Event in Bath: Transphobia in the UK: confronting anti-trans fear mongering

[Prawnofthepatriarchy]

Here's the description:

This seminar addresses the transphobic character of opposition to proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), 2004.

On 22 October the Government formally closed its public consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act. The consultation was opened in July of this year, and over the summer the issue of transgender rights was brought to the forefront of public debate. With this came a vociferous opposition from some feminists, who sought to repeatedly discredit and damage efforts made by trans-activists. This small, but nonetheless vocal minority has been at the forefront of spreading myths and scare stories about potential reforms to the GRA. Most notable among these were allegations of a supposed threat posed by transgender people to women-only spaces. These oppositional voices have been able to make themselves heard, having been given prominent platforms on radio and TV programmes, and in the press.

This is a free event at Bath university on Wednesday, 14th November.

It's being held at:

3 East, 2.4
University of Bath
Claverton Down
Bath BA2 7AY

Sadly I'd find it very difficult to attend but I'm hoping someone will be able to go and report back.

I was sent details of this event by Terfulike, who's banned from MN but would like to be remembered to FWR regulars. She's looking forward to seeing us in London later this month.

I could go....should I dye my hair blue? I fear I just don't look woke enough to blend in.
Is it necessary to book a ticket in advance?

Where can I find more details such as time?

www.bath.ac.uk/events/transphobia-in-the-uk-confronting-anti-trans-fear-mongering/

13:15 - 14:05 is the time.

I wonder whether they'll have any input from biology students?

Very pleased at the use of 'some feminists' rather than 'so-called feminists' or "feminists". Improvement.

If it is such a small number, how come they had, what 30,000 listed on T*RFBLOCKER? Or was it 50,000. I lost count.

allegations of a supposed threat posed by transgender people to women-only spaces This is what happens when you don't recognise what's going on within your own ranks, as well as blocking people left, right and centre.

I don't hold out any hope of any discussion about the actual concerns of the likes of FPFW.

"She will also discuss the links between these activists and certain groups on the Christian Right"
Why are the Christian "Right" singled out for particular ordure? I'm sure there are other religious groups for whom this ideology is little more than blasphemy? Though they wouldn't dare name them.
In any case, it is my impression that religious groups are at the back of the queue of those of us opposing this.

Thank you, Arranfan. Fairly ditsy of me not to have included the link.

The event is free and no booking is required.

I've seen the Christian right mentioned on Twitter. Being totally unable to grasp the fact that women have our own money now, the AWAs say (or pretend) that British grassroots feminist groups are funded by American Christian zealots.

It's quite funny to see the blatant, breathtaking sexism of these AWAs. They simply don't believe that women can organise or raise money ourselves.

They're a pretty naive bunch, insisting that the Metro ad cost £45,000. Then they made total tits of themselves by complaining that women had used money for political reasons rather than given it all to causes they decided were more womanly...

My friend recently informed me that some 'anti-trans' groups are funded by the Christian Right. I wanted to bang my head against the wall

Wouldn’t it be good if WPUK were able to publish their meeting locations so freely?

You know I keep waiting for that lovely Televangelist cash to hit my account but...

... nothing so far. Where do I sign up?

Fran is an interesting one. Clearly able to hold 2 or more competing thoughts and not see an issue with that.

They simply don't believe that women can organise or raise money ourselves

When we first started crowdfunding this and that, a number of transactivist counterattempts were set up to put us in our place. They tended to raise a total of about £37.50 over the course of weeks, in contrast to ours sometimes managing thousands in a few hours. Their narrative is that we are a tiny and unpopular group of fanatics while they have the weight of public opinion behind them (at the same time as being oppressed and discriminated against obvs). I can see why the only way they can make sense of it all is to assume we must be being secretly funded.

Yeah, a highly reality challenged description of the GC position, but good luck to them Bring it out in public, let's discuss it, let's debate it, go for it. Please. Let the general public hear what everyone has to say. Lets everyone look openly at the opinions, look at the facts, let people make an informed choice.

Can everyone please also in advance get ready to take note of no gender critical women blocking access to the building, the complete absence of anyone trying to get the venue to cancel on them, the total lack of anyone in masks with placards shouting, annoying or intimidating anyone, the total lack of harassment anyone involved with the meeting will experience, and the no need whatsoever to keep the venue secret until the last second?

To be fair, the demonstraters at the November 1st meeting in Bath were wearing masks but failed to annoy or intimidate anyone. This is because they sounded preposterous claiming, as a trickle of middle aged women walked in past the security guard, that we were "as bad as the Nazis."

I thought I might be annoyed but I wasn't. I was amused. Most of them looked and sounded like teenagers plus it was obvious that, whatever dreadful barbarians they had fired themselves up to encounter, they were having a hard time seeing us as any kind of threat.

They did manage to intimidate people at one meeting; there was a group of sexual assault survivors meeting nearby, and they refused to stop shouting despite being asked.

It just seems very lazy and simplistic to blame the Christian "right" whatever that is - I mean I don't even think there is a Christian"right" in the UK so I suspect this is also a not so subtle attempt to implicate other religions that they see as medieval/fundamentalist and bung in your every day CofE person with it. Flat earth creationist religious zealots all. And if you're not one of those then hell, just your every day bigot.

Should we protest?
'We don't agree with you but we totally support your right to meet and freely discuss whatever you want'?
We shall not be moved, from supporting your right to hire a room and enter the premises with no aggression, intimidation or threat'

Should we protest?
'We don't agree with you but we totally support your right to meet and freely discuss whatever you want'?

Are you suggesting that we should be supportive and send them some very nice tea-bags (maybe Miles West Country Tea) and decent biscuits?

Mumsnet catering lol.
I'll send over some nice sandwiches. Cut in triangles.

Yes and possibly gluten free, vegan brownies?

That would be an excellent protest and really show up the difference between the "two sides" to counter the they're both as bad as each other thing.

Fantastic idea