I didn't come back to this thread after the disgusting comment on page 3 (I think now deleted) but hav now read through this thread and the new one started about Julian Long's interveiw on GB news.
Warning signs were already made public prior to the event, eg what happened to TinselAngel, the american lesbian activist disinvited for working across the divide, the bizarre notion that FWS aren't capable of talking about their own campaign, etc., etc.. Sheila Jeffries being excluded.
But also, which has been said, the organising group has been infiltrated by members of the Actual Gender Critical Left group and the network of feminists they think are acceptable.
For them their left purity politics are the priority. It is no surprise that Julie Long, Shelia Jeffries etc., get banned (not invited). The original Filia team were and maybe still are politically niave, and easy to manipulate - or a bit starry eyed and have accepted that women who are names in feminist left circles are to be enabled.
So not just because of this FiLia but what we often discuss on FWR about how there are feminist facktions, if in future women dont question the motives and politics of the organising group you are quite likely to be confronted by something and someone you dont agree with.
It just seems really, really strange that those who are on FWR would not be aware of the drift of FiLia (or is that captured) the feminists whose politics most threads on FWR disagree with. Let alone the long thread on FWR about the workshop where those attending felt they were being manipulated by those aligned to AGCL. Ironically they women who held that workshop thought they were brilliant and everyong who attended was really impressed by them. No wonder they have thought it worthwhile getting established within the organising.
Instead of the sort of bleating that Rahila Gupta wrote about who should we choose, etc., whilst arranging for friends to have a platform why not suggest to FiLia that next time they draw up a draft proposed list of workshops and speakers, and then ask those interested in attending their reaction to that draft.
This is how the original Women's Libeation conferences were organise. No central committe whether registered as a charity or not, would presume to tell women this is what you should listen to.
In fact the first draft of potential workshops (there would never have been anything as elitisted as platformed speakers) would be circulated, and potential attendees would then indicate which if any workshops they were interested in.
This way the content is decided by attendees.
And no plenaries where supposed more important women get to speak down to from the platform.
There might be an end of conference meeting but that would be the opportunity for workshop, campaigns to give a brief outline of what happened in their workshop, and if they for instance were going to start a new campaign.
All that has happened with FiLia is that they have turned feminist activism into a sort of feminist festival, just another cultural event for those with the time and money to attend.
So am I suprised that someone whose politicals are all about virtue signalling would abuse her position on the platform to virtue signal to her brand of feminists (see who she has @ on her twitter account).
I am more suprised that any of you are surprised. If you want FiLia in some form to survive but reflect the politics and political behaviour you think is appropriate, it means letting FiLia know that if they want to continue they need to somehow be much more responsive and in touch with feminist activism, which isn't just about oh nobody will come unless we have well known names. Meeting up and linking with women
By the way I am GC and anti Zionist (as represented by Netanyahu etc.) and the GC feminists I know are too. But think it is possible for women who have politically leaning one way or the other to find what are the common experiences as women.
So not only as a feminist do I think Rahila Gupta did was totally unacceptable at a notionally feminist conference, but also really stupid and has resulted in a backlash.
I despair at the left.
How is it that they end up thinking they have some sort of superiority in terms of political analysis and anyone who doesn't see the world they do are the enemy and should be condemned and spoken down to.