Monthly Events
Events usually take place at least once a month and are usually on a Monday. The date varies, taking into account venue availability and Bank Holidays. Our events are generally enlightening, stimulating and fun. They provide opportunities to engage socially and in lively discussion with like minded, open-minded thinking people.
Details are also published on the East London Humanist Meetup site. Signing up to Meetup is free and easy and without any obligation or hassle. You will automatically received details of events when they are posted.
The role of secularism and Women’s Rights
Wanstead Library. Monday 14 April 19.30-21.00
Megan Manson, head of campaigns at the National Secular Society, will explore how secularism and feminism have long gone hand-in-hand.
The meeting is free and open to all.
Doors open at 19.00 for socialising. The talk begins at 19.30. There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&As and discussion.
Join us afterwards at one of the local pubs for further socialising.
Background
The capture of the levers of power by the religious right in the US, from Trump to Vance to the Supreme Court, have seen a roll back of women’s rights. In Afghanistan the religious authorities force women to cover up completely and denies them any form of education.
Around the world, religious misogyny underpins policies restricting women’s access to education, political participation and wider society. It entrenches sexist notions about ‘modesty’ and women’s bodies. It enables male domination over women and violence against women and girls, including female genital mutilation, forced marriage and honour-based abuse. Such problems exist in communities in the UK, often enabled by authorities’ deference to religious leaders. Even the established church, the Church of England, retains sexist policies. Sensitivities around criticising religion often lead to this important factor of women’s inequality being ignored and waved aside.
Megan will explain how the National Secular Society continues to challenge religious misogyny in the UK and beyond.
It is no coincidence that one of the first leading members of the National Secular Society was also a leading women’s rights advocate, Annie Besant. She was involved with the suffragettes, the 1888 ‘Matchgirls’ Strike’ and regularly spoke out for women’s equality. She and NSS founder Charles Bradlaugh were put on trial for publishing a book on birth control that greatly offended the Church of England.
