A woman driven out of her therapy group by a trans woman's presence

@Manderleyagain
Yes I was surprised too.Apparently individual Freedom groups can decide to treat transwomen as women, even though it excludes women. (In Bristol it may be a condition of council funding -hopefully someone with specialist knowledge can add to this).

I posted this on the other thread:
Julie bindel on twitter
"1/2 Been getting loads of messages from women in the Brighton area that have also been refused female-only services in sexual assault centres/DV refuges and told that they are open to anyone that ID's as a woman. I think we might be looking at a legal challenge here, and also
the beginnings of a plan to set up an ACTUAL women-only facility. You know how to contact me. Let's do it!"

I wonder who the legal challenge would be against. If the service is commissioned by the council then maybe them? They've commissioned a service, but the way it's provided discriminates against some women, and it's predictable that they would self exclude. They could stipulate that there has to be some female only service provision, but obviously don't. I expect they stipulate the opposite, but it would be interesting to know the service agreement.

The charity's statement is pathetic in that it doesn't even refer to their main user base. It talks about unrepresented service users, but not that women who need female only care are therefore under represented(because they are deliberately excluded).
The statement should be exhibit one. It shows they are viewing the p/c's in a hierarchy, with gender reassignment above sex, and looks like an act of indirect discrimination in itself if that's genuinely their response to hearing that they have caused a woman to self exclude.
IANAL though!

Thanks again iamsarah. Thank you courageous woman.

I'm surprised by what a PP says above about a freedom programme group being for self identifying women, with nothing available that's female only. Freedom programme are a signatory to whrc declaration. Maybe I haven't understood what freedom programme actually is?

I agree Hermione. They are beneath contempt.

I was in hospital with a male sex addict who'd raped his own sister. He told us he planned to get a job in a refuge. We were reprimanded for ostracising him, and told we were bullies.

I don't normally report posts, preferring them to stand as evidence of the utter disdain for women exhibited by TRA's, but as Sarah is actually commenting on this thread, @sloanerangerpandora is being particularly cruel and unpleasant.

sloanerangerpandora arrives to prove the point. The man's rights movement. Men get angry when they don't get their own way. Although the words transphobia bigot mean pish all these days. That's what happens when words are redefined.

The OP is a rape victim. I suggest avoiding responding to unhelpful comments that are intended to be even further unsupportive to her than this service has already been.

Was going to report Sloane but I think that comment should stand do ppl can see there are no depths to which TRA won’t sink

@IamSarah I’m so sorry that you had need to use these services at all, and then you were traumatised again by a male in your group.
Fuck the handmaidens enabling this. They are absolute traitors. Beneath contempt.

You sound like a transphobic bigot.

You sound like a misogynistic bigot.

@IamSarah

I’m so sorry. What a bunch of bastards. You’ve done nothing wrong.

Sorry for your experience Sarah 💐

First time I have ever commented on Mumsnet. I'm so angry. Every bio woman in the land must withdraw from any women's group allowing Transwomen. If necessary we can create our own informal groups,this is the only way to win back our female only spaces.

Sall Groover (founder of giggle) has tweeted about this.

mobile.twitter.com/salltweets/status/1464889437284753412

I know she got a hard time on here for her previous stance, but I think that she really is on women’s side in this. I love her tweet below.

mobile.twitter.com/salltweets/status/1464510167207190531

@IamSarah You are getting some followers and retweets on Twitter.

You might wants to contact BBC Radio4/Woman's hour - Emma Barnett has very very good on Sex v Gender. Possibly an email, where you can give more detail?

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3xyZd5NjJZmN7WztP96vCG/contact-us

[quote Rightsraptor]@KittenKong - you would leave anywhere that you realised your presence was causing problems because you are a good & decent person. Those that don't leave in such circumstances are either:

a) very thick-skinned and just don't notice
b) don't care
c) enjoying the reactions they get.

I know which I think predominates.[/quote]
I think it’s more that women are socialised to put other’s feelings before our own and men are socialised to put their feelings before others.

Yes they might get a kick out of it or not care or not be aware or a combination, but more so they are entitled to think of themselves before everyone else because that’s what male socialisation teaches them.

The very proof that transitioning has zero impact on male behaviour is the evidence of entitlement that remains firmly unchanged in all areas. Whether that entitlement is for the sexual thrill they get from making women uncomfortable or whether it’s just plain old entitlement to put their feelings and wants above anyone else’s needs it’s all the same at the end of the day. Male entitlement.

You're a brave woman Sarah, thank you for bringing this into the public eye.

This is so tucked up. It’s every misogynist’s dream.

We will never give up though.

Strength and solace to you Sarah - you are not alone

@KittenKong - you would leave anywhere that you realised your presence was causing problems because you are a good & decent person. Those that don't leave in such circumstances are either:

a) very thick-skinned and just don't notice
b) don't care
c) enjoying the reactions they get.

I know which I think predominates.

Sarah, I desperately want to wrap my arms around you and hold you tight and cry. This is not fair, it is so wrong. I really don't know what else to say to you. Except, thank you for having the courage to tell your story. This is so important, that people hear this. 🤗