Jul 23, 2024
Over three years ago, two friends came together in their workplace with an idea. A book club where readers would discuss books written exclusively by women. They knew that many found London a lonely and sometimes isolating city, and they wanted to do something about it – through their passion for reading and feminist literature.
It was here that the South London Feminist Book Club was born.
We are often asked, what is it?
Well, first and foremost, we are a book club. We meet monthly, read books, host author events, chat about books, and socialize.
This little treasure of a community interest company (CIC) has, collectively, built a sanctuary for women of all ages to come together and discuss collectively relatable themes that come up in literature about women.
From the launch of the first book club in South London, we knew there was demand in the North. So fast forward 3 years, a few changes within the team, and we now have 6 book clubs across the country (and more to come), hundreds of members, and a dedicated team of gorgeous volunteers.
We went bold, and we re-branded to become The Feminist Book Club.
Book club founders Rebecca and Jo with Author Rebecca Perry
No matter how big we become – our ethos, mission, vision always remains the same. We want to create a space where people can meet likeminded individuals, chat about books, and generally have a really great time. Sometimes, we even eat pizza. It is as much wholesome as it is intellectual. In fact, we discourage intellectually name-dropping and encourage open mindedness and questions.
Part of fostering a safe space includes building relationships with some core supporters. We have partnered with a number of charity partners, our biggest and most long standing being Beyond the Streets charity.
The founders of Beyond the Streets began their work over 25 years ago, standing at the forefront of the feminist movement against sexual violence and exploitation. Their dynamic offerings range from national direct specialist support for any women who is, or has been, involved in the sex industry, to conducting research into violence against women and girls (VAWG) to drive systemic change, hosting immersive walking tours to challenge stigma and victim blaming, and providing empowering training sessions for other professionals and organisations to support women effectively, and be armed with knowledge and understanding of VAWG and sexual exploitation.
Beyond the Streets was founded back in the late 90s as a response to observed need in society for specialist support offers for women who are involved in selling sex.
Image from the first Feminist Book Club festival in London
They noticed women were presenting with multiple support needs but were just slipping through the gaps in support services. The charity has evolved to offer national, remote, long-term 1:1 support for women involved in selling sex in any form, which is such a radical and needed service in a climate where women who engage in selling sex still face enormous stigma, alongside real barriers to accessing support services for needs such as housing, mental health, and finances. This stigma can mean women become increasingly isolated, as close family and friends who would usually make up a supportive network can often be unaware of women’s involvement in selling due to fears around disclosing.
South London Feminist Book Club – 2022:
The South London Feminist Book Club was the very first of the book club branches, launching in early 2022, which came just after the second UK Lockdown.
Right as we were establishing our little community of readers, VAWG was on the rise. Reports from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) revealed a 4% rise in investigations into child sexual abuse imagery in 2022 compared to the previous year. The most alarming trend was among girls aged 7 – 10, where reports of exploitation imagery surged by 1,058% from pre-pandemic levels.
Now, of course these stats are horrifying, but they outline just how integral building this relationship was during this period. In essence, we wanted to collaborate with a charity that was in current need of our support, with a focus on education and providing a voice for victims.
Another thing that is striking about this organisation is that their aims are to not only ensuring women can all access the support they need, but that they work towards systemic change to see an end to violence against women and girls. So much misinformation mixed up with stigma is thrown out into the mainstream when it comes to the topic of women involved in selling sex; either in-person, or on platforms like OnlyFans, and through sugaring arrangements, or in strip clubs. The fact that this charity is contending with all of these attitudes which feed into the victim blaming of women is so inspiring, and this is why the training and research they provide and the alternative walking tours they run are so needed.
It is for this reason that the intersection between Beyond the Streets and The Feminist Book Club is remarkable. Both organisations serve as sanctuaries for women, providing platforms to amplify voices, discuss critical issues, and foster social change through meaningful dialogue. They embody the essence of feminism by empowering women to reclaim their narratives and challenge societal norms. As an intersectional space, we recognise that activism is not always about shouting loudly. Quite often, social and political change comes with people developing the courage and space to listen and learn. At times, we must be prepared to make space to read, process and discuss difficult topics. This is where our compatibility as a partnership lies.
It is, for this reason, wonderful to live in a time when we are actively building outreach in a way that is both educational and expansive. It delights me to be able to say that, within the last couple of years, there has been an increase in Feminist Book Club face-to-face workshops, encouraging creative and proactive approaches to education on important issues. Our club’s growth has been remarkable, and our collaboration with Beyond the Streets has played a crucial role in our development as a community.
So, let us look at a number of examples of collaborative outreach that stemmed beyond donating.
The Door of Hope Project Manager
speaking at the first Feminist Book Club festival
Almost a year ago, we hosted Beyond the Streets at our very first Book Club Festival. This was a fantastic way for us to boost community engagement, broadening awareness for our readers. Lynne from Beyond the Streets gave an incredibly insightful talk of the powerful work that the charity does, and why it is so desperately needed.
Book donations – what can you donate to support Beyond the Streets?
A second way we have supported the charity is by creating book bundle giveaways, where individuals are entered into a prize draw – if they donate to Beyond the Streets. We found this to be very successful and would encourage you to use your creativity to come up with something similar!
As a book club, we have done two of their walking tours – Whitechapel Women: Beyond the Jack the Ripper Tour.
(Did you know, there is a surprising portion of east London tourism centered
around the 1880’s murderer, Jack the Ripper, or rather… the ‘unidentified murderer?’ This includes walking tours visiting murder sites, showing graphic photos; dehumanizing the women involved for entertainment).
It is about time we looked at who’s story is being prioritized. This walk has offered our members a compelling alternative to the well-known murder tours, instead celebrating influential women such as (but not limited to); social reformers, suffragettes, and local activists who played a vital role in shaping the social landscape at the time.
The Whitechapel women’s walk is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the often (sadly) un- recognized contributions of the women that lived in the East End.
We took part as a book club, but it’s a brilliant activity for your workplace, or something to do with your family and friends!
See here to access more information.
In short, there is always more to be done.
We are delighted to be able to sign-post Beyond the Streets as our charity partner.
We believe that partnerships strengthen communities, and through communities, ideas are shared. When ideas are heard, they lead to change.
As a non-profit organization, we understand the immense effort required to dismantle sexual exploitation, and we are dedicated to educating our readers about these critical issues.
Afterall, true impact goes beyond donations.
Please see below for important information:
Fundraise – Beyond the Streets
Beyond Support Remote Support Service for women
To learn more about The Feminist Book Club please visit: www.thefeministbookclub.co.uk or search for any of their book clubs on Instagram:
@thefeministbookclub @southldnfembookclub @northldnfembookclub @westldnfembookclub @bristolfembookclub @sheffieldfembookclub @guildfordfembookclub
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