Thank you, FWR & Mumsnet

[DomesticatedZombie]

for showing me how to argue, how to recognise various logical fallacies, how to not gaf whether someone thinks I'm 'nice' or not, for encouraging me to ask questions, seek evidence, consider alternative views, look at a broader picture while also taking into account the fine detail, for getting involved in politics both nationally and locally, for helping so many women leave violent or abusive relationships, for providing a place for women to discuss, show solidarity, connect, organise, argue, disagree, share stories, make jokes, hone their debate skills, flex their critical thinking, learn about feminism, broaden my expectations, challenge my assumptions and swear creatively.

More to the point when the fuck are they sending them out, I've been waiting a damn long time

I know, could do with one now my energy bills have just bloody doubled.

I think someone will have to write a book on the impact of MN around this issue some day, when the dust has settled. It's really kind of amazing.

Thanks for starting this thread OP. MN is seriously special, and those who post on these boards are a joy in my firmament. Sweary eloquence, wit, wisdom, evidence & experience. And a pub with a camel.

Effing glorious.

I think Mumsnet and it's community saved my sanity. Or possibly made losing it easier to bear. Thank you.

This place has been my salvation and my window on the world over the last few years .
I have learned so much from the extraordinarily articulate and informed women here ; it is humbling .
Thank you .

I now have far more courage to speak and challenge bullshit across a range of issues and I recognise patterns of behaviour

Yes, this is just what I meant. It's given me a bit of grit and the courage to stick up for myself and articulate myself more. It's made me question my socialisation.

I started the thread after getting into an argument with a couple of apparently intelligent MRAs on social media yesterday. They kept gish galloping, throwing up ad homs and false equivalence, that a few years back might have intimidated me - and honestly all I could think was that the women of FWR would EAT you, mate.

Hold your nerve wims! We are getting somewhere!

Adding my name to the list of thanks.
I'm always in awe of the amazing women on here who have the patience to continually debate those who show up on a regular basis whose motives may not be quite as innocent as they claim. Knowing that they're speaking to those of us who are quietly watching from the sidelines, picking up tips to take into our actual lives.

Now then, in terms of claiming back all the money I've put into fundraisers and sending copies of Trans to my MP and others, do I submit an expenses claim to MN? Or do I have to go direct to the evangelical Christians? I, and my sock chums, are very keen to get this money back.

Thank you MN and Justine for letting us have this space (although it still pissed me off that things get shunted over here from the busier parts of the site)

Lots of thanks from me too 💚🤍💜💚🤍💜

Huge thanks to MN.

Lovely thread. Thank you OP and all the tireless women on here for sharing your personal experiences, jokes, critical thinking and intelligent debating skills. It's a great little corner of the internet

👏👏👏

I think someone will have to write a book on the impact of MN around this issue some day, when the dust has settled. It's really kind of amazing.

There is this excellent book, which goes into it. Perhaps she can do a revised edition in a few years' time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Politicization-Mumsnet-SocietyNow-Sarah-Pedersen/dp/1839094710/ref=nodl_

Great comment on this book:

I had this book bought for me from a wish list I’d had it on for a while and I wish I’d read it sooner. I had no idea that mumsnet was anything more then ‘women discussing children and nappies’ etc, I think it is just sold to us like this by the media, they don’t like women speaking about feminism or demise ideas amongst themselves! The book gives a comprehensive history of the feminism on the boards and the womens groups set up because of it. It’s interesting that the issues of Self ID (and what that would mean for single sex space) we’re being discussed years before they came to the light of the general public, wish I’d joined mumsnet years ago! Also reading this made me so proud to be a British woman, we are are standing up and saying ‘no’ when other countries are just throwing women under the bus and prioritising mens ‘feelings’. No thank you!

Mumsnet: great cover for the issues that women care about.

Zombie

My heartfelt thanks, too. Being able to debate these issues matters so very much.

When the #nodebate rules, it is impossible to point out that the new genders as identities are not built on level ground but on a slanting existing ground where the male sex is more privileged, that the two sexes are not equal anywhere in the world and are legally treated as unequal in quite a few, and that our ability to continue the global fight for female-bodied people's rights is made impossible when our words are removed and we are forcibly assigned a new identity we never chose ourselves. Add to that being called a bigot for pointing any of that out, and 'gaslighting' is not a strong enough description of what is taking place. It is more like the return of the female sex into the proper subservient place, except that now it is being done by both extremes in Western politics.

Yes, nepeta. Male supremacy never went away. It just changes its mask every so often.

Great thread and another thank you. Quite honestly, Mumsnet has been the Mum I wished I had. I have learnt so much from the wonderful women on here.

Another one saying thanks. I've been on here for a few years under different names. Sad to say I had no idea what was really going on until about 2 years ago . Boy did I get an education on here!

Unfortunately, I live in Ireland where we truly have drunk the koolaid and there is very little discussion and no real traction for change. I am supporting UK causes as much as possible (crowdfunders etc.) in the selfish hope that sanity will make its way across the sea eventually. Thank you to everyone standing up for this.

i really credit FWR for educating me and opening my eyes.

Also, people around me (glares at DH) used to be a bit disparaging for my MN love. Now DH is a keen lurking MNetter plus quite a few other friends and they have all become very engaged with the FWR board. The number of times DH has shouted out from his study 'have you seen this?! '. Which considering he is a fairly conservative man in his 60s is quite something.

It makes for very good dinner table convos. Today was a discussion about the Tavistock clinic.

Dr Webberley and his 'failure of humanity' was table conversation this weekend.

So many conversations happening at the moment. All with much eye rolling and asking "how did we end up in this mess?"

@Ereshkigalangcleg

I think someone will have to write a book on the impact of MN around this issue some day, when the dust has settled. It's really kind of amazing.

There is this excellent book, which goes into it. Perhaps she can do a revised edition in a few years' time.

[[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Politicization-Mumsnet-SocietyNow-Sarah-Pedersen/dp/1839094710/ref=nodl]]_

Sarah Pedersen is excellent for engaging: she turned up on a thread about one of her latest papers.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4478528-theyve-got-an-absolute-army-behind-them-womens-cooperative-constellation-in-Scotland

I appreciate it too. Especially when I see some of the posts elsewhere and the general insults etc