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Aldermaston - we want women!

jk | 27.02.2008 10:40 | Anti-militarism | Gender

On Easter Monday - 24 March, thousands of people are expected to converge on Britain's nuclear weapons factory - AWE Aldermaston - to celebrate 50 years of anti-nuclear protest and to call on the government to abandon plans for a new generation of Trident.



The women's peace camp is hosting one of the six gates as a women-only space and call on women to join us. The Women in Black network and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom have added their support and their names to the women's gate event.

The other five gates are mixed gender and all have different themes (see  http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston for general details, including coach transport from across the country).

There is an amazing tradition of radical women's activism in the peace/anti-nuke/antimilitarist movements and beyond. This event is a great opportunity for women to come together, make a show of strength and solidarity, and shout loud and clear "the bomb stops here!".

The women's gate will have a sound system, food, random entertainments (more women artistes very welcome) and a mass knicker-related action (yes, you heard right. So laydeez, bring your spare pants, the bigger the better!).

Children welcome - there is a safe, enclosed space for them to charge about in.

More info on the women's gate at  http://www.aldermaston.net/falcongate08.php.

Breaking news on the event as a whole is that wheelchair accessible floorspace accommodation (mixed gender) is available in Reading for the night before and the night of Easter Monday itself (ie 23 and 24 March). Organisers are asking people to register in order to guarantee a space. Drop an email to  sleep@aldermaston2008.org.uk with name, email, what night you want etc and they send you a map and details of where you are staying.

jk
- e-mail: info@aldermaston.net
- Homepage: http://www.aldermaston.net

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

divisions?

27.02.2008 16:13

i'm all for women's spaces - but what is the point of having a woman's only block? will there also a be a queer block, a black block (no pun intended), a disabled block? why create divisions where there don't need to be any.

a man

Not that divisive

28.02.2008 00:40

Did you notice this in the article?

"The other five gates are mixed gender and all have different themes (see  http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston for general details, including coach transport from across the country). "

That website doesn't seem to explain what the other five themes are, which is a bit annoying, tho.

Another man

Not remotely divisive

28.02.2008 06:33

Given the residual sexism and homophobia present in activist circles, it's only fair that women should have their own space at Aldermaston. Men enjoy all the other blockade sites to attend should they wish. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that under the guise of "unity", the male left has often tried to mess up women led campaigns, LGBT led campaigns and so on. Historically, the key reason feminist separatism came about during the 1970's was as a reaction to the straight male activist left which was particularly dominant in the then Communist Party, the IS/SWP and much of the anarchist movement at the time. The women of the Aldermaston camp have every right to ask that their one feminist space be respected, particularly when they will be in alliance with men, Christians, anarchists, socialists and many other groups across the rest of the Aldermaston blockade.

Caz

more info

04.03.2008 10:44

re wanting more info on the other gates/themes, see link below for even site - it's all there.

jk
- Homepage: http://www.cnduk.org/aldermaston