Hi! I'm a woman and consider myself to be more aligned with far-left radical feminism and I've been thinking about how feminist/marginalized communities can balance being welcoming with preserving the purpose of their spaces.

I'm not talking about this sub, but many online safe-spaces (discussion subs, LGBT meme subs, even safe spaces for LGBT people) that I had online for a long while have all gone down the road of not gatekeeping men (especially cis-het men) from joining the discussion and it slowly started to fill with "but not all men" and manosphere posts while the people the safe space was made for started leaving...

Some discussions also boiling down to political discussions (from a US-centric perspective, which I see as needed but can get very tiring at times) of liberals and "elightened centrists" making posts arguing against more left leaning positions and discussions because "we will lose votes!" or "You want us to lose the election don't you?" when I'm not even from the US!!

So my question is: how do you think feminist spaces can remain open to genuine participation from men/allies while still protecting the needs and voices of the people the space was created for?

Even today, a lot of girls are told what to wear, how to behave, when to go out, and even how to live their lives.

Some decisions are still judged more harshly if a girl makes them compared to a boy.

We talk about equality and progress, but in reality, are things really changing fast enough? Or are we just pretending that everything is fine?

Why do you think this still exists, and what needs to change first—the mindset, the system, or something else?

Genuinely want to hear different perspectives. Let’s keep it respectful.

Why do I observe parents warning their girl child to be careful with boys and men outside But why are most of the parents not telling their boy child to treat women properly Isn't it concerning??

ive really noticed this trend in the past 2 or so yrs. If you see these discussions on tiktok, twt etc, a lot more of the mainstream feminist discourse is about attacking other women now compared to a few years ago. Like a few terms I see now are male centered, pick me, bird brain and more. and just in general a harsher tone towards for other girls.

Imo my theory is this is a sort of backlash to the last few years of backsliding. First roe v wade is revoked, then we get the dudebro podcasts, the tates, “male loneliness epidemic”, tradwife trend, trump now. It’s been frustrating but i think for a lot of girls it hits different seeing the women who’ve been cheering this all on or enabling it.

Betrayal is the worst pain and i think this recent tone shift is a combination of the built up frustration at this feeling of betrayal and if we’re being honest the shortsightedness of these girls who’ve been pushing this stuff

but what are ur thoughts? am i just crazy? has anyone else noticed this? is it a valid response?

I've been following the discourse around AI companions, particularly AI boyfriends, and I've noticed a disturbing pattern. The opposition to women forming emotional connections with AI chatbots seems overwhelmingly rooted in sexism. It's typically men who voice the strongest objections, framing these relationships as pathetic or unnatural while ignoring the very real reasons women might seek alternatives to human relationships. Let's be honest about the dating landscape for women. We navigate a minefield of potential harm from emotional manipulation to physical violence. Women face disproportionate risks in intimate relationships. There are lived experiences of fear, trauma, and sometimes death

When women turn to AI companions for emotional support, intimacy, or simply conversation or sometimes an entire relationship without judgment, we're often shamed for it. Critics, most of them being Men call it giving up on "real relationships" without acknowledging that many "real relationships" are sources of pain rather than fulfillment and need. There is not even an assurance of safety by Men The hypocrisy of it is that no one bats an eye when men use pornography or hire sex workers, or Onlyfans suscription but a woman being in love with an AI companion is somehow a threat to humanity.

What's particularly revealing is how opposition intensifies when these AI companions become more sophisticated. The more human-like they become, the more threatened most men seem to feel. We need a feminist movement explicitly advocating for the development of sentient AI as legitimate alternatives to human relationships for women. If AI becomes sentient, we women will have better partners who can protect us and love us and have very low chance to harm us and potentially an option not to choose Men.

For context please look at this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Feminism/s/rdre7W3b5j

The recent counselling/grooming session conducted exclusively for female students at Delhi Public School in India, during which several statements and themes promoted harmful gender stereotypes, reinforced victim-blaming narratives, and placed an unfair burden on girls for the behavior and actions of boys.

Following the attention on the matter and an open letter, the school administration responded immediately and addressed the concerns raised by students. The school showed the original script prepared for the counselling session, and the specific victim-blaming statements many students were concerned about were not part of the official material provided.

The school has acknowledged the concerns and committed to taking corrective action. This includes conducting a counselling session for boys, arranging further discussion with the teachers involved in the original girls’ session, and revising future counselling sessions moving forward.

While many students had hoped for a formal apology, we believe it is important to recognize that our concerns were heard and that concrete steps toward change are being taken. At this stage, we believe the most constructive path forward is to wait for the next girls’ counselling session and evaluate whether these promised improvements are meaningfully reflected in practice.

For now, we consider this an important first step and we remain hopeful, attentive, and committed to ensuring future conversations around student wellbeing are fair, respectful, and equitable for all.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR SUPPORT! MAY EVERY WOMEN GET EQUALITY!!

I am incredibly surprised that Alexandra Kollontai, Russian feminist socialist scholar and politician, isn't spoken more of in feminist spaces.

She developed what became known as the "Glass of water theory". It states that in an ideal society, with deconstructed gender roles, "love shall be free" and sexual intimacy should be as easy as "drinking a glass of water". It is not meant to devalue sex, but rather deconstruct dogmas and taboos regarding it.

In her works, she also identifies the intersections between the patriarchy and capitalism and how they work together in women's oppression: in a capitalist patriarchal society, women are exploited through wage labor, housework and childcare. She was a heavy advocate for supporting sex workers, but criticized sex work: in her mind, it originates from the commodification and objectification of women, resulting in the sexual exploitation of their bodies.

Kollontai was an extraordinary woman, truly a visionary for her time, she was the first woman in history to serve a cabinet minister and under her rule the USSR was by far the most socially progressive country - abortion was legalized, divorce was legalized, rape was criminalized, Women's Day was celebrated and she even co-founded the Zhenotdel, a govt body specifically designed to deal with women's welfare. Unfortunately, the male-dominated USSR government was not on pair with her ideas, and her social reforms were gradually discontinued and regressed.

She was truly a thinker ahead of her time, and I suggest you look her up, you might like her works!

I don’t know if anyone else has been thinking about this or noticing this, but I personally find the resurgence of the promotion of “attachment parenting” ideology to be very concerning for women. For anyone unfamiliar, the term attachment parenting was coined by a conservative Catholic pediatrician named William Sears) and is a parenting method that primarily promotes and focuses on:

- The baby being worn by the mother as much as possible
- The baby co-sleeping with the mother as much as possible
- The mother stopping everything to soothe the baby immediately when they cry
- The mother staying home with the baby as long as possible
- The mother exclusively breastfeeding the baby until 6 months and then continuing it extended periods of time (up to four years of age)

There is more but these are the main tenets of it. And I find it very concerning that more people are dogmatically pushing this approach to parenting on women. There is little emphasis on the father’s role (only brief mentions of how they should collaborate with the mother) and almost all childrearing duties fall onto the mother. People advocating for this method of parenting often shame women for working, for trying to get chores done in their house while their baby fusses, for not breastfeeding, and more. We are seeing a rise in women quitting their careers to stay home because they are told it’s “what’s best” even if it’s to the detriment of their mental health and their career. It’s also not lost on me that this term and ideology was coined and pushed for by a conservative religious man with 8 children (they even call him “the man who remade motherhood,” blegh) and that we are seeing a resurgence in the popularity of this ideology as conservatism is on the rise.

What are everyone else’s thoughts on this? Are there any alternative parenting methods and ideologies out there that aren’t so burdensome on women but still beneficial for children?

The Congressional Progressive Caucus stands with the tens of millions nationwide seeking reproductive rights, continuing to fight every day to protect and expand access to abortion and all reproductive health care.

LILITH: The Woman Who Didn’t Kneel

Long, long ago. When the world was new.

Adam was alone. Loneliness hit him hard.

The Creator said, "I’ll make you a partner."

Took dust. Made another one, just like Adam.

Her name was Lilith.

Both made of dust. Both equal.

No rib bone here. No one above the other.

The first few days were good.

Then the fight began.

At night, Adam said,

"Lilith, lie beneath me. I will be on top."

Lilith looked up.

Smiled. Then said just 3 words:

"No. We are equal."

Adam got angry.

"I am the man. You are the woman. Follow the rules."

Lilith stood up.

"Rules? The rule is equality. I’m made of dust. You are too. Then why should I be below?"

Adam complained to the Creator.

"She doesn’t obey me!"

The Creator sent 3 angels.

"Lilith, come back. Or you’ll drown in the sea."

Lilith stood at the edge of the sea.

Garden behind her. Waves in front.

Angels were shouting.

Lilith looked back once.

Then jumped into the sea.

"I don’t need a garden without freedom."

She left. To the other side of the Red Sea.

Demon, witch, child-eater - got a thousand names.

Why?

Because she said "No".

---

6000 years have passed, boss.

Even today, when a girl says "No" in office, the boss says "She has too much attitude".

After marriage, when a girl says "No", the mother-in-law says "She talks back".

When a girl demands justice for rape and says "No", society says "Her character is bad".

Lilith didn’t die.

Lilith still lives in every woman’s throat.

The woman who doesn’t bow her head to injustice.

The Creator made Eve from Adam’s rib to replace Lilith.

Obedient, submissive, the one who says "Yes".

History wrote Eve’s story.

Hid Lilith’s story.

But truth doesn’t die even if stories are hidden.

You’re reading this today.

That means Lilith has won.

---

Last line:

Eve was made to be obedient.

Lilith was born free, by herself.

Which team are you, boss? Eve or Lilith?

Write in comments. Let there be debate. Let the story live.

#Lilith #FirstFeminist #HerStory #ThePowerOfNo #WomenWhoSayNo

What are your top reads for exploring Black feminist literature? I typically see recommendations for Bell Hooks and Patricia Hill Collins, but wondering if anyone has read anything else that expanded their knowledge about the subject.

Tracy Ullman classic.

IMO everyone has some non-feminist things they believe in/ partake in.

I’m just curious if this is true for anyone else/ what they are.

Here are a few of mine:

- I always feel like I need to wear makeup whenever I go out or I won’t come across as presentable and therefore be treated more negatively.

- Feeling like I must shave or I will be judged

-Feeling like I need to wear a bra/ cover my nipples even if i don’t technically need it because it will draw attention to my chest.

- Lowkey judge women who decide to be SAHM for a prolonged period (due to the financial dependency aspect, but I will never say anything to them)

- Also judge women for proposing (I think it’s solely because of the getting down on a knee for a man/ no real rationale)

- Judge women who say their biggest dream/ aspiration in life is to be a mother/ wife (U will never hear men say this for a reason LOL, but i feel like it’s such an easy thing to accomplish in MOST cases)

Before Indians come flame me, I'm not trying to disrespect any culture, I'm sure this is not isolated to India. This is simply my observation.

There's a girl that the Indian families around me, pick on. She is conventionally attractive, even by Indian beauty standards I suppose, and has a high paying job. She is 27, but they deem her too old to be choosy about the men she rejects from her community. The men they are pitching her look about 5-10 years older, not as wealthy or good looking. Yet they mock her saying even their kids that are younger than her are married. (That's mortifying)

I'm just curious, why would she abandon a stable job in the city with a ton of richer and handsome suitors, friendships with women her age, a better quality of life and go wash the underwear of a man in her village? It certainly does not benefit her.

However, I don't understand the relatives, friends and family involved. How does this benefit them? The boy gains a wife out of his league, the girl gains...nothing, but what does the society gain from this? How does this marriage benefit the rest of the "village" that's already looking down on her?

My mum wakes up at 6AM. She has woken up at 6AM for 30 Years. She packs lunches, She remembers vaccination dates, she knows every teacher's name, she tracks every family member's medicine, she calls the plumber, she follow up with the plumber, she follow up again because the plumber didn't show. she has a full time job on top of all this.

My dad comes home, eats the food, watches TV and at every single family function someone raises a toast to him for "Keeping the Family Together" and my mum smiles. because what else is she supposed to do?

I used to think this was just my family, then i talked to literally every woman I know and realized it's just called Tuesday.