Woman's Hour 20 October: Has Mumnset become too politicised?

[nauticant]

I assume this is about the the audacity to criticise the gender identity ideology. I wonder if they'll have a proper discussion. Remember that Jenni Murray only felt free to talk only as she was walking out of the door.

MN is not a hive mind.
The prevailing attitudes will simply reflect the people engaging on that topic.
When women get together, they talk. Sometimes (often) they say things that make men uncomfortable. That's when the names and the silencing/undermining begins.

@Escapeplanning

A lot of fury on the thread about a paraphrasing of a trailer!

Today's episode is now available. JG ends it with "tomorrow on the programme: singing nuns"

Jeesh - we've had ongoing Brexit, Trump, T May ousted, now Covid argy-bargy, BLM, Slavery, transgender women getting /not getting spaces, Dominic Cummings trip etc etc - naughty women, get back to discussing your knitting and fashion.

@FloralBunting

Yes, the framing of the question is exactly why WH is a pointless, toothless, pandering load of old shite now.

Next week; Has Feminism gone too far?

Women had a point about being fairly treated, but the strident campaigning by some women has led to questions being asked about how much 'equality' is a reasonable aim. We examine, with the help of guests Jordan Peterson and India Willoughby, whether Feminism is really a relic of a bygone age and it's time to move on and give men their due.

Practically spilt my tea - serious but funny thread. Like FWR really - we can be very, very serious, but also have fun.

@Straven123

Jeesh - we've had ongoing Brexit, Trump, T May ousted, now Covid argy-bargy, BLM, Slavery, transgender women getting /not getting spaces, Dominic Cummings trip etc etc - naughty women, get back to discussing your knitting and fashion.

Said nobody in the trailer for tomorrow's woman's hour.

I’m pretty sure mums shouldn’t be political at all. It sours the breast milk and makes the animals barren

Plus the inevitable frown lines it causes will make hubby sad

Sounds like a cracker. I may actually tune in for it. I really want to hear who is putting the case for the proposal

I haven't heard the trailers etc.

Is anyone sending in pre-emptive emails?

Hold the front page. Large internet chat site whose content is user led discusses politics because that's one of the things the users want to talk about.

This should be a non-story.

The fact that it isn't speaks volumes about society's attitudes to mother's, and the extent to which WH panders to/ reflects those attitudes without critically examining.

When they say "politicised" will they cover the Brexit board, election coverage, rolling Trump threads, Westminster Ender's, upcoming US elections...

Or do you think it will all be "naughty mummies, daring to have an opinion on the intersection of women's rights with trans rights, how very dare they?"

Hold the front page. Large internet chat site whose content is user led discusses politics

This.

The highly tactless implication is somewhere around the 'Good grief women talk about political things and not just hairstyles, lipstick and lunchbox ideas, has anyone risk assessed this?' - which India Willoughby blurted out, not having realised women had brains and thoughts just like real humans do. And it's all said in the same tone of shocked horror as a teenager realising 'my mum has sex '

WH has becoming Men Sorting Out Women's hour.

This is such a funny thread. Nauticant has clarified that she's possibly incorrectly paraphrased the trailer she heard with "too" political band the book on the subject of the politicisation of mumsnet WH is likely to be about is fantastically positive and informative but everyone here is incandescent with rage. About a Chinese Whisper. Hilarious. You will be so disappointed tomorrow when you hear something nice and you can't whinge.

I get what you're saying Escapeplanning but there is a lot of justified anger at Woman's Hour on MN. It should be a sort of radio equivalent of MN - a space where women can talk about issues that affect them, without having to tiptoe around on eggshells, apologising for centring female experience and interests, qualifying everything with whatabouthemen - but they have singularly failed to address, dissect and discuss the biggest political issue women have faced in forever.

And yet, as Evensupposing pinpointed upthread, while they are Too craven to have the conversation but want to host the meta-conversation?

Whichever way the discussion goes on tomorrow's programme, that in itself is pretty shit.

This is such a funny thread.

everyone here is incandescent with rage.

That sort of hyperbolic attempted put-down is quite funny, imo.

Incandescent?

Wearily, mildly amused and cynical about WH, yes.

Incandescent?

Wearily, mildly amused, yes.

@Escapeplanning

This is such a funny thread. Nauticant has clarified that she's possibly incorrectly paraphrased the trailer she heard with "too" political band the book on the subject of the politicisation of mumsnet WH is likely to be about is fantastically positive and informative but everyone here is incandescent with rage. About a Chinese Whisper. Hilarious. You will be so disappointed tomorrow when you hear something nice and you can't whinge.

The actual words were "We'll be asking whether Mumsnet has become politicised, or too politicised",

So no, she didn't mishear.

It took me 30 seconds to find that out.

@MichelleofzeResistance

Incandescent?

Wearily, mildly amused, yes.

Yeah, I'm somewhere between an eye-roll and a "FFS" on this one.

With a side order of "not again."

Ffs is my incandescent go to

I've never listened to woman's hour I assumed it was about jam making and chats to people I'm not interested in. I am fairly interested in politics . But I watch political programmes or the news. I'm not interested in having running battles about politics online with people I don't know.

I do think it's fascinating how MN is perceived in wider life.

If you think about it, Mumsnet is probably the first time ever that women from all walks of life, different ages, different backgrounds etc have had the opportunity to get together and talk, without worrying about what people think of them or having to put up a typical 'female' front. And some people seem to be astonished that women might have things to talk about other than weaning, buggies and what to wear on the school run (although over the years I have certainly partaken in threads on all of those subjects too!) The idea that women getting together to talk might have political ideas that they believe may affect their lives seems alien to some?!

And if women get together and say things that men might not like? Well, then things get serious....

I thought the only place outside MN that MN could be discussed was in The Paper that Supported the Blackshirts. A bit like the club portrayed in a film with Brad Pitt in the late 90s where the first rule is you don't talk about the said club.

How wrong I am!

This is the ONLY website I visit on a daily basis, starting with the feminist forum, then active, AIBU, relationships and then a quick look at what has disappeared into Classics. This is the only female centered space I have found on the internet that discusses things I’m interested in. If WH did the same I’d still be listening to it!

Incandescent? You should hear me when I'm apoplectic.

This is the only female centered space I have found on the internet that discusses things I’m interested in. If WH did the same I’d still be listening to it!

I feel exactly the same! For me WH has turned repressed archetype 50s housewife, merrily dusting the lampshades while ignoring the massive elephant sitting on the plastic sofa.