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Original poster

Which female MPs are not 'out' as part of the "TW are women" brigade?

117 replies

SonicBoomBoom · 14/12/2017 21:05

Can we have a quick list? Eg if someone has seen them comment on twitter or in TV interviews one way or the other. Or if they have remained resolutely silent on the issue.

I'm in Scotland so while I am still particularly interested in Labour and Cons at the moment, I'm also interested about Scottish MPs/MSPs, if anyone knows.

I nearly didn't post this thread because on one hand I don't want to draw attention to them. I think (if I was an MP) in the current climate, I would stay quiet too as a gender critical woman. It's just too dangerous to speak out. I respect that.

But on the other hand, I want to know who is for women, against women, or sitting quietly (which I will assume means for women, but scared). I want to know if I can still respect the ones I used to respect as feminists, eg Harriet Harman, Yvette Cooper etc. At the minute, I feel like I don't know who to trust.

Ps, I'm politically homeless at the moment. I see no party that is 'safe' for women and women's rights. So I'm not asking in a way to pit one party against the other or anything.

OP posts:
Doobigetta · 15/12/2017 12:00

Anna Soubry is already doing amazing stuff leading the Tory rebellion against Brexit. I'd be very surprised if she wasn't on our side on this one, but I suspect she doesn't have the stomach, energy, or capacity for hate mail to fight on two fronts simultaneously.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 15/12/2017 11:22

I'm not really surprised moderate Muslims are keeping their heads down though tbh. They are already responsible for all patriarchy everywhere all the time...

IndominusRex · 15/12/2017 10:49

How depressing that we can only think of 2 (David Davies and Caroline flint) and a half (jess).
What the hell is going on?

glasg0wmum · 15/12/2017 10:48

NC for this but a regular poster - have changed name as am going to post Tweets which are identifiable.

I tweeted my MP - Jo Swinson - about this. I asked her for the Lib Dem stance on the "choose your sex" debate at the time of the gender recognition bill, saying that I believed sex was biological fact and not up for debate. Interested in her response as both my MP, and also as her former role was Equalities Minister and she has spoken up a lot about girls' rights, gender stereotypes, shared parental leave etc.

Her response was that she believes in "respecting the individual". and that the biological facts of sex were "received wisdom".

My follow up : "Respecting individuals - definitely. But you can do that without eroding women's safe spaces and decimating female sport."

Her: "cases that require a difficult balance, but also that with sensitivity it is possible"

So yeah, disappointingly she appears to be on the bandwagon.

HTKB · 15/12/2017 10:33

It would only take 1 ambitious, clever, sympathetic female MP with a good track record of voting for equality (i.e. demonstrably not a bigot) to get the bit between their teeth and fight on this platform for the tide to turn, I think. Cynically you could even say a stellar career could be built on it. Anna would be perfect if only her majority was a bit bigger.

Nyx1 · 15/12/2017 10:27

Thanks everyone.

MyAuntyBadger · 15/12/2017 10:24

Sorry, x post!

MyAuntyBadger · 15/12/2017 10:24

@HTKB Anna Soubry?

HTKB · 15/12/2017 10:20

Anna Soubry!

hackmum · 15/12/2017 10:16

TheXXFactor: "Stella Creasy has told constituents who have raised concerns about self-ID that she is fully on board with it and implied that they are bigots for questioning it."

Am massively disappointed in Stella Creasey. I had thought better of her. I didn't have a particular view on Angela Rayner but she seems to have gone overboard in her adoration for Lily Madigan. (Incidentally, what is it about the very act of saying that you're trans that makes people lose their critical judgement? Owen Jones is fawning all over Shon Faye this morning - I mean, Shon Faye? Really? Couldn't he have found someone with a bit more plausibility?)

At the moment, the only people speaking out against the TRA agenda are feminists, Christians and right-wing columnists. What I long to happen is for some Muslim parents to voice the same concerns as the handful of Christians who have spoken out. While certain people on the left are quick to accuse Christians of being "bigots", they are frightened of being labelled as Islamophobic. In fact, if there's one thing worse than being thought transphobic amongst sanctimonious twerps like Owen Jones, it's being regarded as Islamophobic. I'd like to see how he's going to square that particular circle.

HTKB · 15/12/2017 10:14

There was a blonde female Tory MP interviewed on election night...in her fifties..... She was hilarious and straight talking. Just can't remember her name. Had never heard of her before.... Anyone know who i mean? She seens like she would be against the GRA

ferntwist · 15/12/2017 10:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Original poster
SonicBoomBoom · 15/12/2017 08:30

I looked at Ann Sinnot's twitter, from what she's retweeted she seems to get it MsD.

I wasn't aware of her before.

OP posts:
TheXXFactor · 15/12/2017 07:30

pisacake you forgot Justine Greening - particularly egregious because, as a lesbian, she is choosing to ignore the abuse and erasure that lesbians are suffering at the hands of the TRA movement.

MsDeerheart · 15/12/2017 07:30

Jess said she supported the women's place demands - I am surprised about Ann Sinnot - I don't think that's correct

SunshineClouds · 15/12/2017 07:17

anti trans rather than pro woman and I think the distinction is important

I agree. There’s a big difference between being pro-woman or anti-trans. I am uncomfortable with appearing to have to be allies with some of the Christian Right. I just want my democratic right to debate the GRA.

qumquat · 14/12/2017 22:53

David Davies write an excellent article on the GRA which I now can find, but if you Google his name and transgender lots of stuff comes up. He also hosted a meeting on it with Miranda Yardley and Stephanie Davies Arai among others.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 14/12/2017 22:49

Well this is depressing.

Come on Jess. Once you break they'll follow...

QOFE · 14/12/2017 22:49

David Davies (the Monmouth one) is a total twat so his support is worth shit if you ask me. He is anti trans rather than pro woman and I think the distinction is important.

pisacake · 14/12/2017 22:46

The other Davies, Philip, MP from Shipley is also certainly anti-transgender. But he's anti pretty much everything else too, so.

Original poster
SonicBoomBoom · 14/12/2017 22:45

Id be interested to hear of any MP who has openly expressed concern about the GRA. Hope you don't mind me saying that op but it seems sensible to keep information on one thread?

Of course.

I only didn't include male MPs because I haven't really noticed any of them talking about it at all. Which I put down to blissful ignorance on their part (which may be ignorance on mine). I suppose I expect less of male MPs when it comes to women's issues. Whereas women couldn't not be aware.

But you're absolutely right. I'd also like to know of any male MPs too. Might be a pleasant surprise.

OP posts:
qumquat · 14/12/2017 22:40

I think David Davies (not the Brexit one) and Caroline Flint have been the only two MPs to speak critically about the GRA. Jess Philips has talked about a need for 'less heat more light' in the debate but not pinned her colours to either mast as far as I know.

MaidOfStars · 14/12/2017 22:39

Gareth Bennett. UKIP, Welsh Assembly (not an MP).

MaidOfStars · 14/12/2017 22:36

That Welsh MP (male) expressed concern about the GRA? Hang on...

Although I think he’s been threatened with suspension,

Nyx1 · 14/12/2017 22:31

Id be interested to hear of any MP who has openly expressed concern about the GRA. Hope you don't mind me saying that op but it seems sensible to keep information on one thread?