How many women?

Today I was honoured to be asked to come to speak to people at the ‘How many women does it take?’ event put on by Vanessa McDermott one of the Community Development Officers in our Neighbourhood East team. Women from Breightment and the surrounding area gathered at St Catherine's Academy, donned bright yellow t-shirts and sustained by cups of tea put the world to rights. 

After a brief into on the 'power' of social media' with discussion of the Arab Spring, Kony 2012 and Malala Yusefzai some people (if not all!) were, I hope, inspired to be using these channels to campaign and get their voice heard. 

As the day went on and Craig from our Income Management team faced a barrage of objections and complaints around the bedroom tax it was clear that there were some main themes and that there would be no problem in getting the women to share their opinion. 

One of the sessions was working with a writer to write a 'rant'. I've never seen a writing workshop and it was great to see Louise draw out the ideas and get something produced in only 20 minutes. 

Below are the women's rants. They're not complimentary and the language reflects the strength of feeling. You'll note that one woman has ranted about her damp property - this has been passed on to someone who can help! 

Am looking forward to getting some specific social media sessions set up with the women to get them all tweeting these themselves in the future. 

How many women: Rants

The bedroom tax is out of order as people who have lived in a property for years are being made to move after putting in money, blood, sweat and tears.

Squash it.

I am really worried about universal credit. I’m having sleepless nights.

I think its really unfair that only certain people are allowed EMA. Education is important and everyone should have the right to it. As you need education for a good future and some people may not be able to afford travel due to being skint. It makes me fucking mad.

Rant over.

I am very angry that I was misled and lied to about I was told I needed a three bedroom house and now I have been slammed with the bedroom tax. I think that its unfair that people who have a three bedroom house and two children of a different sex have to share or you have to pay £12.95 a week. When if you do downsize when your children are old enough you have to move again.

How do you expect people on  low income to live on when you got bills to pay and food to put on the table. When you have more than two kids they need their own room It makes me angry and upset because they’re taking money out of kids mouths. I would campaign and protest to save other families.

If you keep taking benefits off us how can I possibly do my degree? It’s unfair for us that will work for the NHS and struggle. Its punishing us before we even start our career

My kids will be punished for me wanting a good job. This makes me fucking angry.

Keep funds for people who are going to give up their lives for others.

I will keep murderers and rapists off the streets or I will help others from taking their lives. I will help people in crisis but I will be in a crisis of my own.

Don’t get me started on stereotypes. How stupid people assume how all teenagers are lay thugs and how chavs sit on street corners drinking in tracksuits also how people think men are stronger than women – if it want for women they wouldn’t be here. We deserve more respect and the way people bully people that are different and how they think gap people are all womanly, love wearing pink and shopping.

Why do I bring my child up on my own? Its unfair that some people get away with paying for their children – yet walk around with new clothes and always with drink and cigs. Why do I not have enough at the till, the sleepless night – no tea for me?? The government protect justice for fathers buts its always the single mother’s fault. The lies and deceit, frauding the country – yet get protected.

Why?

Single them out for once!!

It gets me mad cos my house is damp and it seems like nothing is being done for me and my two kids.

I find dog fouling fucking angry it makes me want to go and kick him in the balls. A man outside my house dog no lead there watching his dog have a shit on the grass the dog wiped his feet then they both walked off. Just wish I had the guts to say would you like a bag but I didn’t.

How unjust is this country? Where have all our rights gone? What about all the old people who have spent their lives fighting for their country who now are living in poverty? We have people here who sit on their backsides and do nothing and get all our money! Come over here where we literally pay them to live here! And those who do work take all the jobs. Think about your kids or yourself? What jobs are you going to do in the future? You stupid wankers in parliament sit on your arses and are in denial about it. You’re so cushty in your lives Unjust soft country. Pathetic bastards.

I am fed up of having to tell people with dogs letting the shit along my home and along the pavement and on the road I live on. Also all the litter, several of us go along picking all the rubbish up, even the roadsweepers don’t do there properly.

I keep going out telling them no one will listen. I feel I would like one of the councillors to go round with the sweeper people or gutter people and supervise.

People on benefits are not scroungers. It is unfair to class everyone suffering from poverty.

Don’t tar everyone with the same brush. Its unjust and hurtful. Lots of people are genuine lots of people have worked hard all of their lives in all weathers for a pittance of a wage and some need help when they retire. Only a very few people are really scroungers a small number.

So you’re alright Jack! Doesn’t affect me – bedroom tax – what does that mean? They’re all on benefits anyway. All scroungers its time they all cut the money they get serving all those scroungers right!

Recognise any of these feelings? Believe any of these? Well if you do then you should rethink and be ashamed of your ignorance.

This bedroom tax is wicked – it is unfair divisive and disgraceful that the government are endorsing the misery fear and dislike that this will cause to the most vulnerable and disempowered members of society. Those that are the most easy targets.

This policy is poison – it is demeaning – it is fat cats who close their eyes – ‘let them eat cake’ till echoes today.

The cost of this insane policy is scandalous. It will cost more in human suffering than will be so called saved by the government. This government doesn't care about people any more. 

I am very angry about the EMA system it is very unfair that only certain people can receive payment for attending college. Some of the people who do not receive payment are skint and I think everyone should be entitled to some kind of money to help with travel food costs.

People may not be able to get to college and to get jobs people need an education to have a good future. It is important that people have an education. I think if not everyone can get a small out of money the college should be scrapped. 

I am very angry about Child Tax Credit because it leaves you feeling like you are along you can't do anything. 

Low income don't pay enough tight fuckers. Bedroom tax causes more poverty. Government selfish make us angry. Want to move me into smaller property they can come and pick me up hunger and poverty. 

It just scares me that there is so much poverty in this country that their are people starving hungry and having to survive without a job and clearly desperate to work but because of the media, we're all being labelled as scroungers and skivers and just not trying hard enough to make something of our life.

I feel that the government has a lot to do with this and what they're doing is in no way helping us to support us enough to get us out of the mess that they've put us in. 

The next step is to work out how the women can do something about this whether it be campaigning, protesting or taking action. There's a march organised by Bolton Councillor Kate Challender against the bedroom tax on Saturday and although I'll be away by then I hope to see the women and their bright yellow t-shirts there having their say. 

You can keep up with the how the women will be changing the world following #howmanywomen

People to follow:

Vanessa McDermott @veemcdee 

Lisa Forrest @LisaF_BaH 

Kate Challender @katechallender