"After some very moving contributions, TUC unanimously supports gender self-declaration"

Watched all the submissions for motion 41 this morning, thanks for the link. I found it deeply disingenuous how they all mentioned how "toxic" the debate had become and how the condemned abuse "from all quarters" at exactly the same time as talking about how trans people get attacked in the workplace etc. People not familiar with the debate would think the abuse was all one way, towards trans people. This is absolutely not the case.

Also the female speakers didn't seem to understand how difficult to use the EA exemptions are.

Thanks Wishes. I will do that.

Spanner I would consider complaining to your union a safe way of speaking up, as there is no reason any of your colleagues should find out.

If you check out the twitter thread by Dr Fond of Beetles there is some clear advice on complaining. Also check out a women's place website or even contact them for advice directly, I am certain they will guide you well.

Can someone explain the UNISON information posted above please?

So Unison made a submission to the Women and Equalities Committee recommending the removal of the right to provision of single-sex services where it is judged to be proportionate? Is that right?

Ironic that they also call for "the strengthening of the Public Sector Equality Duty, including the restoration of the duty to consult with groups affected" but don't appear to have consulted with women or girls on their call to remove sex-based protections.

I have not publicly put my head above the parapet yet but this has made me so angry. I am trying to put together an email to them that makes it clear that my views are NOT transphobic (though I am sure that if it's read by someone unsympathetic they will roll their eyes and say TERF whatever I say) but that this is hideous treatment of their female membership.

Any advice would be much appreciated as I haven't done this before.

Just watched the video posted by golly gosh. Please watch it, if you can stomach it. It's motion 41 two thirds of the way in. One speaker saying she is happy to share changing rooms with her trans sisters because twaw. That's great. Just make the decision on behalf of all of us. Lots of recognition that GRA reform won't require medicalisation of transing so cannot argue ignorance that willies will be in the changing rooms too.

Then the prison or was it probation woman talking about her client who commits suicide. This is days after Karen White?!!!!

Speech after speech affirming that our rights won't be affected. This can only hold true if you subscribe to TWAW.

I feel angry all over again!
Please join me in despair and watch it.

Emailed Unite this morning. Will report back.

MsDemocracy wrote: Here it is in black and white, point 6.5. unisontweets told WomenEqualities it should remove women and girls' legal rights to single sex services. It said service providers should no longer be allowed sex exemptions when 'judged to be proportionate'

This is appalling.

Interesting that Mark Serwotka (Ruth's DH) has been announced as new President of the TUC. He has been criticised for his scepticism about the GRA. But could be a positive influence?

Kevin C (will need to check surname)

It's Courtney. He's on Twitter as @cyclingkev.

Link to conference session - motion 41 starts around 2:22:00 mark.

NUT members I’ve been advised to write to Mary Bousted and Kevin C (will need to check surname). And that it is very much worth doing so.

I’m also going to write to the union about the resources I mentioned upthread. Feeling determined today that we can do something!

I'm not getting over the perfidy of Unison any time soon (and I'm not one of their members).

Via Kathleen Stock.

ScottishWomen wrote: UNISON called for the removal of sex-based exemptions at W&E Committee. Also, UNISON guidance was written by the manager of a Trans lobby group

MsDemocracy wrote: Here it is in black and white, point 6.5. unisontweets told WomenEqualities it should remove women and girls' legal rights to single sex services. It said service providers should no longer be allowed sex exemptions when 'judged to be proportionate' (the tweet gives the link but it won't work here so I've put the link below)

data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/transgender-equality/written/19481.html

twitter.com/DemocracyMs/status/1040267147870699520

WPUK have now published comprehensive information about how we can respond, under different headings. All email addresses are provided.

1. There are questions for the members union

1. Specific questions for Frances O'Grady and the Women's Officer about the TUC's contribution to the GRA consultation, in the light of motion 41

1. Requesting information from the Women's Committee about whether or not they were consulted, or otherwise involved in TUC policy; and what their role will be when the TUC responds to the GRA

womansplaceuk.org/a-womans-place-is-in-her-union/

Would branch meetings have minutes that could be used to prove whether or not that was an outright lie?

but it's interesting to see this Twitter thread

Wow. It certainly is. One of the posters in the thread got a tweet back from her regional union branch saying that it had been discussed at branch meetings for the past couple of years and had gone to the TUC LBGT+ Conference as well as TUC Congress.

The poster replied that she had attended branch meetings over the past two years and it had never been discussed.

There has been no further reply. I wonder why not?

I think it's worth following the WPUK procedure linked above but it's interesting to see this Twitter thread:

Tweet me: 1. Your union name; 2. How you were consulted regarding union position on selfID.

twitter.com/FondOfBeetles/status/1039771985759412224

To which there were so many responses that she updated:

OK. It is immediately obvious that it will be easier to start with who WAS consulted (outside of an LGBT committee).

twitter.com/FondOfBeetles/status/1039790900292059136

I’ve always thought that unions were about representing the membership, not pushing the political agenda of individual reps. I’m so fucking furious that I’m resigning my membership tomorrow.

Is it worth seeing what Kathleen Stock is going to do? She tweeted the UCU about this, likewise several others?

twitter.com/Docstockk/status/1039785722159489025

m.facebook.com/653256936/posts/10155635543976937/

I’ve just seen this from someone who represented UCU at TUC. The tone of it is utterly infuriating - “a small but vocal minority”, indeed. How do they know how many members object to this when they’ve never bothered to consult us? This is not a small issue! I’ve always thought that unions were about representing the membership, not pushing the political agenda of individual reps. I’m so fucking furious that I’m resigning my membership tomorrow.

Royal College of Nursing does not appear to be in TUC.

I can't link the document but the RCN isn't in the TUC tho' there's an ongoing movement to make the jump. (2017 Minutes)

Thank you to everyone who has taken action. I wish I was in a union so I could take action but am self employed.

It's an incredibly important way of officially kicking up a massive stink. This can absolutely be complained about in a woman centred way.

Royal College of Midwives is in TUC apparently. It would be interesting to see how they voted.

Royal College of Nursing does not appear to be in TUC.

Members of both R Colleges are already pretty fed up due to the appalling ineptitude around the Pay award.

Lesbians and bisexual women should stand for LGBT positions too
Shows my age, we didn't have those posts in evil Clause 28 times.

Lesbians and bisexual women should stand for LGBT positions too!

If the advice is to stay in unions, would it be daft to suggest that posters stand for election as branch officers? If there is no Women's Officer, stand as one.
Great thread, and great work. Thank you.

Thank you so much, everyone, for the encouragement and advice - in the end the meeting was too short to get through the things already on the agenda properly and I had to leave before the end to get to another meeting, so it really wasn't the time and place. But I shall take a deep breath and write, using the helpful suggestions upthread - and I hope we can make a space to discuss it all properly.