Woman’s place UK conference

[Silencedwitness]

Is anyone else thinking or going?

womansplaceuk.org/conference-womens-liberation-2020/

[ArranUpsideDown]

I wouldn't be surprised if they'd had to assure workshop leaders that their names wouldn't be on the publicity, or something on those lines.

I'd be surprised if I'm wrong about the identity of the leaders for the workshops I've selected.*

*I may be very wrong.

[ArranUpsideDown]

I thought we had LTB cards to hand out?

Oddly enough, only today I say an alternate use of LTB when posters were advising the OP to LTB - where the B were the OP's unsupportive female friends who were siding with someone else.

My personal favourite, tho' less iconic, is PTB. P = Patio. I like the use as a verb, and it was in the context of a pregnant MNer who had returned home from work, thinking all day of the cream cake that she was looking forward to - only to find her DP had eaten it. As one poster put it, "You're asking, "AIBU?" - I'd PTB."

[GeordieTerf]

Perhaps we could all roll our eyes at each other?

Or hand out jammy dodgers?

[midcenturylegs]

PTB :-) I must read that thread :-)

[Jeanhatchet]

Not sure why there is such suspicion @stumbledin ... pulling something together this massive this fast has been an incredible achievement and wouldn't be possible if women didn't just get on with it. I was asked to run a workshop on grassroots organising and given that there are over 30 separate workshops the organisers have only got time to say "go on - just do your thing"... so we will be. They haven't put names to the workshop - I believe - so that women can choose a topic not a name. I like that. I think it's an excellent idea. I can see at least 10 I want to go to if I wasn't facilitating. Ours aims to be participatory and creative/productive as well as giving ideas and talking about things we have done and ways to cope/organise etc. I think there will be a huge variety of approaches and delivery across the workshops because it isn't being overly controlled by a "management" group or an imposed format/formula.

Remembering also that the "Women's Liberation" part of it is more a nod to it being the anniversary of Oxford 1970. But I am glad that the conference isn't only on trans issues - but - more like Filia in approaching a full range of feminist issues.

There are some bits I wouldn't have if it was my gig. Like blokes. But it isn't my gig and I wouldn't have been able to pull off this kind of thing in 2 years never mind a few months.

Hats off to the women who have done this.

[MrsSnippyPants]

Final tickets available this morning at 11am!

[MrsSnippyPants]

15 minute warning!

[Dolorabelle]

Woohoo! I snagged a ticket - I bought a Solidarity ticket at about 11:15, so I hope there are stil some available.

Now I have to work out which workshops to sign up for.

I'll be very interested to see how this conference works in comparison with some of the women's lib conferences I attended as an 18 year old in 1977/1978 ...

Ahhhh the 70s - not so bad as people make out.

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

I can't go, but had a look and just now there were some (at least one anyway) left.

[Newuser123123]

studentsunionucl.org/whats-on/representation/solidarity-demonstration-workshop-re-wpuk-conference

Unsurprising

[xxyzz]

Newuser123123 - I'm fuming at that!

I'm a IoE alumna and the bar is public - how dare a load of TRAs take it over for the day, laughably claiming that "everyone will have a chance to mingle with each other and relax in a safe space over some beverages and snacks, and some fun music."

It won't be a safe space for people who are able to use their eyes and therefore unfortunately recognise biology!

Indeed, the whole aim of the protest is to ensure that those - particularly women - attending the conference feel as unsafe as possible.

That said, unless the protesters are real masochists or get that much of a kick out of intimidating women and annoying students who just want a drink at the bar, they are going to have a truly shit day! I note that they have planned:

"We’ll watch some fun yet educational videos at the bar." Which sounds like a laugh a minute.

Plus the IoE bar is very small - I wish them luck but there's only one pool table and bugger all else to do. 8am - 9pm stuck in the basement with nothing to do what watch preachy videos and undertake the Daily Hate - it sounds like torture.

Meanwhile, the conference sounds cracking!

[xxyzz]

I note the protesters will be having a talk on ‘how to recognize Trans-exclusionary Feminist Ideology’ at the Institute bar.

I'm guessing from their perspective, the list of how to spot a TEF (wot no R?) will be something like:

1. Looks like my mum.
   
2. Is my mum.
   
3. I don't like my mum because she tells me off.
   
4. She doesn't have blue hair like me.
   
5. She makes me get off my computer sometimes. And complains if I don't pick up my socks! It's my mum's job to pick up my socks! I'm so misunderstood.
   

The End.

There, they don't even need to go now, they can just read my summary and avoid having to spend an endless day hiding in a basement stringing out the tedious pool game and making uncomfortable small talk for 13 hours to other people with multicoloured hair.

[xxyzz]

I have children of this age, and if any of them were self-indulgent or stupid enough to attend 'protests' like this I would be having words.

[TinseLANGel]

They should be sleeping off their hangovers like I was at that age, not getting up at the crack of dawn on a weekend to protest about pesky mums wanting rights.

[Newuser123123]

1. Looks like my mum.
2. Is my mum.
3. I don't like my mum because she tells me off.
4. She doesn't have blue hair like me.
5. She makes me get off my computer sometimes. And complains if I don't pick up my socks! It's my mum's job to pick up my socks! I'm so misunderstood.

😂😂

I'm young enough to pass as woke so they might leave me alone? I don't have blue hair but I do have one of those overpriced pastel coloured water bottles....

[morningtoncrescent62]

That solidarity rally thing isn't very well written is it?

"It is a time to raise important topics and more importantly understand and celebrate the diversity of our student population which all wants just one thing from University- a feeling they belong, have friends that support and space where they can flourish as their best version."

Is that really the one thing they want from University (aside from the fact that it appears to be three things)? I would have hoped they might want to learn some critical thinking skills, and maybe how to write clearly. Perhaps learn about their chosen discipline even. I suggest that their Saturday would be better spent doing some reading. I can start them off with a list of authors: Selina Todd, Kathleen Stock, Rosa Freedman...

[TinseLANGel]

If they're so diverse, how can they all want the same thing?

[xxyzz]

"We're all different," chanted in unison.

[xxyzz]

Having been a member of that student population myself until quite recently, I can assure them, that we do not all want "one thing" - we appear to want quite different things, actually. They have absolutely no right whatsoever to claim they speak for all students at the IoE or UCL.

By all means let the protesters speak for themselves, but to start claiming that they speak for all the many thousands of students at the university, whom they are also inconveniencing massively by taking over the IoE bar for an entire Saturday - not on at all.

[PlonitbatPlonit]

I think protesting an event celebrating 50 years since the first UK national Women's Liberation Conference, and which has a high proportion of sessions on the subject of violence against women and girls will not be a good look. I just hope that no one with tickets for the conference will be put off, and will be reassured that WPUK always have security arrangements in place.

[xxyzz]

"our student population which all wants just one thing from University- a feeling they belong, have friends that support and space where they can flourish as their best version."

Poor dears - I guess, reading between the lines of that, currently they do not have:

• a feeling they belong
  
• friends
  
• a space where they can flourish.
  

It's hard being an adolescent. I remember it well. I feel for them (or would do, if they weren't trying desperately to make new mates by bonding over attacking women).

I hope they can find some friends and maybe find an outlet for their misery that doesn't involve antagonising women and trying to dismantle women's rights? Dungeons and dragons, a part-time job at Primark, that kind of thing?

Maybe, as TinseLANGel says, they can get a proper hangover instead, like normal students?

That said, 13 hours stuck in the IoE bar with nothing to do but watch 'improving' videos, and I'd be very surprised if most hadn't turned to drink!

Poor sods.

[xxyzz]

Quite, PlonitbatPlonit.

Whoever got up in the morning and thought, "I know, I'll go and protest women gaining rights, that will be a good look!"

What is wrong with these people? Do they know nothing about history??

[Dolorabelle]

I think protesting an event celebrating 50 years since the first UK national Women's Liberation Conference, and which has a high proportion of sessions on the subject of violence against women and girls will not be a good look

Well quite.

Rather puts them on “the wrong side of history “ side by side with the MRAs.

[Ereshkigalangcleg]

Following the workshop, everyone will have a chance to mingle with each other and relax in a safe space over some beverages and snacks, and some fun music. We’ll watch some fun yet educational videos at the bar.

Wow, l like my fun educational! Is it open to anyone?

[Dolorabelle]

God it sounds like a Blue Peter session on joyless political correctness.

Fun! Educational!

I can hear the Ben Elton spoof now