If you were Stonewall WWYD?

SquishySquirmy

Good post
Pretty much my thoughts also

Seems like they're taking this approach atm;

I am curious to see how they will acknowledge what is happening.

They could easily become an excellent trans charity. There is stuff to be done.

I would campaign for:
Acceptance of transwomen as transwomen, and transmen as transmen;
For people to be able to be out and proud about both their sex and their gender;
For widespread provision of third spaces, mixed as well as single-sex facilities, third/fourth sports categories;
For open recognition of sex on medical documents and in research;
For better help for mental health where that is an issue;
For careful, well-researched evidence for different treatment pathways, their risks and benefits;
For autism-specific research;
For genuine fairness to male and female people however they present;
For acceptance that some people do fall for those of certain gendered characteristics others exclusively for those of a certain sex;
For honesty and openness...

Just for starters.

Stonewall are currently advertising for a head of comms AND a comms planning lead (www.stonewall.org.uk/jobs/associate-director-communications-and-campaigns). That's probably why they don't have a PR strategy at all at the moment - they're completely clueless.

If I was them I'd offer a public apology and promise to do better in future. And settle the Allison Bailey case. And write to all the diversity champions correcting the misleading legal advice.

If I were stone wall, I would conduct a review and emerge with a focus on being a true diversity champion, giving equal weighting to all the protected characteristics. I would market it as broadening scope to reflect the requirements of our champions. I’d use disabilities as a shield.

Frankly I wouldn't settle in her situation....

All I was suggesting is that if I was SW I'd try too....

The thing though is that all the adults have long left the room.

Even co-founder Simon Fanshawe was shown the door after questioning the trans orthodoxy, so I think it's pretty safe to say everyone else with any clout is as "comfortable" as Nancy Kelly with the direction of travel.

So we might see some "lite" concessions following the bad press (like not joining in with legal action against the Charity Commission over the LBGA) but I doubt there's a massive amount of introspection going on.

With regards to settling with Alison Bailey, she may not agree to settle.

Also, I don't know how it would work with multiple respondents. Would both her chambers and Stonewall have to make a joint offer? Or could one respondent settle whilst the claim proceeded against the other?

Climb every mountain, jump every shark

What I would do and what Stonewall will do are I suspect, are actions that are diametrically opposed.

I'd start by admitting and apologising for giving incorrect legal advice and announcing an independent review of the Diversity Champions scheme, undertaking to implement any recommendations and asking current members to "hold the faith" until it's been published because we are 100% committed to ensuring we address any/all issues.

I'd then have a media blackout for a few months. No campaigns, social media etc.

During that time I'd then:

• look to settle the case with Allison Bailey to avoid it going to court and generating more bad press (and it doesn't get any worse press for a supposedly LGBT organisation to have allegedly harassed and bullied a black lesbian).

• recruit a new CEO as NK is a liability after that last disaster of an interview

• come up with a new campaign that's LGB focused and conciliatory as opposed to the "aggressive" tone of recent times

• I wouldn't drop the "T" outright but I would re-position it by moving away from TWAW/TMAM and acknowledging same sex attraction and a clash with women's rights that should be responded to with dialogue and respectful discussion and I'd quietly ensure less time was spent on this issue rather than it being front and centre.

What I think they'll do is double down...

I think I would - in the words of my brother when dad was stoically accepting his terminal diagnosis (of how he would react): “sit curled up in a corner with a blanket over my head, greetin’”

Well, if I put myself in Stonewall's position and mindset:

Throw as much dirt as possible at all detractors. Get some helpful allies to orchestrate smear campaigns (without it being too undeniably obvious that it was me doing it).
Really double down on the idea that any criticism (or even mild reservations) of stonewall and any decisions Stonewall has ever made = homophobia. (And also anti-semitism, racism, disablism, etc etc).
Get the best human shields out in front: children and suicidal teenagers.

Confuse detractors by contradicting myself regularly, hide in the chaos, move onto the next lie while they're still grappling with the last (was effective for Trump!)

Take a draconian stance on staff/members/supporters who don't toe the line. Make it really hard for anyone to speak out, use whatever leverage I have (get creative!) to silence whistleblowers and apostates.

Climb every mountain, jump every shark.

If all else fails, go down in a messy, chaotic, hugely expensive whirlwind of mud slinging, litigation, denials and infighting.

If I have to go down, then I'll take as many others (friends and enemies) down with me as possible.

... I mean that's not what I'd do. But unfortunately it's what I can see happening.

• but I agree with others above that the sunk costs is pretty much keeping them going in the same direction. They've doubled, tripled and quadrupled down. How can they row back?

The bullshit is baked in. It's not even about any particular issue, it's about how they've behaved - the arrogance, vindictiveness, malice and bullying stinks of an organisation that has rotten through and through.

There used to be lots of lobbying to be done regards LGB rights, but since equal marriage etc I think LGB people have all their legal rights protected very well in law, no? So what needs to be done now is combat homophobia, promote diversity and inclusion (in a genuine, constructive way, not in a bullshit way) and social cohesion.

I wonder if the problem is an org set up to 'fight the powers that be' has become the powers that be. They were set up to lobby, and just can't stop fighting, even when they've won all the battles that needed to be won. The victim narrative just doesn't make much sense in 2021 - almost everyone accepts LGB sexualities.

I don't deny homophobia still exists, but I expect tackling it calls for subtlety and working alongside people, rather than standing on a battlement and bellowing 'no debate' through a bullhorn. That looks courageous when you're a wee grassroots organisation fighting the system. When you're Stonewall, it just looks like you're the baddies.

I'd pack up and go home.

Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing, which is the external part of mortar joints, in masonry construction. Over time, weathering and decay cause voids in the joints between masonry units,
Before starting any actual work, building owners examine the masonry units, mortar, and the techniques used in the original construction. They try to identify the true problem they are facing and find out what were the causes of the deterioration or cracks. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repointing

The rest is a mix of grants, contracts, donations and consultancy fees

Total income in the region of £7 million i believe

Companies (and schools, gvt depts, police, councils....) pay to be in their leagues and for their ‘advice’. I think there was 850 organisations on their list (before they hid it) plus donations, grants, (lottery?)

Do companies pay to join Stonewall?

How do they make money

Zipping’ up my boots... going back to my roots...

I don’t think they could be a non toxic brand again through.

Go back to my roots, drop the T, and support LGB rights.

There's no reason that Stonewall shouldn't support trans rights - I'd hope we all do.
What they shouldn't do, and should never have done, is push trans rights at the expense of other protected groups.

Campaign for trans spaces. Get rid of bearded 'lesbians' with penises. Stop redefining words and concepts. Sack pretty much everyone who works there at the moment and beg Ben Summerskill to come back for a fixed period to sort things out.

What would I do ?

All the things that Stonewall won't do ...

They won't apologise
They won't look again at their policies
They (almost certainly) won't appoint an outside lawyer/former judge to look at their policies and the implementation of those policies
They won't require resignations from the top
They won't (quietly) change tack

They will double down ...

Shame really. As someone who is trans Stonewall don't currently represent me or my views... (and why should they ?)

But heigh ho ...

Joolz

Ratner moment?

I’d also settle the Alison Bailey case and admit they were wrong

I can’t see how they can possibly win and the reputation alone damage is already enormous

If they decide to go back to their roots they would need to do a Windscale (shame to drop the name but it has become badly associated now)

I have similar background (as one thing I’ve done) and I’ve wondered the same

Do they feel in crisis atm at work