Merry Cross shares an excellent piece of advice about how to challenge domineering behaviour in others – or address it in yourself.
As a white disabled woman, I am already hugely bothered by the fact that too many thoroughly good people who joined Left Unity are thinking of leaving, because of the behaviour of white men (mostly those with a background in left politics). Already we have witnessed the tendency for such men to dominate proceedings – and to some extent disrupt them. My own reaction has swung from raging anger to a desperate sense of powerlessness and back again.
My daughters though, one of whom is amongst those thinking of leaving, alerted me to this excellent piece of advice, from one white man to all others.
I would ask EVERYONE to read it. If you are a white man, you should find it supportive, instructive and helpful. If you are anything else, you will still find it helpful, because it is a vision of what is possible and because you will then be able to challenge domineering behaviour with constructive suggestions, instead of feeling like walking out or starting a fight!! My only reservation is that the author has overlooked disabled people in this – but the same principles apply.
Left Unity will fail very, very fast if we can’t fix this problem. But the fact is we can fix this, if we are all willing to pull our weight one way or another. One thing we could all do in our groups is to give out copies of this and also institute rules that help. E.g. every meeting could have a rule as to how often any one person can speak and how long people can speak for.
Also, we will soon be putting out a Safe Spaces policy, which adds to the points in this paper, by also addressing online behaviour.
Remember – we can’t afford to fail!
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Given that
a] As far as I know these concerns haven’t been expressed before in relation to LU
b] I am sure this is not necessarily the experience everywhere (the first Exeter LU meeting certainly didn’t feel very dominated by white men who wouldn’t shut up),
perhaps it would be better for everyone if you raised specific concerns and/or complaints if necessary about exactly which LU forums or groups have these problems in their internal culture? Otherwise reading this out of the blue with no context, many of the intended audience will just assume it doesn’t apply to them, and also vice-versa.
At the Left Unity Exeter event that I attended, I was approached by a female who asked about our safer spaces policy for reasons outlined by Merry’s article. #justsaying
That doesn’t mean that groups, etc are not doing a good job. It just means we are at the beginning of a journey and we need to be as considerate and inclusive as we are able to be.
I attended a Left Unity meeting in Exeter. I don’t know if it was the first one – there was a LU candidate (female) who spoke first, and very well. The rest of the meeting was rather definitely dominated by white males who wouldn’t shut up – complete with table-thumping, raised voices to the point of shouting and a verbal battle between three middle-aged white guys to get the last word in at the end of the meeting. Several of the women present commented on it, and even a few of the men. This is timely advice.
As a Left Unity supporter from Nottingham who first became active in politics in Canada in the 1960s, two words Merry: RIGHT ON!
I agree entirely, it is obvious by the articles and postings on this board that this movement has already attracted far too many megalomaniacs, Stalin wannahbes. Join the Peoples Assembly instead, or maybe all Left Unity members should join the Labour Party en masse, to create a left wing current there. The nuts can then be left in their irrelevant and unnoticed movements, SWP, WP, etc etc I cant keep up with who is who as they keep splitting and changing names.
I’m confused, you want us to avoid the megalomaniacs….by joining the Labour Party, which in Tony Blair produced the most destructive megalomaniac of this country’s recent history?
Every single attempt to ‘take over’ or ‘create left wing currents’ in the Labour Party has always ended in failure. The Labour Party is thoroughly neoliberal, like all formerly social democratic European parties. Why would you even want to bother? Added to the fact that a large number of Left Unity’s supporters are probably ex-Labour, it’s a bizarre thing to recommend.
I agree that Left Unity has to be very wary of ‘strong personalities’ who dominate in groups like the SWP, or of the Galloway/Sheridan ilk. Leaving at this stage isn’t the answer though, how is the left ever going to deal with these problems if the people involved just give up in an instant? It’s not going to be easy, but it’s necessary.
You’re very wrong there Robbo! the People’s Assembly have left disabled people entirely out of the picture, which promises no change at all. We have much more hope with Left Unity all round.
I don’t think it’s helpful to pose the People’s Assembly and Left unity as alternatives. They are both important in different ways. I am aware of DPAC’s statement about the PA, but I don’t know much about what’s been going on their. I do think though, that the PA will draw a lot of people together, and everyone should get in there and make your voices heard. If the PA has not given enough consideration to disabled people, this should be challenged. There never will be a real democratic party for all of us if we don’t get in there and insist on shaping it ourselves. We need to unite the anti-austerity movement, and LU should base itself on this task.
I think we should view all the left, the newer anti-cuts/austerity campaigns, the TU’s and all the new individuals getting active as parts of the future party of the left we need to build. There may be mergers, splits, realinements within this movement, and not all the componenents will have this perspective, but I believe, they will be drawn, despite themselves, in the direction of a new party of the left as called for by Ken Loach.
I agree very much that we need guidelines for running meetings. Because Left Unity has stressed the need for the bottom up development of our practice in an effort to embed participatory democracy,this can lead to a ‘free for all’ in some meetings. This obviously disadvantages those who are less confident or less practised at speaking in front of groups. Also alot of people who have come along are new to meetings of any kind so lack the experience of how to facilitate participation. In one meeting of Left Unity I attended the chair commented after every body elses contributions, therefore speaking 20 times as often as each other individual.(there were 20 people present)The agenda for a meeting can either be agreed before and then added to, or agreed at the meeting rather than determined in advance by the ‘organiser’.We should all have a say over the direction that a meeting takes and what is important to discuss. I don’t agree with quotas of how many times you can speak, as this is obviously going to vary depending on the issue and the contribution an individual can make.The chair needs to be skilful in judging if a person is repeating the same point and generally a democratic meeting will support the chair if they are right.
Also there need to be guidelines for admin control and ‘moderation’ of face book pages or whatever online means are used by local groups for communication. We may not like what some others say, but it is far better to tackle this openly, in order to strengthen what Left Unity is about. Rather than to censor it or even exclude the person from commenting.
Finally, in my experience, it is not only white men who can adopt an arrogant and controlling approach, and plenty of white men are quiet and just as shy of speaking out about their views.
My only reservation is that the author has overlooked disabled people in this – but the same principles apply.
In the same way as you’ve overlooked age? That shows the danger here. You’re always going to overlook someone. Tbh, as a disabled male, I expect LU to take disability issues seriously and to listen to me if I bring up an issue my disability causes for participation in activity. That’s way more important to me then people making sure to add me to a laundry list whenever they discuss oppression.
Aside from that, I think what you and the article are saying can be broken down into three broad areas. I agree with the first two (to the point of seeing them as a truism) and disagree with the third.
The first I agree with pretty much boils down to “don’t be a dick in meetings or online”. If you suddenly notice that you’ve been doing all the talking for the past hour, it’s probably time to shut up. If someone seems to be getting upset in an online argument, then take a step back and try and work out if there’s a way to keep disagreeing without them feeling under personal attack. (There isn’t always, in my experience. But it’s better to actually look at the situation and work that out).
The second which again is correct and sometimes neglected is taking associated issues seriously. We do need to look at access requirements for meetings. We do need to consider how to best cater to people with young children. All that kind of thing.
Where we part company is the idea that the solution to these kind of issues is to import US academic privilege theory/identity politics and try and implement it. Let’s be honest. At the moment, it has some traction among certain online activists, often from the Oxbridge/private school side of things. Outside of that, no. To take some bits from the linked article, I do not want people including me in their “how many people with disabilities are here” headcount. Nor do I want them taking notes (especially with a notebook) to work out if they’re speaking more than me. I am not a bloody quota. Nor do I want someone to support an idea I have because they need two more things to support before they feel they’ve done enough. Support me because you agree with what I’m saying or oppose me because I don’t.
Two final points.
I will merely observe that by far the most polemical article we’ve seen on here was by a female CPGB member.
I accept that you know people that have been put off by what they’ve experienced. I hope you’ll also accept that I know people (particularly working class people) that will steer well clear of LU if it goes down the road towards “check your privilege” style politics. Incidentally, two of the main people I’m thinking of are both women. What I’ve said here is very mild in comparison to what they’ve said to me prior to this discussion.
Nice one Hoom.
I am a w class male social housing tenant but I was also the first I’m my family to go to University and I am generally confident in speaking in public and commenting on-line but recognise others are not and try to give others space. I think we are all having to deal with things happening so fast and I guess we are all passionate about progressive change. We need to create a culture within LU where everyone is encouraged to contribute their ideas. I always recall my first Labour Party meetings many years ago and it took me months to say anything. I remember a man coming to his first meeting and suggesting free public transport (something I now support passionately) but everyone else in the room apart from me including experienced councillors laughed at him and he never came again and this was sad for he had more imagination than them put together – so you shouldn’t be afraid of speaking/commenting on-line – your point may be brilliant but people always think the worst. An experienced Chair could stop some dominating and ask for comments from anyone who hasn’t spoken and of course it can also be a class thing – just look at Labour run by middle class men whilst its grassroots are generally opposite. I do worry to an extent if and when we get out on estates and hopefully recruit more ordinary working people black & white, male & female, gay and lesbian, and disabled and if we will alienate them? Perhaps socialists should treat each other as friends. It’s funny I think it’s been 3 months now and I still don’t know what to call other LU members – Comrades? Brothers & Sisters? Colleagues? Friends? As I say all progressive comments are welcome here – it is almost natural to put ourselves down as the m class capitalist system does but your idea may be brilliant but we”ll never know if you don’t say it or comment on-line. Just think it is the labour of the working billions which creates the wealth and makes societies work AND THE REAL DEPENDENCY CULTURE IS THAT OF THE RICH AND POWERFUL – they are totally dependent on us! So you have the power -USE YOUR POWER WITH LEFT UNITY!
With best wishes.
I am disabled and tend to agree with your comments – it is easy for us to be overlooked/domineered by others. i think if LU is to be credible it has to be completely transparent in its proceedings – no meetings within meetings and no one hijacking the party for their own political ends, otherwise we will just be like all the others. Ken Loach’s spirit of 45 speaks volumes for me – common sense socialism with care and compassion at the core.
In response to Edmond Potts, this is not the first time these concerns have been raised in relation to Left Unity. They have been raised in different ways in relation to a number of local and national meetings. Im glad they werent an issue at the Exeter launch meeting but it doesnt mean they wont be at a later meeting unless you and others take conscious measures to try and avoid them.
In my view that’s inevitable because Left Unity doesnt exist in a vacuum outside a racist, sexist, disabilist homophobic ageist capitalism. Thats why we need articles which do what Merrys does, policies about how to create safe spaces for all and also vitally spaces for oppressed groups which allow us a way to discuss and challenge oppressive behaviour collectively when it arises – which people are much more likely to do that if they think they are the only individual affected and so they will just feel bad in isolation.
In response to Hoom – yes of course a small number of those who are members of oppressed groups can themselves take on ways of behaviour that generally characterise the oppressor group. So yes women can sometimes be highly polemical etc but this isnt the case for most women – and indeed as someone else pointed out some men etc etc.
We can absolutely find different ways of organising but only when we accept that we have to take all oppression seriously. onwards and upwards
What’s wrong or oppressive about being “highly polemical”??? That writes off Marx and Lenin straightaway!
Once the working class (white, brown, male, female, whatever)starts to move , it will come with all sorts of rough and ready ideas, even as they are directly taking on capitalism. Left Unity will go nowhere if it starts to impose all sorts of bureaucratic procedures and PC censorship measures that prevents them for expressing themselves. It will be a real turn off.
The only way to challenge any backward notions people may have is to have a better explanation of the world. This requires a party that encourages open theoretical analysis and debate on all the things that concern the working class, without exception, in order to ascertain the truth about world – a party of revolutionary theory.
From a practical viewpoint I think this article and the one linked to it is a great starting place to meeting etiquette and creating a healthy environment for discussion to grow, although the linked piece does miss out on some areas it has some very valid points.
It teaches us simple techniques to help us all take responsibility toward creating an environment of a safe and productive meeting. I’m going to post it on our Left Unity Manchester page.
Thanks for the link Merry – love that line, ‘you will be needed in the movement when you realise you are not needed in the movement’
Also agree with Scritty about the usefulness of guidelines in meetings, from the perspective that enable everyone including newbies to participate on an equal basis.
Anyone here used Walter Citrine, ‘ABC of Chairmanship’? Very old school but thorough and good for explaining why certain practices are used. Fabian Society publishes it. His own politics is another matter…
Also like Seeds of Change for the suggestions on their website.
In my experience, it’s not “White Men” so much as the…er…old comrades.
Hi Merry
Thanks for your article and I can tell you I almost choked on my tea here reading it lol! Here in Glasgow like other places we are very new and have had a couple of meetings. So far I haven’t been to any.
1. I have issues with being in unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people related to personal health problems, and prefer to participate online as much as possible rather than face to face. I told people that from day one.
2.Regardless, I would not be going to meetings at the times the times and places the meetings have been held at.
3. I cannot afford to travel.
At this early stage when we are developing structures and strategies it is very important IMHO that we get the balance right from the start. Or strive to.
Looking at the balance of people who are attending our meetings in Glasgow they are mainly male. Of the positions where it has been decided to elect representatives on this branch, they are male. Of the positions where we have people co-ordinating for Glasgow and Scotland they are male. These are facts.
This is not me personally attacking the men who have been able to attend these initial meetings, this is me saying “oh oh! somethings’ not working here!” This is something we are trying to address and we will be working on it for sure.
I was asked to help raise the profile of Left Unity in Glasgow and Left Unity in Scotland from the community page that was set up on Facebook. From there we have a profile and a group for both as well as Twitter accounts for both. From this I can tell you that there is a very healthy mix of men and women and groups and campaigns all joining up with us on the social networks. The groups need a bit of work but we have a hardcore of members who participate regularly, mainly those who attend the meetings too. So, I wanted to address this dilemma. How do we make sure that all interested parties in left Unity Glasgow initially(being the most active)can be included in the process whether they go to meetings or not? Do people who go to meetings have the final say? IMHO in this day and age the answer is NO!
We think we know why we are not getting bums on seats in Glasgow, and that is mainly due to lack of resources at this stage. So we have to make the best use of what we have for now and be as inclusive as we can be for now. I compiled two short surveys free online and have posted them on our groups to try to include the people who cant make it to meetings who should be having a say in how Left Unity Glasgow is being taken forward. This will then be emailed to the folks who are on our mailing list.
Further to this we now have formed a group of 3 people who will be working together to try t think of ways to include our online community and link up with the folks at the meetings. We are thinking about possibly using online group chats and using shirt surveys to engage people, etc. Anything is worth a go, so if folks have suggestions or nhave tried stuff that works please do share.
Getting back to the point of behaviour in meetings, if the majority of attendees are men, some women will be put off, depending on the individuals of course. It has been mentionned that we require a bit more decorum lol. Added to that the times, the locations etc are all factors that may put some people off and may make some people keep quiet during the meetings. These are my opinions based on my experiences in my life as a former shop steward, branch secretary for a trade union and as a woman who wants this movement to be inclusive. I can tell you, this did not go down well initially, but I Iidnt join up to keep my mouth closed and if I dont like it I will vote with my (cyber)feet lol. Its that simple.
Having been through the male pale and stale,and seen firsthand how people are manipulated by the people in power to present a false sense of equality in terms of representing all genders equally and it is a farce. Personally, I have no time for it.
I am not saying this is happening now, what I am saying is it could so easily happen now or in the future if we get it wrong.
We need to engage the whole of our movement and not just play at it. We need to engage people and keep engaging them. I think having some kind of format that ensures equality and being inclusive is the basis we start from would be fantastic. For me that is a policy we need as a matter of priority. Say what we mean and mean what we say and people will join us.
I believe that LU is seeking to move far too quickly towards party formation and as long as this premature dash continues the quietest amongst us are going to find themselves sidelined..it will be those who make the most noise who will shape the policies if sufficient time is not taken. To allow everyone a greater opportunity to contribute will require more time. Meetings need to be better focussed and allow plenty time for participants to contribute. A rushed 20 minute debate on 5 issues is of less value than a measured 50 minutes each on 2. At the same time it would be a big mistake to shut up people who are brimming with ideas….there are no easy solutions to getting the right balance. Mutual respect and tolerance will go a long way…as will a capacity to say sorry.
Having had the opportunity to attend several Left Unity meetings across England, as well as chairing Northampton Branch. I think Merry’s article raises important issues, we need to remember that people are all coming to this from different experiences and we need to ensure that we are supportive of people’s journey’s and this begins with being kind and understanding and making an extra effort to ensure that people feel safe and included. It is not about us as individuals, it is about us as a movement and what we want to represent, and how we want to be perceived.
“Asking people what they think and really listening is a core ingredient to healthy group dynamics” – I think this is the really revolutionary activity that would start the ‘left’ on the road to success. It seems to me that much of the previous attempts by Socialist parties to win support has been based on a mistaken idea that you can talk people in to it. I have learned that people can only use the insights they come to themselves, and these come faster when people are asked questions and listened to whilst they think their way to an answer. The more ‘oppresssed’ you are, the less you will have been listened to. That is just the way it is, so this article recommended by Merry I think is great. I think a general rule in meetings which is useful is for no one to speak twice before everyone has spoken once, even if people just want to say “I have nothing to say.” Please read the article if you havent already. Thanks Merry.