Work women’s network captured

[Whyy]

I work for a public sector org and we have a fairly vibrant women’s network. A little while ago we got a new committee and now we have a women+ network, in the name of inclusivity.

I’m genuinely unsure what to do.

On one level I don’t really care what the network calls itself as long as it centres women’s career issues related to biological or societal disadvantages experienced by women.

On the other hand, we also have an active LGBT+ network and I sort of feel that the needs of gender non-conforming colleagues are already met there.

I assume saying anything about this at work will be career suicide. I’m sure I’m not alone, but don’t know if I should just quietly leave the network…

I am feeling increasingly like a heretic.

@OldGardinia i knew what you meant

One of the most thriving parts of our network is meno/peri group who meet regularly, and is always only women. So you might find it's fine.

When I say lip service I mean, our org is totally assimilated. They really throw themselves into this stuff and there's no doubt that the leadership of the women's network are totally behind the intersectionality stuff. But.like I said in practice it has little impact on the discussion of women's challenges

I'm considering joining our Gender Equality network 🙄 as a woman who's seen her career suffer from childraising and facing approaching menopause, I feel I could legitimately and "innocently" keep the focus on women's issues.

Although alternatively, I might out myself as GC in a very hostile environment and lose my job.

I'm like you Zelda. Really want to join the diversity thingy group so I can ensure sex and disability get as much airtime as LGBT does

And this is it - pretty much all of the career oppression I have had has been directly related to my biological status and female, and mostly my reproductive ability. I feel that some of my colleagues who have not reached the baby-making period of their lives just don’t get it. I know this because I also didn’t get it until all of a sudden my uterus was occupied and my career was put on hold (not by me!)