Sophie Jane Andrews-McCarroll|Contributing Writer
What do ‘Gone Girl’, an Equality Budgeting Campaign and the latest and greatest rap music on the Dublin scene have in common? Before you shrug and flick/scroll on, let me enlighten you. Welcome to feminist Dublin, where people of all ages, backgrounds, and gender identities discuss, socialise and create, the ultimate goal being a society free from social stigmas and inequality.
The piece was testimony to the effectiveness of the campaign in giving a voice to the people and issues which tend to be overlooked
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Last Tuesday night found me at the Axis theatre in Ballymun at a where I was witness to a truly powerful piece of theatre. ‘Made from Scratch’, a moving portrayal of women living in poverty, was produced and performed by the Y Factor, one of Dublin’s most vibrant and active feminist youth organisations. The piece I saw was testimony to the effectiveness of the campaign in giving a voice to the people and issues which tend to overlooked. The efforts of the cast and crew resulted in a moving depiction of how poverty affects all aspects of living, from social circles and personal health, to having a bed to sleep in or enough food. The performance was followed by a discussion panel, provoking debate (and a bit of banter) while dealing with the pretty heavy topics broached in the play.
We were also treated to a performance by the wonderful TemperMental MissElayneous. Elayne Harrington, or TemperMental MissElayneous is a Dublin rapper whose poetry provides young feminists with a refreshing alternative to mainstream music. She is also involved in the Y Factor but tries to reach a wider audience through her music. “I feel a bit like I’m preaching to the converted here” she tells me when I approach her after the performance, gesturing around to the groups of people lingering after the show. She tells me that in addition to her rap, she has been involved in the RTE show ‘Connected’. ‘I hate television, I hate it” she says, but recognises the importance of the media in public perceptions.
The Y Factor began as an initiative of the National Woman’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) three years ago and has since gained huge momentum. Among other initiatives, they were instrumental in the first national student gender conference, which took place in NUI Galway in February 2014. Chiefly concerned with providing a platform for young men and women to have their voices heard, the Y Factor also have a healthy online presence. In their own words, “The Y Factor has been set up to empower and support [young people] to have their voices heard in the continuing movement for equality.” This is played out in the active Facebook and Twitter pages which post on everything from the recent budget to repealing the 8th Amendment (and the added bonus of an occasional misselayneous rap).
However, they’re not all about virtual campaigning. Youth involvement and activism is what the Y Factor is all about, something really emphasised by the inspirational Sadhbh. At seventeen years old, one of the original members of the Steering Group, Sadhbh helped lead the post-show discussion panel – surely an inspiration to any aspiring activist. Getting involved in such a movement isn’t difficult either – there are numerous evenings, performances and events that take place during the year and they are always recruiting activists for their Steering Group.
But the Y Factor isn’t the only feminist organisation in town. The Irish Feminist Network was established by a group of Trinity Master’s students in May 2010. It was a result of a lack of youth involvement in the feminist movement and aimed to provide a forum for young women and men to discuss views and talk about what they would like to see being campaigned on. Since its foundation four years ago, they have been active on a number of different issues including an equality budgeting campaign, which is lobbying for an audit to take place pre-budget focusing on vulnerable sectors of society potentially to be affected by cuts. Also on the agenda is a campaign on sex and consent, with a particular emphasis on education.
“For young men there are pressures as well based on the kind of gender stereotypes, peer pressures to be tough, to be strong”
Looking forward, the Network is hoping to start a consultation process with followers and members to give a more public voice to the direction the network is taking – youth involvement is very important to the IFN. “It’s one of the most important things the network can have really” says Emer, one of the coordinators. “Even the experience of people who are leaving school and entering university and work at the moment is so different from how it was ten years ago, we really need to make sure that everyone is kept abreast on how things are changing and of what issues and themes are important for young people.”
She also mentions the importance of young men in the movement: “For young men, I mean, there are a huge amount of pressures as well based on the kind of gender stereotypes that we have at the moment, peer pressures to be tough, to be strong. It’s a different stereotype, but it can be very oppressive as well”.
Getting involved in the IFN can take many different forms. Emer talked enthusiastically about the monthly book club – “anyone can go along, you don’t have to have read the book…we’re reading ‘Gone Girl as the film is out at the moment.” Meetings take place in the first week of the month, the next one being on the 10th November in the bar in Boswell’s.
There are also various social events throughout the year, table quizzes and a Christmas night out which everyone is welcome to. Getting involved in events and discussions can be deeply rewarding: “to talk to other people, to see how other people stand on an issue that you feel strongly about, it’s a really nice experience. You probably won’t all agree on issues but that’s how new campaigns and initiatives get started, just having a chat and realising it’s all possible.” The IFN also look for writers to publish for their blog, another way to get your voice heard in a more formal context. To get in touch to contribute or just to find out more, email [email protected].
Dublin in 2014 is a wonderfully diverse society on its way to achieving social equality for all genders, nationalities and backgrounds. If you want to be a part of this movement, don’t be afraid to come out and get involved. Go along to a discussion group, a play or a social. Write, sing, get your voice heard. The fourth generation of feminism isn’t going to be the last, but it will define the future of gender equality.
The Y Factor:
www.yfactor.ie
www.facebook.com/the.yfactor.ireland
www.twitter.com/the_yfactor
The Irish Feminist Network:
www.irishfeministnetwork.com
www.facebook.com/irishfeministnetwork
www.twitter.com/irishfemetwork
Photos courtesy of The Y Factor
