Tag: children

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

I see children in my city being encouraged to take life altering decisions at too young an age

I care because firstly I can’t lie and collude with the idea that sex can be changed, either medically or by declaration. I care because gender ideology reinforces rather than challenges the concept of sex-appropriate behaviour and I’ve personally fought against this my whole life.

I care because I see children in my city being encouraged to take life altering decisions at too young an age (thanks Allsorts…) and this is cruel. I care because until 6 I thought you could choose to change sex at 10 yrs old, I was a tomboy and feel these days I’d be at risk of being transed or forced to over-think it. It’s cruel.

I also object to the obliteration of the  understanding that being female is a material reality that carries with it the baggage of a history of discrimination. Being female is an axis of oppression that’s nonsensical to ignore.

I care lastly because I have daughters, aunts, a mother, cousins and friends who have all experienced both subtle and profound discrimination on the basis of their female sex. Sex matters.

I have tentatively broached with a sympathetic friend. When I first was aware of the Hyde Park Corner incident I mentioned it in the pub assuming people would see it as nonsense. The people there were self-declared ex-Terfs who told me how they’d seen the light. It was surprising and put me on the back foot.

I have spoken up at work about using sex rather than gender in our surveys – small act, but I work in Higher Education where gender ideology is being forced into every part of the organisation.

I have engaged on social media (including with my MP Caroline Lucas), as an anonymous, attended conferences, donated to crowdfunders. I haven’t done enough. My daughter is very scared of me raising any issue with the school, or speaking out. She is gender critical but also scared of speaking out. The school still have sexist practices that reinforce sex-based stereotypes,  but does nothing about these, while pushing gender ideology.

I have had no negative consequences but that’s because I’m careful to maintain anonymity. I also haven’t spoken out enough.

Maggie, Woman in the street

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

This movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile

I care because the pro-gender lobby is hugely sexist, and aims to trample women’s rights – our rights to safe, female-only spaces, our rights to self-definition and even discussion of female reality and biology. I care because of the huge safeguarding concerns for women in vulnerable situations e.g. prison and hospital, and also the danger to children’s health and wellbeing.

It is cruel that gay, autistic, gnc etc children are being taught they are in “the wrong body” and must undergo a lifetime of medical alterations by adults who seem to gave forgotten their own childhood. I care because this movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile, considered less important than male feelings.

I have spoken with family about this, who said they wouldn’t have been aware otherwise. I have posted gender critical (but fairly mainstream, approachable) articles on social media for friends and coworkers to see (and had a few surprise “likes”).

I responded to the Scottish GRA. I researched gender ideology and the many areas of concern, and wrote a well-sourced email to my MP (Labour MP Cat “3 homes” Smith – useless, says transwomen are women, believes I am wrong and didn’t care about any of the quoted articles or stats in my letter).

I also wrote to Labour leadership and deputy candidates (apparently Kier’s team had nothing to say about women’s rights or protecting Equality Act 2010, but promise to protect non-binary people in whatever that means). I wrote to Tory women’s minister and got a better response from the GEO (that the Equality Act 2010 was safe, women’s rights matter).

I donate regularly to causes such as lawsuits, campaign groups. I vocally opposed my employer (a uni) changing ladies and gents toilets to unisex by virtue of simply changing the sign.

Our male union rep (Unite) said he wasn’t fussed and it was more important that non-binary and trans people don’t feel like “the odd one out” by using the other, single uni unisex toilet already available in the same corridor. Women’s safety didnt matter.

Thankfully more powerful women than me pushed back and the sign was quietly changed back.

I have had very uncomfortable arguments with colleagues and union reps and received very dismissive replies from politicians. Mostly it is just stressful because I have anxiety anyway. I am afraid of speaking out and losing my job at a uni that works closely with Stonewall and Gendered Intelligence. I am more afraid, however, of not standing up to bullies.

G

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

It is the biggest threat to women’s rights we have ever seen

This is the most important issue to me because it is the biggest threat to women’s rights we have ever seen. It will remove our legal definition and protection in one foul swoop forcing many women into self exclusion from public places. We are losing a generation of lesbian and gay children and enabling paedophilia to cloak under the rainbow.

I have written to my MP, I have attended meetings in the House of Lords, I have attended women’s meetings, I write regularly bringing the primary sources to quick access for people. Indeed I have spent hours of my life and written thousands of words on the topic. I have demonstrated, I have placed stickers, I have spoken to all women I know and every woman I meet. I wear slogan t-shirts out to start conversations.

I lost any prospect of work within my university, I lost close friends, I was attacked online by supposed allies to women resulting in a week with police interviews and therapy. I have been doxxed, no-platformed, lost a book deal.

Dr Em, academic, radical feminist, campaigner

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

Denying the reality of sex will make fighting against exploitation and discrimination impossible

I care about the rights of women, down to the fundamental right of self-determination. I care because I know women are still exploited and discriminated against on the basis of sex, and denying the reality of sex will make fighting against exploitation and discrimination impossible. I care about our right to knowledge and intellectual freedom and I see it being curtailed. I care about children being medicated and operated on. I care about the right of lesbian to their own sexual orientation.

I have been vocal on social media. Written to charities and organisations to remind them of their duties under the EA. Submitted many FoI requests and complained to the Charity Commission about Stonewall. Written an academic article. Written articles for Uncommon Ground. Written to newspapers. Spoken to friends.

I have been suspended from Twitter (overturned by Better Business Bureau).

I have received threats of death and rape on social media.

I have been blocked by academic colleagues, and by my own alma mater, the University of Glasgow on Twitter.

Mermaids contacted my university in Germany to have me fired.

The School of Law in Glasgow rescinded my associate position (though I cannot prove this is the reason).

I have been told by the HR department in my university that they are often contacted by academics and members of the public either by email or through Twitter, to complain about my ideas.

Alessandra Asteriti, Junior Professor of International Economics, Germany

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

I am a human being who can’t bear to see women and children lied to and harmed

I care because I am a human being who can’t bear to see women and children lied to and harmed mentally, physically, emotionally and financially. I care because I believe language is important and I am concerned that it is being twisted. I care because I try to notice sexual inequality and sexual stereotypes and I dislike them and I dislike homophobia.

I had discussions with individuals  at work until the climate at work made it unsafe to do so. I have contacted women’s rights groups and attended meetings. I have talked to close friends and my partner and my children.

I have left the Labour Party. I am less active in my union role and have resigned a union post. I have been made to feel uncomfortable at work and if I spoke my beliefs I would lose my job. I have been shouted at by a male colleague for objecting to the term Cis.

Me, Frightened

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Education

Management was in a panic

I have always  been gender non conforming  tomboy STEM moterbike guitars /female band  and back in the 70 womens lib but it wasnt until I accidentally stumbled on Dr Jane Clare Jones that I realised  in a deeper way  that it wasn’t that I liked “boy”things but that labelling those things  male was part of a patriarchal system. It made me realise how important language is and that removing language that enables us to express our oppression manacle us more firmly “in our place” in a way that many won’t even notice or if they do will be unable to articulate

My experience at work was of a young autistic teen  X who was accused of Transphobia by a class mate Y (who sometimes came in as male sometimes presented as female ). Because X stared at them.

X said he didnt feel he was Transphobic it just made him feel funny that Y kept changing (name as well as clothes) his autism was ignored. There were a lot of demands being made by Y re toilets etc also at odds with our large female Muslim students rights.

Management was in a panic . Transphobia is apparently the worst of crimes

I have taken part in twitter/ discussion with friends/some work mates to raise awareness

I haven’t had any consequences because most people I’ve spoken to think the idea that a man can really be a woman/access women’s spaces /sports is completely mad or were unaware of it and recognise the consequences immediately. I haven’t  spoken out on one FB account  though because that account is a  partially music account to promote bands. I have on the other. 

Sophia, Musician, Maths lecturer

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

I want to use language I chose not what is chosen for me

I care because I want children, girls especially, to be safe. Because of destransitioners, because of those making £ shouldn’t get away with it. Because schools should educate and not indoctrinate children. Because ‘woman’ is not a feeling or a costume or a fetish.

And because I want someone to vote for. I want to use language I chose not what is chosen for me. It could take a while to get to the very bitter end but I will never give up.

I have spoken about this a lot in real life, from my hairdresser to my libfem friends. I support and volunteer with organisations that are doing great things. I complain and write letters to the BBC, to my MP…

and I participate in online groups which aim to hear both sides. It’s usually a waste of time but I try to engage and find common ground. It’s exhausting.

I have been accused of bigotry and transphobia, I have been told to “be careful” at work. I have argued with my partner and lost a friend of 20+ years. I have been scared of attending events but so far have not had any physical attacks, only verbal.

Lexi , It’s not radical to centre women in feminism , Left Twitter after I got blocked and  before I got banned

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Academics and researchers Healthcare

I have watched the equalities structures within my organisation become distorted to the point of total ineffectiveness

I work with students, and see them deeply affected and often damaged by their experience of gender dogma, with no neutral sources of help and advice to turn to. I work with colleagues who have been bullied, disparaged and left without support because they have raised safeguarding concerns.

I have watched the equalities structures within my organisation become distorted to the point of total ineffectiveness because of the inability of key officers to handle language, concepts, and legal duties with any clarity.

I have watched my workplace union disintegrate and lose any ability to hold on to the concept of solidarity as it rushed to scapegoat women who questioned its transactivist positioning.

I have children who I wish to protect, and weep for those, not mine, who have not been protected.

I have helped to organise events at my workplace and seconded and spoken to motions in my union. I have tried to bring problems and misconceptions in workplace policy documentation to the attention of the Equalities officer, with no positive result. I have attempted to build alliances with colleagues in order to strengthen our hand. I have spoken to friends, but only when I felt there was room to do so.

I have lost friends, and been warned off the subject by others; I have been forced into painfully uncomfortable workplace dynamics; I have lost work opportunities and chances for advancement because I was unable to comply with the gender ideology of others.   

Katie, Academic in Scotland

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Healthcare Parent

My adult children think I need to educate myself

This matters to me as I cannot stay silent while women’s sex based rights are removed along with our voices. I cannot watch children & young people being indoctrinated into a harmful cult.

I have joined 2 women’s group fighting against self I D. Ideally repealing the GRA. I have written to my MP and others, I have met with my MP.  I have ‘collared’ another MP at unrelated event & sent him emails. I have spoken out at a mayoral candidate meeting and had email exchanges with said mayoral candidate. I have emailed a Baroness and had meaningful dialogue with her. I have stickered. A lot. I have attended WPUK meetings, (5 or 6) and a further meeting organised by ‘Posie Parker’. I talk to people all the time & they ‘get it’. Attended FILIA.

I have had to be extremely careful as my adult children have been taken in and think I’m needing to educate myself.  They have no idea how much campaigning I have done. I’ve been ‘doxxed’ once and am on the cusp of a second doxxing. I don’t work so the ‘only’ damage will be with the relationship I have with my children. It breaks my heart but it won’t stop me fighting.

KB, Heartbroken mother & campaigner,

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Education Healthcare Parent

We are not a subset of women

This matters to me because I do not want my daughters to grow up in a world where women’s rights are diminished.  We are not a subset of women. I worry for the teenage girls in the school where I work, where they may lose their right to same sex toilets/changing rooms.

I have donated to crowdfunders. I have emailed notes of support to women under fire who express their opinion. I have spoken to my husband and children.  I would more than likely lose my job if I went public with my opinions and I cannot afford to do that.

I have not spoken up. I feel bad about this but am truly not in a position to do so….yet.

JJ