Where are the lengthy threads on...

[BeatBox6]

Where are the threads with discussions at length about DV, rape, single mothers stigma, workplace and pay discrimination, harassment and stalking, hyper sexualisation of girls, et al?

These are all problems, FEMINIST issues that have plagued me and many other women. Why aren't important issues being discussed on here regularly?

All I see is TRA threads and one last night about Disney nightwear. Yes, the gender debate is an important feminist issue. No, I am not a TRA, but aren't there other pressing issues we should be discussing at length too? Or am I missing something here?

Ok. To the posters who ask why not start a thread about a topic/the topics I mentioned in my OP. That's because discussing, particularly seeking advice, on here on experiences I've had relating to those specific feminist issues would be extremely outing for me.

Perhaps other posters feel the same. However you don't necessarily have to frame it as an issue pertaining to you rather opening it up as a general discussion.

I'm extremely frustrated at the amount of energy that has to be spent on it but its completely and utterly fundamental. If you cannot define women as a sex class and exclude men from it then you cant have sex based rights. Women have lost so much ground already with programmes designed to correct decades of sexism thrown open to TW without a second thought, women's prizes awarded to men who identify as women a few days of the week, companies who couldnt give a flying fuck about the majority of protected characteristics bending over backwards to accommodate pronouns and 'gender neutral' toilets

I mean we're at the stage where we're having in all seriousness to convince England Rugby that letting men play rugby with and against women is exceptionally dangerous and likely to result in serious injury. I mean FGS, pretty much everyone (except the RFU) knows this is a mad idea and yet here we are having to make a case against it

Op, are you saying you wouldn't be able to discuss your experiences anyway? Not even in an abstract way, or on another board where, as has been explained, you could still expect a feminist analysis? What do you make of the responses that describe how the situation has arisen?

Interestingly, this debate happened during the suffrage movement in a different form. Do we put energy into 'the vote', seen as necessary and fundamental, or do we consider other issues as well.

There have been so many threads which have started off asking a feminist question (something like clothing or cat calling as non specific examples) which have been targeted by people with a very specific agenda (usually coming from twitter) and the conversation is very quickly derailed. There are some posters names who, when I see them pop up on a thread, I know that any interesting discussion will be at an end and it will just turn into circular arguments. Women on this board are caught in a strangehold of not being able to discuss feminist issues because of deliberate, constant derailers. It's tedious.

Where are the threads with discussions at length about DV, rape, single mothers stigma, workplace and pay discrimination, harassment and stalking, hyper sexualisation of girls, et al?

They are on the first page of FWR. I'm on a PC not the app, so maybe I can see more threads than others?
Its extremely annoying to be policed by someone who wont even try.

Yes InebrIati I was wondering if the OP is unable to see the full page as with only 2exceptions the first 10 items on the board cover these very topics.

I agree that looking at it purely in numbers it can seem that FWR is a single issue forum. But other issues than women's sex based rights do get posted, and dont lead to lengthy threads. I think that is because on one level they confirm or add information to issues many of us are familiar with.

And I am sure that like a lot of women on this board we are also discussing women's issues on facebook, or mailing lists or (if you like to live on the edge!) twitter.

But also like a lot of women who have been active in feminism for many years, and remember discussions around trans identity back in 70s we had not been monitoring the extent to which gender identity had infiltrated into universities, the media and government. The challenge of finding out almost by accident of proposed changes to the GRA gavanised a lot of women to become more active. And then found there were very few places this could be discussed. And despite its sometime confusing guidelines mumsnet if one of the very few sm forums where this discussion can take place.

So not only for existing members but new ones who joined it is almost instinctive when you find yet another example of how the trans network has influenced a decision that you come to FWR to post it. (And yes this can lead to maybe a duplication / overlap of threads.)

So in a sense for some women FWR is the only place they can be themselves without having to play silly word games.

But as to how easy it is for anyone to raise an issue that is personal to them is something that has happened. There have been threads where women have asked for immediate practical support and I think others on FWR have tried to help. Equally on trying to discuss something personal women have been quite open. I can think of a number of threads on anything from lesbianism to being a mother, the upcoming elections and memories of childhood.

I can only remember two occassions when a thread was started an some immediately responded in a negative way because they assumed the poster was not genuine and was trying to goad / troll FWR. But others took part saying they were prepared to believe the poster was genuine and tried to respond.

Nobody here is a professional, and are probably contributing in the midst of any number of tasks and obligations - and even free time.

I think FWR reflects the times we live in and more importantly what is happening around us.

Oh I've tried.

Its extremely annoying to be policed by someone who wont even try.

I think it's very important to realise that on a female-dominated board, feminism happens all across the site.

I regularly bump into women from FWR on Relationships, fighting the good fight about coercive control and domestic violence. And in AIBU talking about double standards in politics. And so on. Weirdly lots in Sporner Corner, don't ask me about that Venn diagram.

Feminists can feminist anywhere.

As much as anyone on here, I am unhappy that TW are suddenly dished out with awards, accolades and better protections and positions than women, the likes of me.

I've worked so fucking hard to get to where I am in all aspects of my life, it's an uphill bloody struggle with all and more that I touched on in my OP.

I don't mean to be 'woe as me' here, I know that I am a survivor and have great endurance, but often feel on the bottom of crap pile in life, especially as a woman, no matter how much I try...

@MrsTerryPratchett I'd agree with that, however is it not reasonable that we have some threads on this board that are not consistently overridden by the gender debate? Try to focus on the issue at hand without using the GD as the constant point of reference?

There aren't just 'some' threads on other subjects. The front page is full of them. I know I sometimes feel frustrated too BTW.

@BeatBox6 I do agree with you a little.

I also find the who trans debate exhausting and depressing so I think it’s ok to have a break from it (and focus on other exhausting and depressing debates )

I don’t see what you’ve written as a criticism to the GC viewpoint but to discuss the content of the bored.

More women need to come forward about these things though
otherwise we risk being dismissed by men and disbelieved by women
Hmmmmm can only agree, first define woman.

@Gurufloof - so it I want to discuss being threatened by men on a street as a woman I can’t do it on this forum because of the TRA debate? That’s ridiculous.

I think it's very important to realise that on a female-dominated board, feminism happens all across the site.

Yes. As others have said, feminist posts are allowed anywhere on the site. But if you start a thread on, say TW in women's sports on AIBU, you'll be told by many posters to basically piss off to the feminist board with that kind of thread...

So there'll obviously be a high number of threads on this board concentrating on the clash we're seeing because it's where we're 'allowed' to discuss it, rather than those threads being scattered here and there on different boards.

Yy to the post about threads appearing longer because of derailment. There was one that got to around 18 pages a few days ago, but hadn't been on topic since around page 4, maybe 5, because a single comment threw it off track. The whole thread eventually had to be deleted, which I think was for the best, but said because some interesting posts went with it. So it looks like the topic is being discussed 'at length', but it's not necessarily.

Also worth bearing in mind, we also discuss a lot of things that are happening in 'live time' and develop through the day/days, so there's constantly content to update the threads with, hence them being longer.

All those things are spoken about all over the forum, at great length, over and over. Just because there’s a specific feminism chat board doesn’t mean anything that impacts women is restricted to there. At the same time, it’s also very difficult to discuss issues anywhere at all without it being derailed by someone policing your language or making some pious demand of women. It’s a dominant topic because it pervades everything, even when women don’t want it to.

[quote OhDear2200]@Gurufloof - so it I want to discuss being threatened by men on a street as a woman I can’t do it on this forum because of the TRA debate? That’s ridiculous.[/quote]
Knock yourself out, I'll even contribute, it's not the regulars here that derail threads.
Who knew women talking would provoke some batshit merails and derails?
I've seen enough threads zapped now to know from the first few posts which will be deleted, which will be swiss cheese by the end, which will have the usual plop and runners, and it's not the threads you think itll be.

@Gurufloof oh I’ve had a thread of mine deleted. Though to be fair I did stupidly start a thread about a certain “comedian” so it was not surprise really.

What a bloody mess!!!

Christ sorry my posts are littered with typos today!!

I do get a bit bored of every single twitter spat being turned into a thread. Sometimes they end up in interesting convos but quite often not. I could live without them. The Bindell one is a case in point.

I want to comment on the Gender pay gap thread but it was started as a complaint and has continued in that vein so I can't work up the enthusiasm to get involved. I work in HR calculating gender pay gaps and analysing the underlying structures but the general tone of the thread and the usual mood here is that HR are loathsome arseholes who lie and are stupid. I've tried commenting on employment rights here too and was told I hadn't got a clue. As HR is largely a female profession I do find this a dubious feminist perspective. I get enough emails at work telling me HR are shite so although I would love to talk here forever about gender pay gaps, equal pay etc. I hesitate to dive in to another stream of accusations of being a clueless idiot.

And to agree with BeatBox the second post on the gender pay gap thread was a completely irrelevant "GC" (starting to loathe that moniker) snark about names on gas bills.

sceptical I'd be interested in your POV. Unfortunately pay gap discussions do often attract male posters telling us its a myth but I think pay gap generally is a blunt tool and would like to know more about specific companies/experiences