Thread for calling to courage, help me "be more Magdalen"

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

I'm feeling more overwhelmed and despondent about the loss of my rights than I have for a while.

Magdalen Berns asked us to be brave, and I make a conscious effort to follow her example - but, it is hard to stay positive in the face of all the shit.

On another thread - Fallingirl said:

"If there is a silver lining to the present onslaught on the rights of women and safeguarding of children, it is the radicalisation, consciousness raising and rallying of women, in a way we haven’t seen since the suffragettes"

Her inspiring paragraph lifted me - my "I'm Vivarium Fucking Vivaria" has strengthened because of her words. Thank you, Fallingirl.

What do you find helps you keep on keeping on?

When I feel overwhelmed I take a break.

It's ok to do this. You get yourself together, feel better & come back refreshed & reenergised.

Ugh. I feel you.

Logging on here and reading through some of amazing posts from women who are so clear and concise reassured me I’m not losing my mind. Also the comments section on Glinner’s substack, great collection of points of view and humour.

But it’s a double edged sword, the more I learn, the more frustrated I feel.

In my real life I feel very isolated and all my friends are very captured or simply don’t care. I wish I could reach out to like minded people who see the problems within our society as a whole right now, but I wouldn’t even know where to start.

Take breaks when you need to. Get out and have walks. I find a faceful of sleet and howling wind clears the mind wonderfully.

We'll still be here when you are rested and recovered.

It's not a human rights movement and you are part of the resistance. Take heart from that.

I'm finding it a bit upsetting (though kind of predictable? I mean, this shit is so exhausting..) that this thread isn't filling up with brilliant coping strategies faster than Magdalen's rapier wit.. my contribution would have to be Magdalen herself. Going back and reviewing her Youtube channel is still some of the funniest, most insightful and inspirational stuff out there.

I'd also like to cite - and thank - Satiricole for her own bravery; I was almost in tears when she spoke at Lesbian Strength 2019 in Leeds when she must have been suffering so very, very much. If she could do that at that time, then me sending money to crowdfunders and signing online petitions doesn't seem terribly hard at all..! X

More and more people are starting to become aware of what's going on - I've had two people I know in the last week mention in conversation that they 'just don't understand what JKR has said that's wrong'. The 'be kind' mantra is being questioned and found lacking. There's more and more new posters on here and other boards who are asking great questions. It's clear that unyielding adherence to ideology and being compelled to agree with tenets that we know to be untrue is no longer going to be accepted by people and mantras will be questioned.

All this makes me hopeful.

In terms of coping strategies, I always find that ribboning makes me feel like I'm doing something concrete. I find it immensely cheering when I see a ribbon or sticker or slate that someone else has put up Courage Calls to Courage.

Hi @vivariumvivariumsvivaria I posted something similar on here a year or maybe even 2 ago. A lovely poster sent me a message after and ended up sending me some stickers to put up. I have some new ones now if you’d like me to send you some!

Every Sunday morning at 10AM rad fems analyse classic texts and discuss. So inspiring, interesting and educational. Get on them. womensdeclaration.com/en/about/

Also glinner on Wednesdays with Helen Staniland and Arty Morty, always cheers me up.

And as often as you can make it, last Sunday of the month in Hyde Park with Posie Parker and Standing for Women.

I'm taking heart from the apparently demise of #nodebate, from the fact this is being discussed with a bit less timidity in the media and the fact that people are getting more indignant about things like tw in women's sport.

I think I've also noticed a decrease in the number of TRA handmaidens plopping on threads on MN with their rants and weak arguments. I'm sure there were usernames I regularly saw doing this, but which I haven't seen around so much lately.

Oh yes and people really getting pissed off about the treatment of JKR, not least by the ungrateful actors whose careers she created.

Oh, 'no debate' is most definitely over.

I don't usually heave a sigh of relief when posts are deleted, but that was pretty stomach turning even by the usual "standards..."

I can guess the gist. It's the desperation of a dying regime - some regular TRA posters are becoming bafflingly incoherent.

And unimaginatively repetitive.

Referenced George Soros, to confirm your suspicions, Waitwhat23.

More people are only now we so many of us were a few years ago. They have watched and read and thought WTAF!

The ratios on twitter are now very GC.
Voices are far less afraid to say the things out loud they have previously had to whisper. The press, tv presenters etc seem to have had their hands untied too.

Thanks, Blueberry. I didn't see your message, but, I've now googled Soros and got a whole lot more reading material. None of which seems to be shaking my opinions, only heightening my concern.

Appreicate it, mate.

(and, Gina, obvs, ta much)

You're welcome, just happened to be checking in at the crucial moment. I was quite surprised at how angry it made me, actually, so thanks again to the marvellous Ms. Berns, I suppose - a shot of righteous fury from beyond the veil...!