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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)

31 replies

ScreamingMeMe · 17/08/2022 19:37

A TRA tried to complain about Surrey's PCC Lisa Townsend:

"Thread TW: Transphobia

A couple of months ago, the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend made yet another transphobic tweet that rolled into a harrassment campaign that was taking place against Emily Bridge at the time.

t.co/VCvGI89eWX

I reported this tweet to the office of the PCC, which is not the first complaint I have made about her transphobic statements. I was apparently one of 6 complainants on this particular
comment.

t.co/nBZu0BxKmW

We've just received the response (it was delayed by some internal processes and they considered multiple different complaints about her transphobia at the same sitting).

The response clarifies the PCC code of conduct that they consider.

t.co/tJFmR0IO77

Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
OP posts:
Igmum · 17/08/2022 20:53

Glad the complainants weren't upheld. TRAs may find those comments offensive but they're not threatening violence, putting people in danger or in any way illegal. This should definitely come under the freedom of speech heading. I'm slightly concerned at the comments that it wasn't misgendering because no pronouns were involved. But long may she tweet

Melroses · 17/08/2022 20:52

The twitter threads are fascinating. They seem to want 'misgendering' to be a very flexible definition. If you followed their thinking, no one would ever be able to say anything that would make any sense.

I did enjoy the growing sense of disbelief in the long thread above 😁

geojellyfish · 17/08/2022 20:08

"Not in-keeping"? I find the apparent lack of comprehension either deliberate or just shockingly poor.

'Misgendering' someone is not illegal! The judgment in Forstater basically said that deliberate and continued misgendering of an individual might constitute harassment, which obviously IS illegal. Maya's case was never about harassment; she did not harass anyone, nor was she fighting for the right to harass someone.

ScreamingMeMe · 17/08/2022 19:44

I'm sorry Lisa is being hassled yet again.

However,

"Maya lost and still totally fucked us."

Is priceless.

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ScreamingMeMe · 17/08/2022 19:43

The responses so far:

Jess O'Thompson (who?)

Yeah this contradicts Forstater and Mackereth.

twitter.com/DisabledJess/status/1559920723308806144?t=FJ1oNHNA0ZAqo7xIcSUVJg&s=19

Nancy Kelly, Stonewall:

"This isn't in keeping with the decision in Forstater or Mackareth :( "

twitter.com/Nancy_M_K/status/1559860538787696643?t=g--ZWodHu9z3ktWxFqTzuQ&s=19

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ScreamingMeMe · 17/08/2022 19:40

The response also includes some advice received by the complaints Sub-Committee that they considered in their decision.

They were advised that gender critical beliefs are protected and that holding or expressing them is fine.

And that only misgendering isn't. t.co/YE9KLhgF7R

You can see where this is going.

The committee found that this tweet was fine and no further action was required.

The committee specifically decided that calling a trans woman 'male' is not misgendering her, because no pronouns were used.

I literally cannot with this. t.co/80xiwV3AXj

No breach of the provisions of the code of conduct. That explicitly require objectivity, treating others with dignity and respect, and harrassing or bullying anyone.

Read that tweet. Read the code of conduct. Then read this finding.

Maya lost and still totally fucked us. t.co/9nvvobs8xh

Going to go ahead and tag @GoodLawProject @JolyonMaugham @DisabledJess @truesolicitor in this as I think it's an important example of the impact that the gender critical court cases have had and. I just don't know if there's any recourse, anything we can do about this?

Just coming back to this bit, in combination with the final finding:

-Expressing GC beliefs is protected.
-As long as you don't use the wrong pronouns.
-Referring to trans people by 'birth sex' is fine.
-And calling a GC a bigot is unlawful harrassment.

t.co/ecV94wMXNG

Additional tag for @NancyMK - not sure if this is something Stonewall can do... Literally anything about, or has any thoughts on, or anything?

Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
Complaint to OPCC about Lisa Townsend (not upheld)
OP posts: