A BRIEF HISTORY OF FEMINISM By Briony Hannell during their time in prison, many suffragettes went on hunger strike. One of the most famous political demonstrations from a suffragette took place at the 1913 Derby when Emily Davidson threw herself under the King’s horse, killing herself in the process. Whilst the suffragettes’ efforts were interrupted by the demands of the First World War, the vote for women During the early 20th century, the was secured in part in 1918 and unifeminist movement took its primary versally in 1928 under the Equal form through the suffragettes. Originating in the 1870s, the suffragettes’ Franchise Act. This period was also significant in that it witnessed the campaigns focused on challenging emergence of women as a large and legal inequalities and their primary objective was to secure women’s suf- capable workforce during the First frage – the vote. Under the leadership World War. of Emmeline Pankhurst, their methThe employment of women was also ods were at times militant, ranging drastically affected by the Second from arson, vandalism and violence to chaining themselves to the railings World War. The demands of a war economy meant that many prejudices of Buckingham Palace. The suffragettes were not willing to bow to vio- about gender roles were cast aside in the name of patriotism. Gender roles lence and they were frequently imprisoned. As a result, their efforts be- were subordinated to public duty. Women were summoned for a variety came more extreme. For instance, of war work and by mid-1943, almost Whilst feminist movements around the world are incredibly vast and varied, within the UK consensus states that the past 100 years can be characterised by three distinct movements working towards establishing and defending equal social, cultural, political and economic rights for women.
90 per cent of single women and 80 per cent of married women were employed to contribute the war effort – be that in factories, on farms, in civil service or in the female branches of the forces. The experience of the Second World War offered wider social and political perspectives for many women in the UK.
The feminist movement witnessed a revival during the late 1960s against the cultural and political backdrop of the Civil Rights movements and the student protests of 1968. A demonstration in London on International Women’s Day in March of 1971 saw over 4,000 women take part in the first women’s liberation demonstration. This resulted in the rapid inThe widening of social and political crease of membership of women’s perspectives during the war set the liberation groups around the UK. precedent for the “second-wave” of Women were soon campaigning for feminism. The term “second-wave” is free contraception, abortion on deused to refer to the women’s liberamand, more nurseries and sex edution movement that took place becation for teenagers, among a plethotween the 1960s and 1980s. During ra of new objectives on the feminist this period, women strived to claim agenda. By the end of the 1970s privileges which had long since been there were around seventy small and enjoyed by men – of which sexual informal women’s liberation groups liberation had an undeniable promiwithin UK, who met and discussed nence. The introduction of the contra- issues of fulfillment, autonomy and ceptive pill in 1961, combined with self-expression. the legalisation of abortion in 1967, lifted the burden of unplanned pregTo the feminists of the second-wave, nancy and allowed women to mainthe interconnection between women’s tain a sex life as they pleased. By the lives and politics seemed increasingly late sixties female sexuality and abor- undeniable. For the feminists of the tion were being defined in terms of a second wave, “the personal is politiwoman’s autonomy and her right to cal”. They placed a strong emphasis choose. Women were no longer lim- on the idea that women’s personal ited by their ability to bear children experiences were strongly connected which in turn granted them unprece- to wider social, political and economic dented financial and social independ- structures. It was this emphasis on ence. personal politics that differentiated the second-wave from the first-wave.
Furthermore, the composition of the women’s liberation groups of the 1970s ranged from young, single and educated women to workingclass mothers, suggesting that feminism was not limited to the confines of the middle class, as previously thought in regards to the predominantly middle-class suffragettes of the first-wave. The diverse range of issues the women’s liberation groups covered also indicates the emergence of a much broader and politically less specific form of feminism.
The tumult of the second-wave died down during the 1980s and the ongoing third-wave began in the 1990s. Often characterised as a continuation of the second-wave and a response to its perceived failures, it is perhaps the most diverse wave to date. The third-wave also greatly differs to its predecessors in that the rise of digital technologies has rapidly changed what it means to be a feminist.
HOW TO SAFELY AVOID A NASTY CONFRONTATION By Asia Patel Unfortunately, we live in a society that seems to think that non-consensual sexual advances such as crude compliments and invasions of personal space are okay. They are not okay. Not even a little bit. Having worked my way towards two black belts and also being a feminist (even if at the time, I didn’t realise that my thoughts and opinions were of a feminist), I once decided to run a selfdefence class aimed at women. The idea was to create a safe space just for women to learn simple techniques that don’t necessarily require a lot of strength or martial arts knowledge. To this day, it still eats me up knowing that a lot of my students thought that the previously mentioned behaviour aimed at them was normal and therefore okay.
doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, how much alcohol you have consumed or anything you’ve said, someone else’s unwanted actions are their bad decision. They are the one at fault here, not you. Unless you consent, sexual advances should not be received and certainly shouldn’t be persistent. I wanted to share some of the most simple, yet effective ways that I taught (and use myself) when confronted in a club by someone portraying these behaviours. They really help when you’re feeling cornered in a sticky situation, and hopefully they will help you feel safer in a club atmosphere.
Firstly, tell the person that you are not interested. An explicit explanation of your disinterest should be enough to clear up any confusion (emphasis on Someone else’s disgusting actions ‘should’). Maybe the person is just trying to spark up a conversation with towards you are not your fault. It
you and doesn’t realise that you don’t want anything to do with them at that point in time. Persistence after you’ve told them should be considered as harassment. Personally, I like to give two verbal warnings before I do anything else. The first is usually a kind “no thank you” and (if required) the second is a more aggressive “no seriously, leave me alone”. A physical push gets straight to the point and explains that they should probably leave you alone. If you have already verbally explained that you do not consent to their actions, it becomes an act of self-defence. I’m not saying knock them out so they fall on the floor and are crumpled by the crowd, but a firm hand on chest push will increase the distance between the two of you and is not the kind of rejection that can be misheard. If you’re in a club when you’re confronted, there is a large possibility that the person in front of you is drunk. This means that it really won’t take a lot to move them with very little force. Not so drunk people may require you to take a step back as you push to increase the distance.
Which bring us to my next point. Body language is incredibly powerful at subconsciously saying the things that we don’t. Instead of letting your auto pilot do the work, exaggerate your body language by really paying attention to it. Cross your arms, face away from them, use short blunt answers, no eye contact, do all the things that make you look as disinterested as possible in the human in front of you. Hopefully they will get the idea and leave you alone. If you don’t feel comfortable confronting your advancer, just leave. Turn around and walk away or even keep walking forwards as if they’re not there. They’re not worth your time so don’t give it to them. You should never feel obliged to engage in anyone who is treating you like an object, so the option to ignore them is always there. I find the toilets and the smoker’s area to feel much safer than the main area of the club. You can lock yourself in a cubicle or have some time on a bench away from the flashing lights, the loud music and the nasty person who singled you out. Make sure
you’re okay, contact a friend to find youseriously, and keep you “no leave mecompany alone”. if you aren’t, and take as long as you need A physical push gets straight to the point to compose yourself before returning and explains that they should probably leave into the club.
you alone. If you have already verbally explained you bouncers do not consent to their acFinally,that I find (particularly tions, it becomes an act of self-defence. those at the LCR) to be incrediblyI’m not sayingThey knock may them sometimes out so they fall on the helpful. look floor and are crumpled by the crowd, butthat a intimidating, but I can assure you firm hand on chest push will increase the they are usually lovely, approachable distance the two you and is not people between who (from my of experiences) the rejection can be misheard. If willkind notofstand for that sexual harassment. you’re in a club when you’re confronted, If you let them know that there is there is a large possibility that the person in someone who is bothering you, they front of you is drunk. This means that it realcan confront them and sometimes ly won’t take a lot to move them with very even ask them to leave the club. little force. Not so drunk people may require Understand that these methods are you to take a step back as you push to innot a the process; you don’t have to start crease distance.
ment. It simply shouldn’t be happening. away or even keep walking forwards as walk if they’re not there. They’re not worth your time so don’t give it to them. You should never feel obliged to engage in anyone who is treating you like an object, so the option to ignore them is always there. I find the toilets and the smoker’s area to feel much safer than the main area of the club. You can lock yourself in a cubicle or have some time on a bench away from the flashing lights, the loud music and the nasty person who singled you out. Make sure you’re okay, contact a friend to find you and keep you company if you aren’t, and take as long as you need to compose yourself before returning into the club.
Finally, I find bouncers (particularly those at the LCR) to be incredibly helpful. They may at the first one until the last one is Which bring us to my next point. Body lansometimes look intimidating, but I can assure required. They are individual things guage is incredibly powerful at subconscious- you that they are usually lovely, approachayou can do to avoid engaging with ly saying the things that we don’t. Instead of ble people who (from my experiences) will someone you don’t want to engage letting your auto pilot do the work, exagger- not stand for sexual harassment. If you let with in a club. I hope you can feel a ate your body language by really paying them know that there is someone who is little bit safer knowing some ways to attention to it. Cross your arms, face away bothering you, they can confront them and get out of an uncomfortable situation, from them, use short blunt answers, no eye sometimes even ask them to leave the club. if it occurs. Please remember that the contact, do all the things that make you look bad actions of others are not a re- Understand that these methods are not a as disinterested as possible in the human in flection on you. There is nothing at process; you don’t have to start at the first front of you. Hopefully they will get the idea all that you should be doing to preand leave you alone.
vent experiencing sexual harass-
If you don’t feel comfortable confronting your advancer, just leave. Turn around and
Discussion group Thursday 25th September 5-7PM Congregation Hall 0.13 uea.feminism@gmail.com @UEA_Feminism http://www.ueafeminism.wordpress.com/ http://www.ueafeminism.tumblr.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ uea.feminism/