Consultation closed! Well done everyone!!

Yeah, I've just had a text from another friend to confirm she submitted yesterday....was a bit worried as, i sent a text and didn't hear back, but my instincts were right, i thought she would be against self id.

A big heartfelt thank you to everyone here who educated me on the issue too. I have been thoroughly radicalised! I feel elated at the many amazing, brave, hardworking and passionate women I meet since I hit peaktrans. I feel depressed when I look at the lies, the hatred being directed at individual women who are courageous enough to oppose self-id publicly and the contempt shown to all of us born female in this country.

I will be known as a feminist nutter after this - I peaktransed my neighbours, my friends, my kid's deputy head and assistant teacher. I handed out leaflets on my local high street (did not like that at all, would have been better in a group). I've argued with my sons and DH about this. Hardest nut to crack was DS1 (at uni) and thoroughly pro-self-ID when I started to talk to him.

And although I wasn't involved for that long, it has taken a surprising emotional toll on me all the same. But I'm in Scotland and there's no rest for the wicked. If women are to have any say at all in how the new GRA looks here (expected 2019/20) we need to keep working.

So I've got an appointment with the first of my seven list MSPs next Monday. I'm going to meet my constituency MSP again now that I am better informed.

My MP sent me a completely useless message today a la "I care about equality for all. That's why trans trans trans trans trans trans trans trans. UKGov promised nothing will change for women at all. The EA should be reformed to better protect trans people. Women will still be totes fine, nothing to worry about. Trans trans trans trans trans."

If I overcome my female socialisation I will send her the reply I penned to that useless pile of garbage. And then I won't bother with her anymore. Maybe campaign against her when the next GE comes along. (I feel like making a right fuss about being represented by a woman who cares so little about her fellow women she can't even be arsed to respond to a single point I made in my email.)

Anyway, the fight in Scotland now is aimed at getting Scottish politicians to understand that women and women's rights group must be consulted and involved when any legislation is drawn up that redefines not just men as women but also states they become female by identifying as one.

So, a drink, a sleep, a deep breath and into the breach once more. And this time under my full name and address.

Like I said, total feminist nutter. Radicalised on Mumsnet (I need that on a t-shirt!)

This poem deserves another share.

I've just emailed my Tory MP again. He thinks the consultation will be forgotten about, as there are more pressing matters, and all will be well. I therefore pointed out the intimidation, YHA, Guides, Stonewall, Janice Turner, yada yada, and then linked to The Times poll suggesting opposing self-ID was a vote winner, even if Penny is also a Tory... (Yes, I know the poll's not a random sample.) I probably won't get a reply, but it did make me feel better.

I only happened upon this board recently, quite by chance. I have been so impressed by the quality of the posts here, and the knowledge of the posters. It's certainly opened my eyes.

There was a poster on here a few weeks ago who said she’s chain herself to the railings at Westminster to protect the rights of her daughter. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I read that whoever you are.
It’s not over.
I’ll see you there.

Thanks to The Handmaid's Tale and this board for peaking me in July. It sounds ridiculous, but up until watching that programme (never read book) I had never ever considered the fragility of women's rights. I was in a bubble.

Re MPs. I have previously posted about my successful meeting with my female Conservative MP.

She agreed to take a letter to Penny on my behalf.

Since then I have emailed a few times, but no response. Twice to invite her to the Westminster meeting. Her aide said he'd get back to me. He didn't.

On the day of the meeting I rang my MP's office and the same male aide said "she's too busy to go." I asked if anybody else could go and he was very impatient and said "we're all too busy."

This aide is a man in his 50s. He's a bit creepy, for reasons that I can't pinpoint. Looking back, when he was in the meeting with my MP I had an uncomfortable 'vibe' from him. I'm beginning to think he supports the TRAs.

I'm now wondering if any of my messages are getting through and not sure what to do.

**At the beginning of 2017, I was a Labour voter, wasn't involved in any active campaigning, my feminism was an identity (no pun intended!) instead of an action. I only read the Guardian, never nasty Tory papers like the Daily Mail / Spectator / The Times. And I assumed most lefty men understood about male violence and supported feminism.

I was the same. Exactly the same. Now read the times, politically homeless and critically aware of a strong misogynist undercurrent

Hopegarden and slaymill there are some good threads on writing to an MP. One where two posters have worked for MPs so have been the ones reading.

Me too @HopeGarden though my MIL is a dab hand though I'm not sure whether asking her would be a good thing as it may veer off subject for hours!

Good luck with sleuthing for pertinent points. I'll have to do some digging on what approach works with MP's.

Sometimes I feel really low about it all, but then remind myself every action counts. Even the people who have had a go at me. Maybe one of the things I said will stay with them and give them pause for thought.

I left a load of flyers at ....... and thought will anyone see these. I don't know??

I think a lot of people have qualms but are frightened to speak up.

My ex came over this am. I gave him a leaflet, he read it and did the consultation right there and then. That was brilliant to see someone read it, get it and take immediate action. He knew nothing about it before.

I haven't been able to do as much campaigning as I'd have liked to before the consultation due to bad health and caring responsibilities alas, although I did write to my MP and got a few people to complete the consultation. I'm just gearing up now really and am planning to work my arse off over the coming months!

I noticed recently when looking at schools for my eldest child that all of them have gender listed on their policies and not sex, so I'll be hassling them next.

@slaymill I’m a complete novice when it comes to writing letters to MPs!

I’m planning on going through the feminist chat board later to see if anyone else has already suggested pointers on what to include

@HopeGarden let me know how you get on with your MP.

If you can give any pointers what to include it might may a difference if we all compile letters to our MPs.

Ditto so many others on here, Guardian reader, Labour voter, member of trade union, intermittent Ocado user. All gone now.

I also almost lost my son over this and to a lesser extent my daughter, who both completely refuse to listen to my point of view - it is an ‘age thing’ apparently. My son wouldn’t speak to me for three months.
I have been to meetings, thank you WPUK, got 5 others to complete the consultation, and bought the T Shirt (and going back for the sweat shirt) thanks Posie.
Thank you to all the amazing women on here. 💐🍷Here’s to the next chapter!🍰🥂

People are pointing out that the trans lobby will still be working on politicians. We don't want to see self id on party manifestos for the next election, but gender critters just don't have the same ways in to the whole machine.

Imnobody4 - what and when was the consultation on hate crime? Is it over?

Thank you, fantastic FWR posters and lurkers.

Without being complacent, I feel very proud to be part of this movement to protect women and girls.

I won't stop.

Huge thank you to all the women here, sisters I salute you.

the bubble will burst, when the youth move on to something else and being trans falls out of favour

^ this, and when those young people grow up a bit and see the real world too.

littlecabbage god thats brilliant!.. I lurked for quite a while, before posting. I landed here in May and FWR has been amazing for me.

I have been to a couple of meetings, been a sneaky leafletist, got friends and family to do the consultation. I've been shot down a couple of times, but 98% have gone WTF and think its madness.

I'm profoundly exhausted.

My lovely, you've more than done your bit. Take a break.

I think the danger is It will all go quiet in the media now, but TRAs will still be working.

Yes, we can't take our eyes off the ball at all.

I've been banging on about this for years and bloody years. I'm profoundly exhausted. I've met some amazing Mumsnetters and other women through this but I'm nearly burnt out. I notice myself posting less. I'm not going to give up but I am going to pace myself. My health is crap anyway.

If we have succeeded in getting the government to rethink their plans we will have won a great and noble victory. But there will be further battles. AWA are waging war on women's rights and we can't give up.

I’m in awe of the incredible women I’ve encountered in this fight. Inspiring, intelligent, patient, creative and brave. I’m not great at debating but I’ll often post stuff I’ve seen on Twitter here, to inform other women. I’ve been so enraged by it all, pretty much on a daily basis, but the women on here have kept my spirits up!

After reading about that TRA conference though, I do really think it’s time to organise. The WEP have been useless. We need a strategy, as although the meetings, stunts pp have organised have been great, they’ve been a bit piecemeal at times.

Think we need our OWN version of the WEP!