Raise Some Hell is finally on-line

After hours of trying to work out how to use a scanner, we have finally managed to get "Raise Some Hell - A Feminist Childrearing Zine for Everyone" scanned and available as a pdf.
To download the pdf please visit the zine library at http://zinelibrary.info/raise-some-hell-feminist-childrearing-zine-everyone
The zine has been scanned so that you can print it and put it together. There are good instructions on how to print the zine here http://zinelibrary.info/how-print-these-pamphlets-out
If you dont have a printer that does double sided you could also use the "1 to 2 sided" function on most photocopiers. Or for a more diy approach, simply stick the pages back to back in the correct order using whatever you want.
Hopefully should have the kidzine scanned up soon.

Out Now- our feminist zine for kids: 'Spratz!'

Our first edition of 'Spratz! a feminist kidzine for children of all ages' is out now. Thanks to everyone (kids n adults) who contributed, its fab! Please email feministchildrearing@riseup.net if you want to get a copy/copies. We are hoping to put the zine up online as a pdf sometime in the near future. The zine is mostly anti-copyright, and is not-for-profit- any profits made will be put right back into printing more zines. If you want to contribute to the next 'Spratz!' kidzine, then email feministchildrearing@riseup.net, or post to: Spratz!, c/o The Feminist Library, 5a Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7XY, UK. We hope you enjoy the zine! Love the CRAP! Collective x

G20 Convergence: The Kidspace

This post is about the kidspace and childcare cooperative that was organised to facilitate the protest and activism of parents and carers around the G20 summit in London on the 1st and 2nd of April 2009. The kidspace and childcare cooperative was organised by CRAP! Collective (Child Rearing Against Patriarchy), London Pro-feminist Mens Group, the Global Mutiny Network and the community of Ravens Ait island (websites at the end of this article).

Raven's Ait is a squatted island on the River Thames near Surbiton, South London. This artificially made island, which is actually still common land, is steeped in political history, although more recently has been used for weddings and corporate events. The present occupants are creating an amazing peaceful space for community, an eco-conference centre, permaculture gardens and workshops on sustainability and environmental issues.

Raven's Ait was the perfect place for the kidspace. We had a large indoor playroom with views of the river and passing boats, and a stunning grass lawn for the kids to run around on on and climb trees. We had loads of fun playing games and doing forest-school inspired crafts, such as: making dreamcatchers/ spiders webs, nature crowns, tipis, parachute games, football, twister, a mini rock concert, lots of drawing and painting, Spanish singing, picnics and even played croquet on the lawn, dahling! Being at Raven's Ait also gave the children a chance to experience communal living and working, in a safe space, away from the noise of the city and the police brutality during the G20 protests.

Many actions and demos can easily be made more welcoming for children and their carers to participate in, and we would encourage this. However in respect to this weeks G20 protests, we made the decision that it was too unpredictable and heavy for our children to attend, and looking back on it we feel we made the right decision organising the kidspace away from the action.


Mainstream society is not very welcoming to parents, carers and children, and personally I feel that often activism isnt either. Capitalism places no value, monetary or otherwise, on the work parents do, and patriarchy designates it as women's work. As activists we need to challenging these notions. We need to ensure that as much value is placed on the role of childcare, as is placed on all other aspects of organising actions, demos, meetings, workshops, etc.

We also need to be challenging the sexist notion that women should be looking after the children, by ensuring that more men are given childcare roles. Paid childcare is very expensive, and most of us cant afford to pay for it to go to meetings or do actions, so if childare isnt provided, or children aren't welcome at meetings etc than we just cant go. Even if childcare cant be arranged, than we should at least think about enabling children attend with their parents/carers.

This is an appeal for all those organising in the UK at the moment to ensure that your organising facilitates parents, carers and children attending and getting involved.

Dont leave your friends behind!

To get involved: http://www.ravensait.org.uk/, http://www.feministchildrearing.blogspot.com/, http://www.londonprofeministmensgroup.blogspot.com/, http://www.global-mutiny.webs.com/

To listen to our radio interview on dissident island from the kidspace, visit http://www.dissidentisland.org/ and listen to G20 part 1, we're about 30 minutes into the show.

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.