Action Aid - no such thing as a biological female

*ad

Am ActionAid as just came up on my Facebook. All the comments from the past two days are about this. People are not happy.

From that telegraph article it sounds like the trustees haven't signed off on the change in mission statement?!

We take the topic of inclusion very seriously, however, trustees have not yet had the opportunity to discuss a policy in relation to the organisation’s charitable mission working with women and girls in the world's poorest countries.

“Trustees are committed to doing so. These are complex issues that require consideration and consultation with our stakeholders and rights holders.

Thanks for your initial tweet Spero. What a mess they have made. And the back pedal was weak, although I think they have realised just how convoluted their policy had become and how ridiculous.

Hopefully they will straighten it out soon and realise that biology is real, for everyone female on the planet but particularly those with high risks associated with their lives. And that denying sex causes even more harm.

FUCKING HELL why does it say it 'angered anti-trans campaigners' then go straight on to quote Debbie Hayton as a "campaigner for trans rights" AGREEING! (I.e. agreeing with people criticising the AA statement).

This lazy tarring of anyone writing anything about women, girls and biological sex as automatically being 'anti-trans' is such utter bullshit and serves to hide real transphobia as well as of course toxic misogyny.

Article here

How could they possibly not realise that saying biological sex isn’t real would be controversial, though?

Telegraph have simply lifted my blog without talking to me. I am glad it's out there but this is just rude.

Sounds like a back pedal to me.
They've perhaps realised that the previous statement was considerably more controversial than anticipated and are now going back to their trustees for a steer.

www.actionaid.org.uk/latest-news/actionaid-uk-trustees-statement-on-trans-inclusion

twitter.com/actionaiduk/status/1284169595662880768?s=21

Action aids statement on trans inclusion

They’ve put out a wishy washy statement on trans inclusion on their twitter. What a joke

Telegraph article:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/17/action-aid-embroiled-trans-row-declaring-no-thing-biological/

There's something in The Telegraph but I'm not a subscriber so can't read it.

CrazyToast, in my email today I e asked for comprehensive answers to my questions. I will report back if they attempt to fob me off with inclusivity blurb. Which I expect they will.

asked for clarification and they responed with a general email which didnt answer my question:

"Thank you for your valued feedback.......ActionAid UK supports the most marginalised women and girls in the world. When we talk about women and girls, we include trans women and girls. We are committed to trans inclusion and serious about our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion........If you do decide to bring your sponsorship of xxxxx to a close, we kindly ask that you inform us so we can amend our records for you."

My response:
^Hi, this does not answer my question at all.

Your response suggests that my question was related to the exclusion of trans people from your support, which it was not at all.

To say sex doesnt exist erases trans people's experiences of transitioning and living with dysphoria.

Please answer my question 'does Action Aid believe that biological sex does not exist'.^

I don't hope for any clear answer which means I will have to withdraw my support. So sad. I am finding this terrifying now.

[Post edited by MNHQ at poster's request]

Unbelievable, they don't seem to have the first idea. The examples of girls in developing countries who 'identify' as male only do so for their safety and for practical support for their families. So that they can, get an education, work to support the family, act as chaperones for the women in their families etc. Nothing to do with gender confusion.

It has nothing to do with 'identity' its survival. Is there a problem with decision makers in charitable causes not having a connection with the people they're supposed to be supporting? It just sounds so much like very sheltered people who've gone from school to uni to high management levels without having any real life experience playing at 'white saviour' without understanding their duty.

Thank you for a brilliant thread.

Without mumsnet would ANY of this be discussed and brought to light?

I was called by a journalist yesterday who said they were going to run a story. Now nothing. Why? This is hugely important. Why are so many people apparently unable to see what is happening in plain sight?

I'm reading this open mouthed. Including the live aid stuff. I knew there were some problems, but I had absolutely no idea of the profound mismanagement of the entire thing

I think one of the purposes of charities to provide to people overseas is to project the idea that the home country is wonderful and our suffering is miniscule compared to the suffering in other countries.

Thousands of UK children have been admitted to hospital with malnutrition this year. 3 women a week are being killed by domestic violence.

I have seen charities promote their cause using photos of beautiful healthy African children as if the very fact that they are African should make them the object of our pity.

Xiaoxiong cheers. Am making headway but life is getting in the way too. From a first look, it seems legit, they spend more on the actual purpose of the charity than wages and swanky offices. They invest mostly wisely. And appear to only treat women. Over the years they have raised more and more money, as of dec 31 2019 they had 2 million in the bank, same date 2018 there was not quite a million. But the two years had broadly similar accounts.
They spend about 9 million per year on the actual treating of and associated training of drs and building hospitals and providing ambulances etc
They have an endowment of 8 and a bit million, they can spend 5% of that yearly.
Have not found a statement saying they treat solely women but they make big noise about it on the main pages. So if someone wants to email them feel free.

[quote Xiaoxiong]@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman Yep - we're mvumischooltrust.org.uk/ - our chair of the trustees is a former headmaster of the school and all of us (except me, I'm the newest trustee and not on the website yet - was supposed to go in August) have been out volunteering and we know exactly what the conditions are like on the ground, particularly the barriers to access to education for our female and visually-impaired students. For instance, we found is that for families to allow their daughters to attend on bursaries, a school representative has to visit their families a couple of times to convince the family. No such convincing needed for sons.

All donations and sponsorship very, very gratefully received!![/quote]
Thank you so much. This is brilliant.