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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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

238 replies

R0wantrees · 11/09/2018 14:45

Comment by Ian Murch, Treasurer at National Union Of Teachers section of National Education Union

twitter.com/ianmurch/status/1039470003920293888

Lucy Masood:
"Proud of the FBU and PaulEmbery for ensuring that we did not vote to support the GRA Self ID resolution at the TUC today. The FBU cares and listens to its female members"

twitter.com/luluchops1/status/1039475527139164160

OP posts:
silentcrow · 11/09/2018 23:04

I do like the idea of a women's union.

Practically speaking for those of us in the NEU - is there a national woman's officer we can lobby? I did have a look through the website the other day when I heard Stephanie from Transgender Trend say they'd sold out, but couldn't find anything relevant. I was ATL previously so not familiar with the new structure/NUT bods.

The other thing we need is to get this in the papers and NOT let it be brushed under the carpet. Can anyone ping any of our sympathetic journos and make sure they know women and children have been sold down the river again?

Turph · 11/09/2018 23:01

arranfan sorting security is irrelevant. We're not seceding from the UK, we want accountability about a serious issue dealt with undemocratically by a major organisation.
I don't mean to be rude but this fantasy about separatism isn't helpful and will put people off.
Likewise unions for the unwaged. People who are technically unemployed can join many Unions at a reduced rate.
Is nobody else going to challenge their branch?

HawkeyeInConfusion · 11/09/2018 22:56

My union is was Unite. I will also be saving on my subs in future. I am beyond angry that they have sold me out on this.

Can we reform the WSPU?

Turph · 11/09/2018 22:55

Sorry, I'm not into female separatism, with police forces and laws etc etc.
The TUC have voted to accept that transgender men are women because they say they are. I'm on an LGBT list and got no info on this. Regardless, pp mentioned only LGBT people in her union were consulted.
This is utter madness, the ordinary members do not agree with it and is has been presented as a fait accompli. This needs to be challenged.

arranfan · 11/09/2018 22:48

women’s police / security force, to secure our own women’s meetings to discuss setting up our own women’s courts and law

Going back a century again to the time of the Suffragettes, arise Bartitisu and Elizabeth Margaret. Garrud who established her own dojo (school) in London and trained members of the militant Suffragette movement, including the clandestine "Bodyguard" unit of the Women's Social and Political Union in Bartitsu and the defensive use of Indian clubs.

The WSPU responded by establishing a thirty-member, all-woman protection unit referred to as "the Bodyguard", the "Jiujitsuffragettes" and the "Amazons", to protect fugitive suffragettes from re-arrest. Edith Garrud became the very first trainer of the Bodyguard and taught them jujutsu and the use of Indian clubs as defensive weapons. Their lessons took place in a succession of secret locations to avoid the attention of the police. The Bodyguard fought a number of well-publicised hand-to-hand combats with police officers who were attempting to arrest their leaders.

On several occasions they were also able to stage successful escapes and rescues, making use of tactics such as disguise and the use of decoys to confuse the police

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Margaret_Garrud

woman11017 · 11/09/2018 22:39

Women have succeeded in women only strikes of paid and unpaid labour in Liberia, Poland and Germany. Here we've had the Ford women of the 1960s Grunwick women, Cleaners' strike in London recently( although that was mixed sex I think,).

WIthdrawal of unpaid labour would definitely be noticed too. We've had threads before about it. £bs are not paid for our work.

Ensuring the safety of us and our daughters seems a fair enough demand.

This action of the TUC just proves what most of us women union members have known about trades unions for ages.

WarmWishes · 11/09/2018 22:31

Sporadic that's correct nearly all unions of not all, consulted solely with lgbt members. Clearly not recognising the impact on women regardless of sexual orientation.

WrongOnTInternet · 11/09/2018 22:28

Set up our own women’s police / security force, to secure our own women’s meetings to discuss setting up our own women’s courts and law. To focus particularly on family and employment law where it impinges on women, and of course sex crimes.

Hey it happens in fantasy books. It also happens for religions in Britain - Sharia law exists here.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 11/09/2018 22:25

Woman11017 that is an excellent idea.

Properly excellent

woman11017 · 11/09/2018 22:23

A union for our unwaged women workers is needed too. There are precedents.

Starkstaring · 11/09/2018 22:21

Congress looks forward to the introduction of a social rather than medical model of gender recognition that will help challenge repressive gender stereotypes in the workplace and in society.

Huh? The only thing it will do is solidify gender stereotypes, not challenge them.

TheLastMermaid · 11/09/2018 22:20

I knew nothing about this and UCU send me loads of stuff.

Just when I think I've imagined every possible nightmare scenario, the very organisation I'd need to support me in the event of my career being under threat because I speak the truth to my stdents, comes out in support of my potential accusers.

It was bad enough when I realised there wasn't a single political party left to vote for but now this too.

A gender critical union? I'm looking for a new home for my UCU subs...

WrongOnTInternet · 11/09/2018 22:16

Someone upthread talked about setting up an entirely separate parallel infrastructure. In terms of law, justice, and political organisation, I think that that is the only way we’ll ever get equality. We need a collective voice as loud as the men.

SporadicSpartacus · 11/09/2018 22:13

Unite member here. In my region, at least, they did consult but only with their LGBT+ distribution list (which I’m on, and I responded accordingly). I don’t think they consulted female members at all.

Pywife2 · 11/09/2018 22:12

Another Unite member here. Looks like I'm about to save myself some more money, I've already left the Labour Party over this. I just won't support an organisation that is working to destroy my rights and betraying half the population. Not to mention the sheer stupidity involved. The pathetic Momentum video summed up their stance. They haven't distinguished between this issue and gay rights, because they don't take sexual politics seriously enough to actually educate themselves on the detail.

theOtherPamAyres · 11/09/2018 22:06

The motion was unopposed. There were only brave and stunning speakers, I believe.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 11/09/2018 22:03

I wonder if we could form a specific teachers group to fight this in schools? My school is luckily pretty same on this but I am so worried. I gave my Head and PSHE lead the transgender trend schools pack but feel so impotent now.

Sounds interesting...

woman11017 · 11/09/2018 21:59

We need a new social and political union of our own
You're right. We need an active women's union
Strike.
broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/gyxbw3/no-rights-no-sex-the-powerful-history-of-women-going-on-strike

WarmWishes · 11/09/2018 21:47

Arran that's an excellent suggestion.

WhereAreWeNow · 11/09/2018 21:40

Another disappointed union member here. I might write into my union (Unite) and ask what their policy is in relation to self ID and why they felt they could support this motion without consulting women members.

arranfan · 11/09/2018 21:37

Is it worth a union member posting this on AIBU/Chat? Explaining what happened and their disappointment at the lack of consultation?

WarmWishes · 11/09/2018 21:35

Trinity I can 100% confirm unite voted for it.

Trinity1976 · 11/09/2018 21:25

Nothing from Unite on social media yet. I have just sent them a PM on Facebook. If they confirm they voted for it I will withdraw my membership and explain why.

Acopyofacopy · 11/09/2018 21:20

I would like to contact NEU and my MP about self ID. Is there a template letter laying out concerns yet?

Turph · 11/09/2018 21:11

Again, I have to ask, where is the procedural justice with transparency and accountability built-in to the union's governance?
I'm a union member, and an ex-rep for this and a previous union. I get stacks of emails and my workplace has union notice boards. I talk to reps all the time. Nobody has mentioned this at any point, and the topic is valid as we've had to deal with the related issues. I won't go into more detail than that.
I'm not saying "if I didn't hear about it, there was no consultation", but if someone like me who works in a unionised workplace and takes an active interest had no clue, you can bet other members definitely had no clue.
Union members, email your branch secretary and ask for this to be put on the agenda for your next branch meeting - then make sure you go to that meeting. I'd focus on the lack of consultation with members.

If the TUC said they supported a motion to invade Belgium I'd expect most members to have an inkling they were considering it.