The gist:

We've all seen movies where men crowd around in some dimly lit study to discuss politics over cigars and whiskeys.

This is a get-together for women in the Chattanooga area to figure out what the hell is going on in our world together, with or without the smoky study and cocktails.

This wiki is a repository of what we discussed, plus additional resources for how to learn more and get involved.

No guys? What gives?

In an ideal world, all genders would be equal participants at any gathering. Unfortunately, history and culture are working against women, so we need to make some accommodations to ensure that our viewpoints are heard and valued.

One issue is that men have traditionally been taught to ‘raise their hands’ and speak up more, while women are taught to listen. Listening is a badass and important skill, but this means that women often get less floor-time in co-ed group discussions.

Another issue is that women are constantly confronted by misogynistic messages about how they’re less smart or less worthy of an opinion. This onslaught can make us hesitant to speak up, for fear of sounding less informed or less intelligent. Even if we know in our guts that this is untrue, it’s a hard thing to shake. There’s a huge benefit to having a space where we can ask questions, learn, be curious, and not feel judged.

Finally, shared experiences allow for shorthand. We can easily cut to the bone of a discussion that otherwise might require a lot of explaining to men. (Case in point: anything involving the latest Supreme Court appointment, regardless of whatever political party you belong to.)

Who is welcome?

We get that “women” is an old-school and overly limiting term. We really mean someone who doesn’t identify with the male cisgender paradigm. If you have any advice about how to articulate this more inclusively and thoughtfully, we would love to hear from you.

Stay tuned!

Make sure to join our Facebook group for the latest updates on upcoming meetings and group discussions.