Women's rights general conversations - Thread 4

Just a heads up in case anyone on this thread has missed the BBC Antisocial program yesterday on RSE in schools- a discussion with The School of Sexuality Education and Safe Schools Alliance (there's a thread on this board). It's worth listening to the program and also then reading this link posted on that thread that's the twitter feed of a parent referred to in the program by SoSE:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4765114-tanya-carter-from-ssa-live-on-radio4-at-noon-today-rsedebate?reply=124747950&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

BarNes.

That’s a great article, Crows. I wonder how many referrals to GIDS were made under the assumption that all that stuff would be covered in depth before finally starting hormone blockers/replacement therapy? 3 hour-long sessions was the average, according to Hannah Barmes.

I have MASSIVE bingo wings, and it's hard because there is a part of me that really minds, but I am determined this year to be FUCK THE BINGO WINGS THIS IS ME. I have to say, it's slightly terrifying.

I started covering my arms about a decade ago because I thought that no wobble should be shown. About five years ago I looked at myself in the mirror, held my arms out horizontally and moved them about. The amount of wing was bloody minuscule and I thought enough of this bloody nonsense so now my arms are out when it's warm and much as I do love a cardigan they are only worn when there's a bit of a chill in the air or I want the cardigan to complete my look. I haven't learned to love my body yet but I have learned to stop hating it.

Plus all the e.g. bingo wing shaming that men simply don't get. Entire fucking wardrobes of cardigans because God forbid anyone should see a middle aged woman's saggy upper arms!

Tl;dr I'm not suggesting that we all need to go around covered up all the time because that's insanity but watching this show has made me realise how uncomfortable I am with fashion when it's about having it all nearly hanging out.

I always find it interesting how desperate we are not to be prudish or judgemental about women's clothing. I also always notice how much more covered up men are so much of the time.

Women have a double whammy to deal with. It's the show off skin to be attractive but not too much. Whereas men are covered up most of the time but can also strip off to boxers and still be considered decent.

That's a brilliant piece - thanks @NotDrowningJustCrowing

I've only just got around to reading this from Eliza Mondegreen and it's powerful. Quite a few things stood out for me: the detransitioner realised that she wasn't doing the right thing for her at the magical age of 25, how she felt when she wore modest clothing* and her overall eloquence and kindness. This phrase though, oh my days, just hit me with a big loud, "YES!"

"Never treat a software problem at the hardware level."

Here's the full piece: "If that was my true self, then why did it take so much work?"

*This is very much apropos of nothing but that's where my brain took me because I'm watching way too much Next In Dress or whatever it's called. One of the designers creates women's wear that is incredibly tight, full of cutouts, incredibly "sexy" and "Hello, my breasts are here and I must shave my lady garden completely or the flowers will be peeping over this edge here". She's good at what she does, and her skill is if not exceptional pretty much up there and close to it but her clothes leave me cold to the extent that if she is the winner - I'll find out this evening - I'll be really disappointed. It's all about putting the body on display to be seen as a sexual object. I know, not necessarily, one can put one's body on display because one is proud of it, because one wants to because one can, but I hate that this is her speciality to the exclusion of just about everything else unless that's been reined in a little by a project they've been given on the show. When that's been the case I like what she does so much more.

Tl;dr I'm not suggesting that we all need to go around covered up all the time because that's insanity but watching this show has made me realise how uncomfortable I am with fashion when it's about having it all nearly hanging out.

The wrong kind of Jews. So shoddy.

Here's an article covering a lot of it, @MmePoppySeedDefage

The Jews expelled from Labour over antisemitism

Here's a paragraph from the article:

The JVL members’ own standing, by contrast, seems to have fallen. According to Mike Cushman, a JVL officer, as of January 2022 the Labour Party had initiated 55 internal investigations of Jews on the grounds of antisemitism allegations, and 43 members of the JVL had been sanctioned. One JVL member, Diana Neslen, an 82-year-old Jewish South African émigré and former anti-apartheid activist, has been investigated three times; on Monday, the party dropped its case against her after she threatened to sue Labour for discriminating against her on the basis of her anti-Zionist beliefs. Two JVL members—Mike Howard, 72, a 40-year Labour member, and Riva Joffe, a South African-born anti-racist activist in her 80s—have died while under investigation for alleged antisemitism, Cushman said, “before they could clear their names."

when a party starts cancelling the membership of socialist Jews for antisemitism^

Whaaat?

Here's a bit more on the Higgs EAT:

twitter.com/legalfeminist/status/1636505511020441602?s=61&t=kGVJW3nqB0HwN7e30O6LKw

Hoping she can get a sensible result this time.

Expelling them, not cancelling. My brain only remembered that word after I posted. Stupid big black hole in the brain brain.

I left in August 2020. My membership was up for renewal and I didn't renew it. I think when a party starts cancelling the membership of socialist Jews for antisemitism then all pretence of sanity has left the building.

Mine hangs by a thread. I'm still a member, but as things stand, I won't vote for them. Not just about GC issues, but mostly that. But it seems that lately Labour give their natural voters all kinds of reasons to not vote for them. So they do make the decision easier.

Poor old SNP. I wonder what the Labour Party memberships numbers are now.

Wow. I reckon that might be a faster membership shed than Labour!

There were 82,598 members as of 31 December 2022 which means 10,000 less just between between then and now.

Curiouser and curiouser....

Can't think why that's happened Wait!

The SNP have finally revealed their current membership numbers. Since 2019, the membership has dropped by 43%. Who could have possibly guessed it...

www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/16/snp-reveals-number-of-members-eligible-to-vote-on-leadership-much-lower-than-estimated

"On morning of 16th March, A preliminary hearing was heard regarding recusal of a Panel laymember, which was granted by the Judge, and who, reflecting on parties input, decided to continue the EAT without Panel members and Judge alone. The Judge stated she will send written judgement of this as soon as possible"

You're not the only one. I've not heard of this one.

"In 2019, primary school assistant, Kristie Higgs, then 43, was dismissed for gross misconduct by Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire.

Higgs had shared and commented on posts on her personal Facebook in 2018 which raised concerns about LGBTQ relationship education at her son's Church of England primary school.

After one anonymous complaint, the academy dismissed her for reasons including "illegal discrimination", "serious inappropriate use of social media" and "online comments that could bring the school into disrepute and damage the reputation of the school".

Higgs took Farmor’s School to Employment Tribunal in 2020, where Employment Judge Derek Reed ruled the dismissal was lawful, that it wasn't related to Higgs' Christian beliefs and, "was the result of a genuine belief on the part of the school that she had committed gross misconduct".

Judge Tayler called the decision into question and granted Mrs Higgs permission to appeal.

In a preliminary hearing, in June 2022, Mrs Higgs’ lawyers challenged the impartiality of a Tribunal member, Edward Lord OBE, and his suitability to hear the appeal. Lord had made a series of public sstatements which included that individuals should be prohibited from making comments or statements regarding LGBT ideology, especially transgenderism.

The Honourable Mrs Justice Eady DBE, President of the relevant Employment Appeal Tribunal, heard the application and stated Lord's involvement ‘could not exclude the possibility of bias’ and granted the request for his recusal"

This court case had totally passed me by. I vaguely remember something about Mx Lord's involvement. Appeal happened today and continuing tomorrow. I couldn't open any of the archive links, my tablet being a little overprotective. All the best to Ms Higgs, I hope she wins.

tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/higgs-v-farmors-school-employment

I'm pleased and relieved that someone is dealing with the violent misgendering of Isla Bryson. I'm still reeling, personally.

@MmePoppySeedDefage that is perfection.