FEATURE:
International Women’s Day and The Trouble Club
IN THIS PHOTO: Laura Bates was a guest for The Trouble Club on Thursday, 19th February at St Marylebone Parish Church, London, where she was interviewed by The Trouble Club’s CEO and owner, Ellie Newton/PHOTO CREDIT: Ioana Marinca
Why This Growing Community Is Especially Important to Me
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THERE is not much…
PHOTO CREDIT: International Women’s Day
keeping me in London at the moment to be fair. In all honesty, living here on a budget and sharing with other people is not ideal. I would love to live somewhere with space on my own and in a quiet area. However, given where I am in life and a lack of money to do that, I am having to make the best of things. Having access to the city and its culture is a definite bonus, yet the downsides of living in London is definitely getting to me. Aside from the music, there is another reason to remain put. The Trouble Club is a community I have been a part of for nearly three years. I am not sure how many events I have been to – in triple figures by now I think, but I cannot be 100% -, but they are always so impactful and memorable. A range of women across media, culture, politics and beyond is invited to a different venue in London to discuss their new book, their career or something in their life. Led by CEO and owner Ellie Newton, and with a brilliant team around her – including Zea, Jen, photographers Ioana and Alice, and some brilliant people -, the membership is growing. Rather than it being just about the guests, this sense of togetherness and community is key. I wanted to tie this feature into International Women’s Day, which happens on 8th March. In addition to learning about the brilliant women who speak at The Trouble Club, I feel there is this mission to highlight the brilliance and incredible value of women and tackle the inequality and discrimination they face. Troublesome women speaking incredible openly, honestly and bravely. I will speak about the most recent event I attended and the incredible emotion and impact that left. Many of the women speaking about some horrible experiences and struggles. The theme of this International Women’s Day is Give to Gain, which highlights the power of reciprocity, generosity, and collaboration to advance gender equality. This campaign encourages individuals and organisations to share time, resources, knowledge, and advocacy to create opportunities for women and girls.
It seems like the world today is as unsettling, horrible and unequal for women than it has ever been. That seems like a bold statement considering the thousands of years where women have been oppressed, attacked, denied rights and very much seen as secondary. Laura Bates spoke for The Troubler Club on 19th February. Her book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, is one I have read and been utterly stunned by. She is someone who is so captivating to listen to as she is so knowledgeable and authoritative about what she is speaking about. How technology and A.I. has misogyny and abuse built into it. The realities for women now and how vulnerable they are. How many are using A.I. to degrade, debase and abuse women. It was a spectacular interview, but one that left many numb and emotional. Bates herself has faced constant threats of abuse and harm. Death threats. She revealed how she has a police alert alarm in case she is attacked or her house is broken into to. How she must feel so unsafe every minute of the day, and yet she speaks about her experiences, fights for the rights of women and talks about this new wave of misogyny through A.I. How there are other women who are risking their safety and lives to do this too. Not only did it make me thankful to be at The Trouble Club and get to hear women like Laura Bates speak and take so much away from it. A lot of things stood out from a mind-blowing, heart-stopping, gut-wrenching and thought-provoking evening. However, Bates said near the top of the interview how women are not seen as human beings. Far from being seen as equal, they are not even seen as human beings. How tech companies and men are using A.I. to allow other men to abuse, rape and attack them. That idea of International Women’s Day theme being about equality and respect for women. How far are we from realistically achieving that?! It seems, the more rich men have power, the less equality and respect they have. Technology makes it easier than ever for men to remain hidden and subject women to horrendous abuse and threats. They can get away with it because, as Laura Bates explained, it is good for business. The bottom line is as long as people like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg make money, then it does not matter what happens to women. It is harrowing, heartbreaking and, sadly, something that will not change unless there is huge change and commitment to use A.I. for good. Bates founded The Everyday Sexism Project website in 2012. These accounts from thousands of women discussing their experience of sexism and abuse is so valuable and important. It gives them a community, outlet and voice. And it also shows the sheer extent and scale of the problem.
Bates herself has been sent deepfake videos and images of herself being abused. So many other women have. I am not doing justice to what she said last week and how impassioned and extraordinary her words were! I would advise people read her book and the rest of her work. Visit her website and see why she is viewed by many as the voice of her generation. Laura Bates is one of so many brilliant and inspiring women who speak for The Trouble Club. Her talk instantly is in the top three best-ever appearances I have seen in my view! So much admiration and respect to Ellie Newton – who I think was almost moved to tears numerous times when hearing Laura Bates – and what she has created and continues to build. However, there are positives for sure. One of the biggest draws of The Trouble Club is hearing about incredible women and their success. If men in power and society sees women as second-class or even something below that of human, hearing about these queens of business, literature, politics, campaigning, culture and beyond do such phenomenal work and create this success for themselves and pave the way for other women is encouraging. They are sure as hell not being helped by too many men. Women not only having to maker their own opportunities, success and visibility. They also have to speak up and against problems entirely created and fuelled by men! It makes me so appreciative of women. Amazing human beings who give so much and have to face so many barriers and are constantly held back and overlooked, I am always in awe. As a music journalist, I recognise how the industry is being dominated by women. The best work from them, and yet they are still subjected to misogyny and inequality. A new report has shown that there are concerns over pay and safety when it comes to women in music. Most of my features concern women in music and I think of myself as a feminist writer.
The Trouble Club has definitely strengthened that and also made me ask what I can do to become more active and involved in terms of addressing misogyny. There are some fantastic women coming up who will be must-see. Berth Rigby and Kate Adie are just two of the wonderful guests coming up. The Culture Roundup with Lara Olszowska will be interesting. Even though it is not until 20th May, Caitlin Moran & Bryony Gordon: A Night of Very Questionable Wisdom! Is one I cannot wait for! I have always wanted to hear Caitlin Moran speak but never had the chance. Seeing her on the stage with Bryony Gordon will be a night to remember. Even though the event is a “journey through Caitlin and Bryony's life via the best and most dangerous advice they've ever received. Friendship, failure, politeness, people-pleasing, sex, sacrifice, it's all on the table along with many existential wobbles”, I am thinking back to the first time Moran spoke for the Trouble Club. Last year, when she spoke with Ellie Newton in Manchester, she discussed how there should be this new wave of feminism that is about positivity and love. I have written about this before. I love the Give to Gain theme of this International Women’s Day and that idea of reciprocity, generosity, and collaboration to advance gender equality. What Moran raises about a new wave of feminism being about positivity and love. So much to cling onto and find hope in. I left that recent event with Laura Bates wondering whether there is any hope. In terms of what women have to face and how far away we are from basic respect, and let alone equality, are these heady ideas of compassion, positivity and hope tangible or possible?! I am writing music features around International Women’s Day and will be completing a Step4Change challenge on International Women’s Day to raise funds for Refuge. I am always so proud of being a member of The Trouble Club. It may not be too long until circumstances takes me away from London, and not being there in-person at Trouble events will be a huge loss. Though I can still see them online and will pop along for the odd one now and then. Being part of The Trouble Club and attending these incredible events is so important to me. It makes me feel less alone in a city that is easy to get buried in. It also is vital when it comes to the way I see society and how women are treated. How hard they have to fight and why things need to change. Another salute to The Trouble Club and…
ITS amazing members.