Feminism
We are an organisation that is rooted in feminist values. Our whole culture, from whom we are led, governed, and deliver our services is guided by these values.
For us, feminism is about how we behave and work collaboratively to enhance our knowledge and understanding of each other. This includes an acknowledgment of the historical struggles that women have undertaken to bring about the achievements we have today. It can also include respectfully challenging women where their views or behaviours collude in their oppression; as well as challenging and reflecting on our own views and behaviours to ensure we don’t collude in either oppressing or patronising others.
It means using simple and clear language to express ourselves to be understood and working in ways that recognise and reflect women’s different power and capacity to be involved in wanting, as well as creating change. We recognise the importance of feminist processes – providing women-only services and space for women’s voices to be heard and valuing women’s lives and experiences. The need for women-specific services exists because women’s needs are different from men’s – for biological and physiological reasons, and because of social, economic and political oppression.
Women-only services can provide a safe place for healing and recovery; and to reflect on, express and consolidate women’s ideas, needs and concerns. They provide a place where women’s health, lives and experiences are valued and celebrated, and where the emphasis is on women’s strengths. As such, women-specific services can provide a place for the empowerment of women; a place where we can stand together, united.
Feminism is not about ‘hating men’; it’s about achieving parity and giving equal space and opportunity to women.