Welfare Reform (Abolition) Bill

On Monday (March 9 2009) members of the CRAP! Collective and our children joined a group of activists to protest against the Welfare Reform Bill which will have its third reading on March 17.
In what was a creative, fun action, we along with over twenty activists (dressed as bankers and fatcats) stormed the Department of Work and Pensions' Adelphi House and occupied the lobby for over two hours.

It was a really fun action, with shouting, singing, painted faces and wicked props (massive pound coins and bowler hats) and the children (and adults) had a great time. The police maintained a hand-off presence (perhaps because of the children), although at the end forcibly removed two protesters.

This action marked the begining of a week of action called by London Coalition Against Poverty (LCAP), Feminist Fightback and the Disabled Peoples Direct Action Network to protest against the welfare reform bill, whose Green Paper was drafted by staff at Adelphi House.

The Welfare Reform Bill is an attack on all benefit claimants, but particularly disabled people and single parents.Single parents will no longer be entitled to income support and instead be transfered to Jobseekers Allowance, whereby the parent must look for work or else lose their benefit. Mothers will also be forced to register fathers name on their childrens birth certificate, even in cases of domestic violence. Non-compliance will result in benefit being suspended for 26 weeks.
We will be further analysing the bill (its massive), and its particlar relevance to parents and carers.

There will be further actions around this bill, check www.lcap.org.uk for updates. There is also a full break down of the bill there.

"Raise Some Hell" - a feminist childrearing zine for everybody

After a manic week of cutting, sticking and printing,
our adult zine is done.
It looks fantastic,  big thanks to all who contributed.
We will be arranging another meet up within the
next couple months, as we need to get the kids zine
printed also (never ending!).

This adult zine is called:
Raise Some Hell!- a feminist childrearing zine for everybody.

The kidzine is called "Spratz! - a feminist kidzine"
and we are starting to put this together now.

This zine is not-for-profit and any excess cash
will be put right back into printing subsequent
zines/activities for The CRAP! Collective.

If you want a copy/copies to distribute/sell/photocopy
please do get in touch.
our email address is: https://tern.riseup.net/sm/src/compose.php?send_to=feministchildrearing%40riseup.net

Call out for zine contributors

We are a group of parents, educators and people who care about children and want a feminist upbringing for the next generation. The group started at the March 9th Feminist Gathering at Hackney Social Centre, East London, and is open to all to join.
We would like to create networks to support and discuss feminist childrearing issues and push childrearing issues in activist circles.
We want to actively challenge the tirade of sexist, capitalist, racist, classist, ageist, ableist, homophobic and transphobic literature that is written by children by putting together our own zine.
The zine needs to be packed full of: personal accounts of childrearing (albeit from mums, dads, carers, teachers, brothers, sisters and kids themselves!), pieces discussing concepts of feminist childrearing, book/ web/ lit reviews, etc. Plus importantly a large section full of activities for kids of various ages, including kids feminist poetry, short stories, cartoons, songs, colouring-in pages, word/ picture games, subverted nursery rhymes....whatever!
All pieces should hallenge the norm by having a consciously radical feminist focus.
Please email us to let us know if you are interested in group or contributing and what kind of contribution you'd like to make. Please provide a name or email address etc so that you can be credited for your piece if you want.
Join the group list at riseup.net (search under feminist childrearing): feministchildrearing@riseup.net.
Or email tumbleweed_freed@riseup.net or butterflea@riseup.net, or leave a comment on this blog.
Please forward this email to any interested lists/ people as we need as many varied contributions as possible.
Thanks.