Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

RMW and the potential of legal challenges re the SC Ruling

98 replies

Bannedontherun · 12/05/2025 19:04

I listened to RMW on radio four today. I thought the interviewer was quite good at representing Women's view on access to single sex spaces, whilst giving RMW space to proffer his legal opinion, which was erm interesting.

The nub of RMW argument seems to be that trans people (biological males who have been around for many years including RMW), are now being told they are not women and cannot use women’s spaces.

And that this is the biggest affront to them, as in trans people who have been around just living their lives for 20 years plus are now going to have to adjust their lives.

Make of that what you will, i cannot possibly comment.

RMW did go on about neutral spaces “outing trans people” and that is why they need to use female spaces.

Again i cannot possibly comment.

He did not say much about women who believe they are men.

It does sound like RMW is trying to distance themself from “new age” trans people.

They did state there is no obligation for employers to police facilities, and that they would continue as usual as thus far has not been challenged.

Finally RMW said there are quite a few cases in the pipeline (i await with a keen eye)

On another posted podcast i listened to the solicitor representing the interveners in the SC case, on an American GC site, in which he pretty much opined i hope they do issue legal challenge, bring it on, and that Moylan et al seem to have no realistic strategy, other than to whinge and whine about their feelings. Hence the no wins situation.

He further stated that the reason that that judge and Whittle were not allowed to intervene was because random individuals were never allowed to. Contrary to what RMW claimed on Women’s hour which was no reasons were given.

All in all a damn good cheery day for me and IMHO nothing that needs to be worried about, apart from cake, popcorn supplies and getting sod all done WFH.

Cheers WIMS!!!!!

OP posts:
BettyFilous · 24/05/2025 05:43

alsoFanOfNaomi · 13/05/2025 22:20

Different crowd, this one challenging the EHRC guidance and its consultation period - doesn't quite seem worth its own thread but worth giggling at perhaps. (I'm not being over-optimistic here am I? It's not as though the EHRC has the power to produce guidance that contradicts the really rather clear SC ruling...) They're crowdfunding for it apparently. Something about a fool and zir money?
https://translucent.org.uk/

Your link is interesting. This is the first time I’ve seen reference to a TGD community. I’m assuming this means trans and gender diverse. Is this the beginning of a separation from the LGB? It makes sense as they are two distinct protected characteristics in the EA2010.

UtopiaPlanitia · 23/05/2025 23:55

Reading the blog post now.

In the reference to the writings of Michael Falon does RMW perhaps mean Michael Foran?

TheKhakiQuail · 15/05/2025 01:09

KnottyAuty · 14/05/2025 09:31

What a lot of crap.
liads of people know what it’s like to be “othered” or “one of the onlys” for a multitude of identity based reasons. Ffs

As uncomfortable as it might be to be one of the first women in a male dominated area, or the first person of colour or in a wheelchair or openly gay at a particular workplace, those are the people who create acceptance and open the door to others.

SerendipityJane · 14/05/2025 12:19

What startles me is how poor peoples understanding of our legal system is when all you need to know is a google away.

But you aren't allowed to call them thick ...

Also, in my experience, a lot of "misunderstandings" are quite deliberate and always seem to work in the favour of the misunderstandee

It is a well known fact of life that if a persons livelihood depends on them "understanding" the world in a certain way, then all the science, evidence and proof won't change their mind.

Kinsters · 14/05/2025 10:46

Wow @RoyalCorgi I think you are totally right there. I'd thought the "didn't want to be trashed in the media" was a weak excuse but couldn't think what was really behind it (other than the obvious we don't want to lose but then this case had already failed twice so surely the expectation was that they would win). Huh. Suddenly it makes a lot of sense.

KnottyAuty · 14/05/2025 09:46

Thanks @RoyalCorgi

The position of Stonewall, GLP, Mermaids and all the rest of the shower of idiots has for years been one of self-identification: anyone who says they're a woman is a woman. If they'd intervened in support of the Scottish government they'd have been arguing against their own position. They'd have had to admit, in fact, that they'd been misrepresenting the law for years.

Ive never seen this out so clearly in the last 4 weeks!

So I understand properly - 4WS won the first case against the fully inclusive/self ID definition of women? This second case for the GRC definition of women they lost twice in the lower courts until winning at the Supreme Court?

Prior to your explanation I couldn’t understand the total lack of proper intervenors. Makes total sense now

KnottyAuty · 14/05/2025 09:31

Brainworm · 14/05/2025 07:36

💯

I think RMW makes this statement thinking that it gives GC women a taste of what it’s like to be othered. I doubt any GC women care about othering. We want the expectation for single sex provision to be understood as reasonable and proportionate and for it to be delivered.

What a lot of crap.
liads of people know what it’s like to be “othered” or “one of the onlys” for a multitude of identity based reasons. Ffs

housinglife · 14/05/2025 09:09

RoyalCorgi · 14/05/2025 08:35

There's a fairly obvious reason, as far as I can see. The Supreme Court had to decide between two positions. The FWS case was that the word "women" in the Equality Act referred to biological women. The Scottish government's case was that the word "women" referred to biological women, plus biological men with a GRC, and minus biological women with a GRC.

Crucially, the Scottish government recognised that the word "women" did not apply to biological men who had no GRC but simply identified as female.

The position of Stonewall, GLP, Mermaids and all the rest of the shower of idiots has for years been one of self-identification: anyone who says they're a woman is a woman. If they'd intervened in support of the Scottish government they'd have been arguing against their own position. They'd have had to admit, in fact, that they'd been misrepresenting the law for years.

Excellent point

Alltheprettyseahorses · 14/05/2025 09:03

What RMW said about third spaces being outing is interesting. He must think it's unlikely that the resource he needs, ie women, will use them alongside him. This brings me to the question of women who like to publicly state they are happy to use the same toilets as trans-identified men - surely they would use the third spaces without a second thought thus providing the resource RMW needs? They won't of course, for all the lip service they still exclusively used women's spaces which they would expect to be women-only, never having to test their principles. They don't really want strange men next to them, they just pretend they'd be okay with it for whatever unfathomable reason. So perhaps what RMW is really concerned about isn't being outed but rather being betrayed by the very people who say they support him but will never act on that. Disobedient support humans are so annoying I suppose.

Bannedontherun · 14/05/2025 09:00

IANAL by the way but have a degree in law.

What startles me is how poor peoples understanding of our legal system is when all you need to know is a google away.

I have read the secret barrister books which are well worth a read. He or she is of the view that everyone should be taught the basics at school and i agree.

An awful lot of people think if they do not like a legal decision one can appeal it as of right when one can only appeal with reasonable grounds.

OP posts:
GargoylesofBeelzebub · 14/05/2025 08:55

@RoyalCorgi that's a very interesting perspective which I hadn't considered before thank you. It had totally baffled me that none of the prominent trans rights orgs had applied to intervene, but that makes sense now.

nothingcomestonothing · 14/05/2025 08:54

Brainworm · 14/05/2025 07:36

💯

I think RMW makes this statement thinking that it gives GC women a taste of what it’s like to be othered. I doubt any GC women care about othering. We want the expectation for single sex provision to be understood as reasonable and proportionate and for it to be delivered.

RMW has no grasp of why we need single sex spaces. He's thinking of it like a club all the year 4s want to be in, and he'll have the cool club and then we'll be sorry being in the sad non cool club. He has no clue what we're fighting for or why.

It's like when TRAs say 'well how'd you like to be misgendered, eh? How'd you like it if I called you he/him?' and they don't get that we wouldn't care, we'd think the person doing it was being weird but it wouldn't wound our very souls as they think it does.

Because we are not appearing as women, and we don't need to be seen as women, we are women. Whatever label is on the women's toilets, whatever stupid pronouns you use for us we will still be women because that is what we actually are. RMW will never understand that.

Grammarnut · 14/05/2025 08:50

Load of (hairy) cock and balls. Also indicative of how TRAs are going for ways to overturn or nullify the SC ruling. Afaik no transwoman is a woman, whether they hold a GRC or not, they are men and excluded from women's spaces.

Bannedontherun · 14/05/2025 08:36

@RoyalCorgi Exactly my thought.

OP posts:
ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 14/05/2025 08:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I don’t think he does. He just enjoys forcing other people to say he does.

RoyalCorgi · 14/05/2025 08:35

fromorbit · 12/05/2025 20:14

Also raises the question why didn't GLP team up with Mermaids or any other trans charity to apply for intervention. Then they would have had grounds and would have been considered.

According to Joylon no groups were interested in joining with him because they didn't think it was worth it.

Given that GLP teamed up with Mermaids before and lost maybe the actual reason they wouldn't team up with GLP because they didn't like the idea of losing again.

There's a fairly obvious reason, as far as I can see. The Supreme Court had to decide between two positions. The FWS case was that the word "women" in the Equality Act referred to biological women. The Scottish government's case was that the word "women" referred to biological women, plus biological men with a GRC, and minus biological women with a GRC.

Crucially, the Scottish government recognised that the word "women" did not apply to biological men who had no GRC but simply identified as female.

The position of Stonewall, GLP, Mermaids and all the rest of the shower of idiots has for years been one of self-identification: anyone who says they're a woman is a woman. If they'd intervened in support of the Scottish government they'd have been arguing against their own position. They'd have had to admit, in fact, that they'd been misrepresenting the law for years.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 14/05/2025 08:34

Helen Joyce is appearing on WH this morning.

She’s gonna be dynamite! 🧨

Shortshriftandlethal · 14/05/2025 08:31

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

thirdfiddle · 14/05/2025 08:30

I think further legal action and appeals by TRAs are needed and will be helpful to test their claims. Until they do so, they will continue to claim that they are legally correct.

Perhaps naively I thought the supreme court /was/ the further legal action. What's left to test. "But does the law really mean to make me sad?"

JazzyJelly · 14/05/2025 08:25

I wouldn't mind being 'outed' by using the TERF toilets.

Chersfrozenface · 14/05/2025 07:45

I feel that our legal profession should get out there and explain to the public how judicial review works in the UK. They can add a side order of explaining how the Supreme Court works.

Wouldn't that potentially deprive lawyers of a number of lucrative gigs? /cynic

Brainworm · 14/05/2025 07:36

TheKhakiQuail · 14/05/2025 07:19

Could make it difficult for employers to estimate how much 666 provision they will need, if entry is based on a combination of sex + belief / sex + religion / sex + any other criteria such as preference or history of trauma. The number needed could fluctuate wildly from year to year in large organisations.

💯

I think RMW makes this statement thinking that it gives GC women a taste of what it’s like to be othered. I doubt any GC women care about othering. We want the expectation for single sex provision to be understood as reasonable and proportionate and for it to be delivered.

TheKhakiQuail · 14/05/2025 07:19

Brainworm · 14/05/2025 06:51

Don't forget all the allies - using the gender neutral facilities can replace putting pronouns in your bio. This can be a new way of showing your support!

RMW has suggested that third spaces are the solution but they should be provided for biological women who want to exclude males. I think his vision of this is that there are two mixed sex spaces that have different signs outside (a stick man and a stick man in a skirt) and then some enclosed cubicles with 666 written on the doors that are female only.

To avoid detriment claims, organisations would have to have banks and banks of 666 provision.

Could make it difficult for employers to estimate how much 666 provision they will need, if entry is based on a combination of sex + belief / sex + religion / sex + any other criteria such as preference or history of trauma. The number needed could fluctuate wildly from year to year in large organisations.

Brainworm · 14/05/2025 06:51

TheKhakiQuail · 14/05/2025 06:32

Is RMW assuming only trans people would use the new spaces? Where they are available, lots of people use gender neutral spaces for a variety of reasons, eg a gender neutral toilet cubicle may be used by anyone wanting extra privacy, or because it's nearest, or if trans people are worried about it being 'outing' friends and allies could use them for political reasons. Likewise family style change cubicles could be used by families, people who are uncomfortable with their bodies, or simply prefer more privacy. If a space is available people will use it even when they shouldn't (eg accessible toilets and designated car parks), so it's highly unlikely well designed spaces wouldn't be embraced by a variety of people.

Don't forget all the allies - using the gender neutral facilities can replace putting pronouns in your bio. This can be a new way of showing your support!

RMW has suggested that third spaces are the solution but they should be provided for biological women who want to exclude males. I think his vision of this is that there are two mixed sex spaces that have different signs outside (a stick man and a stick man in a skirt) and then some enclosed cubicles with 666 written on the doors that are female only.

To avoid detriment claims, organisations would have to have banks and banks of 666 provision.