Florence Given

[Theplantmum]

I agree with this. I have read through most of her book and thought "Yeah, some of it is good", but it doesn't really sit at all well with me that she is basically using her past misdemeanours to basically say "Look at me; I'm a feminist!"

I appreciate that feminism isn't a one size fits all brand; I'm an Adidas trackie wearing bisexual femme in my 30s; but I don't find it comfortable watching Florence use feminism as a mouthpiece for her ill behaviour. I had to overcome years of school bullying to get through my education, and in that respect I don't really feel that her feminism speaks for me.

I'm sorry to hear that you were bullied. Such a horrible experience to go through x
Yeah, I find it bizarre that she doesn't want to share a wide range of opinions from different people. Surely it's important to have a variety of voices? Obviously not. She only seems interested in sharing the views that speak to her. I don't think it's fair representation. Maybe I'm too sensitive?

 

[snarkvark]

Aja Barber is a hypocrite. She leaks DMs all the time and demands people pay her for her "labour" when no one asked her for it.

 

[GossipLady]

Chidera reposted this DM to loudbossygross about nobody else in DB (specifically Gina here) speaking up / supporting her. I’m shocked none of them have. Maybe DB sent them a message warning/telling them not to? Still sucks they haven’t.

Agree been thinking this for days. Bodiposipanda too and Munroe Bergdorf. Makes me sad cause I've looked up to these people for years, now seems they are not as selfless as they make out.

 

[oczymlody]

To my knowledge she has never told a person who is happily married to dump their husband? She has said before that her dump him phrase is directed towards women in unhappy relationships.

I don’t like her a lot, I just think critically about the rhetoric she uses.

I have seen her say ‘dump him’ many times to people on her stories. I’m really not here to defend myself on how someone makes me feel on social media.

And as for you suggesting that I lack critical thinking.... by ‘Floss’s’ standards I should have ‘dumped him’ many times over the years.... relationships are hard from time to time, shit happens. Times are hard when you have kids, financial struggles, illness, deaths in families etc. All things she has no idea about as she’s prancing on her keyboard in her bedroom. So that’s what I’m saying. She lacks the experience in my opinion, because she hasn’t been through all that. But obviously I don’t think critically enough about her

 

[That’sOk]

While listening to amazing tunes that no one else has ever discovered k hun

Not just any tunes but ‘bops’

Obviously lockdown is not the most exciting time but her content is on its ass after her return!

 

[LondonCheshireCat]

FG was sort of like my introduction into feminism and when I first read her book it was all new to me. But now my eyes have been opened to the fact that she is not doing anything revolutionary but actually she is heavily influenced by other people and passes it off as her own work!

Does anyone have any suggestions of better feminist accounts to follow?

I’d suggest following Roxane Gay too, but also Mona Eltahawy (she wrote The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls), Lola Olufemi (Feminism, Interrupted), Tressie McMillam Cottom (Thick, and other Essays), Gal-Dem (online publication), Bitch Media (another online mag), Everyday Feminism, The F-Word (UK online blog), and Laurie Penny. All do brilliant work and I’ve learnt a lot from them over the years.

 

[Sunflower91]

I’ve gotten to the point now after reading loads of ig posts for both camps where I just feel so bloody confused- it’s a bit of a shambles. IG could be such a positive gateway for female voices and to get people engaged and Informed with feminist content. But at the moment I’m caught up in things like the right/ wrongness of who I listen to- does listening to rhetoric from white women make you a bad feminist?
It feels like this situation as a whole is just getting to a point where it’s damaging to a community of women who are getting started on a journey of opening their eyes to the world around them. Diving bell seem to have just made a cash grab for these outspoken ig women and let them make books on content they aren’t necessarily experienced enough in then let them fight it out when the content is really similar.

 

[Et tu Brute?]

THIS!!! I won’t go into my own experience but I shall say that it took me over a year to get out of a manipulative, violent and controlling relationship. No amount of ‘dump him’ slogans would’ve made me leave him. It takes TIME and COURAGE for people to conduct a plan to escape that person. Of course, I am just speaking about my own experience but no woman I know who has been in the same situation has ever just got up and left because some girl on Instagram was telling them to do so.

This resonates so much with me!!!!! I agree, “dump him” distresses me too for similar reasons.

 

[rememberwayne]

I'm so tired of the constant influx of ''self-help'' books, especially those marketed at young women. Surely the feminist thing to do is to trust your heart and get your advice from trial and error rather than rely on the patronising words of someone who's consistently been in a more privileged position to you?

I may sound ageist but I feel Florence has not lived life enough to give her take on such level as a book.

 

[lmcn23]

Has anyone seen theslumflower’s stories regarding Florence’s book? Interesting considering both their books are like Pinterest quotes in book form with pictures but wonder how she will handle it

 

[That’sOk]

She doesn’t have enough life experience for a hot, dark story

I’m sure she could just use other peoples ideas and not give them credit for it

 

[Crumpet41]

Is it really a massive announcement that she’s releasing another book? Considering all year she’s been harping on about ‘having social media breaks to write’

bloody hell.. do we need to prepare ourselves for florence given vs the slumflower round two

 

[ChelsLou]

I love Floss!! Her book arrived today and I'm so excited to read it. I think she's actually a really great role model and I wish she'd been around when I was younger (even though we're like the same age but you know what I mean)

Honestly I wish I had someone like her in my life when I was with my manipulative, abusive ex. She would’ve saved me going through so much depression & anxiety and made me realise my worth sooner.

 

[rememberwayne]

Something with her does not sit right at all. I do not believe she has developed so much from school till now only 21, I do not mean to be ageist but that ''journey'' she claims to have been on seems very much fast forwarded to the end.

However the things she has helped people with regarding toxic partners etc is a good thing to come from whatever she truly is or is not.

 

[Sunflower91]

Wow. I’m shocked but at the same time not shocked. I bought her book and I read the part about her in high school falling out with her mates. there was just something about it that reminded me of some girls at my school and how for their myspace blog, they’d make out they have this loneliness and how different they were on the inside but it was all a bit fake and you knew them as the mean people in school
I’m about half way through the book- some parts I love, ngl.

 

[stopthescams]

Oh for fuck sake, we all have trauma we don’t throw the word around like it’s a fashion statement. Supposedly she’s a bully so what about their trauma? What a narcissist

 

[Tanne1999]

Is it really a massive announcement that she’s releasing another book? Considering all year she’s been harping on about ‘having social media breaks to write’

 

[lemonpeach]

Sorry but I just think her stories are utterly nonsensical at this point. The comparison to rape really disgusted and angered me, and as other people have pointed out she is encouraging her audience to harass Florence and Munro by relentlessly tagging them in about a million stories a day

 

[thegirlscout]

Glad I found this thread! I do like Florence on a surface level but I feel like there is something off about her.

Some of the comments on this post are not very kind.

I agree with this - I haven’t read her books but what I’ve seen from photos and reviews is that they seem pretty samey.

This whole radical self love reminds me of Gala Darling. Now that’s a throwback, does anyone remember her?

 

[lushstudent]

I can’t stand Florence but the more that comes out the more I think this. There’s obviously more to this than is being let on about specifics.

Exactly this. I wouldn't be shocked if it's a tactic to drive up sales of both books considering more people are buying now to see if it's copies