Feminists

I just wanted to get things going, so I was addressing only the people whose names were already on the list -- say yay or nay for your name standing, today.

I definitely didn't mean to end the process today, and I apologise if it sounded that way!

I don't necessarily object to agreeing on an SoP first; the outcome of that discussion could influence my interest in hosting, of course, since I'm not interested in hosting a free-for-all.

I was just kind of trying to get things moving, as I see a need for hosts.

I don't think the SoP decision is necessarily a prerequisite; anyone who became a host and wanted to withdraw based on disagreement with an SoP then adopted could do so.


"This is not a group to discuss gender, class or sexual orientation rights and issues."

My own take on that is that this is not the place to discuss those issues in and of themselves. If gender, class or sexual orientation become relevant to a discussion of women's rights and issues as they affect women from a woman's perspective and experience, that seems reasonable to me. Women's perspectives and experiences do include those of women of different classes, for instance, and I don't think anyone intended that the perspective of a woman as specifically, say, a working-class woman was not welcome.

But to call a spade a spade: if someone wants to tell me that my perspective and experience on the subject of pornography or prostitution are wrong, or should take a back seat, and priority should be given to another position on the issues because, for example, the perspective and experience of some gay men are different, for example, they can fuck off.

If someone wants to explain to me how the perspective of some gay men, while seemingly inimical to mine, advances women's interests in some way or in the long run, I'm happy to listen (and I, personally, will not be starting from a position of complete ignorance or with a closed mind -- and I actually do bring some degree of ambivalence to almost every subject).

If someone's perspective has at its base a rejection of patriarchy and a recognition that women are a vulnerable and disadvantaged group, and are exploited and oppressed as women, including by the institution of prostitution and the phenomenon of pornography, among other things, and if they demonstrate a sincere desire to address feminists' concerns and work in women's interests, I don't know why I would not be interested in discussion with them.