Suffragette lanyard

[Pocketfluff1]

I’ve recently started a new job in the NHS and I’m thinking about wearing my suffragette lanyard as an alternative to the pride/rainbow one I’ve been given. Am I potentially sabotaging my new job or can I get away with it by saying I just love feminism?!

It saddens me that wearing a suffragette landyard maybe not permitted and those who wear it are having to be subtle given the rainbow flag is considered absolutely fine. Either everyone can wear the landyard of choice regarding gender issues or no one can - that is a case of one rule for some and. It others.

I remember watching that - the one with Sian Phillips in it? I was born late 70’s so it must have been on repeat. Loved it and it was a big part of helping me know about the movement. Probably my parents put it on and made sure we watched it! That, and getting books on feminism for a research gcse history project on Sylvia Pankhurst.

The study of social and economic history certainly made me both a feminist and a socialist. I don't see it on the curriculum lately - but it's possibly a bit niche and people do the world wars. DD turned down place at prestigious local sixth form because they did the world wars and she had done them to death for GCSE. She did political history for A level - much more interesting and useful since she went on to study law.

I know this is a side conversation, and on the original topic OP I’d say yes go ahead and wear a suffragette lanyard. I wear a plain black one at my place of work, but have a suffragette colours keepcup coffee mug.

At my kids school, the history syllabus was pretty interesting for GCSE:

-Medicine in Britain, c1250–present.
-Early Elizabethan England, 1558–88.
-Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91.
-The USA, 1954–75: conflict at home and abroad.

They covered a lot of social reform in the USA section - def remember helping revise timelines of women’s rights and black rights etc. And of course the medicine in Britain touches a lot on social issues.

At the sixth form college near us I was v pleased to see they had three choices of history a level, covering different areas (two more modern and one on classical civilisations). It was a big part of why he chose that college.

Sadly, in a lot of workplace it absolutely IS one rule for one, another rule for others, with the progress flag virtually mandatory.

There was a thread recently about Scottish government buildings flying the progress flag for trans day of remembrance , and whether that is appropriate given that other political 'cause' flags are not flown. (Of course, the usual suspects turned up to say how hateful we all are for expecting equal treatment 🙄)

OP Maybe give it a couple of weeks to see the lie of the land and use a neutral lanyard in the meantime?

Ikwym about wanting to fight back against the bloody anti women progress flag in the NHS, but as a PP said perhaps healthcare/work is not the place for political statements, especially if you're patient facing? It would be unfortunate if a trans patient saw it and became distressed because they thought it meant you wish them harm or something (and complained about you because of it). I'm sure that won't be a popular pov but I'm not convinced that two wrongs make a right.

I'm horrified that you're given a rainbow/pride lanyard. I certainly would never wear one of those. I'm always taken aback when I come across one.

The Suffragette agenda wasn't just about votes for women, so they colours are just as pertinent today too women fighting to protect their rights and themselves from male encroachment into their sports, prisons and their very existence.

I think you meant Woo woo just woo woo, and on that we agree. 😁

Very happy to hear that. It sometimes seems everyone only does the world wars. Brill syllabus.
I think OP should wear the suffragette lanyard too. And if coffee mugs are available have one of those, too.

I think it’s wonderful to celebrate those brave women that fought and died for us and standing with the women that still need us to fight for their rights. I would add a note of caution though (following along with the NHS Fife v Peggy case), if there are any militant tras in your department you might make them faint at your blatant micro aggression and find yourself up on a discrimination/ bullying charge. I wish I was joking but I’m not.

But... if trans activists truly believe transwomen are women, how can they object to the colours representing women's historical and continuing fight for rights?

Any organisation that allows people to wear rainbow lanyards has to, thanks to the Forstater case, allow employees to where those with the Suffragetter colours.

The employer has no right to say this belief is more important than that belief.

And if in doing this it opens up pandora's box of potential lanyards then at least it would be equal.

Or they go back to having uniforn complaint ones.

Yes, a plain lanyard would be an alternative that wouldn't be as much of a statement as the suffragette lanyard (assuming those with Pride lanyards are clued up enough to know what the suffragette colours represent these days).

It shouldn't be controversial to wear a suffragette lanyard if others are wearing pride lanyards. But in some places it is.

My sister completely unironically wears suffragette colours, 'they can't burn all of us' t shirts, goes to feminist rallies and is STILL a stanch genderist. I can't roll my eyes hard enough most of the time but it wouldn't be worth the fall out currently to challenge her on the hypocrisy.

Anyway. It seems it's perfectly fine to 'identify' as a feminist and also be a trans 'right' advocate. Of course in that context the feminism include men...

The day we come when I can't take it anymore and will crack. I think I will ask her right off the bat if she thinks 'tw' rapists should be imprisoned in the female estate and watch her squirm. Thick end of the wedge.