Am I too young for the WI? (Womens Insitute)

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:06 am

I have just the WI (womenâ€™s Institute) through a friend of mine who works at my local spiritualist church. I am in my late twenties and I have a lot of respect for the WI and I like what it represents etc. I am the youngest member, a lot of them are of retired age etc.

My cousin and her friends make fun of me because of this. They say I am growing old before my time and I am too young to hang around with elderly people, this has made me self conscious. I feel a bit like a duck/fish out of water. :-3

I know this is not what the WI is about, and I would like to encourage younger members to sign up to the WI. We are not all stuffy and sing Jerusalem (never bin there) or make jam.

Can you advise me please and is there any other members of the WI here on this forum?

Thanks for reading.

Post by **LarsMac** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:39 am

Well, I've always hung out with people who were older that I, and have benefitted from the relationships. Go where your heart leads, and let your cousin and her friends twitter all they want.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:52 am

Age isn't in the body, it's in the brain. Or the soul if you prefer. I've met 90-year-olds who act and think like teenagers. And I've met teenagers that act and think like 90-year-olds. That's neither bad nor good. It's just who your personality identifies with. Tell your friends that you like who you are and what you do. If they have a problem with that, they aren't your friends.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:36 am

Absolutely not. The WI isnt the same animal it was in the past. Its much more progressive and will welcome people younger even than you......even men.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:06 am

Thanks for your replie's. I have a lot of respect for the WI and I would like to encourage younger women to join. You can learn a lot from your elders, hopefully I can lead the way for the next generation to join the WI.

I think men have their own group

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:18 am

I was a little too hasty with my reply, here's what the WI say about men's involvement.

While WI membership is only open to women, men are welcome to attend courses at our residential adult education centre, Denman College, and take part in many activities, events and campaigns both locally and nationally.The Women's Institute is an educational charity with a constitution that states membership is only open to women. Under UK law charitable organisations whose constitution stipulates single sex membership are entitled to restrict access to the opposite sex. - See more at: National Federation of Women's Institutes | Why are men not allowed to join the WI?

Also, the WI also state that women are permitted to join when they reach "the age of majority", which in the UK generally means 18 years of age.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority

It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents or g uardian over and for them. Most countries set majority at 18.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:24 am

If we can get more women, any age to be honest to join will be good. Hopefully I'm setting a first.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:44 am

The answer to the initial question is whether or not you consider yourself a woman (as opposed to a girl). If the answer is yes, then the answer is yes.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 2:10 am

Don't understand that.