Author: bomp123

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Self employed / entrepreneurs

After 30 years in the trade union movement, for the first time I can honestly say I felt fearful for my safety

I have a daughter and a granddaughter. I want them to be able to live their lives free from oppressive and restrictive stereotypes that limit what they can do, achieve, how they chose to live. Trans rights is representative of the very worst misogyny I have ever experienced. As a senior trade union officer, after 30 years in the trade union movement, for the first time I can honestly say I felt fearful for my safety and well being because of trans activists.

I have written articles in the Morning Star. I have tried to limit the damage done by the TUC and trade unions adopting wholesale Stonewall policy. I have tried as far as possible to work behind the scenes with other like minded women in unions. I have had numerous conversations with friends and family to raise awareness. I have never felt so silenced in my life and I am a woman who has led strikes and worked at a senior level in trade unions. I do what I can on social media.

I felt I had to leave my job as I could not promote my union’s policies on the GRA and trans rights that I personally opposed. I have lost good friends and comrades.  I expect to lose more before this is over. It is hard to be seen as a bigot by people when you have spent decades working for equality and social justice. 

Trish, Former Trade Union Officer

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Others

I’ve delivered a talk to a local group

I care because women’s rights, protections, safe spaces, sports and the right to discuss and campaign regarding our physical issues – ie menstruation, pregnancy, Abortion, contraception etc. All are being undermined by trans demands. All are suffering from self ID.

I’ve spoken up on social media. I’ve had an exchange of emails with my MP. I’ve delivered a talk to a local group. I’ve connected with other local gender critical feminists to discuss issues. I’ve attended WPUK meetings and conference. I’ve tried to discuss multiple times within the Women’s Equality Party – with leaders, Elected officers, staff and members. I’ve spoken up at an equalities training session – I also discussed with the trainer privately.  I’ve written an article for a local magazine on the difference between sex and gender. I’ve had people contact me privately and I’ve supported them with information including individuals trying to deal with a teenage daughter who’s trans and an adult son.

I have been attacked on social media – often by strangers but also by people I know. These attacks have been vicious including telling me I’m transphobic, a bigot, hateful, a nazi, denying the existence of trans people. I’ve been blocked on Twitter and I’m on block lists. Other women involved in the magazine asked me to avoid discussing trans ideology or implications of self ID on women’s rights – They were concerned about the reaction from TRA’s.

Fodo, Feminist, singer, musician and mother, fodohpf

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Others

I worry for vulnerable women

I find the denial of the existence of biological sex so insane. A lot of people, including trans people themselves seem very confused about the differences between sex and gender. I worry for vulnerable women and the issue of single sex spaces, I worry for gay people, I worry for kids pushed into thinking they are trans and I cannot bear the absolutely vile backlash from TRAs towards people who are not 100% on board with their ideas.

I have posted on Facebook, which is set to friends only. I don’t actively use Twitter but if I were to speak about it on there I’d use an anonymous account.

I have lost actual in-real-life friends.

Laura

Categories
Healthcare Parent

I don’t want their childhood brought to an early end with distorted teachings on RSE/PSHE

I care because I’m worried about the elimination of sex based protections for women. I have two children, a 7 year old boy and 8 year old girl, and I don’t want their childhood brought to an early end with distorted teachings on RSE/PSHE, and I don’t want them growing up with gender stereotypes. Let kids be kids, and be happy in their bodies.

I mainly act on twitter: I have liked and retweeted GC tweets, and (since JK Rowling’s essay) I have been posting comments. I have discussed what I read with family, spreading the knowledge of what’s happening to people who otherwise wouldn’t know. I have posted in Facebook a couple of times to correct someone’s misinterpretation of JK Rowling’s essay. I have emailed my MP to signal my support for Liz Truss’ proposed roll back of the GRA, and I plan to write to my local council, school and MP about the RSE tuition material that was due to come in in Sept 2020.

I have not had any negative consequences to date. I post in my own name (on FB and Twitter), and am self-employed, but I have a number of local authority and charity clients. I worry that if I raise my voice too loud, there could be a pile on to my clients which might make them change auditor. I cannot afford to lose fees, but recognise I cannot afford for my daughter or I to lose our sex based rights.

Rosie D-M, Small business owner, accountant, married mother of two, Woman

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Healthcare Self employed / entrepreneurs

I have been smeared and my views have been misrepresented

I care about this issue because it’s an assault on women’s rights. The longer I have been involved in reading, researching and writing about it the more it becomes clear that women’s rights are in a perilous position. Nobody at the top level is keeping an eye on enforcing legislation which protects women and girls. It has been far too easy for lobby groups to make inroads into women’s public safety with no challenge.

It has been an eye-opener to see how little women and girls are respected or even acknowledged by the people who we elect to represent us. It feels like there is no democracy for women who don’t agree that men are women too.

The reasons women need single-sex protections hasn’t gone away but we are having to have the arguments for them all over again.

I have written a personal blog about many of the aspects of trans ideology which impact on women and girls in various different areas of life. I’ve also blogged on Medium, contributed to other publications and written articles for the local press.

I’ve (unsuccessfully) pitched to the national press. I have written a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment of the Allsorts trans toolkit and sent it out to MPs and local councillors. I have contributed to consultations, written to my MP and others, attended my MP’s surgery, provided evidence for inquiries, attended meetings and demonstrations, joined campaigns and spoken at meetings. I’ve done a few tweets.

I have been smeared and my views have been misrepresented. I have been attacked as a person on social media, sometimes with such vitriol I’ve had to take a step back for a while to recover, before joining the fray again. I have suffered a more physical type of threat at  meetings I have attended, and during campaign activities like leafletting. I have lost friends, especially in the early days of speaking up (although overall I have subsequently gained more so I can’t complain…) I have sometimes felt completely stressed out because the whole thing is a head fuck but the responsibility to keep going can feel overwhelming.

Helen Saxby, Writer, blogger, campaigner, helensaxby11/notthenewsinbriefs.wordpress.com

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Others

I want women’s hard earned rights to remain

I care because I want women’s hard earned rights to remain and safety for my daughters growing up.

I speak to everyone I can regarding this.

I have lost friends.

Hayley, Cymru

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Others

I have been speaking to friends, and trying to learn more about the issue

Sex based protections are still required. It wouldn’t matter if biological women were as generally safe as biological men, but we are not.

I have been speaking to friends, and trying to learn more about the issue. I have started following more gender critical people on social media, as they often ask the same questions as I am thinking about. I have not yet added my voice to this matter.

Kelly, Woman, mother, educator, human

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Healthcare Others

I fundamentally disagree with genderist ideology and all it entails

I care because I fundamentally disagree with genderist ideology and all it entails.

I believe it to be anti-science, anti-material reality, deeply misogynistic, profoundly damaging to children and the biggest threat to the sex based rights of women and girls that I’ve seen in my lifetime

I write to MSPs, contribute to crowdfunders and take part in consultations. I took part in the Posie Parker action on International Women’s Day 2019 putting “adult human female” t-shirts on female statues. At the beginning of this year I took to the streets with my local feminist group to leaflet and raise awareness about the Scottish GRA consultation.

I’ve personally not experienced any negative consequences so far, but I’m very very careful about who I talk to about this and remain anonymous where possible as I fear comeback.

Nic

Categories
Healthcare Self employed / entrepreneurs

I didn’t get the chance to finish before I was cut off

This matters to me as I have two young daughters and I am scared for their futures if sex based rights as girls and women are removed. I disagree with trans women participating in women’s sport for reasons for fairness and safety.

I worry about the safety of women and children, myself and daughters included, if the definition of women is expanded to included transwomen. Male bodied persons should not be allowed access to women’s only spaces for reasons of safety, privacy and dignity.

I am not a cis woman. I do not need a prefix to describe myself. I am a woman – an adult human female.

I have raised concerns about teaching gender at school when it was mentioned in a health and well-being session for parents. I didn’t get the chance to finish before I was cut off and the deputy head started talking about gay friends she had that we’re getting married and how wonderful it was, as if I was some massive homophobe.  I have commented on social media but only on topics about children and puberty blockers. I don’t feel confident enough to speak out on other matters, like women’s rights, without fearing a negative backlash and being accused of being a transphobe. This angers me as it is not transphobic to stand up for women’s rights.

I know the school thought I was a homophobe but this will not stop me from speaking up in future, although next time I will perhaps put my concerns in writing so I can’t be cut off. I am self employed so very aware of speaking out, even on women’s issues, as the current climate is so volatile and I fear for being called transphobic and my business being targeted by TRAs.

I am scared to speak out on social media as I feel that I would be judged and perhaps even lose friends.

Mum of Two, Adult Human Female

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Others

Sex-based rights matter to me

As a female keeping hard won sex-based rights matter to me. As do single sex spaces in hospital wards, prisons, schools and shops.

I speak and have conversations offline mostly with men.

Jane Bloggs, Raising awareness by talking with the family