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Leading feminist organisation 'fails to give straight answers' on single-sex spaces

55 replies

IwantToRetire · 12/03/2025 01:42

Scotland’s leading feminist policy organisation has been accused of failing to provide straight answers on single-sex spaces while appearing before a Holyrood committee.

Jill Wood, the policy manager for Engender, repeatedly refused to comment when pressed on issues relating to trans people accessing women-only spaces.

Engender, which is partly funded by the Scottish Government, supports the principle of self-ID, in which trans people can self-identify their gender.

Asked about Engender’s support for self-ID, and what analysis it had done on other women, including those of faith, “self-excluding” on the back of this, Ms Wood said she would need to get back to the committee, “but we’d be happy to do that”.

NB only a few paragraphs from a longer article - but strange this was happening on the same day as the discussion at Westminister.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/leading-feminist-organisation-fails-to-give-straight-answers-on-single-sex-spaces-5028796

OP posts:
thelonelyones · 12/03/2025 08:07

I had to meet with Engender, Close the Gap, Scottish Trans Alliance (now Equallity Network) frequently in a previous job. This does not surprise me.

Never liked any of them. They don't care about women.

(have nc'd just in case)

Barbadosgirl · 12/03/2025 06:20

Quite. They might identify as feminist groups though

Hairyesterdaygonetoday · 12/03/2025 06:07

Engender and Equality Netwok are not feminist groups, if they campaign for self-ID. That is an anti-feminist policy which directly opposes women’s rights.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 12/03/2025 01:58

A campaign group which is reliant on Scottish Government funding has issued a legal warning to public sector bodies if they exclude all trans people from female-only spaces.

The Equality Network claimed it would be ‘unlawful’ to introduce a total exclusion policy for trans people accessing single-sex toilets, changing rooms and other services.

During the appearance at committee, the Equality Network also committed to providing MSPs with a list of public sector organisations it has advised on single-sex spaces - but argued it provides ‘advice on good practice’ and not legal advice. It also confirmed that it is largely funded by the Scottish Government but could not give the exact figures.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14487811/Transgender-ban-female-toilets-unlawful-warns-taxpayer-funded-group.html

OP posts: