badger. I too find I often don't have much to contribute because someone has already said it better than I can. I'm trying more to just pipe up and say I agree with what Lang or Barracker or Floral or Datun or R0 (insert name of articulate FWR poster!) says, just really to show that it's not only a few women who agree with each other on here. I think there are loads of us, and more by the day.

I am immensely grateful for this space and the generous women who share their research so freely to inform other women and help us keep our own kids safe and fight for a better future for all women and girls.

I lurk constantly.
The thread about rape survivors having to deal with male bodied people in rape crisis centres was really the tipping point for me.
I'm actually much more vocal and confident in real life and have taken so many people down this rabbit hole lately there's a little army in my sleepy town starting to really push women's sex based rights.
Thank you to all you strong, articulate and knowledgeable women for getting meet here and keeping up the fight.

It's lovely to meet you, lurkers all. Please remember that it's tiring fighting all the time. We need fresh eyes - and your untapped energy.

I post a bit here and there, with very little knowledge but a lot of passion, though it's voiced tentatively amongst the more educated, articulate and experienced feminists here, but I lurk a LOT and am learning all the time. Thanks to all who have paved the way and hello to all fellow lurkers.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I agree with the sentiments already noted. Just last night I started a thread , spending about 20 minutes on it, and then after reviewing it, I deleted the whole bloody lot. What a wuss eh?

God- I do that all the time.

I wish we had a real life lurkers code / emblem / secret handshake!

Another lurker here.....the trans stuff about "men" in women's prisons and the typical male offences being recorded as committed by women peaked my interest.

I don't feel I have the knowledge to contribute to threads.....they can move pretty quickly plus a lot of it is linked to Twitter and I bloody hate Twitter - can never work out what's happening!

Much love to all you lovely 'lurkers'.

We are here for you .. your voice will come one day and there you will be ... having your say .. stating your opinion ... providing new facts ... offering a different perspective ... and you will be most welcome when your day comes.

I post quite a lot now after lurking for a while. I often get a bit cross which am not sure helps, I always admire Datun for her seemingly infinite calm patience. I have learnt so much and am grateful for that.
Rather pathetically this thread has made me well up a bit