Feminist think tank / research group - the work begins

[Newuser123123]

Hello all, starting new thread for this.

If anyone is free to begin some research, that would be great.

Based on discussion here I think we begin with gender issues as they are missing from the main political discourse.

For the purpose of keeping this manageable, if we break it down into 3 key areas.

1. single sex spaces

2. medical treatment of children with gd

3)women's sport

The idea being we build a library of resources, then at a later stage complete analysis and build positive policy solutions we can provide to whoever is in power.

With that in mind, if you have time and inclination, please could you pick an area to gather information?

For each area we need (I think?)

At the top level - current legislation, and who is responsible for enforcing (i.e. Police, local authority)

Underneath this - existing guidelines and who is responsible for enforcing (governing bodies)

And then we need evidence of issues and problems within these areas (e.g the "it'll never happen" thread)

I hope this is a reasonable structure to begin with. Worth noting that existing groups may already have gathered lots of this, so please check : Woman's place, Fairplay for women, SSA uk, lgb alliance (all of these groups know about us and have responded positively) also we are fair cop (who have been brilliant this week.

There's no way this approach can suit everyone, and I'm super happy to take direction, but hopefully this can be a start!

Thanks

Ps if you're able to, please post (or dm me) which area you are looking at so I can keep track and avoid duplication

Great stuff. Is there going to be some sort of place online to deposit stuff and share ideas? I don't have time to undertake full on research at the moment but can probably contribute valuable info here and there?

Hi, thank you. Trello was suggested, but we have someone techy looking into ways we can share securely, so I'll keep you updated.

Obviously this area is controversial at the moment but if we use existing content from reputable sources I (probably massively naively) think we should be OK.

We're aiming for positive, sensible and palatable solutions!

Great, thanks.

Probably stating the obvious here but the UN has done a lot of the groundwork with their recognition of the needs of women and girls in regard to single sex toilets etc.

Would that be a good time saving starting point?

Ummmm.... A few key people on this board have been busy compiling research for years now as you acknowledge and there are already the sources that you mention – so who exactly are you calling out to?

Could you just give us an idea of who you are (not expecting a name, obviously), who 'we' are, what this feminist think tank is (a formal lobby group with expressed aims or something more informal?), how it will fit with the groups such as WPUK, Transgender Trend etc who have done all the heavy lifting so far and what sort of feminism this think tank will promote (after all, it's intersectional feminism and liberal feminism that has got us where we are)? Please.

Just think it's a good idea for women to know who they're providing free labour for and how the fruits of their labour will be used.

@thatdamnwoman

Hi, yes, very good points and questions. I am a private individual, (current LD member, have posted about my discussions with the party).

Relative newcomer to mumsnet, was galvanised into action around the Warwickshire County Council respect yourself policy (this is where I'm based)

I started a thread a week or so ago to see if there was appetite for us to pull together all of the research going on in different places to come up with some policy suggestions.

I totally respect that there are lots of other groups lobbying and working tirelessly on this, so it may not be the best idea to start a new one. I just thought there is so much knowledge on this board it might be helpful for the other groups and policy makers if we collate it and provide analysis.

I started this as a new thread so people wouldn't need to trawl through the other one.

I am a grown up so I will happily take the point that this is not necessary or appropriate! I guess I was feeling (and got the impression from others) that during the build up to the GE we were politically homeless and wanted to take action.

Apologies if this doesn't come across well, I have been so impressed by the discussions on here, and my career is in policy and projects so I thought I might be able to help.

Would appreciate your feedback and ideas for if/ how to take this forward.

Thanks

I appreciate your enthusiasm and your candour and I don't want to squish either, but I suspect that before women start putting in the hours on your behalf you need to gather a group that includes people with academic and research credentials to establish credibility, establish your aims and means and decide how you're going to fit in/ work with the existing, well-established groups already out there providing information and lobbying. I think that WPUK, Stand up FW, Transgender Trend etc are all getting the message across from different angles in their own ways and all effectively. What's your way going to be? How will you be different? What do you plan to say that isn't already being said?

Happy to admit I haven't seen your previous thread(s) and have no idea how far this has already been discussed, so if I've got the wrong end of the stick do let me know.

Thanks for your friendly response, I appreciate it.

On the previous thread there were lots of fantastic and diverse people with skills such as lawyers, accountant, lobbyist, media producer, academic, tech worker, counsellors, parents of disabled children, all enthusiastic to take action, which is really heartening.

This is a week old idea that needs a lot of bashing out, but I think there might be space for a 'hive mind' research group that can support existing groups and provide a library of resources. I have initially contacted some of the established groups to see if they need research resources and to say we have a group willing to help.

I guess today's post is about taking a practical step forward to gauge interest and begin a mapping exercise to see what's already covered where. I have some time this week to have a proper look.

I'd appreciate your help/ guidance going forward, I'm not a glutton for punishment so I don't want to create work for myself / others if I don't have to!

Thanks

Probably a good idea to link original thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3744217-Shall-we-start-a-feminist-think-tank

@Ereshkigal thank you, much better to read people's initial responses than my hastily written summary! 😂

I wish you good luck in turning enthusiasm into something concrete. And I don't mean that ironically, I mean it genuinely.

Personally (not being an expert in anything useful) I think that the best thing I can do for the cause is send money to those groups who are already good at what they're doing so that expert women can be paid to continue their work.

That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate all of the women here on Mumsnet who've been working away on this issue for years. But having worked and volunteered in women's organisations over the years, I know that when enthusiastic and motivated women get weary, money is what keeps things going.

The people best placed to say whether your idea is a good one are those meticulous women who archive and follow up on research items that crop up here. I'm going to bow out because I'm feeling like a wet blanket now!

Thank you so much, I appreciate your comments and experience x

I’m still interested in this Newuser.
I see this as a grassroots organisation, not sure it needs ‘academic and research credentials’ at this stage?

Perhaps identify first the gaps not covered by other Groups?

eg, I can see there is a need / use for some kind of report/blog by people who experienced ROGD and have since come to terms with themselves

OP I get where you are coming from as I do @thatdamnwoman
I also understand the weariness of sitting on or running un-paid boards I'm nonetheless passionate about. In my experience you need to:

1. Set out a clear TOR
2. Ensure there is a clear communication strategy in place between other key parties in your space (WPUK, Fair Play etc as per above)
3. You can't achieve anything unless you're market facing, but, it's an issue that other parties in (2) have been struggling with. Really really important you liaise with 2 before speaking to sports bodies, for example so as not to undo any careful work they've been doing there

I think - raise funds - ask for support from the existing bodies in place to act as an umbrella body. I'll happily support / engage / fund if I know there's some coordinated activity

Actually, how about approaching the organisations who are already established and saying 'We'd like to offer any assistance we can on the research and information front. Is there anything we can do?'

Hiya, yes I sent this message to SSA uk, woman's place, Fairplay for women and the Lgb alliance. All got back to me quickly and positively but haven't had specific research requests but will keep everyone updated x

Sorry if my post came across as negative @OP. I can / will support you!

@midcenturylegs not at all! Sorry for not responding sooner. You raise really good points.

I guess there's a balance between getting set up properly to make sure any work we do is effective and reaches the right audience, and making sure that we actually have a group that can and does work together. I don't want to over-promise until I know we have enough resource if that makes sense?

Let me do some mapping to see if I can identify a solid niche for us, and in the meantime anyone with some time can begin scanning or thinking about which area they'd most likely want to contribute too.

There has been lots of enthusiasm for this and I think it is something to take our time over to make sure we get it right and don't waste effort, but equally I do feel we can start looking, gathering and mapping just to sound each other out and start to get a feel for how we can work together.

Looking forward to working with you 😊

I think setting up in a coordination role is a great first step towards scoping out the possibilities for a new think tank. Joining people up sounds like it is a current gap in the market to be bridged, whatever happens with the think tank.

The current gaps and duplications need to be flushed out and it would help everyone who is active on similar issues to work together in a much more coordinated way.

Funders typically don’t usually want to fund individual outfits to do things unless they already have a critical mass of support behind them, big names attached and a track record. Ideally funders want to see a coordinated plan that takes account of what else is going on with lots of evidence of successful partnership working.

One idea I had was around scanning things like the UK Parliament proceedings, court cases etc and flagging potentially interesting items for further scrutiny and analysis.

I think it would be helpful for the think tank and the other organisations to be drawing up a big map and thinking together: which issues are more about informing the public and other organisations about immediately implementable things (like getting organisations to use the existing sex-based exemptions already in the EqA, or to reflect the actual protected characteristics in their policies)

Then which issues need Parliament to make legislation to get change (making offering under 25’s blockers and hormones only available on case-by-case licence from an expert body..) Which areas require a test legal case (Maya Forstater’s case is an example of that). Which ones require select committee enquiries to gather some momentum in Parliament (sports, children, women in prison, freedom of speech etc). Which issues need professional bodies or organisations to advise their members to work differently (NHS, sports, prisons, etc).

Great points/ ideas. I'll get mapping this week and report back

Hi all, I've sketched out the existing organisations and their scope and I've added it to a trello board. If you'd like to be added to the board please dm me and I'll send you a link.
Thanks