Tag: Scotland

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Others

Disagreeing with someone does not equal hate

I’m a Christian, and a supporter of free speech. I am dismayed at the increasing intolerance for any unpopular or minority view in the name of “tolerance”. Disagreeing with someone does not equal hate. I believe every person should be treated with full dignity and respect, all of us being created in the image of God – but I don’t believe a man can become a woman, or vice versa. I am also deeply concerned about young autistic teenagers, in particular, being harmed by transgender philosophy and making decisions at a young age which they will regret.

I’ve attended a consultation on Hate Crime (in part because I fear speaking up on this issue will become a hate crime in criminal law as well as in public opinion), and I’ve written to MSPs in relation to hate crime.

I haven’t had any negative consequences – but I am not on Twitter or other social media.

E

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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

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Education Healthcare

I fear for the impact of gender ideology on children

As a parent, grandparent and longterm volunteer in a primary school, I fear for the impact of gender ideology on children, both psychologically and medically. I have a huge concern for safeguarding across the board – in all the areas impacted by a belief in gender identity – single-sex spaces (toilets, changing rooms, prisons) and single-sex services (female HCPs for smear tests and mammograms, for body searches in prisons and airports, for intimate personal care in social-care settings).

I am also incited to speak up because of the impact of gender-identity ideology on women’s rights – the opportunities for the female sex in sports and politics and STEM and other areas which are now offered to anyone who “identifies as a woman”. 

I’ve posted on FB on the topic but not as much as I might have and other friends have. I have good friends with “trans children” who are hurt by my speaking out at all on this. I have chatted personally with members of my family, and extended family, and some friends.

At the school where I volunteer a child had a “gender non-conforming” issue: I discussed Transgender Trend + their schools pack + other resources for the family with the headteacher/Senior Leadership Team; and gave them a copy of Rachel Rooney’s book, which they appreciated. 

I wrote to my MP 3 years ago and had her full support on these issues. I wrote full responses to the English and Scottish GRA consultations, and I’ve bought postcards from Fair Play and Standing For Women and left them in women’s toilets.

A couple of close friends consider I am being unfair and unreasonable but we haven’t fallen out. I am overly cautious on being very public on speaking up as it would hugely impact my husband and his career.

Aunt Gertrude, mother, grandma and teaching assistant volunteer in primary school

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survivor

I was abused from a young age by many of the men in my alcoholic mother’s life

It matters to me that men who identify as women may enter into jobs where I would be forced to accept them into my space, specifically: the care sector and nursing. I will need personal care in the future and I may be forced to accept a self ID’ing male for my personal care needs. I was abused from a young age by many of the men in my alcoholic mother’s life and I cannot allow a man to touch me in intimate areas.

I have written to my MP and MSP and received bland stock emails in return. I have funded campaigns, leafleted my local area, attended meetings, been vocal on social media, spoken to my few friends, challenged where possible.

My two best friends have told me they find it boring and nothing to do with them, leaflets I put up in the local area were defaced or removed, I’ve received abuse and been ‘limited’ on Twitter.

Doreen M, Survivor of childhood abuse

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Others

I’m a woman and I should have the right to speak about issues that affect me

This matters to me because I’m a woman and I should have the right to speak about issues that affect me.

I’ve shared information with family and friends. Shared thoughts on Twitter.

I’ve only experienced negative consequences from morons on Twitter.

Helen K, Female. Scottish. I won’t be silenced

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Healthcare Public Sector

As an HR professional I feel for colleagues trying to navigate through this

I guess I would have called myself a liberal feminist, a live and let live type.  I thought trans people had GD and medically/ surgically transitioned.  I once worked with a very nice transwoman  who presented as a woman, was called she, but used the men’s changing room and toilets.  When JK Rowling tweeted in support of Maya Forstater, I wanted to know why someone has lost their job over what seemed a non-contentious issue.

The ideology revealed was frightening.  The aggression of TRAs (trans rights activists), and their determination to open every area of female lives to male people, was worrying.  There are deliberate attempts to erode safeguarding and stifle any discussion of how conflict over rights and safety can be addressed.  

The disproportionate influence of lobbying groups like Stonewall on public sector organisations and politics is unacceptable.  Looking further, the concept of the cotton ceiling was abhorrent. 

Although I am not lesbian, I believe that LGB people have an absolute right to their sexual preferences without being labelled transphobic.

I am concerned about the teaching of gender theory to children.  I don’t really understand the science, but see no consensus that would justify teaching that sex is a spectrum.   How the huge growth in the number of “trans” children being referred for treatment is not ringing alarm bells is beyond me.  I am fortunate, I had to retire from work for health reasons, but as an HR professional, I fear that if I was still working, I would not be able to express my concerns freely in this repressive climate.

I am not a great social media user, but I have supported GC voices, mostly with likes and retweets and some not very articulate comments.  I have completed the Scottish Govt GRA consultation survey, have donated to a couple of crowdfunding requests, and have written to my MP.

I am fortunate, Having taken Ill-health retirement, I am immune from threats to my livelihood.  As an HR professional, I feel for colleagues trying to navigate through this, and am sure that if I was still working, I would not feel free to express my concerns, particularly if working in the public sector.  This is a repressive, toxic culture.  I’m sure many people are being prevented from expressing valid, non-hateful opinions and that should concern everyone.

Alison G, Into my 6th decade, married, no kids, TERF, apparently

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Healthcare Others

I have autistic grandchildren and I genuinely have concerns for their future wellbeing

I was made aware of this issue by the now banned from Twitter wings over Scotland, regarding the bullying of Joanna Cherry and Joan MacAlpine within the SNP. This quickly escalated to bring defamed by Fiona Robertson ( SNP women’s officer). I have autistic grandchildren (three) and I genuinely have concerns for their future wellbeing.

Being housebound I have done as much as I physically can to raise awareness. Delivered For Women Scot GRA leaflets around my village, donated to a few things.

I’ve lost a fair few friends in the Scottish independence movement, been threatened online.

M L

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Others

It’s time to reclaim the HUMAN RIGHT to expression

I care about this issue as it affects every single indefinable human beings existence.  UNTIL humanity accepts that every individual person who has ever existed has been robbed, to some extent of complete subjective human expression and in effect self actualisation, under the guise of the dominant MANMADE  Patriarchal CONstruct, of the intentionally divisive fallacy of GENDER. Inequality, prejudice discrimination abuse and violation of basic human rights will continue to persist and proliferate through the fabric of every culture. The ludicrous terms MASCULINITY and FEMININITY were intentionally constructed for the division of power and control between the sexes. The misappropriation of human traits, qualities and expressive characteristics should never have been permitted. It has always been a COMPLETE IMPOSSIBILITY for someone’s subjective sense of self concept to be externally defined as a result of the opinion of another human being. WOMAN adult human biological female, MAN adult human biological male. GENDER masculinity/femininity a fallacy which enabled power based characteristics to be cherry picked and assigned to boys/men and passive subservient characteristics to be assigned to girls/women. Generational imprinting and all social control measures thus could police conformity and Matriarchy and Patriarchy foolishly believed this ridiculous travesty. It’s time to reclaim the HUMAN RIGHT to expression of all universal human attributes traits qualities and characteristics irrespective of any other external factor, the way it should always have naturally been.

I have written an extensive blog of my views,  following lengthy personal reflection on the subject, in an effort to  put forward suggestions which I believe would honor the human right of subjective individualised  self expression whilst upholding the protected category of sex based rights.  I have sent letters to the Scottish government, Human Rights Council, politicians, women’s rights organisations. I have posted my blogs online and tagged many people and organisations to disseminate my views further.

I have received tweets from unwanted people often with inappropriate images. I have witnessed the onslaught of harassment and abuse many people face when trying to discuss the topic online.

As a Christian I know there are only men or women.

M 💙, M💙, the patriarchal CONstruct of the fallacy of MASCULINITY and FEMININITY breeds anguish misery and dysphoria in humanity

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Healthcare Others

I am worried that medical transition will be the opposite of helpful for her

I could write pages… but to summarise: Firstly, because of the impact on children of being taught they (or others) could be “in the wrong body”, the messing with their heads this involves, the way they are indoctrinated to ignore their normal boundaries around their bodies, private spaces, etc. as soon as someone claims to “identify as” something they are not, and the way some are being funnelled towards puberty blockers and further medical transition which I don’t believe will help them long-term and which have numerous potentially serious consequences.  I also know – slightly- a vulnerable young woman who is now “transitioning”, and am concerned for her as I am convinced her desire to transition is a result of her situation, and I am worried that medical transition will be the opposite of helpful for her.

Secondly, the destruction of women’s (and girls’) rights – our rights to single-sex spaces, care and support, safety, dignity and privacy, women’s sports, and initiatives to promote equality in business, politics and elsewhere are being eroded by allowing males to move in on them.  Worse, we can’t even talk about these issues properly due to the very meaning of the words being warped so that “women” can mean anyone.

Thirdly, even data gathering to better understand the needs of women as distinct from men, and the factors that affect us differently, is at risk through people “identifying into” the opposite category. 

Criado Perez’s “Invisible Women” brilliantly highlighted the importance of sex-specific data, but instead of addressing this we are at risk of worsening it with misleading data about “female” rapists, 6ft 5 “women” athletes etc., which also impacts research and policy-making affecting women and girls.

Finally the basic UNFAIRNESS infuriates me; that after oppressing women in every way for centuries, men can now do so by claiming to BE women, and claim they are now the most oppressed minority, all while trampling on our and our daughters’ rights.

So far I have: written to my MP several times and met with her in person once, mainly about GRA reform, though I also discussed child transitioning and other points with her; completed the UK GRA consultation (and also persuaded a few others to fill it in as well) and later also completed the Scottish one (I think there was another one too but can’t remember just now?); donated to several relevant crowdfunders and campaigning organisations; talked to my children’s school about my concerns, particularly about a scheme they were participating in (though without much success I fear); attended a Woman’s Place event; discussed issues with a few close friends and family; sent other letters occasionally or sent cards to thank people who had been particularly supportive; given feedback on surveys etc which used “gender” instead of sex or otherwise erased women; and supported/followed/shared posts/occasionally commented or replied (though I don’t post much!) on Twitter, Mumsnet, newspaper and other comment sites etc.

I would like to be more vocal on social media/in real life, but as I am currently jobhunting and many/most of the likely employers in my area are Stonewall champions or otherwise like to present as very “woke”, this limits me to speaking out only anonymously or “behind the scenes” (e.g. contacting my MP), as I do need to be able to get a job and fear this would be impossible if I was more open about my views.   

I have had to be very cautious about where/how to speak up as I am currently jobhunting and worry about wrecking my chances of getting a job if I am open about my views.  Too many of the potential employers in my area are heavily rainbow-flag-waving, Stonewall-championing organisations and I believe being openly gender-critical on social media, for example, would have a huge effect on my chances of finding a job, which in turn would affect my family as we will need the income in the longer term. 

I also worry to an extent about losing friends, hostility etc if I speak out more openly to friends on social media or more widely in person, though I have talked to some close friends and family and not had any negative reactions so far.

Violet

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Healthcare Others

When archeologists uncover the bones of someone dead for thousands of years, their natal sex is easily discovered

I care about this issue because biology matters.  This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that when archeologists uncover the bones of someone dead for thousands of years, their natal sex is easily discovered.  This matters to me also because I am terrified for my grandchildren, that they may be exposed to the warped views of the ‘Gender’ army.

I have written to my MP to ask that she is raises her voice in ensuring there is no change to women’s rights to safe spaces and that the GRA legislation should not be passed without a great deal more consultation.  I have completed the Scottish Governments consultation on changes to the Gender rights Act.  This is particularly important as I live in Scotland.  I have also taken part in a demonstration against the proposed bill.

I have not spoken in a public arena about my views.

Donella, Granny, great granny, lesbian