Julie Bindel and Justine Greening interview re GRA reform

Julie Bindels talks a lot of sense. It said ‘commentator’ as her title. Does she have any political clout?

Greening is remarkably adept at talking and not really saying anything of substance. A consummate modern politician. I'd be embarrassed at going into a debate with Julie Bindel if I were her. She comes across as not very bright or particularly engaging.

I can only hope her incoherent waffle and repetition of nothing much at all means she's had second thoughts, but for whatever reason(s) feels unable to say so.

Wasn't too impressed with her praise of men at the end either. Especially her view that men are overwhelmingly feminist and should be commended. Yeah, right.

Really really hoping Greening is more aware of the impact of the proposed changes on women, women's spaces and women's safety.

terftastic I thought the same. I've been musing on 'why are they doing this now, at this particular time with so much going on, and also, why are they talking about it?' They aren't a government agency, they don't need to tell anyone they are performing a review - they could have done this themselves and then made their findings public. I wondered if they have been pressured to review their policies from external pressure groups and organisations, and so decided, 'fine! we'll tell everyone we're doing it and see how that goes down'. Badly, predictably...

I think a lot of the ‘not yet fully a biological female’ waffle comes from not being willing or able to say ‘still with a penis’ on tv.

It’s similar to how a lot of the reporting re Trump’s pussy comments didn’t report the full horror of his actual words because they couldn’t.

Unfortunately, it’s kind of crucial here.

Exactly, is it so misleading to use such terms when people are already so confused over it all. I complained to the BBC for Marr saying that and for the vicar claiming the women with issues over transwomen staffing women's refuges could be immigrants coming from countries with prejudice towards LGBT

They are saying that because they don't get it yet, Marr and the nice Vicar. The public think transgender means transsexuals. Most people assume this always means no bits. I did until not too long ago.

And justtto clarify when I say that I think women may be emotionallly abused, I’m not suggesting that TIMS will be overtly going out to abuse women but what is it BUT abuse if I woman doesnt feel safe but is expected to shut up and be grateful regardless of their fears. The whole point of refuge is to be free of fear so they can recover

@terftastic

I've been quietly hoping that WA are doing a review to shut the TRAs up - and will conclude that of course male-bodied people cannot work or stay in women's refuges.

Me too! God I hope this is the case. I just can’t get over how anyone could think this is a god idea. Women who have been gaslit, silenced and emotionally abused in violent relationships they have fled from will be... gaslit, silenced and potentially emotionally abused if they seek refuge in what is supposed to be a women’s refuge and object to being ‘helped’ by male bodied bepenised individuals who are narcisstic enough to believe it is their right to work in a woman’s refuge over the rights of abuse survivors right to a safe haven free from triggering influences. The mind boggles

'When I see her about to be interviewed, I feel utterly safe in the knowledge that she's going to get her points across logically and articulately.'

Same here. She's a great speaker, very engaging, and also comes across as a regular human being. Many politicians could learn a lot from her

Can I just cut our the middle man and elect Julie Bindel? For MP, PM, God, whatever's going really.

Ah crap. Looks like I’m probably going to be voting Tory for now. My ancestors would be spinning in their graves.

I got f2m wrong way round in earlier post. I think they need support from WA being biological females.

More concerned about WA being pressured to accept m2f as counsellors etc.

Is there a petition or anything to help women's aid to make a wise choice?

Important to them. I don’t know who Jen is!

Why is there a massive focus on the WA review, why should that inform government policy? Is WA being pressured to be inclusive of transgender f2m people? And if so what if this changes the outcome of their review so they are not seen as transphobic in the media - especialy important to Jen I imagine as they rely on public funds?

DodoPatrol
Must they be so mealy-mouthed?
''Not yet biologically fully women'' my arse
Exactly, is it so misleading to use such terms when people are already so confused over it all. I complained to the BBC for Marr saying that and for the vicar claiming the women with issues over transwomen staffing women's refuges could be immigrants coming from countries with prejudice towards LBGT.

I've been quietly hoping that WA are doing a review to shut the TRAs up - and will conclude that of course male-bodied people cannot work or stay in women's refuges.

But I don't know if I'm in cloud cuckoo land with that - who pulls the strings at WA? Have they been infiltrated by the "anyone who says they are a woman is a woman" brigade??

Must they be so mealy-mouthed?
'Not yet biologically fully women' my arse.

A male is never 'biologically a woman'. Presumably what Marr was trying to say is 'pre-op' or 'not even cosmetically woman-shaped' or 'has a penis'.

However: at least Marr said 'What would you say to women' rather than 'to those nasty feminists who no one likes anyway'.

This is from the Amber Rudd interview this Sunday on the Andrew Marr show:

Marr: Now there’s the Gender Recognition Act coming up as well, are you as enthusiastic as Justin Greening was?

Rudd: Well, we are going to be consulting on the GRA, seeing how far we need to go with it. I saw today that Women’s Aid are going to be reviewing their arrangements for allowing transgender people to work in women only spaces, I think this a very sensitive issue, I want to consider it very carefully. We will be consulting on seeing what changes we need to make, if any.

Marr: What about transgender people going into women’s prisons for instance?

Rudd: Yes, again, that is something we need to look at very carefully. I want to make sure transgender women are treated with respect and properly and are always safe. At the same time I want to protect women’s safe spaces, which is why it is right that Women’s Aid are reviewing their own arrangements at the moment and maybe we can learn from them.

Marr: And what would you say to women, including many feminists, who look at what’s happening in the Women’s Aid situation for instance and are alarmed and worried about the possibility of people who are not yet biologically fully women being in charge of those places?

Rudd: I, I, I mean, I, I hear them, and I would say let’s look and wait and see what happens with Women’s Aid, let’s look at the review they’re having, let’s make sure we don’t rush to judgement but above all the exception within the Equality Act for only women working in women safe spaces is not going to be touched.

From what Amber Rudd says it seems they will likely follow suit with the outcome of the WA review. Anyone know when the review findings are expected??

I see our man Richard Madeley feels qualified to comment on women's privacy in changing rooms too.

I thought she was back-tracking too. I also love Julie Bindel. When I see her about to be interviewed, I feel utterly safe in the knowledge that she's going to get her points across logically and articulately.

It's a definite shift in tone from 'women purporting to be feminists'

I definitely sensed a bit of backtracking.

Greening is a politician - I would think they were reacting on pressure from TRA, which is just everywhere now.

Tories, I imagine, will go with the vote winner. If they get a whiff of this pissing off their 'Conservative Women' vote - they will u-turn.

This is what I'm praying for. But be in doubt that Labour will bring this in.