Running for Survivors

One of our members, Alice Gill is running the Reading half marathon in March in order to fundraise for Rape Crisis (England and Wales). It is an incredibly important charity, providing a range of specialist services for women and girls who have been subjected to rape or any kind of sexual violence. Services like these are crucial for survivors, being able to talk to someone about what has happened, how to process it and cope will help a person slowly to be able to get back on the right track.

Alice Gill's just giving page:

Survivors of rape and sexual assault are often silenced through fear, shame and blame which prevents them receiving the help they deserve.
Too many survivors are let down by the justice system and receive little or no support.

Rates of reported assaults are increasing but convictions are not.

Being under 18, having mental illness, learning difficulties, alcohol and drug consumption are all factors which increase an individual's vulnerability to rape but also negatively impacts success in conviction: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/02/28/rape-has-been-decriminalised-for-the-most-vulnerable-says-senior-met-adviser/

Diminished faith in the police is also a pressing issue.

The fact which disturbs me the most is that rape culture normalises sexual crime thus inhibits protection of vulnerable individuals from abuse which reinforces victim blaming and empowers abusers.

When survivors do manage to seek support there isn't enough available because of a severe lack of funding.

Rape Crisis (England and Wales) are committed to providing services to survivors of rape and sexual abuse, as well as committed to dispelling myths, raising awareness and understanding of sexual violence. Their aim is to provide a safe environment for survivors to seek support and the justice they deserve.

*Please* join me in my activism against rape culture, and support survivors of rape and sexual assault.

Please donate, give what you can, to help her cause and support her in running the half marathon!!
https://www.justgiving.com/aliceagainstrapeculture/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=updates&utm_content=aliceagainstrapeculture&utm_campaign=updates-facebook

NOLITE TE BASTARDES CARBORUNDORUM

Many of you keen feminist readers who happen to have read “The Handmaid’s tale” by Margaret Atwood will have perchance come across these words. In the story, it is found scrawled inside the cupboard in the main character’s bedroom. It is understood to be a message of defiance – to inspire hope to those who encounter hardship. In the story, it carries extra symbolic value, since under the rule of the Republic of Gilead, no messages are allowed to be written on the walls, let alone one that actively promotes rebellion against the regime. It is therefore, by that fact alone, a controversial and forbidden message. One does not need to understand its “meaning” to see that it is one of defiance, and encouragement. Its taboo nature is observed and pondered by our character throughout numerous chapters of the book, even used as a prayer. But what exactly does it mean?


Supposedly it means “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.” This would indeed inspire an air of confidence (there is a strange significance in saying a common aphorism or saying in a different language, it endows the speaker with an air of intellectual profundity and confidence unlike when spoken in common English). A common problem is however, that most people feel, when they speak in languages they know little about, they feel that they do not need to understand what is properly being said, because of a keen, effort-saving desire to accept it at face value. And if it sounds clever, then it probably is. Alas – this is where they are wrong. The truth is, it doesn’t mean that at all.


In fact, the saying itself doesn’t make any sense. As any Latin expert will tell you, “Carborundorum” is not an actual word. Even the Commander in the novel, who tells us the phrase’s intended meaning explains that it is actually a “joke”. The “joke” here lies in the fact that “carborundorum” supposedly resembles a genitive plural of “carborundum”. However “Carborundum” itself is not a Latin word – it is actually the name for a composite material consisting of Silicon carbide – a contraction of “Carbon” and “Corundum”. So it’s not an actual word. “Nolite” too is used incorrectly because while it is a negative imperative meaning “Do not...!”, it is one that takes the infinitive form of the verb. Not the gerundive. In short, this whole phrase is meaningless. Not real Latin at all.


For those of you who want to know how one would really say “Don’t let the bastards grind you down!”, then the correct way would be “Nolite permittere te bastardes opprimere”. That’s quite a mouthful, I know. Well, there are many different variations, but for those who insist on saying it correctly, just know that however noble you may find the slogan, you are not actually communicating the intended message. If you were to speak these words to real Romans, none of them would understand what you were saying. You may as well be saying to them “Don’t rub cheese in your hair!”
If you should wish to inspire real motivation in a person who is struggling against life and its hardships, or facing prejudice and derogatory sneers from their adversaries, do not say “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”. Because what it really means, is that while you are trying to come across as cultured and intelligent, the truth is, you do not really understand Latin.

Benjamin Stevens.

Welcome to Feminism Society's official blog!

Hi All!
I'm writing this very aware of the late start, for which I must first apologise. This has been the first official year of Feminism Society at Reading, and so the lovely committee has been focusing most on making it an incredible experience for our new members, with plenty of socials and excellent sessions, instead of keeping this blog going. But with enhancement week over, and a routine settled into, I felt it was time to officially start working on keeping this updated!
The plan will be to keep the blog updated fortnightly with our activities as a society, including any photos and finished products. I'd also like to work on creating a resource of member submitted posts about current issues in feminism, but that depends on the supply of people wanting to write for us. Currently, our Facebook group is stuffed with articles that our brilliant and enthusiastic members share, I'd love to get a nice complete record of all these articles as well, but this does depend on how much time our lovely media reps have.

I'm also planning on having at least all of the committee members submit at least one post each, hopefully with a personal slant, so members have a chance to get to know us and our angles on feminism more personally.

Thanks for bearing with us, and watch this space for more updates of society activities past and upcoming events, which personally I can't wait for! Most notably, we've got the Reclaim the Night London trip coming up, and our Christmas Dinner social, which are bound to be incredibly exciting and hopefully we'll get loads of pictures to put up here!

And on a personal note, I'm honored to have such a brilliant committee and be part of such a fabulous and vibrant society, and I'm excited to see what lies in the future for our amazing society!

With Love,
Fenella Ginn, FemSoc President.