Lesbian Strength March and Rally in Leeds on 7 September 2019

So glad this was a success. Will be very happy to join similar in the south as an ally

@Tyrotoxicity
I do agree, I am sorry I couldn't make it myself, I could do with finding some real life terf lesbians. But this current situation will not end until gay men get on board.
It will only get harder to hold such events the longer this is allowed to go on.
Stonewall are ignoring us, they -wouldn't be ignoring gay men, sad but true.

We’ve just got home. We travelled 150 miles each way and I’m so glad we did. Such a great atmosphere between all the lesbians and allies. Here’s to many more events like this.

Oh, and thank you to the MNer who I shan’t name who let us carry the wonderful, and huge banner made by her and her daughter.

Agree Tyro. As it happened the lesbophobe opposition yesterday had no impact on the march or rally whatsoever. I was very surprised that nothing more aggressive or bullying went on given Leeds is Mermaid central, home of the vexatious litigator et al. So many trans unicorn acolytes in the locality but little noise made. I wonder why?

I'm with Fekko and Tyro.

Aspley I can see that's a well-meant point, but I disagree.

I haven't got the right words for the ... emotional flavour? of the day, but the fact that it was a female-only thing felt exhilarating and liberating and actually properly empowering (not in the liberal choosy-choice bollocks way).

And the fact that lesbians, women, were able to police that boundary and have that accepted, in the middle of Leeds, while being openly and vocally done with men and all their shit - it was amazing.

It didn't need men.

It was more powerful for not having them.

Supportive males could have lined the route, booed the counter-march as it followed, taken to the surrounding streets to talk to people about what was going on and why - but they would have wrecked the flavour of the rally. And totally changed the vibe in the Secret Location afterwards too, more than likely.

Male allies? Oh my 😂, oh dearie me 😂 😂, gay... 😆 male... 😂 ally 🤣that’s a corker 🤣🤣😂 hmmm 😢

If this kind of event happens again they need to get some gay male allies involved.
Let's see how brave the homophobic bearded idiots who protested (Hi RGFirth 👋) are once the men get involved.
All of the LGB should be outraged at what is happening.

the confused heterosexual man who looked at the women waiting to march, looked at the banners, and commented to his girlfriend in a bemused tone "Here, look, there aren't any men there..." plus his face when I explained why this was so.

I've seen that face - on my dad when informed him of the believers in a 'female penis'.

#BTAT

Thanks for the link to Charlie's speech; I heard it was fab.

Thanks for linking Charlie's speech MrsL2016

Extract:

"There is no evidence that hormone blockers are safe.

This generation are guinea pigs, and the fact that scientists and doctors are staying quiet about this is criminal.

It is also concerning that once a teenager has started taking hormone blockers, they are much more likely to transition. And as far as I can see, this is because hormone blocking makes desisting difficult - it almost completely destroys any chance of their brains maturing properly, and working out their issues with their bodies.

This should be a huge concern for scientists, doctors, and other medical practitioners, but the research on the subject and conversations around this are almost entirely absent.

Where there should be research, there is silence.

Instead, we hear time and time again that hormone blockers are safe, despite the science suggesting they’re dangerous and we continue to commit children into a path of painful surgeries and lifelong hormone replacement treatment.

Lesbian youth are exceptionally vulnerable to this type of ideology, particulaly as many will be gender non conforming. Coupled with the oppression of the female sex more generally, many young lesbians will match the criteria needed for them to start hormone blockers from as young as ten years old.

Is that any surprise in a world that oppresses lesbians and idolizes straight men that so many young girls want to be men?

Young lesbians today are up against challenges that were not around when we were their age.

Instead of having no lesbian role models, they are surrounded by people who call themselves lesbians. These people are often males, who tell them that being a lesbian is transphobic - because you are meant to be attracted to ‘gender’, and not sex.

With few groups or communities for lesbian girls who reject this ideology, there are limited places they can go for support - I have no doubt that this further drives young girls onto the path of transitioning. Accepting males into their sexual orientation is a pressure placed on lesbians, but is not expected of straight men.

I could not have predicted that ten years into the future, I wouldn’t have the same feelings of self loathing as I did as a teen. I could not have predicted that by allowing my brain to mature, I would grow out of the idea that there is such a thing as a ‘boy’ brain or a ‘girl’ brain and I had been born with the wrong one."

Meanwhile, a year after it was promised the Equalities Office still hasn't commissioned the 'urgent' study into why so many young girls want to transition, and the BBC is pushing genderism in schools.
twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1169174010732695557

Me too.I think that we're watching the erasure of our younger sisters. Heartbreaking.

Charlie Evans' speech made me cry. What a brave and honest woman.

medium.com/@reach.charlie.evans/the-medicalization-of-gender-non-conforming-children-and-the-vulnerability-of-lesbian-youth-10d4ac517e8e

Good tweet :

Great pics. But you know why the Dewey eyed youth a menz don’t like women’s groups?

Because they are about principles and strength (and unglamorous topics such as bigotry and violence against wen - and we don’t cry and play the victim card) not dumbed down rainbow sparkles and being fa-bu-lusssss.

Some wonderful pictures here
www.facebook.com/pg/mikebettneyphotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=406462093337256

it transpired the woman I was talking to in the Ladies' knows LangCleg

I asked her to give you a big fat kiss, Tyro. She better bloody have!

Why was it yesterday? I’ve seen all the rides for murdered women that happened yesterday too. Was the date relevant?

Can we now claim 7th Sept as a special day for women’s rights (and wrongs) please? Shall we wear red or purple? I’m doing it now. Just need a Plan...

Great account Tyro, what a lovely event. People protesting against homosexuality?? Seems like TRA has linked up with religious fundamentalists and the far right;

No no, Weezol, it was fine - it wasn't the buffet table.

It should also be noted that earlier in the evening the Secret Location had in fact literally run out of chairs. We did a sweep of the main bar (open to the public and containing various men who clearly didn't quite know what to make of the sudden appearance of a hundred high-spirited lesbians) and still there were women sitting on the floor.

I'm loving the photographs (though taxing my brain trying to remember all the names).

Very glad I went (despite feeling apprehensive about going alone), because the women whom I lurked near before plucking up the courage to ask "Do you know where the other end of the march is? All of the big handy maps the council have stuck about the place are shit and only show about three streets" turned out to be from my local ReSisters group.

Other reasons I am glad I went include: the most adorable little dog; female-only space; a Scotswoman with a ukulele; conversations in a pub about compulsory heterosexuality that didn't attract weird looks; the woman who bought me a pint; trans-Welsh stand-up; "Lesbians don't have penises" through a loudspeaker plus the facial reactions of police to same; basking in the glow of second-hand celebrity when it transpired the woman I was talking to in the Ladies' knows LangCleg; some fantastic t-shirts; the confused heterosexual man who looked at the women waiting to march, looked at the banners, and commented to his girlfriend in a bemused tone "Here, look, there aren't any men there..." plus his face when I explained why this was so.

Thank you to those who were there yesterday. I've just been looking at photos and what wonderful banners and placards. Made me wish I had been there. I'm a older lesbian and think now we have to be strong and out there to fight the craziness. If there was a march near me I would be there. At my age I don't care what people think of me.

The counter demo just seemed to be very young people and men.

What a shocking disregard for health and safety. Brace yourself Tyro, carrying on like that you'll be getting a visit from Mermaid's Personal Plod and some vexations litigation from The Lady Lawyer!

Good grief, I bet you're all sitting on chairs and everything - literal violence!

Not just sitting on chairs.

I'll have you know I spotted not one but TWO utterly fabulous lesbians sitting on a TABLE.

(Naturally I sat next to them.)

The countermarch all seemed to be about twelve. I wonder what they're going to think about themselves, when they look back in a decade's time, and realise they just marched against homosexuality.

I counted as you all came in to Millennium Square and made it a round 100. Might have been out by 2 or 3 either way!
It was a privilege to be there as a supporter of such a great bunch of women. I stayed for most of the rally and loved the speeches.