Our workplace (big national law firm) has a women's network. I won't name it for obvious reasons but the name of it includes "Women".
The firm alreayd has an LGBTQIA+ society and an equality and diversity committee.
At a recent committee meeting one of the young committee members suggested our objectives might need updated to be more inclusive. A few people voiced that this would be a good project. I am GC (privately) and inserted myself into the task force to try and bring some balance to the process.
The objectives basically say (again I won't be specific so as not to be outing) that the committee's objectives are to champion women and their achievements and to encourage women to develop their professional network inside and outside the firm.
As you would expect from an 'older' objectives statement (not drafted in the last 2~years) there is no reference to gender, sex, and so on. It just basically says by women for women, everyone welcome incl. men.
The two younger members of the committee and I had our first 'sub-committee' chat. I said (in terms): "I have given this a lot of thought and have tried various wording in my head and I am afraid I can't think of anything better than what we have already. As transwomen are women [NB not my personal literal view], what is the point in saying 'Women incl. transwomen'. That would be 'othering' and may be hurtful. We are going to tie ourselves in knots trying to define woman and whatever definition we use, it will miss out a class of woman who will feel excluded, or will offend someone by using a term someone doesn't agree with. Many people, for example, are offended by the term cis-gender. [NB: this was met with genuine surprise by my colleagues]. If someone is a woman, they will know the committee is aimed at them, and if they are not then they will know they are still welcome anyway because we clearly say it is open to everyone, including men."
My colleagues suggested "People who identify as women" and I said "but what are our invites going to say - an event run by and for people who identify as women, open to everyone including people who identify as men? That is very silly and in that case why aren't we just saying "our events are for human beings"?
We had to call time on it but when we next speak, what subtle and objectively inoffensive arguments can i raise in our next meeting?
I need to (appear to be) Switzerland in this situation, and while I would love to say what I really feel, I will be fired.