Mumsnet Webchat about women/mums in politics with Stella Creasy and Caroline Nokes - 1st February

[Bosky]

Anyone got any questions for Stella and Caroline?

Go to:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/4468388-Webchat-about-women-mums-in-politics-with-Stella-Creasy-and-Caroline-Nokes-1st-February

Ive just looked through the profiles of the female members of the shadow cabinet.

Whats striking is how many studied at Oxford and how many had close family members already actively involved in the Labour Party or Unions.

Again given the subject of the webchat I find it hard to ignore when the webchat is about getting more women into politics.

It also seems exceptionally rare to have children and then go into politics late.

The cabinet women don't have the same background in party politics / unions on their wiki bios which is interesting. They also seem to have done a wider number of things before going into politics as a rule.

It could be the way they are written up on wiki, but I find it interesting.

Again Oxford and Cambridge feature significantly though.

I think routes into politics from those who don't go to university, routes into politics for 'mature candidates' (return to the work place strategies) and routes into politics for those looking to change career would be bloody good things to consider.

One of the early replies:

"I think it is really important to focus on this being a chat about how we get more women involved in public life. I want that to be all women, natal women, transwomen, and those who self-identify and do not yet (or perhaps ever) have a GRC.

There are lots of questions about the abuse faced by women on line and in the media, and if we all simply argue about the definition of a woman we are playing right into the hands of men who want us to do that."

I think everyone should stop engaging with the webchat.
Do they not know that women have the vote ?

There are lots of deletions of posts showing dissatisfaction with the answers. Caroline Noakes seems to have her fingers in her ears and is saying blah, blah, blah.

Colour me absolutely shocked Noskes wants to include all the male women thereby rendering everything she says utterly meaningless.

There are lots of questions about the abuse faced by women on line and in the media, and if we all simply argue about the definition of a woman we are playing right into the hands of men who want us to do that.

Well that certainly answered my question even though it wasn't directed at my question.

'Women can not define themselves because of what men will have to say about it'

That certainly means that women in politics are not free to represent women without the 'approval' of men.

Which pretty much sums up my utter dismay at politics and how women aren't represented and female politicians live in a culture of fear.

The Staniland question has been asked. Will they answer

Be kind
Means STFU

TBH I'm trying to figure out why Justine and friends didn't see this coming. They have been rather thrown at the lionesses.

Has anyone else had a comment deleted as if it was never even there?

Being thrown to the lionesses?

Or being asked to be accountable to the public and to reflect on what women are thinking.

Stella is pretty much going 'back my campaign, back my campaign' with not a sausage about what the Labour party themselves do, and how they should be working cross party in terms of aiding representation at lower levels of democracy.

Democracy should start from the grass roots. Instead Stella's focus seems to be on careers at the highest level in politics (which i have to argue is effectively a pet project based on her own experience rather than any listening to the wider public going on).

The lack of listening and just talking at women seems to be a common feature and its something i despise from politicians generally. Its a modern trend to do with PR.

Politicians are no longer able to have any opinions of their own for fear of upsetting the apple cart. That utterly cripples debate and diversity of thought.

The fact that Noakes has inadvertently proved my point about women not having even power to speak on their own terms, is genuinely quite frightening to see.

@FOJN

Has anyone else had a comment deleted as if it was never even there?

No but I'm sure that has happened before on a webchat

I have on previous webchats FOJN. See Glinner has arrived

Justine has arrived to tell us she is deleting any further questions about the "trans debate".

Being thrown to the lionesses?

I am, of course on the side of the lionesses.

It just seems odd that HQ would be up for this when the outcome is entirely predictable.

Yes, FOJN I once had a comment on a webchat just completely vanish. I posted a question less than a minute after HQ’s latest post (I hadn’t seen it as was typing). Full expecting it to vanish.

I only made a comment about "be kind", nothing obnoxious, and its gone, puff!

I see Glinner has arrived.

Justine has decided any further sex/gender questions will be deleted.

It's maddening for them to start a conversation about women in politics and then behave as if it's unreasonable for us to ask for agreed definitions before we start.

Wellnits not getting answers so whats the point in anyway?

Whats the point is the overall feeling i get. Rather than empowerment.

Dont have an opinion and don't ask difficult questions if you want a career in politics is the over riding impression it leaves.

FOJN oh dear my last comment has just disappeared from the webchat
FFS, although for those of you who missed it I said exactly the same thing on this thread at 13.00