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Liverpool Women Reclaim The Night...Sort Of

Liverpool IMC | 08.03.2008 23:32 | Gender | Social Struggles | Liverpool

On Saturday night, about forty women and some male supporters marched from St George's Plateau on Lime Street around the city centre, returning to the Adelphi hotel for some entertainment. The Reclaim the Night demonstration is thought to be the first in the city for over thirty years, and took place on International Women's Day.







However, even though the women on the march vastly outnumbered the men, who largely kept to the back, some men had placed themselves in prominent positions of control. There was no police 'escort', but all except one of the stewards were male, including Merseyside TUC President Alec McFadden, who led from the front and used his megaphone to urge people on and make jokes. All of this seemed to detract from the normal stated purpose of Reclaim The Night marches, of women marching together to dispel patriarchal notions of darkened streets being unsafe for women.

Liverpool IMC

Comments

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Not quite as long ago as that

10.03.2008 18:04

The last Reclaim the Night March wasn't quite as long ago as thirty years, I was on one in 1986, which went down Hardman Street and into the city centre. I can't remember now how many people were on it. But I don't remember there being any others in subsequent years.

Carol

Unity

09.06.2008 15:37

In response to your article, a lot of women who made this march possible "chose" to march and therefore didn't want to steward the event.
Ther were two male stewards and one female steward who had both the relevant experience and the time to keep the "Reclaimers" safe.
I find it very shallow to pick out percieved negatives:
Humour is universal and appreciated by both females and males alike.
In my opinion it's sad to use such great visuals and not explore their content, and just plain bad reporting, (note distinction between reporting and journalism), to hone in on incidentals and miss the real issues promoted by the IWD reclaim the night march.
Please let's not miss the point.

R. Dillon

women power

10.06.2008 08:38

In relation to the comments on the Merseyside Reclaim the Night march I think it best to place this event in context,it was one event amongst many to celebrayte women based around International womens day,the committee reponsible for organising these events took great deliberations in deciding which should or should not be women only,it was decided that men could join the march as long as they supported the concept and ethos of it, there were many attempts at gaining support form female stewards and policewomen ,however the men who did join us were very supportive of the cause and the motivation of the march, we have to be very careful that we do not become the discriminators as opposed to being discriminated against,there is room in justice seeking for all who believe in it.
As for football jokes,are you saying that women can't enjoy a football joke, in Liverpool!!!!
Lets work together in harmony for social justice for ALL, Love and peace Gina

R.P. Shaw

Get the full facts!

18.06.2008 12:15

This march was not hijacked as it was a trade union event. It was organised by women. It rose awareness of IWD and the need to organise. Like your photos and feel free to get invovled rather than critise something that you don't know the full facts about.

Cath