On Shouting The Fuck Back

I'm a rare creature me. I'm an online feminist who doesn't get many trolls. It's weird because I hang out on Twitter with feminists who do.

I have a pretty healthy number of followers, I get quite a few RTs and my ranty, sweary, angry blog has a pretty good readership.

Yet they tend to leave me alone.

DON'T FEED THE TROLLS is the number one hint when you join Twitter. Ignore them and they will go away. Which is fine of course if that's what you want to do.

Except.

You wouldn't do that in real life would you?

Well, you might, but I certainly don't.

If someone is being sexist, I call them on it. If someone is being racist, I call them on it. Same for homophobia, transphobia, paedo or rape jokes.

I don't accept the excuse that it's banter. I don't accept that they're too old, from a different time, that they're really nice except for their views.

But back to the trolls.

What will I get from arguing back with them, feeding them when they start with their shit?

Not likely to change the mind of a keyboard misogynist/racist/homophobe am I? They will still be in their pants, drooling over the insults they type with their Wotsit stained fingers. So what is the point?

It is this.

Why the fucking FUCK should I be the bigger person? Why the fucking FUCK should I rise above it? Why the fucking FUCK should I not call these assholes out online the same way I do in real life?

No reason at all.

@ccriado-perez is on day two of misogynist abuse and rape threats because she dared to lead a campaign to keep women on banknotes.

Asking her not to feed the trolls is akin to blaming a woman who wears a short skirt for rape*.

Fuck. That.

I will #shoutthefuckback. Not just on my behalf, but every time one of my sisters is threatened or abused either on Twitter or IRL.

I will continue to #shoutthefuckback for as long as.it takes to name and shame the fucking online cowards who are so full of privilege that they think they can get away with this shit.

There has been a call to boycott Twitter on 4th Aug and leave it to.the trolls.

Good on ya if that's what you want to do.

I'll be staying to #shoutthefuckback.

Who's with me?

*thanks to @jokbristol for the analogy.

On Invalidating Experiences

There seems to be a trend at the moment of excusing behaviour and shutting down debate by starting a sentence 'as a...'

As soon as I see it I (to borrow a phrase from @spaceviolin) nope the fuck out of there.

It irritates the living fuck out of me.

Intersectional feminism means recognising others experiences and seeing how they intersect with your own and the struggle at large.

Much like 'check your privilege' it is supposed to open debate, not stifle it.

And here is another thing. Just because YOU don't find something offensive, it doesn't mean I won't.

Even if we have had similar experiences.

Rape survivor who doesn't get offended at people being 'fraped' on Facebook? Good for you. In a world where lads mags banter about rape, where you could buy a keep calm and rape her t-shirt, where women are objects to be cat called, groped, raped and then blamed for it, I have a zero tolerance for it.

Woman of colour who thinks Jane Austen on a banknote is an insult? You are entitled to your opinion. Just don't lump me in with it as I happen to think we should be celebrating every victory. Even, especially the small ones.

'as a mother...' NOPE! I've had three of the little darlings and they don't come with a manual OR a magical insight spell.

'as a white man...' fuck nope.

You get the drift.

I'll try not to invalidate your experiences if you try not to speak for mine.

As human beings I think we can manage that.

On Why I Joined The Labour Party

Just got back from Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.

While I was there I joined the Labour party.

Didn't think I'd ever do it, but I did. Regular readers of my blog know of my absolute contempt for Ed Miliband. My absolute disdain for his politics, his kill em slower policies and his neo liberal bullshit.

It's been coming a while. There have been plenty of debates. A couple of guest posts...

What I wanted was a new workers party, however, TUSC are a joke. This is a real shame for something that showed so much promise. Also a shame that they spend more time on Twitter having a go at those with a different view than actually coming up with strategy. I don't like like bickering, I don't like bullying and I'm not quite ready to drink the Kool Aid.

So, did I join Labour because I love the leadership and everything they stand for?

Fuck no.

I've joined because I want my party back. I've joined because I believe in community organising from the bottom up.

I've joined because the strategy of getting trade unionists into decision making positions intrigues me and I want to help make it work.

I've joined because snarking from the sidelines isn't going to achieve anything.

I've joined because I believe in people like my friends Dawn Poole and Tanya Palmer who are working hard to make things better for the working classes. Brilliant strong women who are taking the fight and making it relevant and dammit I want to help.

I don't want a new workers' party.

I want the one that's already there to represent me.

On Misogyny Towards Young Mothers

I woke up in a really good mood today. The sun was shining and The Lovely was smiling.

I'm fucking FURIOUS now.

Apparently, to qualify for any benefits teenage mothers will have to either live with their parents or in a supported hostel.

I'll just let that sink in for a moment.

Got it? Shaking your head and wondering why I'm so angry? Seems a good idea on the surface right? Let's give young mothers more support to raise the young 'uns so they don't turn into criminals right?

Wrong.

And here's why.

This is an attack on women.

Don't believe me?

To think this is a good idea means you buy into the narrative that all teenage mothers are bad at being mothers. That all of their mothers were good at being mothers and something went awry with the little darlings which meant they went and got pregnant in the first place.

It means that you buy into the narrative of these young women being sluts who are just having babies to get social housing.

It means that you buy into the narrative that we absofreakinglutely must 'do something' about this scourge. This underclass of chavvy girls with their big hoop earrings and their Superdry hoodies with their snotty nosed chavvy babies yelling 'Tyler come here!' on the bus.

No. Just no.

This equates to fucking internment of young women. It is the ultimate control. Either live where we tell you or you and your spawn will starve.

But, but, this will be a deterrent from them having babies, I hear you cry!

No. Just no.

Proper sex education. Growing up in a society where they are valued, where they value themselves. Where they are taught about self respect and self esteem alongside contraception. This is what women need.

Even then 'accidents' will happen. There have always been unplanned pregnancies. Abortion on demand is a better idea than punitive measures surely?

Are we absolutely sure that the family home is the best place for these young women? Mine wasn't. I got pregnant to help me escape an abusive environment. That and I wanted someone to love me.

And what support hostels?

I had my first child at 17 and though he didn't come with a manual I am proud of the man he is. Of the human being that he is.

This is an attack on women. On the way society thinks of them and on how we treat them.

Still not sure?

'Serial teenage fathers to have their benefits stopped.'

Said no one ever.

On Being Furious At People Missing The Fucking Point

I was a bit hot and bothered last night and it made me grumpy. The Lovely was sleeping but I was too restless. Then I saw something on Twitter that pissed me the fuck off so I went on a bit of a rant using the hashtag #missingthefuckingpoint.

I thought I'd reproduce and add to it here. Explaining the things that made me so angry. It wasn't all on the one day, this had been coming a while and it felt good to get that rage out.

Buckle up, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Here we go...

'Not all men are sexist assholes. Some of us are trying to do the right thing and get you the equality you want'

No. Equality is mine by right, not because I want it. You want to be a good feminist ally? Listen and understand that by choice or not you are part of the patriarchy that damages us all. I'm sure you are a nice guy but being all defensive about your gender is not forwarding making that gender unimportant.

If you try to tell me that not all men are sexist assholes you are #missingthefuckingpoint

The campaign to keep women on banknotes. Yes, I know there are other fish to fry but actually this is important to people. We are capable of campaigning on more than one issue at a time you know.  Try actually taking five minutes to sign the bloody petition rather than snarking from the fucking sidelines and coming up with bullshit reasons why this isn't important. Besides,

Yes, I do understand that the queen is a woman and on every banknote #missingthefuckingpoint

Bloody rape culture and victim blaming gets everywhere. Despite the fact that a woman is more likely to be raped by a partner in her own home or by someone else she knows than being snatched off a dark street. I have written about this at length and I suppose I will keep doing so till it stops.

If you think that women are more in danger of rape while wearing revealing clothes #missingthefuckingpoint

Tell you who isn't though, the amazing End Victim Blaming campaign. They are making the point over and over again. Click on the link anyone who thinks any blame at all should rest with the abused. Go on, educate yourself. And keep that victim blaming shit the fuck out of my face.

Oh yes, while I'm at it, EVERY woman, regardless of gender assignment at birth is my sister. That is it. Not difficult. If you identify as a woman you are a woman. I don't fucking CARE what you have between your legs. I will defend your right to equality.

Claim to be a feminist and yet exclude trans* women? #missingthefuckingpoint

This one should be self explanatory really. Can't believe I have to say it. My body, my choice.

If you think abortion should only be available in cases of incest or rape #missingthefuckingpoint

Don't even think about telling me that women have equality. Don't even think that. Don't say that. Don't even allude to it. I will kick your fucking deluded ass while I explain how we don't.

I see my sisters all over the world being denied autonomy and being treated like chattel. Think I won't be angry? #missingthefuckingpoint

I'm also sick and tired of the division that means the Tories and Lib Dems are able to decimate a society I was once proud of. We will never defeat them if we spend our time being the People's Front of Judea or the Judean People's Front. It's pathetic and it turns people off. The very people who we need to be our army are waiting in the wings to fight while we argue about which strategy is the right one while excluding all the others. Here's an idea, how about we actually fucking unite and realise we have a common cause and merge the strategies where possible for maximum effect?

If you are a left winger spending time provoking and berating other left wingers then guess what... #missingthefuckingpoint

This one took a few to get across. Being a feminist to me is about choice. Not being part of an army with a uniform. It is about the individuals coming together for a common cause. I can't stand the idea that if I don't dress a certain way, look a certain way, have a body hair then I can't be a 'proper' feminist.

If you grow your leg/armpit hair because that's what feminists do #missingthefuckingpoint

Be hairy or smooth. Makes no odds to me but if you do either to conform to an ideal then you are #missingthefuckingpoint

One of my followers put it better than me. She has a protected account so I won't publish her name but she was bang on!

doing shit to fit an ideal is absurd to me. Doing what makes you happy is the way forward.

This last section was about my utter fucking contempt for those against Equal Marriage. What business is it of yours what people do? How the fuck does it impact on your marriage if I wed a woman? Keep the fuck out of my business and I will stay out of yours.

Think that what consenting adults do in the bedroom is any of your damn business then you are definitely #missingthefuckingpoint

This, from the amazing @midweshtener.

If you berate or disdain other folk for life choices that have absolutely no impact on you, you may well be #missingthefuckingpoint

And this from me.

If your god is more important to you than the people around you then you are #missingthefuckingpoint

Rage expelled for a while I went to sleep.

Then.

I woke up to the news that George Zimmerman has been acquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Not exactly a shock to be honest to wake up to the news that Black American's sons can now be hunted down and killed with impunity.

However.

If you think that the potential for a riot after this verdict is the biggest threat then you are royally missing the fucking point.

The biggest threat is that the verdict will create more George Zimmermans.

*sigh* I lost Twitter followers after my rant last night but I refuse to apologise. When the world stops making me angry I will stop ranting. I will live in a world where race, sexuality, gender, disability, none of that shit will make a difference.

But that isn't today, and I can't see it being any time soon so I will continue to speak my truth.

If you think I won't or that I give a flying fuck of what you think of me for doing so then you are MISSING THE FUCKING POINT.

On Political Survival Of Trade Unions

Welcome second guest post in a week on what the TU movement should do about Labour.

This time from @PhoenixHeartist

I've been meaning to blog about this for a week now. So thanks to Goddessdeeva for the invite to guest blog, it made it feel more exciting and I'm getting this down in an excited geeky way!

Listening to 'Any Questions' on BBCR4 regarding the Falkirk incident (#Unigate???) on Saturday 6 th July made me feel angry. I had to turn it off. Labour Party, What Labour Party?? The fact that the panel couldn't get half their facts right (Who is Ken McCluskey? Is he in Unison? Er no..) shows how little they really know and care about trade unions and the movement. As long as you can cause public outrage and take a pot-shot at the unions, well all good I suppose. Never let the facts get in the way of a good witch-hunt, huh?

In fact I wonder who has a more transparent way as to how donors are recorded in their party. Well it must be that prim and proper Conservative party. I mean, they wouldn't ever be hypocrites, would they? Noooooooooo.

Ed Milliband is conveniently falling into the Tory trap, become more like them by leaving the pesky working and middle class workers out of the big conversations. The Tory tactic of splitting communities (strivers vs skivers, everyone else vs civil servants, claimants vs taxpayers) against against each other is to stop us working together. Turn your back on us, Ed, those within your own party will still stab you when opportunity knocks.

So what options are trade unionists left with? I only see realistically three options on the table:

A) EVERY trade union member joins the 'Labour' Party. Take the power back, put the 'OUR' back in Labour. 6.5 million voters. 6.5 million voices, etc. Squeaky Bum territory in Whitehall, perhaps.

B) EVERY trade union member who is in the Labour party leaves. Start our own party. The ultimate withdrawal of support. You don't represent us any more, we'll call you 'LabTHEM'. We'll take our subs and go home to start out own gang.

C) Whinge and the actually do nothing really constructive at all.

The thing is, our opposition (which includes the likes of Milliband and Balls, et al.) are counting on us not being organised, being divisive, separating into the likes of the People's Front of Judea, Judean People's Front, etc. If we aren't organised they can fob us off and follow their agenda. We, the people are being ignored. There are currently three conservative parties out there, one wears blue, one wears yellow, one wears red. Three parties- one outdated tune. It's like the Austerity Borg have already assimilated Parliament, sorry, I mean the House of Privilege.

Austerity, be it Austerity light, is still a form of giving justification to mass deconstruction of our welfare system, health service and well, actually anything you've possibly ever known that is state owned. But nobody cares right? Right?? Sorry, I still can't hear you protesting from under the bed.

A march is not going to solve this, a bus is not going to solve this. Even a one day coordinated general strike isn't going to solve this. If it doesn't fit the media machine agenda, it won't get much of a mention.

The New Labour regime has lost many hardcore Labour voters, and well they don't care about that. They really don't. We need to make them care. Not all of Labour is dead or dismissive to its past. Values are still there in those who haven't shamefully discarded all trace of representation of workers and their rights in lieu of bright lights big business and starry eyed face time on the big screen. AND they never punished the bankers. The current lot NEVER will.

Back to the options then, which suits best?

A) Well, if EVERY trade union member joined the Labour party to "Take the power back" we'd have an unprecedented voice in modern politics. One member, one vote. Approx 6.5 million people to guide a party to represent them. Wow! That would certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons. Vote out all the Austerity, pro- banker loving "shortcuts and soundbytes politicians" in the party and restore the core values to a once proud party. Sounds blooming good. Maybe it's not realistic to get everyone on board but even if just 20% of the 6.5 million TU members did this, we'd have 1.3 million members. Let's tell labour to close the tax gap, get the money to pay for the things we need for a prosperous society. And a HELL NO! to the Bedroom Tax. Heck, I can hear the voices of the ghosts of former Labour leaders jumping for joy at the mere mention of this ^_^ And let's not forget there are those in the Labour party who feel just as abandoned but still keep plugging on trying to get their voice herd. Not everyone in the upper echelons is a radical -privatising, billionaire courting, shareholder of shame. Not all of them.

B) Okay so we decide Labour is too broke to fix. We start our own party. All of us. Think of it as the TUC as a political party if you will. With actual power, voice in parliament (2015?). Member led politics with leaders who have to represent the majority view of the party, not just because one person who makes large donations has a word in your ear. We could take the concept of the People's Assembly to a higher level. OUR own party, again. However, what would we be? Socialist, Democratic, Socialist Workers, Just Trade Unionist.... Answers on a postcard please.

C) We continue to do what we've been doing. Get angry, but do nothing truly constructive with that energy. Hold protest meetings in darkened rooms to preach to the converted, where no one else can see or hear it. Drive a bus, go on a march. Well, look where that's got us so far. The mainstream media ain't interested in it. Social media is not even 50-50 with it. Apathy is winning. Yep, it's really going so well isn't it...

Personally, right now, I'd go for option A. It's not going to be easy, but standing around, letting Labour ignore the working class, piss on its roots and take above inflation pay rises whilst inflicting financial misery on the masses has to be one of the lowest points in the labour movement. They only shamefully hijack other groups protests if they think it's a vote winner (Bedroom Tax, etc.) Option B is more idealistic than achievable right now in my opinion and would mean abandoning the good people that are still there within the party. Option C is where we already are. If we choose to keep doing this, go ahead, whinge again and again. I'll be one of the ones not listening to you any more.

WE CAN BE SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS. BELIEVE. DREAM. DO !

Suggested listening: Rage Against the Machine "Take the Power Back" and "Wake Up" ;-)

Peace, joy, light and much love

♥ Phoenix Amethyst ~ The Heartist ♥

The Ego Has Landed. When Factions Eat Their Young.

Political factions. Love them or hate them they seem to be here to stay.

I used to have a pretty dim view of them if I'm honest. Then I found one that I thought was a group if like minded individuals who wanted the same things as me politically.

And they were.

So I joined.

I'm not a member anymore.

I'm going to have to be VERY careful how I write this as I don't want to give away where I work and there are people still in this faction that are there because they are really trying to make a difference.

I applaud these people. In a lot of ways I wish I was still one of them, but for the sake of my sanity I had to walk away.

So, am going to write about what I have witnessed in factions generally. Nothing specific.

And hope that I come out of this relatively unscathed.

Fuck. I'm shaking as I type this!

So, you join a faction. You feel a sense of elation that politically you are not alone.

You attend caucus. You take part in the debates. You may disagree from time but it's nothing earth shattering and you can live with sticking to the line. When you really can't do it your comrades respect this. They respect you for being so principled.

You spend the next couple of years euphoric because you are doing good work.

You think that joining this faction was the best thing you could have done.

Then one day...

The caucus becomes carcass. There are new members with their own agendas.

The Egos have landed.

Your voice is lost. Debate is a farce. You are told the line and expected to stick with it.

Any attempt to assert your opinion is batted away. Your credentials are questioned. Your politics are questioned.

You start to question yourself.

You speak to a senior member of your faction about your concerns. The bullying you have witnessed, the change in atmosphere.

The egos turn on you.

You get sidelined. Ignored. Maligned.

You get lied about, set up to fail and bullied.

Yet you still believe in the principal of why you joined in the first place. You still believe you can make things better. You stay.

You cry at night. You have your medication upped. You don't recognise yourself any more.

The final straw comes and you leave.

You feel elated, taller.

The egos unleash everything they have at you. Friends and comrades can't be seen to be talking to you in case they are next in the firing line.

The egos smear your name as much as they can. They try to take everything away from you.

Then just as you think you have escaped you hear that it is all starting again with someone else.  The egos have found a new plaything.

You vow never to join a faction again.

You blog.

Whose Side Are You On?

Please welcome this stunning guest post on unions finally putting their money where their political mouths are.

Let's clear something up once and for all. I'm not asking anyone to join the Labour Party, to change it, or to do anything. My main argument here is to recognise what is happening and to adapt to the changing reality.
What is happening, at the moment, is that the three biggest affiliated unions to Labour -Unite, UNISON and GMB - are starting to demand something in return for their affiliation. For the past 20 years, all they have pretty much done is to pays their (members') money and leave it at that.

But now, the big three are putting their people forward for selection as candidates, getting their people onto the National Policy Forum, constituency GCs, selection panels; putting motions to CLPs, NPF, conference in a co-ordinated, strategic way in order to set the agenda of Labour in the interests of their members.

Now, I really couldn't care whether you think unions should be affiliated to Labour or not. What we are starting to see, as a part of a political-industrial strategy, is the union movement starting to assert itself in the Labour Party. Rather than leave politics to "other people" to worry about, they are taking a pro-active responsibility for what their affiliation fees are spent on, and who is representing them.

Like it or not, this is not a point of view. This is a fact. And it represents a qualitative break from what has happened before. And unions on the offensive, standing up for their policies and values, is what scares the Tories the most - and what scares the Labour right the most. For the past 20 years they have ruled the roost in Labour and now their position is under mortal threat - which is why they are reacting by trying to weaken the link. Whats worse for the right is that the unions' strategy is actually working. Union supported candidates are getting selected and union supported motions are getting support in constituencies, who are campaigning on union-supported issues.

For socialists, the correct response to the right's attacks on union influence in Labour -whether you think unions should affiliate to Labour or form some sort of 'new left party' (for a new workers' party you need a sizable chunk of the working class) - is painfully obvious and only oblivious to those whose sectarianism plagues their ability to see what's in front of them like cataracts on the eyes.

You support the unions. Simple as.

When the Tories and Labour right attack unions for asserting themselves politically, no matter how they do this, it is the primary duty of socialists to defend the right of unions to do so. To desert from this responsibility is to abdicate from the class struggle, frankly. This doesn't mean you have to advocate fraud. This doesn't mean you have to advocate, or indeed even like, the union affiliation to Labour. What is at stake here is the *right* for unions to affiliate to political parties and have an active role in the direction of those parties.
It is not scaremongering to state that if the unions lose this battle, if they lose the *right* to organise with and within political parties, then it will be lost forever. The Tories will legislate to stop it, and our unions will be turned into workplace versions of the AA or the RAC. If the unions lose their ability to affiliate to and have representation within the Labour Party, you can kiss goodbye any hope of any union affiliating to TUSC.

Ever.

You don't have to like Miliband; I bloody well don't. In fact, the more trade unionists who enter Labour and support the unions against Miliband weakens Miliband and the forces he represents. Up until now, the unions haven't wanted to rock the boat, but now they realise they have no choice if they are to retain any credibility.
It really does boil down to this question: whose side are you on? Are you on the side of unions and political trade unionism, or will you end up as a fellow traveller of Progress, of the Tories, and be partially responsible for the death of political trades unionism?

On Sexism And Victim Blaming Inherent In Personal Safety Training

I can't tell you where I work. Well, I could, but then I'd have to kill you. Lets just say that I'm a superhero with a daytime alter ego. Yes, let's go with that.

Anyhow, even superheroes have day jobs and have mandatory training to do.

This week it was personal safety training.

Apart from the fact that I am likely to ignore all of it should an incident arise, I had some issues with the content.

For instance, if you break down on the motorway you should wait on the embankment. Yup, I remember this from my driving theory test.

But, wait! What is this? Unless you are a woman alone and it starts to rain? Then, apparently, you should sit in the passenger seat so it looks like you are waiting for a man to come back.

I shit you not.

Oh, and make sure you have change for the phone as you might be lulled into a false sense of security by your mobile which might not have a signal.

Yeah, really.

And this doozy. Make sure you turn your handbag round so that it is facing inwards. That way it will be harder to steal from.

I really wish I was making this up.

If you are in a dangerous situation a mobile phone should not lead to a false sense of security because you should be phoning the police, not the office in this situation. The signal or lack of it would not be an issue as the emergency services are on a military satellite. Which is why you would see 'emergency calls only' when you have no signal.

I am very concerned that there is advice on women alone in the first place as statistically they are in no more danger than men. I am doubly concerned that the advice to sit in the passenger seat if it is raining rather than the embankment is there. This is an incredibly dangerous thing to do, especially in the rain where visibility would be poorer. They may get wet sitting on an embankment but they won't get ploughed into by a lorry or car. The better advice may be to make sure you carry a raincoat.

The advice on handbags smacks of victim blaming. This would identify someone as a potential victim and increase the likelihood of an attack.

However, none of this comes close to the victim blaming language that meant I took nearly as long doing the feedback as I did the training.

Deep breath. Here we go.

'We can inadvertently provoke aggression by the way in which we communicate with others.'

'Where you are faced with violence it is possible that you have not recognised the signs early enough or taken appropriate measures soon enough.'

'Don't retaliate either by word or deed, someone with a short fuse can easily be pushed too far.'

'Try to stay calm if provoked. Panic can show and be seen as a sign of weakness.'

'Defend yourself as a last resort.'

Totally unacceptable.

Bad enough that I have to work twice as hard for half the recognition, (just ask Wonder Woman, we often moan about this while out shopping for tights) but to be painted as something delicate that needs protection from rain but if I'm attacked then it was something I did?

No. Just no.

Looking forward to the response to my feedback.