Crap response from WEP

There's nothing to get excited about, is there? Labour got such an injection of enthusiastic new voters because it was suddenly seen as radical and anti the status quo, an opportunity for people to say "fuck you and the horse you rode in on". The WEP will always be lovely and inclusive and nice. Nice doesn't garner votes, manning barricades and demonstrating in the streets does.

The two most successful political movements in recent years are Momentum and Brexit, because people can become impassioned and shout in the street and feel justified and part of a big group fuelled by righteous anger. Women get to be nice and inclusive all day every day, there's nothing new and exciting about it.

I said I couldn't vote for them due to their self ID stance, and in quick succession she a) told me I didn't understand the law as she is a lawyer

Crikey! For a lawyer to fail to understand the GRA 2004 and Equality Act 2010 is genuinely shocking. Even non-lawyers can work out the relationship between those two Acts and what it all means for the continuance of women's rights if those laws are read carefully enough.

I had words with the Hackney WEP candidate when she came knocking at my door last election. I said I couldn't vote for them due to their self ID stance, and in quick succession she a) told me I didn't understand the law as she is a lawyer b) said their position isn't as has been reported so I needed to read their website c) sneered at Mumsnet and d) said they didn't make policy for Mumsnetters only for their members. I was left with the impression that patronising voters and speaking only to themselves is what WEP excel at.

TheGoal, my point was that she had no problem pointing at a group of women that the party wasn't 'only for'. It would have been more positive to frame it as "We want to reach out to women who haven't engaged with politics up to now", rather than mentioning the people who ARE already engaged.

I imagine that it's appallingly easy to antagonise voters if they feel their votes aren't wanted or appreciated. A new party that's struggling to establish itself needs to be smart, and court voters, and this party that's supposedly for women have signalled that they won't fight for biological women's sex-based rights if those clash with TWAW.

Do you think she'd have risked saying "this party isn't for transwomen'?

They don't need to say this and I am fairly sure OP wouldn't be happy with a blunt answer like that either, basically taking her concern over women and girls, as something anti-trans rather than..well pro-women. But, its generally the same. Give a shit about female people, and its transphobic and bigoted.

Surely, the WEP could say that yes, their priority is fighting for women and girls, especially given their bloody selling point.

The WEP have an easy way out of their mess if they want it.

Adult human females - full members with voting rights. The only ones able to hold office and stand for elections.

Adult human males, including those who identify as trans - associate members, able to attend conference (but not vote or be selected as candidates and office holders).

Young WEP - girls between 16-18; a branch of the main party - able to run and organise themselves, receive training and encouraged to participate in politics.

Well, I'm put off joining in with politics because I think I'm not intellectual enough, everyone else seems to understand things better than I do. But I don't expect political parties to single out any other section of their voters - a section with lots of votes - just to reassure me that I'm welcome. Why not address ME, reassuring me that my involvement is welcome and sought-after, rather than pissing off possible voters?

I'd like to think that white middle class women are included in the general term 'women'. Do you think she'd have risked saying "this party isn't for transwomen'? Imagine the offence-taking and hurried apologies there'd be. Politicians can't afford to take any voters for granted.

I think you’ve got your answer OP, their priority is not fighting for women and girls, it is being a smug circle jerk of virtue signalling while not doing a single thing that will actually improve the lives of women.

To think I nearly joined as a founder member, but DP said “don’t, they’ll end up disappointing you”. How prescient.

@Outanabout Why is that hate speech? Many working class women like myself are put off joining in with politics because it is seen as for posh people. Actively telling women not in in the majority groups they are welcome is not hate speech.

WEP are a phenomenal disappointment.

Although I'm not in the UK I thought a woman's party was an exciting idea that might pick up lots of votes, and be a power for women. But the lack of nous shown by the new leader, announcing that it wasn't a party just for white middle class women, made heart sink to my boots. Yeah, way to go, single out your main prospective voters, you might ad well call them Deplorables. White middle class women seem to be the legitimate hate targets for everyone 😂

'I never asked about gender, i asked about the rights of women and girls'.

Yeah I would stress I was referring to sex, not 'gender' a 'gender' is pretty useless and seems to have no real meaning beyond..fmeinie and masculine. So basically, you have asked if they fight for women, and they have answered that..they are for feminine people. Which is rather daft. WEP that cannot define what a woman is is, pointless really.

I did join them back when there was a moment that they looked like they could be considering being pro women. If they are going full woke, I will rescind my membership.

There is a good answer to this in the thread about the letter from Bev Jackson to Ruth Hunt:

Do you accept the importance of retaining the word “woman” as a term relating to biological sex, since it is biological sex and not subjective identification that underlies the oppression of women?

I know the new leader of WEP. She’s really nice and great on so many issues but she is woke with a capital W, unfortunately.

I think the WEP are a lost cause unfortunately. Too weak/nice/spineless to fight for women.

That should have been: "Perhaps ask WEP to define "gender" too?"

Perhao sask WEP to define "gender" too?

I like what PPs said and would love to know what happens - I was all for WEP until I found out they believe TWAW. I'm either starting a new Actual Women's Party or a women's only Twitter type forum or becoming an MP tomorrow, I can't decide.

What Jacky said!

^ to define their gender not you