what feminism fights are still relevant to you?

[garden4569]

just curious. i have a female family member who is a 1970's quite strident feminist.
to be honest sometimes it's a bit draining. as in my (female) experience, i personally do not think things in this country, in 2020 are that bad for women. i have worked in what would have been percieved as male industries and personally feel that women in this year, have the freedom to choose what industry they want to work within without barriers.
i think as a mum to 3 boys, that boys have a tough time too and that i wish, we were all humanists, rather than feminists (if you see what i mean)
what battles do you feel still need fighting in this country in the name of feminism?

You need to read invisible women.

Medicine has next to no idea about women's bodies. Women are underrepresented, often ignored completely in medical trials so women get surprising side effects and are often massively over medicated. Women's pain is often ignored, women are expected to suffer far more than men generally. Rights during childbirth are a mess.

Abortion rights around the world, and close to home e.g. Republic of Ireland are abysmal. Women are dying, we're a hair's breadth away from the return of coat hangers.

Women and young girls are objectified, sexualised in school uniforms FFS. See the red light district 'managed' area in Leeds thread to see how that's going.

Just today I read of a young woman who was kidnapped, raped, filmed and put on pornhub. Porn is basically rape on tape, women are regularly abused for profit.

Typing all this out is depressing. I'm sure someone else will volunteer to educate you.

Domestic violence and the number of women abused and killed at the hands of men.

Where I live, homelessness is rising the fastest among women over 50, so women's housing, and housing more generally.

Pay for childcare and aged care workers - most employees are female, many do not have parity with male - dominated industries of similar skill/training. My own award was adjusted a year ago on this basis.

Abortion only just removed as a crime in my State. That was a 30yr battle for me, longer for other women.

Reform to policing re DV - largely affecting women. Reform to the way Family Court understands abuse and it's effects on children - an issue that largely disadvantages mothers.

Porn and it's portrayal of women and girls. Providing exit strategies for prostituted women and girls.

Attitudes towards violence and control in relationships - male attitudes worsening where I am.

Globally? Education of girls, provision of safe birthing, safe toilets for girls and women, access to contraception and abortion, treatment of birthing injuries, helping women establish financial independence through micro business, FGM.

There's quite a lot to be getting on with. But you do you. It's not compulsory to centre the issues of women and girls.

i thought that from the 90's women were included in medical trials here in the UK

I do understand feminism and don't feel i need educating.

when i worked in a male led industry, at that time there were no work wear clothing that was made for women. However, thankfully times have changed and work wear/medical trials etc is now catering for women too. i believe has changed.

abortion in this country is legal - and available... it is this country i was specifically talking about.

young men are also raped and have been lured into sexual exploitation. i know of a young lad that was exploited by a female peer and had that content put online.

there is more support for female victims of domestic violence that there is for males.

though i do agree that women suffer far more at the hands of male abusers than men do at female - though it does happen both ways.

I don't just care about women in the country I live in.

That's a strange restriction?

Am I allowed to care about women in countries nearby? Is it just ones far away not to think about?

There's plenty plenty to do in the UK still anyway.

Rape stats appalling
'she asked for it' murder defences
Online grooming etc, the consequences of freely available really nasty porn
Women still at risk of losing job due to pregnancy, in large numbers
UC impacting women more than men. Child poverty. Absent non contributing fathers.
The impact of covid and I suspect Brexit will fall harder on women
Funding to DV and rape services was destroyed during austerity
Etc etc

Is that enough?

Do you work full-time OP? Happy to be doing it for free for the rest of 2020? After Nov 20th this year (if you're UK based) women are effectively paid zero in comparison to men.

www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/news/the-fawcett-society-announces-date-of-equal-pay-day-2020

You're right that things have improved in this country - hooray - but they could be an awful lot more equal, and if we're not careful we can lose a lot of what we've gained very easily (eg abortion rights).

Welcome to the feminist boards - hope you find what you need.

Northern Ireland is in the UK my understanding is that it's still tricky to actually get a termination. Do you have info op because that's one thing I can stop worrying about if it's all good! I admit it's been a while since I read anything on it.

@BlackWaveComing

Where I live, homelessness is rising the fastest among women over 50, so women's housing, and housing more generally.

Pay for childcare and aged care workers - most employees are female, many do not have parity with male - dominated industries of similar skill/training. My own award was adjusted a year ago on this basis.

Abortion only just removed as a crime in my State. That was a 30yr battle for me, longer for other women.

Reform to policing re DV - largely affecting women. Reform to the way Family Court understands abuse and it's effects on children - an issue that largely disadvantages mothers.

Porn and it's portrayal of women and girls. Providing exit strategies for prostituted women and girls.

Attitudes towards violence and control in relationships - male attitudes worsening where I am.

Globally? Education of girls, provision of safe birthing, safe toilets for girls and women, access to contraception and abortion, treatment of birthing injuries, helping women establish financial independence through micro business, FGM.

There's quite a lot to be getting on with. But you do you. It's not compulsory to centre the issues of women and girls.

homelessness wise, definitely where i live, there are far more men on the streets than women.

@garden4569 you have been given several items above that are clearly not great for women and girls and you come across as dismissing them all? Not really getting the point of this thread if you are going to discount each point?

What is it you are hoping to get from this thread?

You can't just say 'just in this country' that's too narrow a view in my opinion when discussing women's rights.

Abortion is legal but we can’t take it for granted. There’s now a permanent protest outside many places that offer it.

In fact we can’t take a lot of the rights that were won for women in the past for granted. Women still don’t get equal pay and opportunities at work. Women still did the vast majority of housework and childcare through the lockdown.

This is why traditional feminism is still very current (and I’m not that old) and it’s a shame that “other issues” are getting in the way of protecting women’s rights.

I am glad that you perceive things as being not that bad, that means that what we did and continue to do is working.

But the work is not over, for all the reasons that are listed above.

I also have sons, I fear for them in a different way than I fear for my female family members. While my sons may struggle to get well paying job or secure housing, they dont fear being raped on a night out or discriminated against (as much) in the workplace. I agree that humanism is the aim and I will fight for anyone who needs it - but my female experience tells me that women still need that attention and now more than ever.

I second the invisible women book, it lays out in plain sight how ignored women are and how much we still need to fight for.

Oops missed this bit

'i think as a mum to 3 boys, that boys have a tough time too and that i wish, we were all humanists, rather than feminists (if you see what i mean)
what battles do you feel still need fighting in this country in the name of feminism?'

On the first bit. Totally agree that male victims eg the recent news about sports coaches, and previously children's homes, religious orgs have their own issues in raising awareness. There are orgs out there for male assault, DV etc. I'm sure we can find some names if you want to offer support.

On the second bit I don't understand why you're saying you don't need to be educated. I'm sure you don't but you asked for lists, is it something else you were after?

Women are included in medical trails but women's issue are broader than that

One interesting finding for example is that after major surgery, men would be much more likely to be given strong painkillers if they complained of pain. Why do you think that might be?

Despite legislation, a recent work reorganisation was halted after it was discovered that your probability of getting senior roles was dependent on your sex

A woman was refused investment funding because she was pregnant

The rules are in place but society has not changed. Indeed it is possible that because the laws are in place, many people think the problem is sorted and so they give themselves license to ignore the ongoing issues & their own unconscious bias

www.mankind.org.uk/

I know less about this charity but they might be worth a look op mkcharity.org/about-us/

Are you seriously suggesting that equality has been achieved because every now and then men are sexually abused by women and sometimes men go into sex work? Are you on glue?

I believe 98% of all sex offenders are male. Do you think 98% of their victims are male?

Which country are you taking about op, as you can see we have a fair few USA posters now.

I'm in UK if that helps.

Women's homelessness tends to be hidden. FYI, OP.

@NiceGerbil

I don't just care about women in the country I live in.

That's a strange restriction?

Am I allowed to care about women in countries nearby? Is it just ones far away not to think about?

There's plenty plenty to do in the UK still anyway.

Rape stats appalling
'she asked for it' murder defences
Online grooming etc, the consequences of freely available really nasty porn
Women still at risk of losing job due to pregnancy, in large numbers
UC impacting women more than men. Child poverty. Absent non contributing fathers.
The impact of covid and I suspect Brexit will fall harder on women
Funding to DV and rape services was destroyed during austerity
Etc etc

Is that enough?

i do of course care about people in other countries.

the reason i was focusing on the UK, is that when talking with my female realitive, i find that she feels things are still poor overall for women/girls in this country and that's just not as i see it.

I was curious to hear what the feminist board feels are the UK battles still to fight.

in relation to your comments -
rape stats are dreadful yes, i agree there
you are more likley to die at the hands of your partner if female than a man. but equally men are more likely to die of murder.

i suppose that i find that some of my relatives comments have tones of all men are rapists. i don't think women have things significantly worse in this country than men.

there are things to still make fairer/better but there also is for males too.

Yes that's true.

Round here the number of rough sleepers more or less vanished for a decade or so. Change of government and they were back very fast. It was usually men though.

We have women sleeping rough round here now in numbers to rival the men and that's a new thing tbh.

If you're worried, not sure where you live OP. At mungos is a charity that supports people who are in this position. It's a complex area.

www.mungos.org/

Might be of interest. Says South and South West so not just London.

Yes that’s because men are murdered by other men

Nobody is stopping you from focusing your energy on male causes.

You are entitled to your own opinion

Personally I disagree, I do think that women are treated differently and less favourably than men in the UK. Surely the continued existence of the gender pay gap proves that?

I think we worked out the other night that only around 1 in 20 men are likely to be rapists however, if you wish to reassure your friend

Slight derail perhaps, but how many of the feminsits on this board ever go to boards associated with other groups and ask them to justify why they see a need for the group?

And then argue about how they're wrong? Never.

Not sure the @garden4569 actually is interested in any of these points

Feels all a bit 'but what about the poor men'

Sure isn't it great if you think it's all prefect for women - move on please