My energy level is at a lifetime low, so I decided to create a feminist depression support group! Amananta was looking for one, V was discussing it, I've been chatting with Belledame about depression in comments, and today, I read Pippi's post about depression. Her comparison of depression to a near-drowning incident shook me up. Considering the life-changing impact depression has had on me, and the lack of a feminist perspective on depression, forming a group seemed like a good idea.
I hope that women will join to give and receive support. Given my current health status, I'd be grateful for 1-2 women willing to serve as moderators. The fastest way to destroy a group is by having trolls posting unchecked or member's messages drowned out by spam. To join the group:
Click to join feminist_depression_support
Any questions can be left in comments or you can email me: spotted_ele@hotmail.com Please feel free to invite women you think would be interested in the group.
11 comments:
You totally rock, S.E.!!
:)
Take care,
Z
Thanks Z!
Awesome!
I'm happy to part time mod, if you like, but I tend to be a few-days-off-few-days-on-constantly person.
Hello Spotted Elephant,
I really like your idea to set up a group because there is a need, for many of us, to talk about depression from a feminist perspective. This is something health professionals, largely, are not able to do and sometimes they alienate us by addressing the violence we've experienced as if it were a 'personal problem' that we alone need to resolve: we need to get over our 'sensitivity' to all those things that are just part of 'normal' male behaviour (e.g. using porn).
I'm very weary about who I tell and what I tell them. There are several bloggers I trust (yourself included), but there is a larger number of bloggers that I don't trust at all and who I know will use women's experiences against them - by ridiculing them. I was wondering how we could minimize the possibility of this happening - make it as safe a place as possible?
Pippi
This is such a good idea. A doctor recently told me that the reason I see misogyny in the world is because of my own past experiences. Hmm, I think my past experiences might have something to do with the misogyny in the world. Woman doctor too. Oh well. Thanks SE
i'm sorry you're going through a rough patch. kudos for being proactive and getting support for yourself and others. you are a kind and thoughtful person.
xoxo, jared
Good idea, thanks, S.E.
Hexy-That's fine, whatever level you want to participate is great with me.
Pippi-Completely understood. Membership is restricted-you must apply to be accepted, and you must state why you're interested in the group. Now, a troll could weasel past that, but that's why I want other women moderating the group with me-any offensive messages, and not only is the message deleted, but the person is kicked out from the group and banned from joining. I'm happy to hear any other suggestions, because we are dealing with painful issues.
Jo-To think you didn't strike that doctor! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I wish I could say I was shocked, but unfortunately, the medical community is rather clueless.
Ms. Jared-You're such a supportive woman! I'm actually not depressed right now, so I figured that was a good time to start a group.
Belledame-Thanks!
Hey, sister.
Count Another Goddamned Liberal in.
Confidentiality agreement up front--nothing goes outside the space. That's mostly word of honor, but you can get pretty far by screening who you let in in the first place, usually.
Female depression is always related to misogyny - I think of my lifelong depression as a NORMAL reaction to the woman-hating in the world.
A woman doctor telling someone that their perspective is to do with what's happened to them in the past is all part of her (the doctor's) denial process - I have had female counsellors tell me there is nothing wrong with porn - head fuck or what? I walked away from them thinking, I am more sane than them - they are the ones that need therapy. I thought "I'm not paying them to fuck me up even more". They couldn't deal with it, so it was passed on to other women - very very insidious and dangersous and even worse these days.
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