Women’s Aid considers employing self-declared transwomen [i.e. men] in women's shelters

Woman's Place UK are holding meetings in Bristol (8 Feb) and Edinburgh (14 Feb) and two more planned. I am sure this will be a massive issue at those meetings and that there will be actions planned.

I confess this shit keeps me awake at night, the scale of the misogyny actually terrifies me, but WE HAVE NOT LOST. It ain't over til it's over.

However, we do need to ACT. In secret if necessary, but act we must.

Just when you think that it can't possibly get any worse.....
It suddenly does.

Men are not allowed in refuges. But if they put on a dress they are?

Vicar who doesn’t get it is sally hitchener. Twitter @RevSallyHitchener.

This is the future, ladies. We've lost.

The Scottish Greens loathe women, their top priority is the trans. When questioned, their odious leader said that his trans friendly policies have the backing of Scottish Women's Aid, Rape Crisis, Zero Tolerance and other women's groups.

I believe him. This is actual reality now. Men in skirts must be prioritised.

This has really, really shocked me.

I am so takwn aback there's nothing else I can add right now.

I'm horrified

So what's to stop male abusers self-declaring themselves as women to get a free ticket into refuges so they continue the abuse?

This is a load of bollocks!

Amber Rudd just on Andrew Marr made some positive comments about the importance of women's safe spaces and the Equality Act allowing them.

I thought most of what she said was worrying - "Let's see how the Women's Aid review goes" - completely ignoring the anti-woman politicised and pressurised environment they're working in.

But she did unequivocally say that the Tories won't be removing the single sex exemptions in the Equality Act, which Maria Miller's report recommended. That's important. Vital, even. Because even if orgs like Women's Aid fold now, the exemptions still exist. Women will still be able to organise female-only spaces going forward - so we can make new services if we need to.

The Tories genuinely are beginning to move on this. Labour, I'm afraid, is a lost cause.

girlscout72 thanks.
Hopefully I'll make it to a A Women's Place meeting in the need future.

Women's aid will be a prime target for TRAs. I wouldn't be surprised if they have been contacted relentlessly already for being too "exclusionary", threatened, emotionally manipulated and bombarded by male entitlement.

I hope they stick with "only with a GRC" which is how it is currently. I am hopeful...

Amber Rudd just on Andrew Marr made some positive comments about the importance of women's safe spaces and the Equality Act allowing them.

This is truly scary. So a woman escaping male violence no longer has the right to not have men in her personal space???

I'm probably stating the obvious here, but we need to get ORGANISED.

Women's Aid have the full force of EA2010 behind them and lawful exemptions to exclude trans staff and clients, EVEN IF they have a GRC, never mind the offensive woman imposter 'I feel like a woman' shit. That's the law.

I suggest we all keep an eye on Woman's Place and Fair Play for Women websites for actions we can take. We've got three or four months whilst this review goes ahead.

Also we need to take back the language, if you disliked the BBC piece, COMPLAIN - it takes two minutes www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

I've heard a rumble that BBC are looking at trans reporting at the mo' due to complaints already, so vote with your feet.

Also here is the LAW on our right to single sex spaces fairplayforwomen.com/equality-act-2010_womens-rights/

And here is a summary of why this matters sages.org.uk/publications/sages-factsheet.html

There are public meetings being organised around the country by women's place, I've been too scared to go so far, but fuck it I'm going to the next one.

I don't know about anyone else but THIS is the one thing I'm prepared to chain myself to the railings for, this is IT, no more, I'm done.

But we need to organise, we have won these arguments before, we can win them again.

Solidarity women, I am so angry, I intend on channelling it.

I've just cancelled my regular donation to WA. I will not support this. I'm drafting an email telling them why.

I'll give the money directly to the refuge I volunteer at, as long as they don't drink the cool aid.

What would happen if one of the women in the refuge objected to being counselled by a 6ft 5 o'clock shadow sprouting self-identified woman? Would she be told she's transphobic and given the choice to put up or leave?

I’d be interested to hear Jess Phillips views on this.

This is so depressing. Like toilets and changing rooms, women's refuges are cat nip for TIMs because so much validation.

I'm wondering what they are going to come up with next in order to access pre/postnatal and labour/delivery facilities after Datun pointed out yesterday there was a now deleted AIBU thread about a pretend pregnancy support group for TIMs.

Agreed rb67

We need to 'keep our eye on the ball". It is not the beleagured trustees at Women;s Aid . It is the born men with zero empathy and insight into the needs of women but with an egotistical need for self validation who are the problem.

I think Andi Dier might need a job after the Rose McGowan incident, this would be perfect. Andi could re-educate all those trans exclusionary rape victims who aren't considering Andi's pain when they talk about their biology.

(Trans speak really does mess with grammar)

If they don't comply with equalities guidance they can have funding stopped or have to go through a very expensive legal fight. You can see online how the rape crisis centre in Canada was aggressively pursued.
Im my experience there is a certain type of abusive man who will call constantly, email excessively, complain about smallest issues, threaten legal action, refuse to engage in conversation but then claim he is not listened to etc. These are also the type of men whose abuse goes beyond physical violence into stalking type behaviour. It takes enormous emotional and mental energy to deal with on a daily basis.
We need to enter the debate with Women's Aid rather than criticise as the trustees may be exhausted and browbeaten.

Yes Camper! 3 to 4 months consultation to we need to organise and make ourselves heard!

So angry about this.

If you wanted to help traumatised and vulnerable women, but knew that your presence could make that trauma worse, you'd be looking for indirect ways to help wouldn't you? Eg. fundraising.

You wouldn't be putting your feelings above theirs and insisting on working directly with them.

IMO any TIM who wants that job has already shown they are not suitable for it.

by lobbying I mean letters btw - not turning up on their doorsteps!