What women want to see in their #FeministFutures

Published: Tuesday, August 25, 2015

What do you want to see in your Feminist Futures? With this question NWCI started a discussion on social media a few days before our Annual General Meeting to inform the debate on the day. The response was phenomenal and over three days the Hashtag #FeministFutures was trending in Dublin and in Ireland with women and some men sharing their ideas for what a feminist future should look like.

The trend created a perfect introduction for the morning event of our Annual General Meeting where we heard inputs from a wide range of inspiring women.
Our key note speaker Emer O’Toole, assistant professor, author and columnist, highlighted the need for the feminist movement to address challenges surrounding the campaign to repeal the 8th amendment in Ireland.

Minister of Justice and former Chairperson of NWCI, Frances Fitzgerald, challenged the idea that women do not support other women. She highlighted important political developments that aim to bring forward women’s rights in Ireland, such as the Sexual Offences Bill.

Mary McAuliffe, Lecturer in UCD’s Women’s Studies Programme, gave a historic perspective of women’s and the women’s movements role in Irish history during and after the 1916 rising.  Joanna Maycock, Director of the European Women’s Lobby, provided a European overview of the battlegrounds for the feminist movement.
Here is a flavour of some of the issues that were highlighted under the Hashtag Feminist Futures.

Cathy Crooks ‏@cathycrooks  Jun 12: When I'm not "just a mum" or "only a part time worker" #FeministFutures

Dr J ‏@JoanneOSulliva6  Jun 11 Cork, Ireland: When little girls don't fear to be seen to do anything just because boys do it too #FeministFutures

Mary Beare Aust ‏@marybaust  Jun 11: When there are as many female as male chefs on television #FeministFutures

Sandra Healy ‏@SanHealy  Jun 11: When we have balanced political parties-equal representation. Instead of pale, male and stale...#feministfutures @women4election

Yaz ‏@GlitterMamaBlog  Jun 11: When we can stop blaming women for rape by what they wore, drank, did or didn't do #FeministFutures

The Mama's Hip ‏@TheMamasHipBlog  Jun 11:When we stop celebrating the "first woman to..." #FeministFutures

Majella O Doherty ‏@MajellaODoherty  Jun 11:When an 'ambitious woman' is a positive not a threat #FeministFutures

Clare Dunne ‏@ClareDunneActor  Jun 11:I want my kids to laugh and say WTF? when I tell them there used to be less pay and less jobs for women in my industry.  #FeministFutures