Wine with Women and the Women's Rights Network

[FarEast]

Was a fab event on Saturday in London. The wine flowed, as did the jokes. And some interesting info about Nancy Kelley - did she jump or was she pushed ?[It's poetic justice!]

I don't live in London, but was working there on the weekend, but I find that in gatherings of mostly women (there were about 3 men) it's really easy to chat and get to know the women around you.

And HUGE kudos to Heather Binnings for getting the WRN started. The silver lining to all the attacks on what it is to be a woman, and our rights to speak freely, is the growth of these grass roots organisations such as the Women's Rights Network, Standing for Women, Fair Play for Women, FiLIA, Women's Place UK, the Lesbian Project, and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance.

Being in a room with a hundred or so women all different, but united on this issues, is just exhilarating. If you haven't done it, you should try it!

Oh this sounds amazing! I have GC friends but have never been to an event.

I don’t like wine but I feel that wouldn’t be too much of a barrier (I could identify as a wine drinker perhaps!)

The Women's Rights Network is a really open & inclusive (but not in that way) organisation. You can join via their website, or via your Twitter feed. It's organised around regions, so you need to find your region & get in touch with the co-ordinator. I'd really recommend it

https://www.womensrights.network/

https://twitter.com/womensrightsnet?lang=en

I've been trying to join WRN for ages, but their website hates me and I don't think there is a branch within easy reach of my home

Hi @PPonyPatter44
Sorry you're having problems joining WRN. I'm one of the co-ordinator for my local group.
What part of the country are you in? What's been the problem with the website?

Hi @cariadlet (love your name- my exH was Welsh, & grew up Welsh speaking). I'm in the Beds/Bucks area, near Milton Keynes, although I am very mobile and willing to travel!

I've signed up via the website on a couple of occasions now, probably about ten months apart, and although I do receive the newsletter, I've never had any other contact. Not sure if it's something I'm doing wrong!

@PPonyPatter44
There are 2 different buttons on the WRN website which are easily confused.

At the very top, just under #WomensRightsNetwork is a purple button with "subscribe" in white block capitals.
Did you click on that?
That button will just subscribe you to the mailing list. People can get emails without being members.

Below that, is a row of tabs. The headers are black capital letters. You need to click on "Join WRN". Have you done that and completed the form?

Yes, I did all that (both times) but still nothing! I'll have to have another go. Mind you, it does say something about "you cannot sign up to join the website unless you are a verified member of a WRN group"... but that's a bit circular!

You can't join the members section of the WRN website unless you are a member but should be able to complete the form when you click the Join WRN tab.

I'm in the South Co-ordinators Twitter group. If you want to DM me your real name and your email address, I can find out who your nearest local co-ordinator is and send them your details.

That might be easier if you're having problems with the website.

It took me a while to join.

For security reasons, you join via Twitter first in your regional group. Then your regional co-ordinator has to "onboard" you - it can be a bit of a faff, but for very understandable reasons: security basically. There is always the fear that TRAs will try to shut down WRN.

For example, we only had the venue of last Saturday's event (based on Helen Staniland's excellent YouTube programme "Wine with Women") via email on Thursday and only after tickets purchased. We were asked not to mention the venue on SM. There were no antifa protesting against a group of women (mostly middle-aged and/or retired) meeting for a drink & some talks and some stand up by @Glinner, but it's a pretty pass that we have to be so careful and covert.

So sad that women meeting to discuss their rights has to be covert these days. What a backwards society we live in.

Yes, indeed, @HoliHormonalTigerLillyTheSecond

Reminds me of Emily Wilding Davies who hid in the House of COmmons on census night

https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/electionsvoting/womenvote/case-studies-women-parliament/ewd/1911-census-form/

@PPonyPatter44 I have dm'd you with an update.