The feminist movement is actively developing in Leeds and the region. Leeds women began to fight for their rights back in the past centuries. In this article, we will tell you about the modern radical feminist Julie Bindel. She is the co-founder of the Justice for Women law reform group. The woman is also the author or co-author of more than 30 book chapters. Learn more about Julie’s life and activities at leedska.
Moved to Leeds at 17
The future feminist was born in 1962. Julie Bindel is of mixed Catholic and Jewish heritage. For five years, Julie studied at Branksome Comprehensive School. When she turned 15, she realised that she had a lesbian orientation. Two years later, Julie Bindel moved to Leeds. There, she joined the Leeds Revolutionary Feminist Group, which campaigned against pornography.
It is worth noting that Julie Bindel was the initiator of the campaign condemning sexual violence against women. It was motivated by the activity of the “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe. He killed 13 women in the Leeds and Bradford area from 1975 to 1980. His victims were mostly prostitutes. Bindel was outraged by the police reaction because their investigation was slow and they just advised women not to leave their houses.
Julie Bindel participated in feminist protests against the murders and put up posters in Leeds.
Career development
Julie Bindel’s feminist views have influenced her career. In the 1990s, the woman worked as an assistant director of the Research Centre on Violence, Abuse and Gender Relations at Leeds Metropolitan University. Then she became a researcher in the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit at the same institution. From 2013 to 2014, the feminist was a journalist at Brunel University of London and then a researcher at the University of Lincoln.
In general, the feminist was engaged in the study of violence against women in family and personal relationships. It was the basis of her research work. Bindel also co-founded Justice for Women (JFW) along with Harriet Wistrich and Hilary McCollum. JFW is a feminist group of law reformers. They organised various campaigns opposing the laws that discriminate against women, etc.
The feminist also campaigned against prostitution back in the 70s. She even published the book The Pimping of Prostitution: Abolishing the Sex Work Myth in 2017. By the way, while writing this book, the author interviewed 250 people in almost 40 countries and visited brothels. She talked with prostitutes, pimps and the police.
Julie Bindel also writes for The Guardian, The Sunday Telegraph, The New Statesman, Truthdig and Standpoint.
She reveals the difficulties faced by women who reported about rape. After all, the investigative and judicial institutions often do not consider women as victims and many come to the defence of men instead.
Personal life
Julie Bindel identifies herself as a political lesbian feminist. In 1996, she wrote about the problems of lesbians. In 2009, Julie began writing about the radical lesbian feminism of the 1970s and 1980s. A year later, Bindel entered The Independent’s Pink List. By the way, Julie doesn’t support marriage because she considers it a “patriarchal and outdated tradition”.
What do we know about the suffragettes and feminists of Leeds?
Feminism was preceded by the suffragist movement. The suffragettes decided to embark on the path of struggle to draw attention to the problem of equal rights for women and men in society. Women who fought for their rights began to be called suffragists. Leeds became one of the cities where the women workers protested against the suppression of their rights and freedom. It should be noted that industry was actively developing in the city in the past centuries and women worked hard in plants and factories as well as men. Accordingly, the activists fought for the improvement of their working conditions and raising wages.
The city had such suffrage organisations as the Leeds Suffrage Society and a branch of the Leeds Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). The most active suffragists in the city were Leonora Cohen, Mary Gawthorpe and Alice Cliff Scatcherd. In the end, the activists managed to change the attitude towards women in society. Women stopped being perceived as housewives and household workers. In modern society, women are present in every field, including politics, business, education, engineering, industry, etc.
In modern times, Julie Bindel continues the cause of the Leeds suffragettes and fights for women’s rights. We hope that our article was informative and you made the appropriate conclusions.
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