‘The first thing is to keep those WhatsApp groups going.” Last Friday morning I happened to be talking to Sinead Gibney, the new Dún Laoghaire candidate for the Social Democrats. What Gibney was referring to was how the messaging platform WhatsApp was utilised as an organising tool and a forum of conversation for the thousands of women and men around the country who mobilised to win the Eighth Amendment referendum.
Many people will still be experiencing a post-campaign slump. It’s a discombobulating feeling as our minds and bodies readjust. Some of us remember the days following school or college exams when, even after completing the tests, our minds were stuck in study mode, unable to process that study time was over.
Tackling the mental and physical exhaustion campaigning creates requires rest. After that, we regroup. The media has a habit of shouting “next” too swiftly, especially when so many quarters actually missed what was going on. There’s much more to be discussed and analysed still.
When a movement filters into a campaign, there is a tangible goal, but that doesn’t mean the movement disappears when something is won. What will this movement now look like?
It is easy to discredit something if it doesn’t automatically slot into familiar political structures. The characteristics of successful movements include flexibility, creativity and longevity. Just because the political and media establishment may not be able to see the movement’s immediate impact doesn’t mean it won’t have one.
More profound
The impact may not be a new political party or a bump in candidates for existing parties – although both of those things may happen. The impact will be much more profound, and personal, than that.
The experience of participating in the political process and affecting positive change engages people on many levels. It means that many people will continue to participate in politics regardless of whether they’re actively a member of a political party or intend on becoming a politician themselves.
This movement created an energy that has changed people. Canvassers made new connections, exchanged ideas, got to know people in their communities, learned about grassroots activism, organising and fundraising.
They started organisations and met politicians. They gained a purpose and affected change. That is addictive. I know of several women who volunteered their time on the campaign who are now being pursued by political parties. I know of many more looking to channel their energy into new projects.
One of the many misguided pieces of analysis written during the campaign was a column by David Davin Power in the The Times, an article that declared in March "Repeal campaign will lose without a leader". In revisiting much of the analysis that patronised the movement throughout the campaign I can only conclude that many (mostly male) commentators and journalists didn't actually know that much about the history of women's and feminist movements or how they organise, and didn't bother to learn about them.
Hierarchical structures
This is frustrating, but you can’t force people to “get it” when they just don’t want to. One’s energy is best spent elsewhere. Fetishising leaders and searching for hierarchical structures where they don’t exist led some to believe the Yes campaign was doing things “wrong”. In fact it was doing things differently.
The movement was amorphous. It will continue to evolve in a way that will confound – and be ignored by – those who view politics as a sport only played in Leinster House.
Some people will talk about energy dissipating, how nothing more came of the movement, how attempts to capture momentum failed, and so on. That wasn’t the case three years ago after the marriage equality referendum, and it won’t be the case now.
We don’t need a leader because we are all leaders. In every canvassing group in the country there is a potential candidate. If you’re reading this and you think that might be you, then get ready to run.
A general election before the year is out is likely. The local elections are next May. Women For Election is running four INSPIRE training days this year, the first one is in Dublin this Saturday. They are also offering 25 scholarship places for the training, which you can apply for by going to womenforelection.ie. If you want to support the work Women For Election is doing you can go to its website and donate.
The Eighth Amendment was an emergency for 35 years. But there are other emergencies. We now need to examine how these emergencies can be tackled; issues of childcare, maternity and paternity leave, child poverty, housing, health, direct provision. All of these need to be addressed with urgency. All of them disproportionately impact women.
Duties in the home
An upcoming goal is the potential referendum on the removal or reform of Article 41.2, which states: “In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved. The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”
The symbolism of this constitutional anachronism is important. It is a piece of our Constitution that seeks to define the roles of women in society. It needs to go. A referendum on this issue will also instigate another national conversation on gender and Irish society – and there are thousands fired up and ready to go.
Article amended on June 6th 2018