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Original poster

Times article on YHA 8.10.18

34 replies

FlowersAndHerts · 08/10/2018 09:34

Apologies if there's already a thread on this, but I couldn't see it. Anyway, there's a new article in The Times today, by Lucy Bannerman and Rosemary Bennett, entitled "Youth Hostels Association allow trans guests to use female dormitories"

To quote the article:
The YHA said that the policy had been “in use since 2016 without any concerns or complaints”. One member in her 60s, said that when she complained she was told that there had been no “significant incidents”.

I commented, but as usual on these articles, all comments still seem to be pending. That stifles debate in itself. Why can't The Times get the comments out sooner???

OP posts:
Popchyk · 08/10/2018 09:43

More:

twitter.com/TimesLucy/status/1049202969131077632

"When a volunteer asked @YHAOfficial what to do, if a woman in female dorm expressed unease re sharing with biological male, volunteer was told to accommodate the #transgender guest and move the woman elsewhere.
Member: "They have withdrawn from me the possibility of saying no."

HawkeyeInConfusion · 08/10/2018 09:42

Of course they couldn't provide any evidence of risk assessments. Because no one anywhere is doing risk assessments on this.

SwiftNC · 08/10/2018 09:42

You'll all be shocked to hear that Jane Fae, when allegedly boasting about "talking to Girl Guides" at the #StillHere trans conference, also allegedly claimed to be talking to YHA. Amazing coincidence that eh! I guess those "experts in the field" like to go hosteling in their down time when not volunteering at Guides.

Popchyk · 08/10/2018 09:40

Lucy Bannerman on Twitter:

twitter.com/TimesLucy/status/1049208091483557889

"The @YHAOfficial could not provide any evidence of risk assessments, before getting rid of its “single sex” dorms.
It declined to say which “outside agencies” advised this.
And it said there had been no complaints - odd, as I’ve seen a written complaint and the YHA response."

HawkeyeInConfusion · 08/10/2018 09:39

'no significant incidents'?

That is an alarming statement. Because that implies that there have been incidents. What sort of thing do the YHA define as 'not significant'?

VickyEadie · 08/10/2018 09:39

Just need to unpack this bit:

"The YHA said that the policy had been “in use since 2016 without any concerns or complaints”.

One member in her 60s, said that when she complained she was told that there had been no “significant incidents”.

So: (a) there have been complaints, but these are ignored because - apparently - there have so far been reported no significant incidents.

ErrolTheDragon · 08/10/2018 09:38

They won't have any statistics on the number of women and girls who've decided not to use the YHA, I suppose.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 08/10/2018 09:38

What the hell is a 'significant incident'?

VickyEadie · 08/10/2018 09:36

I'm constantly staggered that safeguarding no longer means 'we try to keep people safe by doing all we can to prevent assaults'.

The issue of privacy, of course, appears to have turned into 'You're going to have to accept that you cannot keep yourself private from men. You no longer are entitled to any boundaries.'