Daily acts of feminism - a thread for ideas

[teawamutu]

Pinched the idea shamelessly from another thread after an hour of speechless rage reading the papers and Twatter. I need to DO something.

I pledge to do something positive every day to stand up for women. Deeds not words.

Today was taken care of for me - a subscription to The Radical Notion for Mother's Day. I'm also going to fill out the VAWG consultation.

Thought might be good to share anything else we come across here, so anyone in need of ideas could check?

Pebbles could work if enough room to write on too?

Oooh yes...

@FindTheTruth

Thanks Wait.

simply ribbons online has a huge range of ribbons

Buy books by GC Authors who have been cancelled good lists further upwould add Jane Harris. If you can afford it buy the books liberally leave at free libraries, give to friends.

Write to your MSP /MP / Councillor so often their emails come up automatically in your email system.

Give money to crowdfunders and good feminist orgs doing good work. Support LGB Alliance. Support Vancouver Rape Crisis who were the canary in the mine and STILL getting shit. Double your Soreen loaf order.

@Evarish

Everything by bell hooks!!!

What a great thread!

I think the best way of protesting the patriarchy is by refusing to have a child. Ultimately that’s all men want us for. Imagine if every woman in the world just refused to carry on their bloodline, it would hurt their egos more than any other sort of direct action

Report
not shrug

I have taken to reporting "banter" posts on Linkedin
rather than scrolling on by.

The same applies to posts on any "Below the Line" / Social media

do not walk by on the other side
report

do not engage, report

Record inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Really serious about this. If you experience sexism and discrimination as a woman, whether as a woman without kids or after you have had kids make a note of it. Send a contemporaneous email to an friend, an ally, your partner or union rep. Say it made you feel uncomfortable, explain why, file it away. Read up on discrimination, harassment and bullying in the workplace and understand your rights. www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment

@FindTheTruth

out of interest where do you get your ribbons from?

I got mine from Ebay for a few quid. I use them with luggage labels but pieces of cardboard are fine.

Be an ally to younger women in the workplace.

Pandora I love that. And you've lovely handwriting

@Happinessisawarmcervix

Start playing Patriarchy Chicken.

The rules are simple - stop moving aside for men. You probably don’t even realise you’re doing it. Pavements, footpaths, supermarket aisles.

Be prepared for them to get very, very angry when you don’t immediately clear a path for The Mighty Penis.

“I suppose I’ll move then” muttered the male jogger when I didn’t.

“One of us has to, might as well be you.”

But he clearly expected me to clear the way for him.

I used to love doing this! I tend to shift just slightly for them, as I would for another woman. When they also shift just slightly, we both pass without incident. If they don't, I brace for impact, and the inevitable "HEY WTF?". I've only had one guy decide not to shift at all, but drop his shoulder and barge straight in to me. I'm also 6foot tall and lift a lot of weights. He barged, I braced, he bounced! He wasn't too happy, but his friends thought it was hilarious.

Also, thank you @teawamutu for the thread, and to all PPs for the suggestions. I've been feeling so bloody low with all of this recently. I don't want to just stop and hide and feel like I've given up, but equally, I don't have the mental resilience to argue the toss with every sexist cockwomble. Small acts is definitely the way to go for me at the moment, and hearing everyone else is doing them too is filling me with hope.

What does FWR mean please?

That shoulder barge can really bloody hurt.

Feminism and Women's Rights.

@Beancounter1

What does FWR mean please?

It’s the old name for the feminism chat board - Feminism and Women’s Rights.

I have just seen on Twitter that NIA have been overwhelmed with donations. That is a good thing.

It is worth asking if your local refuge needs old clothes. I know of one that sells them if they don’t need them. If you have any baby items that are in a good condition see if you have a baby bank near by.

This is such a lovely thread. I think if we just focus on cantering our activism around women and ignore the derailers we can get a lot done.

You can also email your responses the the governments VAWG survey so you are not constrained by the questions on there.

Reminder to dig for Ann Sinnott - crowdfunded ends soon.

Write to your MSP/MP's to bring up issues but also email people to thank them - I emailed Elaine Smith, Joan McAlpine and Johann Lamont after the Scottish Hate Crime Bill debate to say thank you for standing up for women because they must be taking a lot of crap right now and probably need a boost. I wrote thank you cards to the speakers in the House of Lords after the census debate (as I know a lot of the people following that thread did).

I also try to challenge deep seated misogyny - if letters are addressed to 'Mrs Myhusband'sfirstname Surname' - I challenge it - I didn't change my first name and I'm not a sub-section of my husband.

Anything that says 'gender' when what they mean is 'sex', I cross out and correct.

Incidently, when I got married, I asked the registrar to change bits of the ceremony - my Dad walked me down the aisle but when the registrar said 'do you give this woman?' I had asked him to say 'she gives herself but with our love and support'. My husband wasn't asked to kiss the bride, we were asked to kiss each other. I know this wouldn't matter to loads of people and it may well be me being precious, but made me feel better!

Tell the Lords not to support Amendment 87 B: The “Dodgy Amendment Reversing Victim and Offender” (DARVO) Amendment

#DARVOAmendment87B

sex-matters.org/posts/updates/stonewalling-the-domestic-violence-bill-why-make-misogyny-gender-neutral/

A thought on the point about women losing everything when they leave - I have so many really good quality clothes that would have gone to charity shops if not for lockdown. Would it be worth offering them to a refuge?

Yes,

Mine has a charity shop now but I was once invited in when donating a games console, at that time the shop was in the office of the refuge and I believe residents could 'shop' but with no payment.

My local one has suggestions for things to buy / donate. I normally send some small make up items at Xmas but this year they actually asked for money because of covid.

I send cosmetic because a few years ago on here there was a, "what was your best Xmas gift ever" and someone answered with, "A dove shower and shampoo set" she had been in a refuge and left home with nothing and the refuge had given it to her as an Xmas present.

I know it's not strictly a feminist act but if you want to send a few bits then Superdrug do a lot of 3 for 2 and 'free if you buy x'

I've just thought of one for teachers. One of my subjects was computer science, it has many more male students than female and the female students are normally placed around the room, often near loud boys. I changed my seating plan so all the girls were together.

On International Women's day twitter fills up with, "Why isn't there an International men's day?" Every single one I saw I replied with, "If you wanted to know that you could have googled and found out there is one and when it is, what you really want to do is take things from women" - I use copy and paste but the second part does change, sometimes it's "Whaaa women, women celebrating, can't cope"

@Waitwhat23 did you ask for alternatives on twitter? I know a while ago someone asked and that was one of my suggestions.

Today I’m going to message news outlets when they say gender instead of sex. I’ve bunged Ann some dosh & I’ll carry on going all my usual actions. I like the luggage label idea as I have a bunch sitting around.

@exLtEveDallas t-shirts for daughter (also available in adult sizes!) www.scarfmonkey.com/collections/feminism

Tshirt for IWD and adult woman www.mercht.com/c/women-force-nature