Tag: feminism

Categories
law

I believe it would damage me professionally to speak up

I am a senior woman barrister in a city where another prominent senior woman lawyer has openly promoted the TERF response to attempts to explore trans issues.  I believe it would damage me professionally to speak up because people’s “understanding” of the issues is so dominated by the apparent fairness and justice of openly supporting trans rights, and by the vigour with which this is promoted by others.   If I was directly questioned I would stand up for gender critical feminism, and make the obvious points to be made.  But fear of professional and social abuse is stopping me starting the conversations.

I have discussed the issues widely with my sister who is able to enter the debate in her own name.

Ros , Senior barrister, New Zealand

Categories
law

I feel completely disempowered

I can’t believe that our most fundamental rights like the right to dignity in a same sex refuge are being removed.

I speak to people I trust but can’t really speak out. I wrote to my MP. The response simply confirmed that she supports trans rights and is also a feminist. No real answers to my concerns.

I’m afraid to discuss the issue with anyone outside my home because of potential consequences at work.

I’ve been called a TERF by previous colleagues. I no longer speak about it outside my home. It just feels that the world has gone mad and it’s now somehow taboo to talk about being female a d about female experience. I feel completely disempowered.

Natalie lawyer, Civil Servant , I can’t speak publicly on this

Categories
law

I have been very careful due to my fear of losing my job

I care because I work with domestic abuse survivors and know the majority of this abuse is as a result of sex based oppression

I give to fundraisers, educate friends family etc.  I have an anonymous 2nd Twitter account where I offer support and I attend pro women meetings to educate myself and show support.

I have not had any consequences, because I have been very careful due to my fear of losing my job.

Twiglet, GC feminist in a job that mutes my opinions

Categories
law Public Sector

I asked why my work policies misrepresented the Equality Act – I was told must not speak to anyone any further

I was taken aside by my manager and instructed that I must not speak to anyone  regarding this issue any further.

It matters to me as a feminist and as a woman that women’s specific issues and inequality should be addressed and discussed and I believe that this is not possible if male people are included and centred in the category “women”.

I have written to and met with my MSP, posted on social media, donated to crowdfunders for women litigating, attended meetings.

I asked my work why they misrepresented the Equality Act in their policies.

I was taken aside by my manager and instructed that I must not speak to anyone  regarding this issue any further.

Maria , Scottish local government officer

Categories
law

I am careful with content and tone even on my anonoymous twitter account

As a feminist all my life I feel we have sleep walked into a very worrying situation. As a teenager and young woman I was very active in feminism. Family and professional life then intervened and I took my eye off the ball. Things were good for me – a supportive stay at home husband who looks after the kids and good career progression and support at work – yes some stereotypes and bias but on the whole good. I naively  assumed things were getting better. But I suddenly woke up to find that women’s rights are eroding not getting better. My lived experience and the biases and prejudices I have battled all my life are not recognised.

The issues that arise from my biology – periods, pregnancy, birth, breast feeding, time off for babies – are ignored.

What makes me a woman is my biology not my feelings. I have battled sex based stereotypes all my life – and now find they define what it means to be a woman. Being a woman is not about make up and heels and clothes. My daughter could be expected to change in Top Shop next to a man or compete against a boy or use the same toilet as a man.

I am so not transphobic- I am a liberal leftie type who has always supported minorities and oppressed groups and now I am the transphobe because I believe in biology. Seriously?

I have discussed with colleagues, family and friends and have spoken out anonymously on twitter

I was initially open on Twitter but was cautious and exercised a lot of self censorship particularly after seeing Twitter pile ons and also observing some people being subject to letter campaigns to their employers. My job is safe – I am a partner in a law firm and virtually impossible to sack plus I am close to the end of my career anyway- but I am responsible for a team of people who rely on me to bring in client work and it would not be hard for a TRA to work out the names of the major corporations we act for and approach them to say that their lawyer is a transphobe. So I was cautious.

But then I was spoken to by the head of our LGBT+ group who said it had been brought to his attention that my tweets “supported the women’s perspective” and that it might have a “potential impact on transgender colleagues who are not yet open”. 

As a result I set up an anonymous Twitter account. I very occasionally like GC content from my open account but only occasionally. I am still careful with content and tone even with my GC account as it would be possible to work out that I am a lawyer and someone could still approach my regulator who would have the power to find out who I am should anyone complain. 

George , woman, mother, leftie feminist lawyer

Categories
law

Training organisations and lobbying groups are providing incorrect guidance on law

I am a discrimination solicitor. i am concerned about firstly that training organisations and lobbying groups are providing incorrect guidance on the current law re equality and diversity with regard to how to address potential conflicts between rights of trans people and those of people who fall within different protected classes and the exceptions relating to sex based rights in the Equality Act. In addition with regard to proposed amendments to Gender Recognition act no proper discussion or analysis was done to consider any adverse effects of law change on who came within definition of women in s 11 Equality Act and consequently on any impact on ability to prove sex discrimination and equal pay claims

I am vocal on social media trying to put my interpretation of the law and related policy. I have spoken at the Womens Place Conference on how to properly undertake Equality Impact Assessment

I have been the subject of two formal complaints to my employers, Trustees of a respected local charity which I manage.

These resulted in correspondence and short considerations before being rejected by the Trustees. Another complaints were made to our largest funder, the National Lottery, who after considering my personal twitter feed took no action.  Finally a complaint was made to my charity’s national network group. This is despite me not making direct reference to my employer in my twitter profile. I also left a local feminist group when it was made clear that people who were gender critical were not welcome

Audrey Ludwig, Practising Solicitor

Categories
Others

This matters to me because women are disadvantaged because of their biology

Accepting transwomen as women undermines the gains that women have made and any future progress.

I have tweeted in support of GC on Twitter and re-tweeted to my followers.

I have discussed the issue with friends.

The only consequences I have had are the usual Shut up Terf etc. on Twitter. Some more threatening than others. Some seem to have an obsession with my appearance but I’m way too old to care.

I generally just block and move on.

Ces, Feminism and football

Categories
Others

A birth certificate should be a legal document of Truth not a pretence

Matters because women are and have been oppressed throughout history all over the world because they are biologically different from men. That is the only reason.

We therefore need protections because of this. To redefine the word woman to mean anybody who identifies as such completely removes any legal protections specifically for women.

I object to to the word woman being Redefined to include anyone born male. Being a woman is not something that can be identified into by anyone born male. It is offensive to me that this is even being considered. I cannot believe that we have created a situation where somebody who is biologically male can change their legal birth certificate to make it a falsehood. Nobody can change their sex. You are born the sex you are born and you remain that sex until you die. If I give birth to a male child I do not want that birth certificate to be able to be altered to pretend that I gave birth to a female child when it is not true. A birth certificate should be a legal document of Truth not a pretence.

I have contributed greatly to threads on Mumsnet feminist board. I have joined several secret Facebook groups to discussed the matter. I have campaigned with fairplayforwomen handing out leaflets in my local area and explaining to people about the government’s consultation for amendments to the gender recognition act. I am very vocal on Twitter where I have have allied myself again with fair play for women. I have been to many of the woman’s place meetings. I have been to a meeting held in Manchester about detransitioners which was very moving. I have taken part in in Greater Manchester resistors acts of resistance including reassigning unisex toilets and taking them back for females only. I have adult human female stickers and I sticker in my local area when I am out and about.

I have been abused on social media constantly. I’ve argued with people I know on social media and tend not to mention it anymore on Facebook because people don’t seem to want to discuss anything political if it goes against the current woke ideology. People do not seem capable of critical thought about this they just assume that it is lumped in with LGBT rights and so it is progressive.

Kath yer Mum Wife Sister Daughter Woman #adulthumanfemale

Categories
Media and Arts

I got myself in a lot of trouble in my ‘queer’ community

I care because it’s dogmatic and dishonest movement that misrepresents the views of gender critical feminists as bigots rather than people that fight for female rights.

I got myself in a lot of trouble in my ‘queer’ community.

Male drag queens I know hate me and are threatening.

Rachel C – 25 year old television writer and politics graduate

Categories
Education

As a former teacher and headteacher I am appalled at the number of girls getting drawn in

I’m a lifelong feminist (first) and lesbian (second). Also, as a former teacher and headteacher I am appalled at the number of girls getting drawn in to the idea that they are in the wrong body.

EJW, Former secondary headteacher