A bit about us:
CRAP! Collective (Child Rearing Against Patriarchy) is a loose network of
feminist parents, carers, educators and allies, that want a feminist
upbringing for the next generation.
We believe that feminists should confront all forms of oppression,
exploitation and hierarchy. We understand that ‘mothering’, ‘parenting’
and ‘childrearing’ have different connotations: the next generation need
people of all genders, races, classes, sexualities, ages and abilities to
help them develop healthy attitudes to life.
However, our experience has been that parents, carers and children are
often marginalised and discriminated against, even within feminist
organising.
There are massive divergences between the spheres occupied and lived by
those with and without caring responsibilities. Childcare, childrearing
and child-friendly provisions should not be just defaulted as a mother’s,
or even a parent's, own issue. Feminists who are not parents or carers are
crucial to the success of parent-led organising as well as the
integration/inclusion of parents, carers and children within the
feminist/women's liberation movement.
So often within many feminist spaces or groups, little attempt is made to
facilitate this inclusion, or even to encourage parents/carers to attend
and feel welcome. Free childcare or decent spaces in which children are
fully welcome should be provided at every single gathering, and it should
be made clear whether the gathering (albeit a small meeting or large
event) is child-friendly. This helps parents/carers plan well in advance,
and encourages them to attend. The absence of such provisions means that there will be many people, most of whom will be women, who will not be able to attend and contribute to the feminist agenda.
We have raised awareness of these issues within our own political circles,
and made essential links and worked together with like-minded individuals and groups, both here in the uk and also internationally. But much more
needs to be done to bring a wider awareness of these issues to feminists,
so that creative and fully inclusionary solutions may be found.
Feminists (parent/carers and non-parent/carers) need to view these issues as being crucial to the movement. After all, why are we feminists if not for the future generation?
