We come together not because we may identify as women; rather, we come together because we believe that we can only be free and live better lives with the end of capitalism, white supremacy, Western empire, and patriarchy. - Feminist Library

[IwantToRetire]

We write this statement in the spirit of radical feminist collectives that have come before us such as OWAAD and the BWG, who took firm stances against apartheid and settler colonialism in South Africa and Palestine and were founded on the principle of transnational solidarity. Our solidarity is based on political and ethical principles that exceed gender. Sara Salem writes “We come together not because we may identify as women; rather, we come together because we believe that we can only be free and live better lives with the end of capitalism, white supremacy, Western empire, and patriarchy.” Transnational feminist practice requires us to analyse how people in different geographical spaces are subject to unequal power relations and ensure that every person has access to dignified life regardless of the borders that separate us.

https://feministlibrary.co.uk/statement-of-solidarity-with-palestine/

I'm posting this not to comment on the situation between Israel and Gaza (although realise some might want to) but because it seems another example of groups originally established on the basis on the oppression of women as a sex classhaving been colonised (to use their language) by women who see it as a platform to advance their personal politics.

Similar to this supposed manifesto to lobby MPs about women's rights posted here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4900356-vawg-is-a-gendered-issue-which-is-deeply-rooted-in-societal-inequality-it-is-violence-that-is-directed-against-a-woman-because-she-is-a-woman-or-that-affects-women-disproportionately

Large gatherings like FiLia might be satisfying to attend, but if groups set up to support women are being occupied by women who dont see the oppression of women as being directly because of their sex, it means we are even further away from putting feminism into action.

ie what is the point of theory if there is no practice of it.

Sorry op, not buying that.

The feminist library is building something and they can define their community how they like.

Sara Salem writes “We come together not because we may identify as women;

Not sure what to make of that. Does it mean you may (or may not) identify as a woman = you don't even have to identify as, let alone be a woman to come together and call for the end of capitalism, patriarchy etc?

If they can run the experiment of their ideal society somewhere else, it would be great to see the results.

What's all that word salad got to do with feminism?

Reported my own post as I was too hasty and didn’t read the link properly.

It just seems to be a trend now that women's groups who say they speak for women because they provide a women's service, very rarely make any statements relating to the purpose of the group, eg male violence.

But on the slightest excuse issue statements about for instance the Met Police, the Tories, etc..

It's not that I dont think women are entitled to have their own politics, but it is the high jacking of the platform that they have by being an employee or volunteer of a women's groups.

If any other voluntary or charity group about says animals or vegetarianism, issued statements like this there would be questions about the management of the group and their charitable status.

But worse, it implies that these women's politics are in fact not that important to them, because if they were they would as individuals irrespective of where they are employed, form a voluntary group or campaign to organise around that issue. For instance WPUK, Sex Matters and so on, were set up be women who didn't think lets just issue a statement from were I work, but in their on time formed groups to work together. Why cant these women?

Apart from apparently not being committed to the aims of the women's groups they work for, it is actually unethical.

because we believe that we can only be free and live better lives with the end of capitalism, white supremacy, Western empire, and patriarchy

Can't wait to see how that works out. Not least because what is going to go in their place?

And what's the definition of a 'free and better life'? a few definitions of what you mean by the above would help.

Well, a man can define himself as a woman but rational women say bollocks to that.

we come together because we believe that we can only be free and live better lives with the end of capitalism, white supremacy, Western empire, and patriarchy

I can get behind that 👆
Capitalism isn’t all bad, depends how much of a free marketer you are but the type of capitalism I am envisioning is more Nordic model in terms of public goods.
Western Empire doesn’t exist, only the Romans had a western empire…for a bit…

The feminist library is building something and they can define their community how they like.

The Feminist Library was created and only has the archive material it has because it was formed from and came out of the Women's Liberation Movement.

Its importance is because of that and its "assets" are the collections that women willingly gave on the basis that they were creating a shared memory and history.

The group that is now pontificating about something totally other, are just the custodians of that shared contribution.

And as some may know, the reason they got hold of this was because of extreme bullying and public humiliation of some of the older women who had kept the collection together through some really grim economic times.

And apart from that disgusting and unsisterly behaviour, they then spat in the face of those who had provided their asset ie the personal papers of women activists, who had donated them on the basis that they would only be made available to other women. And no it didn't need to be defined what a woman is, because at the time of its creation and the activism it was set up to preserve everyone knew what a woman is, because the basis of women's liberation was to organise against the sex class opprese of women by the male sex class.

The Library is trans-inclusive, welcomes visitors of any gender, does not require registration or membership, and provides an intersectional space for the exploration of feminism.

'Feminism' for men, again.

I dont understand what they're saying...

I hear Charlie Brown's teacher when people blether on like this. It's usually the enemy within that causes the most damage.

It's usually the enemy within that causes the most damage.

The breakdown of trust is the start.

Then the steady mission drift - more likelihood mission hijack.

And in no time you realise all the groups that had seemed to be the foundation on which other concerns could be built, are now just quick sand.

" I dont understand what they're saying"

I stand with @JamSandle

Borders are not just " What separate us" but also what defines us. There is no relationship; no community; no meaning; no morality; no differentiation; no equality - without boundaries.

They are saying they are against everything........especially the West with its liberal democracy, free speech, individual rights protected by law, and so on......They want a revolution - just because.

I think any group that says it 'stands with Palestine' unequivocally, with no mention of the slaughter by Hamas or sympathy for the Jewish victims, is morally bankrupt.

I don't excuse the behaviour of the Israeli government but to suggest it comes out of nowhere 'because colonialism' is moronic. This a horribly complex situation with monsters on both sides and no good options.

Small wonder these fuckwits can't work out what a woman is either.

Small wonder these fuckwits can't work out what a woman is either.

Sorry meant to add that's what is so aggravating about this.

Apart from abusing their position as the current workers at the Feminist Library, what does it actually mean.

There seem to be too many women in senior positions in funded women's groups who are totally taken up with virtue signalling each other.

And of course the virtue signalling has FA to do with providing safe and appropriate services to women.

If they think women are so irrelevant why are they gate crashing these services.

Its grotesque - and in the long run will have a negative spiral down on the relevance of women's groups and how much trust women will put in them.

There has been a weird mashing together of all causes on the left. I feel it's related in some sense to the way the newest Pride flag is supposed to stand for every group of people too. I keep thinking of sci fi stories like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where utopian unity is achieved by removing all human differences. So no one disagrees about what they care about. We are all individuals, we are all differernt, we are Diverse" they chant in unison.

On a slightly different note, I think maybe people should give up talking about colonialism. It's become a sort of sound that just stands in for "evil" without any other reference to meaning. It's entirely possible to talk about history accuratly without it, and maybe if we did, people would have to think clearly about what they were saying.

It is really time that the Charities Commission wielded some power. This is happening with increasing frequency, charities not fulfilling their remit, but off on another course altogether. If people donated books to an organisation that promised to look after and use them in a certain way, it is a bit much that some fly-by-nights turn up and change the whole set-up.

Amnesty International also seems to have given up on political prisoners in a clear betrayal of the huge donations it has received over the years.

When you have a particular cause, and suddenly tack on (counts) six other causes that you demand followers must also agree with, suddenly you make your potential pool of supporters much more niche.

I am unsure of, actively disagree with, or feel attacked by, the various tenuously related woke causes they mention. A feminist library should be neutral and inoffensive to non-feminists and appealing to feminists, but they've immediately turned me off. They are making enemies of people who might otherwise be interested before they even start, because they're so insistent upon forcing their personal worldview down everyone's throats.

This is why I like Kellie Jay Keen, she's down to earth, and she just says to support other females, even the ones you don't like. Simple.

Communism. Death for everyone who disagrees.