Tag: work

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Healthcare Public Sector

It feels like just as we defeat climate denial then biology denial pops up

I’m particularly concerned on two fronts, first science denialism – biological sex is a material reality and very relevant to medical practice (my husband is a doctor). Females and males experience disease differently and so it is important to ensure that research and practice is able to continue to support this. It feels like just as we defeat climate denial then biology denial pops up. 

Secondly in sport – as a former university athlete I think it is vital that women’s sport is protected as a women’s space.

I struggled to make the team at my university and if biological males who had experienced male puberty and all the advantages that brings had been allowed to compete in the women’s team I’d have had no chance!

I also think it is vital that children are supported to accept themselves for who they are (which ironically is of course what TRAs say) surgery and what is essentially self harm is no way to support a child going through a difficult time. Transition may for a very few young adults be the way forward, but it is an adult decision.

I work for the Scottish Government (in an unrelated area) and so am concerned for my job! I do like tweets, but rarely retweet (there is also a requirement as a civil servant to remain objective and impartial and given the political nature of much of the debate I think it is right and proper that i remain fairly quiet). i have talked with some friends and colleagues about my concerns. I think if I did in a work environment my job may well be under threat.  

Caroline, pro science pro fair sport

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Public Sector

To suggest we can identify out of that oppression is disgusting

I care because young people are being sterilised. Because women deserve and need single sex spaces. Because we are oppressed due to our biological sex and to suggest we can identify out of that oppression is disgusting.

I retweeted JK on my main account and engaged friends using ‘terf’ etc. I’m too tired to worry I’ll lose friends. But I probably wouldn’t discuss at work.

SJ

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Public Sector

I care about the fact that as a gay man supposed “gay charities” are now violently homophobic

This matters to me because on a selfish level I care about the fact that as a gay man supposed “gay charities” are now violently homophobic and claim that terms like homosexual are “transphobic” and every gay charity and organisation in the UK thinks homosexual people should accept opposite sex people as partners. Also I care about women’s rights and to be frank every woman I know in real life – my mother sisters aunts my female friends etc – do not want to share female only places with male bodied people

I’ve only really spoken out on social media. With my friends and family in real life they know how I feel but they feel similar. I have spoken in work with some colleagues I am close to and found they likewise feel similar but are terrified to speak out

I have lost some friends. I have had social media bans and restrictions. I have been driven out of countless “LGBT groups” including my company pride network.

Sheridan Sinclair , Gay male, civil servant

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Public Sector

A colleague suggested drag for under 5s sessions

I am chilled by the unwillingness to debate a rights conflict. The tsunami of misogyny directed at women with the courage to speak makes me sick. I think language is so important; women need our words to describe ourselves, it’s not hateful or unreasonable. I am so disappointed in the left, I feel politically homeless.

Very little, I suffer from anxiety and I am too scared. I work in the library service in London. Pronouns are appearing in email signatures, a colleague suggested drag for under 5s sessions (I did say something about there being reasonable, not transphobic, not homophobic, objections to this). Even in a public service environment I am afraid to say too much for fear of being labelled a bigot.

I’ve said very little but no overt reaction to the little I did say.

Jane W

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Public Sector

Language will be changed to disregard “women”

I care because as a woman I am terrified of the misogyny from people. I am terrified our rights will be removed and language will be changed to disregard “women” I am scared for the future just to appease the minority.

I’ve posted on social media and discussed in work.

I have been called a terf by a colleague in work.

Louise, It isn’t Hate to speak the Trith, Bumcrackannie

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Healthcare Public Sector

I have to be careful about my views at work for fear of repercussions especially when trying to raise safeguarding concerns for young children

I care about all rights and equal rights, but I am a woman, a lesbian. I have been called a terf, verbally abused on line and during marches, having to be in a group for fear of reprisal… for saying a sex and gender are not the same, being called transphobic for saying a trans woman is not a biological woman and certainly not a lesbian.

I have to be careful about my views at work for fear of repercussions especially when trying to raise safeguarding concerns for young children and people who say they are trans…without any proper evaluation or analysis of their living situation.

I’ve joined marches, online groups, twitters, help crowd funding to name a few.

I have been called terf, bitch, cunt.

DK, Womansworld65

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Public Sector

I have seen first hand what male predators do and the lengths they will go to to commit their crimes

For the last twenty years I have worked with the victims of sexual assault and in child protection. I have seen first hand what male predators do and the lengths they will go to to commit their crimes.

I have no fear of transexual women, fully support them, but I am certain that self-ID will allow abusers to use the trans community as a cover. They will self ID their way into women’s spaces. You will read this and perhaps think I’m paranoid or hysterical, but the things I’ve seen leave me in no doubt of what’s happening here – the targeting of youth online, the anime, the gaming, the grown men disguising themselves as little girls, sliding their way in the LGB movement in order to make themselves seem respectable.

And, the saddest part is that the trans community will be made to suffer by association. And, don’t even get me started on the lack of care for GNC kids, the unexplored and ignored links with autism…. scandalous. My fingers are crossed for your appeal, and for Keira Bell and her case. Maybe they will wake up the world to what is really going on.

Sadly little action, I would definitely lose my job.

I rarely speak up, and am very careful who I talk to. When I do, however, I find people either agree with me or have never given the issues much thought.

Tiff, Not anti anything, just concerned, and a parent

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Public Sector

I don’t like the move to erase ‘women’ as a sex

This matters to me because I don’t like the move to erase ‘women’ as a sex and I want to protect the hard won safe spaces for women.

I have not done as much as I would like out of fear of drawing attention to myself.  I have discussed it at work but only with like-minded women.

LW

Categories
Public Sector

A chilling effect on my ability to discuss and defend those rights

This matters to me because I care about having the ability to speak the truth, to be able to discuss the reality of sex, the material experience and consequences of being female, and the public policy implications of this.

I value my sex-based rights enormously and should be able to name and discuss them without disproportionate consequences. However, gender activists have achieved a near-comprehensive public policy capture and institutions capture which is imposing a chilling effect on my ability to discuss and defend those rights.

I have submitted evidence to various relevant consultations including the GRA consultation, and donated to numerous crowdfunders for legal actions supporting sex-based rights. I also spoke up at work until it became clear it was too professionally risky to do so.

When I questioned why a women’s network at work was being renamed a “Gender Network” and expressed the concern that the network’s focus seemed to be shifting away from centering women’s interests, I was “ghosted” by the network’s organisers:

I was dropped from the mailing list, which effectively excluded me from a group I had previously been active in – without anyone ever responding to my question.

EJ

Categories
Public Sector

Everyone has been appalled and disgusted

The protection of the biological definition of women and of women-only spaces, services and sports matter to me as I don’t want men in any place where I or any other woman or girl could be naked, semi-naked or vulnerable.  I want to restore clear, biology-based definitions of men and women.

I don’t think it is right to compel people to behave or speak in accordance with an ideology that they don’t believe in and which is prejudicial to the interests of women, girls and vulnerable adults.  The current situation seems to be a mix of a quasi-religion that allows no heresy and McCarthyism.  Freedom of speech is in danger.

I want to establish the principle that women have the right to say no to men’s demands and that women don’t have to sacrifice themselves to allow men to have what they want.

I have spoken to colleagues and other people I work with – in the high-profile, prestigious place I work there are lots of people who work there who are not employees of the organisation – about the implications of the organisation’s transgender policy which has been dictated by Stonewall. 

Some people have not understood the problem until I pointed it out.  Everyone has been appalled and disgusted.

HR are completely unresponsive on the transgender policy so I formally contacted a very senior (non-HR) member of the staff who I work with from time to time about the implications of the transgender policy.  He listened very kindly and seemed very concerned, but it turns out that he was mainly interested in whether I had been sexually harassed at work (I haven’t). 

However, the transgender policy has been amended, I assume as a result of my intervention to take out the passage “transgender people can have any sexual orientation.  For example, a transgender man (someone who lives as a man today) may be primarily attracted to other men (and identify as a gay man), may be primarily attracted to women (an identify as a straight man), or have any other sexual orientation”.  

The management evidently took notice when I pointed out that the passage made clear that they knew they were expecting people to change their clothes or use the toilet in the presence of heterosexual people of the other sex and that that could make them legally responsible for any harassment. Apart from that keeping the Stonewall Diversity Champion status and appearing woke seem to be much more important that the safety, privacy, dignity and peace of mind of the staff.

I follow gender critical organisations on Facebook and I used to comment on Twitter, but I got barred for speaking up for women.  I also comment on newspaper articles, primarily in the Times. 

I would have had qualms about doing so at work if I had any desire for promotion or if the criteria for my annual assessment were substantially subjective or if I had longer to go until I retire. I’ve also been very careful to keep all my complaints strictly formal and via my work IT network so that if harassment arises it will be possible to trace its source via the network.

I’ve been barred from Twitter and some of my comments on the Times have been deleted.

S, Adult human female