KEEP ON FROCKING

Words: Anne Kastner
Pictures: Michelle Dunn/Kate Henderson

There are few words as well travelled as the f-word . Through the 60s to the 80s, it has been associated with events as diverse as the shooting of Andy Warhol to the nineteen-year anti-nuclear protest at a certain common in England. Links with famous figures as far removed as Courtney Love and ‘Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher have shown the word’s activity to be amazingly versatile when, to many people, it has only ever been associated with the written works of 70s academics like Dr Greer and Ms Dworkin.

In the early 1990s, the word’s meanderings appeared to subside with the rise of the American Riot Girl (spelt Grrrl) movement. Based around a handful of female bands, such as Bikini Kill and Hole, this youthful fusion of punk/DIY ethics, community, art, music and sharp political statement seemed finally to have pinned the f-word down. Additional affairs with more mainstream figures, such as Hillary Clinton and Madonna, helped in endearing the word to popular consciousness and everything looked settled. Unfortunately, this shaky co-habitation of grass-roots activism, power/media politics and an always-confused public proved short-lived.

By the mid-nineties, the white-gloved handshake of the mainstream had finally been exposed as a marauding claw. While a crisis of leadership meant that Riot Grrrl stumbled and the f-word seemed to disappear, the two-faced monster of media and money finally pounced. The stricken term was hijacked for one of the biggest marketing successes of the last century: the f-word as brand-name.

Across the world ‘feminism’ swept selling everything from cars to boob jobs. In America, the Cult of Madonna reached new heights as many people were persuaded that female liberation was titillation for cash and that any woman not in touch with her inner whore was somehow missing out. In Britain, it was shamefully put to work alongside man-made forgettables, The Spice Girls, whose cry of ‘girl power’ and sale of shit pencil-cases to small children helped to ensure that everything intelligent about the feminist debate ended up in the bargain bin.

This dramatic journey has meant that, in 2003, many people have come to see feminism as nothing more than a dirty word. Its offensiveness is such that if mentioned in public, it is guaranteed to draw gasps of incredulity. Unlike the other, more acceptable f-word, you will rarely find it emblazoned on a t-shirt and it is one which Bernard Manning would never ever say except, perhaps, if tortured with copies of The Female Eunuch. But, while these past calamities might have ensured feminism’s trip end amongst the vocabulary faux pas, it has recently been spotted around the world defiantly showing off its original cloak.

In Glasgow, much of the credit in redressing the f-word must go to The Cailleach Collective, an all-female organisation whose recent ‘Frock On’ events have been attempting to “make feminism cool again”. Inspired by mother organisation, Ladyfest (a 3-year old international movement originating in the US), a core group of about twelve women are attempting to restore feminism to its former glory. Refusing the faulty product which is brand-name feminism, their one and two-day workshop and music events have helped to mobilise a growing number of woman who demand that feminism be re-identified with their own experience.

Free daytime workshops in creative writing, self-defence, media, publishing and the arts have provided a space where female expressions rejected by mass-marketing are not considered taboo. In this space, the fights against sexism, sizism, racism and men-bashing are welcome associates of feminism despite having been trashed when the marauding mainstream tried to force the f-word into a bikini.

In fact, feminism has always been bigger that that (a bigger girl so to speak) and this is reflected in the range of nationalities involved in Frock On. Core members come from as far afield as Canada, Australia, Portugal and Northern Ireland while contributors have descended from Argentina, Germany and the US . To the women of the collective and their supporters (sometimes known as ‘Frocks’), there has never been any question about feminism’s identity as a movement of universal values with one clear basic goal – equal opportunity and status for women. Ironically, the fact that brand-name feminism has declined to promote these values has created a gap in the market which may prove to be their demise.

The Cailleach Collective originated in November 2002 initially as a reaction against the continuation of sexism against women in the music industry. Women like Sophie who had been involved in the music scene in Sydney saw that there were lots of talented female bands in Glasgow who were being overlooked because men put on the shows. She feels that there is still an under-the-counter system of sexism at work. “It’s not that there are people saying “Let’s get girls out” or “Let’s get boys in”. It’s a really subtle thing which keeps repeating itself. You don’t get invited to do things so you need to make gender an issue or else it just becomes a boy’s club”. Other members, like Frock On mentor, Kate Henderson, share the view that space has had to be created. “You see band night after band night after band night but because you don’t see women involved, you assume that they’re not there. I think there was always a need for organisations to recognise that gap”. Their first two-day event took place in March 2003 and, with three more Frock Ons since, it seems this gap is one, which many more supporters are happy to help them fill.

Amanda McCulloch (Manda Rin) played at their most recent music night in September. Formerly of punk-pop outfit Bis but now concentrating on new band, The Kitchen, Amanda has always been certain of feminism’s true value. As a musician just as concerned with the organisational aspects of her band, she feels that she still has to “try harder to be taken seriously” when dealing with “technical” or “important” people at venues. “During the 90s, there were very outspoken bands like Bikini Kill which put sexism into the forefront of the media. However, nowadays people see that as a phase. I would like to see events like this more often to show that the music industry and other industries are still extremely male-dominated”.

Other contributors, like novelist, Zoe Strachan, whose creative writing workshop was another recent Frock On success, agree that feminism has undergone an erosion of identity which must be challenged. She believes that party politics must shoulder much of the blame. Speaking on the Thatcher years, she commented: “I think there was an attitude that we had a female prime minister so surely the main battle had been won. How could anyone say that women didn’t have all the opportunities that men did? But Thatcher didn’t help. We had a conservative government preaching family values until 1997 but their version wasn’t compatible with the real lives of many women. Single mothers were demonised and changes made to the welfare system which forced many women into the role of carer”.

In the 21st century, female exclusion has not lessened but altered as the media collaborates with money or politics in laying down ever more novel dictates on female experience and the feminist identity. Zoe feels that this can be challenged by the types of events put on by groups like the Cailleach Collective. “Frock On is very inclusive providing women only space for learning and development during the day, then opening up the social programme to men in the evening. There are still people out there who still believe the stereotypes about feminists”.

That any part of the event is open to men is one which may surprise many people. But men bashing has always been one of the most inaccurate stereotypes successfully identified with feminism. In fact, the Cailleach Collective has no particular policy towards men being involved although they have said that most respect their men-free space by not interfering unless it is to help. Still, the old stereotype has persisted even recently being added to by the term ‘reverse sexism’ , a vicious but effective put down which has attempted to bury the still-outstanding requests for equal pay, proportionate representation, legal rights etc. once and for all.

However, despite the stereotypes, the hijacking and the suspicious lack of mainstream media coverage, female-centred events have continued to rise and not only in Glasgow. This year saw 3-day Ladyfests in Bristol and Manchester while others were organised in the US and even Indonesia. It looks like the efforts of people like the Cailleach Collective may finally be succeeding as feminism parades its most fabulous frocks while the brand-name f-ers get the dressing-down they deserve.