Feminist Futures Research Institute

We return now with a deeper awareness: resting, healing, and rejoicing should not be luxuries, but practices of resistance and liberation. Rest is not separate from feminist work. It is what makes it sustainable.

Thank you for your patience and solidarity, we can’t wait to share what’s coming.🔥

10/10 We moved houses, started new jobs, spent time with family, cared for loved ones, shared meals with friends, soaked up the sun, tended to our mental health, and dealt with recent world events in various ways.

9/10 These realities remind us that rest is not disengagement, but the condition that allows us to keep showing up for justice in sustainable, radical ways.

And that’s what we’ve been doing these past months. While we stepped back from posting, our lives, resistance and activism continued.

8/10 Even as we rest, we cannot turn away from the struggles unfolding across the globe: the genocide in Palestine, the violence and exploitation in Congo, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and so many other places where people are fighting for their lives, their land, and their dignity.

7/10 During our time away from social media, we’ve been reflecting on how to hold together activism, care, and everyday life in a world that constantly demands more of us.

6/10 That’s why, in carrying our struggles forward, we insist on the importance of radical self-care and fight for it to become a collective right—accessible to all, not a privilege for the few.

5/10 For communities that are historically marginalized and oppressed, self-care is even more urgent: it is never just individual, but a way of recognizing ourselves in each other and building collective care. Today, for so many people, this is still a denied right.

4/10 In a world that increasingly drives us toward individualism and cynicism, rest and communal enjoyment are powerful tools of resistance and cultural preservation.

3/10 It means recovering our energy and finding resources to mobilize, while refusing the capitalist fallacy that reduces self-care to a spa day or an individual act of consumption.

It also means reconnecting with our peers, friends, family, and community.

2/10 In our way of doing activism, caring for ourselves is at the very foundation of our practice. For us, practicing self-care means listening to ourselves, recognizing our needs, taking time to rest and reconnect and, from there, create a reflective and sustainable activist practice.

1/10 In 1988, Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet #AudreLorde wrote, theorizing radical self-care:

“𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞.”

An image with clouds in the colors of the trans flag as the background, and a white square with the following statement: When we founded the Feminist Futures Research Institute, one of our very first priorities was to affirm the importance of an intersectional feminism — one that defends trans lives with the same strength and urgency with which it fights gender-based violence. In light of recent events which involved the murder of Sara Millerey González Borja, and the UK Supreme Court ruling that reinterprets the Equality Act to define “woman” in exclusively biological terms, we feel compelled to state our position even more firmly: We stand strongly against all forms of transphobia. Let us be crystal clear: that so-called “feminism” used to justify attacks on trans people’s rights — painting them as a threat to women — does not represent us. Our feminism is inclusive, intersectional, and fiercely anti-exclusionary. Now more than ever, organisations and collectives working to dismantle systemic oppressions cannot look the other way. If you do, you are complicit. And we refuse to be silent. We say it today and always: trans women are women. At FFRI, every non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming person is welcomed, respected, and heard.There is no true feminist struggle without the fight for the liberation of all. We also want to stress a truth that is often ignored: trans people do not need cis people’s approval to exist and strive. They exist and have always existed — full stop. And the harmful dynamic that suggests otherwise needs to end. We call on everyone to stay united, to remember why we fight, and to recognise that challenging oppression means challenging all of it — not just what feels most convenient. To those most affected by these violent measures: we see you, we hold you, and we say this clearly — you are not alone. Please check in on your trans and GNC friends. Offer a little more sisterhood. A little more care. A little more rage.

Let us be clear: we stand strongly against all forms of transphobia.

Read our statement below 👇

#Feminist #FeministSky

Here are five feminist reminders that our Grants Officer, Mariam, shared during our launch event on Saturday in her keynote speech — what would you add? 💭

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our first FFRI event! If you missed it, stay tuned—we’ll be announcing our next events soon! 📢👀

Woman with shoulder-length hair wearing a pinstripe suit. Arms crossed, she stands in front of a blurred lights background. Text around reads: FFRi,

Text-based graphic with a biography of Mariam Topchishvili, labeled as a Grants Officer. It details her educational background and roles on advisory boards in various organizations. The text is in black with her name in bold blue.

We’re thrilled to introduce Mariam Topchishvili (she/her), one of the co-founders of the Feminist Futures Research Institute (FFRI) and our Grants Officer! 🌍✨

Catch Mariam as our keynote speaker at tomorrow’s FFRI Launch Event!🎤

#Feminism #FeministSky

A purple and light blue event reminder graphic. Text reads: REMINDER. Launch event this weekend! 1st of March 2025 - Online, 14 BST | 15 CEST | 9 EST | 19:30 IST. More info via link in bio! FFRI logo at the top.

The launch of the Feminist Futures Research Institute (FFRI) is happening soon!

Event Overview:
✨ Brief Introduction to FFRI
✨ Keynote Speech by Co-Founder Mariam Topchishvili
✨ Guided Small-Group Discussions
✨ Group-Wide Discussion on Feminist Futures

See you there!

It all starts tomorrow! 🚀

We’re kicking off #YIWW2025 with Building Feminist Futures Together in collaboration with @ffri-global.bsky.social 🥳

Spots for our events are filling up fast—if you haven’t booked yet, don’t wait! Head to yorkwomen.org.uk to secure yours now.

Portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair wearing a dark jacket and scarf, standing outdoors with a mountainous landscape in the background. The text reads: MEET THE TEAM, and includes the persons name and role as Head of Legal Affairs.

A graphic with text about Bea. It details her academic background in law and gender studies, her research interests in violence against women, and her work history. Her name is Beatriz Schirra, and she is Head of Legal Affairs and Compliance & Researcher.

Say hi to Bea! 👋 
 
Beatriz Schirra (she/her/ela) is one of the four co-founders of the Feminist Futures Research Institute.
 
We’re lucky to have her expertise and passion guiding our work! 💜

The image features a light purple background with a logo depicting an abstract face and the text FFRI in the top left. Centered text reads We care and practice solidarity. A right-pointing arrow is at the bottom right.

Text reading, We are accountable for what we do (or don’t). The logo FFRI is at the top with a stylized head. A right arrow is at the bottom. Text is in blue and green on a light green background.

3/3 #Feminist #AcademicSky

Minimalistic design with the logo FFRI and the message We advance ecological sustainability. in purple and green text on a light green background. A right-pointing arrow is at the bottom right.

Bold text on a light purple background reads, We celebrate diversity and bodily autonomy. Diversity is in white, and bodily autonomy is in blue. Theres a logo with FFRI and a stylized profile of a person above the text. An arrow icon is at the bottom.

Text reads: We produce accessible knowledge available to everyone. In the top left, FFRI with a silhouette icon. Theres a right arrow icon at the bottom. Background is light green.

Minimal poster with text: We strive for full implementation of human rights. Logo in the top left corner features abstract design with FFRI written. Bottom right shows a small arrow. Background is light purple.

2/3 #FeministSky

Logo of FFRI with text: We believe in building feminist futures together. A button with an arrow is at the bottom right. Green and purple accent colors.

A poster with a light purple background features the logo FFRI at the top left. The main text reads: We believe in a (Trans) Feminist World. A right-pointing arrow is at the bottom right corner.

Text reading We adopt an intersectional approach in blue and green on a light background. A logo with FFRI and an illustration of a purple figure is at the top. A small blue arrow is at the bottom right.

Purple background with the logo FFRI featuring a head and bird design. The text reads, We pursue a decolonized and de-westernized type of knowledge and practice. A right arrow symbol appears at the bottom right.

1/3 Dive into the Feminist Futures Research Institute’s journey through our core beliefs and the driving forces behind our work to create a world where justice, equality, and empowerment thrive for all. 🌍

Which one resonates with you the most today?✨

We’re back with another introduction! 💜

Meet Loren I. Sandoval Arteaga (she/her/ella), our Co-Director & Head of Communications.

Stay tuned for more from our team! ✨

#FeministSky #AcademicSky #Feminist

Graphic that reads: What does a feminist futures looks like to you? Tell us in the comments.

In preparation for our first online event this Saturday, March 1st, we want to hear from YOU!✨
 
What does a feminist future(s) look like to you? Think big, we want to hear it all! 💬
 
Join our event: tinyurl.com/FFRILaunch

#AcademicSky #FeministSky

A 'Meet the Team' introduction graphic for Caterina Lisi on a light green background. At the top, 'MEET THE TEAM' is written in bold, curved blue text. Below, a circular photo of Caterina Lisi shows her sitting outdoors in a park, wearing a black Adidas jacket over a light purple shirt, with sunglasses resting on her head. She is smiling softly at the camera. Below the photo, her name, pronouns (she/her/lei), and title, 'Co-Director & Head of Research & Development,' are written in bold blue and green text. The FFRi logo is displayed in white at the top left corner.

A professional bio of Caterina Lisi on a light green background. The text describes her as a Ph.D. candidate in Social and Political Change at the University of Florence and the University of Turin, Italy. She holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Florence and a joint Erasmus Mundus+ Master in Women and Gender Studies from the University of York and the University of Bologna. She has experience in communications for social inclusivity and focuses her research on gender-based violence, non-human animal rights, veganism, and masculinity studies. Her name, pronouns (she/her/lei), and title, 'Co-Director & Head of Research & Development,' are prominently displayed in bold blue and green text at the bottom.

🌟 Meet the Team! 🌟

We’re excited to introduce our incredible members and co-founders, starting with @caterinalisi.bsky.social!

Stay tuned as we introduce the passionate people behind our work!💡✨

#FFRI #FeministResearch #AcademicSky

👀 Join us to learn about our independent research institute, where we produce dewesternized and decolonized knowledge to advance social justice for all.
🗣️Make your voice heard and engage with amazing feminists to shape our collective vision of feminist futures
We hope to see you there!

In occasion of this year's York International Women's Week @yiww.bsky.social we are pleased to invite you to our first event

✨ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿: 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

🗓️ 1 March 2025
⏰ 14:00 BST | 15:00 CEST
🗨️ English w/ automatic captions
👉REGISTER: bit.ly/YIWW2025-FFRI

FFRI is an independent research center committed to advancing social justice for all and combating all forms of marginalization, such as gender-based violence, homo-bi-trans-phobia, ongoing colonial and imperial forces, environmental exploitation, and other manifestations of patriarchal structures in our societies. We do this through the production of intersectional, decolonized and dewesternized knowledge, employing feminist methodologies rooted in first-hand experience

FFRI was founded in 2024 by four friends and colleagues who, after navigating academic spaces, recognized the need for an alternative approach. Traditional research often risks being undemocratic and inaccessible, resulting in knowledge that is either impractical or limited to a select few

Our (trans)feminist approach centers on producing knowledge that tackle epistemic violence. We firmly believe that historically marginalized communities must be at the heart of their own stories—nothing about us, without us. To achieve this, we engage in a continuous process of deconstruction and active listening. FFRI is a space for coming together and learning together, through events, workshops, and collaborative initiatives that foster dialogue, reflection, and collective growth.

We envision a world free from all forms of injustice, where knowledge production becomes a powerful tool to achieve this. We believe in feminist futures, in the plural, because every form of diversity has the right to imagine a future where it can express itself freely. Our commitment is to make it possible.

Hi everyone!
We are delighted to introduce the ✨Feminist Futures Research Institute!✨

Check out the images and discover more about who we are and what we stand for! (ALT tex available)