Who's going to the WEP Conference this weekend? Fancy a thread?

I think the questions raised by the Sunday Times article today are without doubt an issue that affect women:
'Why was convicted paedophile allowed to move to a female jail?'
Showers and some “rooms,” as New Hall calls cells, are also shared. There are even children: a mother-and-baby unit accommodates up to 10 infants aged under two.

Into this safe and respectful environment was placed a convicted paedophile who was on remand for multiple rapes, with a long record of other sexual and violent offences committed, as a man, against women.

Yet Karen White, formerly known as Stephen Wood, then as David Thompson, told the authorities she now identified as a transgender woman and wanted to be sent to a women’s prison. Remarkably, even though her full offending record was available to them, her male body was fully intact and she had undergone no physical transition or legal change of gender, they agreed." (continues)

www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/why-was-convicted-paedophile-allowed-to-move-to-a-female-jail-nmpbfm272

Especially in the context of the findings of June 2018 MofJ Female Offender Strategy

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/719819/female-offender-strategy.pdf

YYY. And we should. Basically what is happening now is that debate is taking place. 14 years late.

If as Christine Burns describes, the lobbying was 'on the quiet' and the legislation was passed without the press being able to 'throw a fit'. Then it is completely reasonable and appropriate to ask if proper scrutiny of the 2004 legislation took place.

2014 Telegraph article 'Facebook's 71 gender options come to UK users'

(extract)
"Facebook worked with UK groups Press for Change and Gendered Intelligence to add 21 new options to ensure the list best reflected the ways UK users may choose to describe themselves.

"Gender identities are complex and for many people, describing themselves as just a man or just a woman has always been inadequate," said Professor Stephen Whittle, vice-president at Press for Change. The European Court of Human Rights has upheld the right to develop our gender identity, as key to our personal autonomy.

"By challenging the gender binary, Facebook will finally allow thousands of people to describe themselves as they are now and it will allow future generation of kids to become truly comfortable in their own skins." (continues)

www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10930654/Facebooks-71-gender-options-come-to-UK-users.html

I think we can post results of votes etc Rhymes, they’re on the record.

Yes I've read the parliamentary discussion from 2004. That was basically why the law was passed in its current form as it was expected to apply to so few people so they thought it wouldn't matter.

I know lots of you have left or refuse to joint WEP because of gender id but I'd encourage you to think again. I think there's enough like minds in the party that it could end up the same voice in the whole debate

Not a bloody chance.

All of these issues are important but if women can't even identify ourselves as a group then it's all meaningless bs.

Thanks for taking the time to post.

We lost the fight in 2004. The most significant blow to sex based rights was the GRA 2004.

Christine Burns on how Press for Change secured the 2004 legislation in 2013 Guardian interview:

"Much of their campaigning remained on the quiet. The passage of the 2004 law to give trans people legal status was "remarkable," says Burns, because "the government was able to pass an entire act in parliament without anyone throwing a fit in the press"."

www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/22/voices-from-trans-community-prejudice

Claire McCann has tweeted that she spoke at the WEP conference last night. Did anyone hear her?

from the Sunday Times today, article by Andrew Gilligan:

'Trans offender seeks to wipe crimes as a man from record'
(extract)
A transgender offender is seeking to delete from her record two crimes that could only have been committed by a man.

“I do not wish my gender history to be more widely known and do not wish to disclose my trans status to employers,” the woman, who asked to be identified only as Helen, said. She is to launch a judicial review to remove two convictions for “importuning as a man” when she worked at a Soho “clip joint” in the 1970s and 1980s.

A right to removal, if established, could cover rape, another crime that can legally be committed only by a person with a penis.

Trans people with a gender recognition certificate are legally entitled to keep their birth gender secret.

Helen’s barrister, Claire McCann, said disclosure of offences that revealed Helen’s birth gender in criminal record checks was “severe and discriminatory interference with Helen’s right to respect for her private life”. (continues)
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-offender-seeks-to-wipe-crimes-as-aman-from-record-qfk5w68lb?shareToken=2bb5072907deafb68dd42f53a6ab758a

This is a great thread, thank you.

I assume that WEP will be contributing to the GRA consultation?
If so, they need a policy position pretty quickly.

arran wise caution. The main issue I felt challenged by (in a good, healthy way) today was opinions around Brexit, to be honest. Other people I’ve been talking to now questioning what they thought they believed around sex work etc.

Comedians were Evelyn Mok, Sophie Duker, Ada Campe and Shazia Mirza. Funny women all. Good to relax and laugh out loud after so much serious stuff today. And in anticipation of hard work tomorrow!

I resigned my green membership last week and could be persuaded to join the WEP but I want to see how far they take the self ID stuff first and whether that might come with an apology for HBE...

Agree Pencils about HBE.

She must have been so hurt and let down by them. How she has remained so dignified about it I'll never know. She's a fantastic woman and I really enjoy hearing her speak.

Thanks for the write-up, rhymes.

I was a founder member, then drifted, but they could still win me back thanks to the complete shambles that is UK politics right now.

The energy of being with large numbers with whom you share some common purpose tends to be warm, enveloping, and gives a sense of being home.

I adhere to the maxim of not reacting to emotions in the room or whoops nor how fabulous a public speaker someone is but watching what people do rather than say.

WEP dumped Heather without due process. They have not reprimanded the people who treated her so shamefully.

Those 3 minutes speeches. Sound great. Why are they Open Mic issues rather than something WEP is already addressing?

Who is doing the comedy?
Great thread thanks for the reporting.

This thread is really heartening.

I've called them a chocolate teapot in the past and they may still prove to be but this conference sounds great.

I've been politically homeless for about 2 years now.

I'm with Sonic - they need to come up with a working definition of 'woman' that works for women and girls and our rights. Only then will it be possible to tackle the huge range of really important issues that women are raising at this conference.

If WEP do that and also:

a) offer HBE a decent apology for the way they have treated her

b) review their policies and procedures to ensure nobody else in the party suffers the same lack of due process in the future

... then I'm in.