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AIBU

To find it odd that gransnet doesn't have a Feminism section?

(69 Posts)
flopen Sun 12-Jul-20 08:40:34

On mumsnet, a parallel site, the Feminism board is very active and I can't believe that older women aren't interested in this as well. So why no area for it?

pinkquartz Fri 17-Jul-20 12:23:37

Why knocking knitting?

I have knitted all my life since a child. Through all my rebellious phases including a punk in the 1970's.
It is not an age related activity at all.
There are some fantastically creative knitters around in businesses who are not all even middle-aged let alone old.
We clearly do need a feminist forum when certain people, regulars here, keep using knitting as a denigrating term.

Also it's very ageist attitude.

Loislovesstewie Fri 17-Jul-20 12:14:10

Can't men be feminists ?

Doodledog Fri 17-Jul-20 09:57:06

felice

Ducks behind the sofa, as this forum is not only for Women would it not be a bit sexist ?????

Why would discussing women and women's issues be sexist? Is discussing BLM or racism racist, or talking about grandchildren on a forum for older people ageist?

There are a few male posters on here, and of course it is interesting to hear their points of view, but unless the topic is gender-specific, surely they are posting first as people and then as men? Everything I think or say is probably informed by the fact that I am female, but I doubt it is dominated by that.

Sorry, but I think that the assumption that if there is a man present in a discussion then women should be quiet about their own lives is a very good reason to promote discussion of feminism grin.

Iam64 Mon 13-Jul-20 15:38:12

It's interesting that the very words Feminist/Feminism still seem to raise hackles and resistance.

Grammareto's post had me wondering what others would classify as "specifically feminist". I did go to Greenham, the coaches were all women only and my friends who camped there, were all women. Other movements I was involved with involved men and women

In the 70's and early 80's I was involved with groups looking at our work from a feminist perspective. Many of the things we discussed that were considered radical are now mainstream. That doesn't make me feel feminism is mainstream.

Galaxy Mon 13-Jul-20 14:15:26

Well no we all pick our different interests and causes. I am interested in feminism, you dont have to be.

Grammaretto Mon 13-Jul-20 13:42:57

Is the OP's name really Flyopen? Greeneyedgirl? or was it a Fruedian slip?
As an over 70, I am a bit jaded nowadays and only wake up to new ideas when they really excite me.
Even the interview yesterday with Greta (Radio4) annoyed me at times.
Today's youth are so depressed and full of blame for our generation.
I marched and protested in my youth . I was knocked down by a horse in Grosvenor Square protesting against the war in Vietnam. I've embraced the base at Greenham Common and been to the peace camp at Faslane.
In my 30s and 40s I was marching against world poverty and for animal welfare (and became vegetarian)

I pay my subs to Greenpeace, to Amnesty and to Sustrans.

I have been a founder member of a local branch of Woodcraft, supported Refugees and the groups for social inclusion and for the environment.
I have volunteered for Oxfam, for RDA, the Food Bank and Community Gardening.

But I have nothing against knitting Urmston. I have taught all my DC to knit, to cook and to use a sewing machine.

Nothing I do is specifically Feminist though. Should it be?

paddyanne Mon 13-Jul-20 13:34:31

Are men not allowed an opinionFelice ,I'd like to hear mens views as well as womens ,as I said before there are many views on what FEMINISM means .

felice Mon 13-Jul-20 13:29:36

Ducks behind the sofa, as this forum is not only for Women would it not be a bit sexist ?????

Galaxy Mon 13-Jul-20 13:11:42

Thanks Lara.

Grammaretto Mon 13-Jul-20 12:56:35

I agree with Elegran smile
Has the Feminist one opened now on another forum?

Elegran Mon 13-Jul-20 11:33:36

There isn't a special forum for race issues, either, or politics v other news, the divisions between house-owners and renters, between vegetarians, vegans and omnivores, immigrants and emigrants, dog-owners v cat-owners, redheads v non-gingers, natural v bottle-blondes, big-endians v little-endians,

How many different forums could GN be divided up into if everything was separated? Thread titles are a pretty good indication of the subject of a conversation (except the ones that just say "I am livid about this!!!")

LaraGransnet (GNHQ) Mon 13-Jul-20 11:28:55

Hi, thanks for raising this flopen. It's an excellent idea. What we'll need to do first is establish how many conversations and engagement we're likely to have on this topic. So please start some discussions - and if they're popular we'll gather them all together in their own Feminism section. smile

ladymuck Mon 13-Jul-20 10:26:31

What exactly is there to discuss? Women know they are superior to men, so why do they need to talk about it?

The problem I have is that so many women think it is necessary to BEHAVE like men in order to be accepted as equal. A woman can still be feminine and 'girly, secure in the knowledge that you don't have to be masculine to prove that you are just as good as the men.

Greeneyedgirl Mon 13-Jul-20 09:54:57

I agree flyopen. Funny but we seem to get moderated more and get away with less than MN.

Jane10 Mon 13-Jul-20 09:54:33

I agree with Hetty58. Feminism is part of all aspects of life so can be discussed in all sorts of threads as relevant to the topic concerned.

flopen Sun 12-Jul-20 21:27:58

I'm glad that other posters agree with me. There's lots of boards on here that are of no interest to me, so I wouldn't go on them, and I think it's the same with a Feminism Board - you can ignore it if it's not your thing. Or, you could put a feminism-related post on a different board.
Like another poster, I've come to Feminism later in life. I generally post on MN because, to be frank GN is pretty slow moving and (sorry) a bit pedestrian compared to MN. However, I would like to discuss Feminism with women of my own age.
And it does seem odd that there seems to be a thread for everything EXCEPT Feminism here.

Hetty58 Sun 12-Jul-20 21:19:29

Feminism is mainstream now, part of everyday life, so not a separate topic needing it's own special area.

This reminds me of when computers went into schools - and were given their own rooms.

I always argued that they were merely tools so should be in every classroom. Well, you wouldn't have a 'pencil room' would you?

In the same way, we should consider and discuss the feminist aspect of all topics.

janeainsworth Sun 12-Jul-20 21:11:54

Maggie grin I think many posters get a bit of a baptism of fire, and only the stalwarts stick it outgrin

Maggiemaybe Sun 12-Jul-20 21:01:23

Wasn’t feminism one of the forums, or included in one, when GN first started? And then things got reorganised?

It certainly was, janea. One of my first posts was a light-hearted one about a comment DH made about my writing skills. It got a flurry of stern and critical responses about how awful he was (he really isn’t grin), and I think someone actually suggested I LTB, a la Mumsnet. It was only then I realised I’d posted in the Feminism forum. That must have been in 2012.

grumppa Sun 12-Jul-20 19:45:02

Feminist issues crop up regularly on all sorts of threads, so one problem might be a duplication of threads dealing with the same issues - even more than happens already. Those who follow feminism on Mumsnet may have a view on this.

Would there be discussions on the philosophy, history, and politics of feminism, with practical issues carrying on as usual in the other topic threads?

Incidentally, I don’t think there is any more misogyny on Gransnet than there is misandry. And as I believe in equality between the sexes I would claim to be a feminist myself.

Somebody asked what the men thought, hence my contribution. And please don’t accuse me of mansplaining!

Galaxy Sun 12-Jul-20 18:50:33

I think flopen has done it Iam64.

Iam64 Sun 12-Jul-20 18:44:22

Yep anyone who believes a feminist board would result in everyone agreeing has never been involved in the Wimins movement, never been in a wimin's group, even a Women's group, consciousness raising. Never been involved in setting up a Women's refuge, a refuge for teenage girls running away from abuse.
Certainly never been involved in a discussion about the trans issues.
Yes let's ask base control for a feminist board.

BlueBelle Sun 12-Jul-20 18:18:24

Nothing stopping you talking about it now lois

Galaxy Sun 12-Jul-20 18:17:07

I suppose you could say that about any subject jane, why isnt politics under chat etc.
I have always assumed ask a gran was asking for advice. I have never really looked st that section.

janeainsworth Sun 12-Jul-20 18:13:49

What‘s stopping you posting that question under Chat or Ask a Gran or whatever, Galaxy?
Is it simply that those forums have a frivolous connotation and you feel Feminism deserves a rather more serious and thoughtful image?