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Original poster

Women's Rally in Edinburgh, Thurs, 6th Oct

139 replies

PogueMahoneBoris · 02/10/2022 18:03

There is going to be a women's rally outside of Holyrood (Scottish Parliament) on Thursday 6th October. Gather for 11.15am for a 11.30 start. It's the one delayed from Sept 15th.

The focus of the rally (and the timing, during what is normally First Minister's Questions) is the Gender Recognition Reform Bill that is currently going through the Scottish Parliament and the impact on Scottish women's rights.

The following speakers will be there so do come along and listen, mingle, network and then come for a drink :

Cllr Alison Dowling
Elaine Miller ("fanny physio", Gusset Grips)
Lisa Mackenzie (Murray Blackburn Mackenzie)
Rhona Hotchkiss (LGB Alliance)
Helen Joyce (Sex Matters)
Maya Forstater (Sex Matters)
Johann Lamont (retired Labour MSP)
Caroline McAllister (Scottish Feminist Network)
Kate Coleman (Keep Prisons Single Sex)

The rally is organised by For Women Scotland and all are welcome to attend.
If you are coming from out of town, or even from within Edinburgh, and would appreciate some company walking into the rally (which might sound a bit intimidating if you haven't been to one before) then get in touch as there will be a couple of meeting places organised.
Looking forward to seeing you there.

Women's Rally in Edinburgh, Thurs, 6th Oct
OP posts:
Original poster
PogueMahoneBoris · 07/10/2022 10:23

Thank you to everyone that turned out in the (mainly) sunshine yesterday. A very successful day. This time we got 4+ Labout MSPs out and none last year, and talks of amendments they are working on to the Bi (the Bill will still pass but it may be made slightly better). Most Tories came out, no other parties. But we were there and made the press (all hail JKR). Thank you! ❤️

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 07/10/2022 09:12

Just hearing Sturgeon now god I loathe her line and I’m not in Scotland

Don’t know how you can bear it. Thanks to all those pushing on this

Ramblingnamechanger · 07/10/2022 09:04

And apparently NS is a real feminist, unlike the rest of us that don't want to share space with males. I hope everyone in Scotland now gets it.

ResisterRex · 07/10/2022 08:26

Sturgeon being asked about JKR's t-shirt now "are you a destroyer of women's rights?"

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 07/10/2022 06:41

Just caught the tail end of a report about the protest on Radio 4! Said the issue divides the Scots Nats. And mentioned the JK Rowling T shirt.

Original poster
PogueMahoneBoris · 07/10/2022 00:15

Excellent job. Told you she was lovely. 🙂

OP posts:
HatThatWearsYou · 06/10/2022 23:34

JanieAllen · 06/10/2022 23:15

well done for writing ! I will write again tomorrow.

Thank you, there's not much I've felt able to do except be angry in silence, it feels good to do something about it.

I often don't feel able to put into a coherent way how I feel so having the template is brilliant for someone like me.

Not really expecting much if any response. Had a young man at the door a few months back drumming up support for one of our local councilors. I asked him what her stance on women's issues were and he looked very rabbit in the headlights before stammering something about her being for "all" women and was very inclusive but didn't seem to be able to offer more than that.

I told him to come back when she stood for just the actual women and I'd hand her my vote.

JanieAllen · 06/10/2022 23:15

well done for writing ! I will write again tomorrow.

HatThatWearsYou · 06/10/2022 23:09

JKR and all the other GC women deserve medals for all of this.

I've just emailed all my MSPs, never done that before! For anyone else who is kind of new at this, I found this really helpful:

forwomen.scot/06/10/2022/gender-recognition-reform-bill-stage-1-action/

TheBiologyStupid · 06/10/2022 22:49

Waitwhat23 · 06/10/2022 19:51

Sounds like it was bloody brilliant. Loads of great stuff on Twitter - I loved the 'Joanna Cherry is a Legend' poster and JKR expressing her solidarity with a t-shirt.

Saw this absolutely brilliant thread by a Scottish woman, addressing Nicola Sturgeon, which I think sums up what women are trying to say really well - twitter.com/CleverclogsNina/status/1578066847114690563?s=20&t=bkZo4QkzSVh2v6xft0RKJg

That's a brilliant letter to NS - if her aides don't pass it on it will be her (and Scotland's) loss.

JanieAllen · 06/10/2022 22:44

Lamonts speech was particuarly good.

Tallisker · 06/10/2022 22:12

Pogue** I went up and said hello to Elaine Miller, as you suggested and she was ace. Thanks!

Wish I'd taken my copy of Trans for Helen to sign

TheBiologyStupid · 06/10/2022 22:01

Fantastic to hear that it went well and wasn't disrupted.

Original poster
PogueMahoneBoris · 06/10/2022 21:50

catandcoffee · 06/10/2022 16:59

Glad it went well... Will anyone listen though.

Well that's why we need to follow the rally up by contacting all 8 of your MSPs. Every single one, even Sturgeon and Harvie. Let none of them say they don't hear about this on the door steps. Ask them questions, ask them how they will keep females safe in prisons, rape crisis shelters, how they will be treated in sports, how they can ensure they get a female clinician if they need one, how women of faith will be able to remain active in society without being gaslit with being told males are really females.

OP posts:
Original poster
PogueMahoneBoris · 06/10/2022 21:33

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/10/2022 13:59

Will there be any videos of the speakers?

Yep. FWS will edit footage and release in separate clips. I was blown away by speeches today, they pulled no punches. Regardless of politics, listen to Johann Lamont's. My god.

OP posts:
Janie143 · 06/10/2022 21:23

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63162533

JKR 😍What a woman

Waitwhat23 · 06/10/2022 20:56

Found another one -

twitter.com/mbmpolicy/status/1578089667487989761?s=20&t=5U6NjXOKMsujp85KK1yPkQ

HatThatWearsYou · 06/10/2022 20:47

@Waitwhat23 Thank you for those moving videos

Suffrajester · 06/10/2022 20:38

It was fantastic, great to see and meet so many brilliant campaigners! And so many people I'd only met on here or other sites before.
I'm @Babdoc 's DD, the one with the autism advocacy sign (and the Kiwi Farms T-shirt 😁 it gets a lot of flak, but for a long time it was the only site other than here where you could talk about women's rights, so I'm a fan).

Women's Rally in Edinburgh, Thurs, 6th Oct
Women's Rally in Edinburgh, Thurs, 6th Oct
Waitwhat23 · 06/10/2022 20:22

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/10/2022 13:59

Will there be any videos of the speakers?

FWS have said that there will be. Not sure when - I haven't seen any full videos yet.

Did see this fantastic clip though -
twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/1578092742885969920?s=20&t=HLRLzvCmsjBxbKA3gFuGBw

'The word woman is taken. The word lesbian is taken. And you cannot harm our children'.

AnuSTart · 06/10/2022 20:09

I'm there in spirit. Unfortunately abroad but it's my home town and I care passionately about this. Thank you to all who are going. It means the world.

HatThatWearsYou · 06/10/2022 20:08

@JanieAllen love your sign!
@Waitwhat23 that is an excellent open letter to NS via twitter!

HatThatWearsYou · 06/10/2022 19:53

So pleasantly surprised to hear there were no violent aggressive protesters!

Really wish I could have been there, am also keeping an eye out for any videos of the speakers, I would love to hear them.

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