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Activism ReportWearing my “Female” shirt but chickening over the damn stickers
Posted September 27, 2023 by Hermione in Activism

A couple of weeks ago I got the KJK “adult human female” store t-shirts, one short sleeve in red, that says “Female…the real thing” that looks like a Coca Cola logo and it’s just…

Awesome.

I also got the “female” Ragland and for once, I was able to find a nice fitting Ragland. Love it.

I also ordered a bunch of stickers! They’re high quality and very nice.

Then, my husband, who is getting ever deeper on my shit list, asked me not to wear the t-shirts out and stir things up. He doesn’t like my “feminism back by popular demand” t-shirt. I get compliments all the time from women and little snide remarks from men, including my husband, all the time when I wear that one, so I choose to wear it often.

I’ve given my husband the bollocking he deserves about it and will damn well not be told what I should or should not wear.

That said, I’m getting weirdly anxious about the stickers.

I keep thinking of stickering as graffiti.

Does anyone else have any weird quirks that just stop them from going whole hog?

I really wish I had the courage of KJK, I feel like such a fussy wimp, because that’s exactly what I am being.

I’ll admit, I hate being confrontational, my confidence also does take a hit even if I’m right.

I get tired and avoidant easily.

This is whining. I know it. Worse things happen at sea and I’m hesitating over a very small thing that could have great impact.

Any ideas on getting over yourself?

16 comments

UnicornSeptember 27, 2023(Edited September 27, 2023)

He doesn’t like my “feminism back by popular demand” t-shirt. I get compliments all the time from women and little snide remarks from men, including my husband, all the time when I wear that one, so I choose to wear it often.

Your shirt sounds awesome. Men are being such babies.

I keep thinking of stickering as graffiti.

It technically is. I just don't care. I tend to sticker in places where there are already stickers or graffiti. Then I don't feel bad, I'm just adding to the "communal art." I also don't feel bad stickering city-owned items like street poles—I consider it "public owned" and I'm part of the public.

Any ideas on getting over yourself?

Be yourself. It's okay to be yourself. If you're feeling uncomfortable with stickering, you don't have to do it.

There are some alternatives to stickering.

  • I've seen an Ovarit member pin up the unstickied stickers on community pinboards so 1. the sticker is seen and 2. someone else could take the sticker and stick it somewhere.

  • I've been thinking about putting my unstickied stickers in the pages of feminist books at the library or local bookstores. That way it's going to be seen by someone who is already interested in the subject. I consider it similar to someone forgetting their bookmark when they return a book to the library—oops, no big deal.

  • Place unstickied stickers in places like women's bathrooms for women to notice and possibly take with them.

  • Sticker your own possessions, like laptops and water bottles, so they'll be like mini-versions of your feminist shirts.

  • If you have a clear phone case and the stickers are small, keep one in your phone case on display. Maybe if you run into a like-minded woman and she notices and likes your sticker, you can easily offer it to her.

epbSeptember 29, 2023

These were really useful suggestions. Thanks.

[Deleted]September 27, 2023

a few weeks ago i saw a lady wearing a 'womens sports with no extra balls' tshirt, and it genuinely improved my mood for a good few hours, even thinking about it now makes me really happy, to know other women and girls who think like me exist in the world. she was just a normal woman doing her shopping and it helps to show people, especially younger women and girls, that female humans matter as much as the next person.

ive never come across a sticker in real life, but, again, i know if i did, id be overjoyed. its not for me, it costs too much money, but i cannot overstate the effect it has on those of us who are younger and feel rejected from our peers and really alienated. you are strong, and if you want to, you should. dont feel like you have to, though, just rejecting the cult is as much as a lot of us can do

DiamondFallsSeptember 28, 2023

I'm also not so brave when it comes to stickering in public, so I'm doing it in very small quantities in places where only women can see it. I women's toilets, on baby change stations so that only women who use them can see them, placing them in the public bathrooms so that they would not be visible in standing position, but only when sitting down...

Admittedly that's not many stickers I've stickied anywhere, but I think the ones I did are doing their job just fine.

LunarMooseSeptember 27, 2023

stickered again in woke-ville (my town) two weeks ago. I take a small sticker, peel the backing off, place it in my hand in private. Then I walk up to the crosswalk - reach out to push the walk button, and slap my hand on the pole.

I do it in broad daylight and no one has ever seen anything. If I'm feeling a bit shy (too many people out on main street), I pull the sleeve of my sweater or jacket over my hand until I get to the pole.

It might be graffiti, but I only sticker on poles with lots of other stickers (not on private business property).

Lilith-FairSeptember 27, 2023

You're probably filmed by surveillance cameras. Surveillance cameras are everywhere now. Take a look around.

thesnorkmaidenSeptember 27, 2023(Edited September 27, 2023)

And if there are houses, everyone has one of those doorbell cams now. There was some idiot (of the actually bigoted, not doing us any favours sort) stickering in my neighbourhood recently and people went all nuts compiling all their doorbell cams to both call him out and give to the cops.

eta - I'm in Canada, where such a thing is literally a "hate crime."

LunarMooseSeptember 27, 2023

I'm fine! But thanks! I've been doing this awhile and if I fall into a problem you can be sure I'll be on my towns very active and petty facebook page :).

AlagraSeptember 27, 2023

Stickering is graffiti ultimately, so I wouldn't sat that's a hang up and more just a line you're not comfortable crossing.

HexSeptember 27, 2023

I get compliments all the time from women and little snide remarks from men, including my husband

I make it a point to compliment or at least thumbs up any woman I see with gender critical shirts. Ask those "alpha men" why they're so triggered by a piece of fabric. Your husband probably cares about what other men think of him when you wear the shirt.

And you don't always have to sticker in public. Sticker in women's restrooms. You've got a 🚽captive🚽 audience for your message and you'll trigger any men in women skin. You will never be caught on camera (and if you are there's a much bigger crime in process).

RighteousIndignationSeptember 27, 2023(Edited September 27, 2023)

I would be careful with stickering because its not legal, I have some sent to me for free I put them on things I carry around.

I did put a couple on lamp posts as a test and found they wash off in the rain I think thats deliberate that they come right off but if you do sticker don't do it obviously or just put them on your bag and stuff be the billboard no one has said anything to me about it or my KJK bag.

Carrots90September 27, 2023

Don’t be hard on yourself. You’re already doing more than most of us do. Don’t compare yourself to Kelly Jean keen either. She has her husband‘s support. And she says herself, she’s in a position to be able to do this. She’s financially comfortable, her kids are older. And she’s a stay at home mom. I’m careful stickering in the UK. Mental but it is a ‘hate’ something, while femicide isn’t .

LizardQSeptember 27, 2023(Edited September 27, 2023)

I always want to place gender critical books in little free libraries but I get paranoid houses have security cams and someone will be determined enough to dig up the neighborhood terf and I'll get harassed.

A bit of an insane paranoia I know, but goddamn, we've seen the levels of harassment these people are capable of. Tons of trans flags and shit in my neighborhood.

Hermione [OP]September 27, 2023

Thanks all, these are good ideas.

momofreyrellaSeptember 28, 2023

I put the stickers all over my own stuff. :)

[Deleted]September 27, 2023

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