Greenham Common
Greenham Common Women’s Peace camp was established in 1981 to protest against nuclear weapons. The camp was active until 2000. The camp was a female only space, where women were disrupting the gender norms placed upon them by mainstream society. They rejected the notion that women should be at home with their children by using their status as mothers and women as a political statement to protest.
At the time, politics was male dominated. In the mainstream media, the women were portrayed negatively and labelled as witches and lesbians in an attempt to discredit them and try and discourage others from joining. However, instead of discouraging women to join, it had the opposite effect. Greenham brought lesbianism to the mainstream media and therefore encouraged lesbians, feminists and those who were angry with the political system and society to join the cause.
‘Girls Say No’ Banner — used during the early days of Greenham Common; received some flack because of the use of the word `girls', which some women found demeaning, although it was supposed to mean young girls; made from a pattern book of velvet squares by Lucy and Thalia Campbell.
© Thalia Campbell Designs.
‘We have a Dream/Mae Gennym Freuddwyd' banner made for a march from Bath to Greenham in June 1983.
© Thalia Campbell Designs.
‘Join us’ Banner — This is the back of a ‘Greenham Common Peace Camp’ banner. Four versions of this banner were made in one summer representing the first two years of the camp.
© Thalia Campbell Designs.