by Raisha Jesmin, Bristol Women’s Voice Volunteer
On Tuesday 4 December, we held our final quarterly in-person members’ event of the year – focusing on intergenerational conversations about women’s equity.
In engaging and intimate discussions over some warm tea, the members deliberated over key issues affecting women across generations, the lessons learned, and the path ahead.
Pairing Exercise: Bridging Differences, Fostering Connections
The event opened with a pairing exercise which entailed having a conversation with someone younger/ older in the room and was led by staff member Madie who handed out a set of four prompts for the members to contemplate.
By sharing when they first became aware of women’s inequity, the members drew from personal memories from their adolescence, working lives, and roles as carers. The patriarchy was understood as a durable systemic barrier in women’s lives that results in economic and financial oppression and insecurities such as domestic violence.
In response to whether their perceptions about women’s equity have undergone transformation with age, the members had varying answers. For some members perceptions had evolved over time – developing into a more nuanced and intersectional understanding of women’s equity. For others, perceptions correlated with major life experiences such as (peri)menopause.
In terms of what could be learnt from different generations about women’s organisation and advocacy, social media and the need for direct action were two recurring themes. In the age of technology, social media was seen as a double-edged sword – powerful in spreading feminist messages on a large scale but dangerous in promoting regressive ideas about women and femininity. Social media combined with more assertive mobilisation methods used by past generations of feminists was deemed effective for sustained change.
Roundtable Discussion: The Way Forward
The roundtable discussion was facilitated by a staff member and a group of volunteers – following a ‘World Cafe’ approach that allowed for in-depth conversations and brainstorming about what could guide BWV’s future efforts.
Women’s safety – such as in relation to violence, femicide, and spiking – was considered a striking problem that necessitated stronger responses from organisations and policymakers. In addition, the members viewed the plight of refugee women, universal credit, and affordable childcare as salient issues.
In recognising progress made in women’s equity, improvements in women’s healthcare and economic standing, the growing visibility of queer women, and developments in women’s marital rights were seen as significant achievements.
However, the members pointed out that much remains to be done, particularly in the areas of women-centric medical research and women’s entrepreneurial opportunities.
Finally, the members offered suggestions on how to unite women across generations and the ways BWV could continue platforming women. Cross-generational projects, skills-swapping and mentoring, collaborating with corporations, establishing stronger media presence, and hosting accessible and open events for all groups of women emerged as some of the main ideas.
Concluding Thoughts
The event closed with a call by Debra Newrick, one of our co-chairs, to reflect on three things the members could do in the upcoming year to lift women up. Respect, empathy, and gender education were some of the actions emphasised by the members.
The session highlighted the importance of bringing together diverse women to form bonds and identifying creative ways to achieve greater equity.
