Is it ok for my mum to join the WI?

Well, you do seem quite emotional. But regardless of her child’s sex, we’re all just feeling sorry for the mum.

Honestly I'd feel really silly if I made such a basic mistake about an issue I claim to be well versed and passionate about
I would wonder if I am all too emotional about this to look at any issue surrounding it rationally. Maybe I am more anti man than pro woman.

Who said they couldn't? Other than the people here who assumed this person MUST be male?

Proving that women can be controlling misogynists too.

It might just be entitlement. What they are likely to be almost without question is white. I really don't know why everyone here assumed the OP was male. There are more trans and NB identified women than men. If someone is trans, it is a more sure bet to assume they were born female.

I think the trans person concerned will be thrilled you all arent misgendering them.

https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/comments/1rjn7mm/comment/o8h54vy/?context=3&utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

They make it clear they are FTM. Looks like those guessy guesses based on gender stereotypes arent very accurate..good on you all for being progressive though.

I did overhear two ladies in the charity shop discussing local crossdressers the other day. This may shock you, but there was open misgendering.

To whom should it be reported?

Looking at his post it makes perfect sense why mum would want to go somewhere he couldn’t. Must be exhausting having a child who is so controlling.

If my son came along and tried to “educate” me or said I should ask his permission to go to a club, his “permission “ would be shoved where the sun doesn’t shine!
What is it with that generation? Is it just the new -old- face of misogyny?

Ive been a WI member- it’s not just jam and Jerusalem, we did discuss politics, and current issues, but not in a party political way. Mostly it was visits to gardens, interesting talks on everything from midwifery in India, through bird watching to better cake making and amateur dramatics.

I get the twitch whe I see someone wanting to educate others about something that they have just admitted they don’t actually know about / the arrogance that they are better placed to research and educate is fascinating

I hope its fake, and its just a made up scenario to trigger criticism of the WI.

If its real, its deeply concerning behaviour all round. The mother is asking permission to join a club, and the adult child is using randoms on the intetnet to justify the control. They'll know that at least one reply will say WI is transphobic.

When my Mum used to go they had things like a demonstration on how to fold napkins in different ways, used to drink tea and have a slice of a homemade fruitcake. It was a place to go for company not politics.

Totally agree - thing is in any group of mature adults you will get a variety of views on this kind of issue, same as you will politics - it’s not as if they are going to be discussing beating them up and he/she needs to mind their own business what his mother does and stop thinking anyone else’s life revolves around them

Child/parent abuse and control is fairly common, unfortunately. Guess which sex of child and which parent tends to be involved?

Indeed. Can you imagine the pressure he's put on her to comply with his ideological demands?
"Repeat after me mother - TWAW"

It also suggests that she's been told not to do other things or join other groups if her offspring doesn't approve.

I wish they'd get it into their (sometimes thick) heads that we're pro women and girls and not anti anyone. There are times in everyone's life when exclusion is necessary and not a bad thing. Like when M and S keep their mens changing rooms for men and Superdrug have signs saying "products for men". But when we want to keep things for us, we're being "anti" and horrid.

This time Winston was startled into self-forgetfulness.

'You here!' he said.

Parsons gave Winston a glance in which there was neither interest nor surprise, but only misery. He began walking jerkily up and down, evidently unable to keep still. Each time he straightened his pudgy knees it was apparent that they were trembling. His eyes had a wide-open, staring look, as though he could not prevent himself from gazing at something in the middle distance.

'What are you in for?' said Winston.

'Thoughtcrime!' said Parsons, almost blubbering. The tone of his voice implied at once a complete admission of his guilt and a sort of incredulous horror that such a word could be applied to himself. He paused opposite Winston and began eagerly appealing to him: 'You don't think they'll shoot me, do you, old chap? They don't shoot you if you haven't actually done anything -- only thoughts, which you can't help? I know they give you a fair hearing. Oh, I trust them for that! They'll know my record, won't they? You know what kind of chap I was. Not a bad chap in my way. Not brainy, of course, but keen. I tried to do my best for the Party, didn't I? I'll get off with five years, don't you think? Or even ten years? A chap like me could make himself pretty useful in a labour-camp. They wouldn't shoot me for going off the rails just once?'

'Are you guilty?' said Winston.

'Of course I'm guilty!' cried Parsons with a servile glance at the telescreen. 'You don't think the Party would arrest an innocent man, do you?' His frog-like face grew calmer, and even took on a slightly sanctimonious expression. 'Thoughtcrime is a dreadful thing, old man,' he said sententiously. 'It's insidious. It can get hold of you without your even knowing it. Do you know how it got hold of me? In my sleep! Yes, that's a fact. There I was, working away, trying to do my bit -- never knew I had any bad stuff in my mind at all. And then I started talking in my sleep. Do you know what they heard me saying?'

He sank his voice, like someone who is obliged for medical reasons to utter an obscenity.

"Down with Big Brother!" Yes, I said that! Said it over and over again, it seems. Between you and me, old man, I'm glad they got me before it went any further. Do you know what I'm going to say to them when I go up before the tribunal? "Thank you," I'm going to say, "thank you for saving me before it was too late."

'Who denounced you?' said Winston.

'It was my little daughter,' said Parsons with a sort of doleful pride. 'She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don't bear her any grudge for it. In fact I'm proud of her. It shows I brought her up in the right spirit, anyway.'

It sounds all too plausible to me, sadly, he’s probably putting her under a lot of pressure to be a “trans ally”.

I found the thread & while there’s the occasional response saying she should do what she likes, a lot of them are suggesting she should either join & then push for trans inclusion, join one of the mixed sex “sisterhood groups” they’re setting up or just not join at all.

Honestly I think the post is entirely fake. I can't imagine any grown woman of retirement age concerning herself with whether to participate or not in an activity or club based on their stance in regards to trans ideology.

"they're not anti-trans, are they?" 🙄 Give me a break can you seriously see that coming out of a grown woman's mouth? Either she's aware and doesn't care or she would just find something else to do/another club.

What a creepy guy. And the self centredness of these people never fails to astound me.

As though hearing GC points of view is the very worst thing ever.

Reminds me of a Ricky Gervais sketch when he was talking about a website where you can check for upsetting stuff in films. Someone had searched ' is there any misgendering in Schindler's list' - because it's fine to watch a film about death camps but misgendering is beyond the pale!!

What an odd post (the Reddit one quoted by the OP; not the OP's), and I agree there are absolutely some red flags there.

Ultimately, always assuming it is absolutely genuine, regardless of anyone's opinion on the WI or on some people's subscription to the GC stance, what his mother does with her own time is her own damn business.

Allowing a parent to decide what to do is controlling, or even expressing it that way.

The response to the question should be that the WI is complying with the law.