The Feminist Times Launch Party!

These are exciting times. When Charlotte Raven launched The Feminist Times just weeks ago, she asked the question “Where are all the interesting women”? Three dimensional women whose appetite for political rigour & gender scrutiny isn’t sated by Vanity Fair.

At the launch of The Feminist Times membership party last night, I had the pleasure of tracking down a number of interesting women, as well as men, who were keen to declare their feminist credentials. Being in north London you’d expect a broad constituency in terms of diversity. Feminists came from far & wide, of all ages & classes, to have three dimensional conversations. Some were funny, some were intellectuals, some were inspiring.

Amongst the many interesting people I met last night (hovering around the "bar" in Charlotte's kitchen), the young women from The Daughters of Eve deserve a special mention. They’ve made an incredibly powerful documentary about female genital mutilation (FGM). It’s to be aired on Channel 4 on Wed night at 10.45 pm. They set out to challenge our stereotypes about what’s culturally acceptable & are filmed putting our ministers on the spot. It’s disheartening to hear that, despite the evidence to suggest FGM is rampant in this country, Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Education) refuses to include it as a mandatory part of safeguarding in schools training.

I wish Charlotte & all the team at The Feminist Times every success.