My WI group folded this week

Yes. They would have to change them to benefit everyone. But at least that would be legal.

when I said “simplest” I didn’t mean simple. Just the least complex.

i don’t think it’s a good idea, or should be done. But they are hell bent on having men join that’s how they could do it.

But not for the women who go who want it to be women only to run themselves.

And no longer a safe space for traumatised women nor those from
culy where a woman only organisation is simpler.

They would have to change their charitable objects first

The simplest solution from the WI perspective would be to make it open to all.

Oh it is just self - identify : the previous criteria was “living as a woman” however you want to interpret that . And a situation last year showed that it didn’t even have to be permanently either . Turn up in a dress for WI things in your female name and you are fine regardless of what you do the rest of the week . ……

It has been hinted in newspaper articles that Labour intends to ammend the EA "to do away with "anomalies" ie that Labour thought they had stitched it up for TW by creating the concept of legal sex (those with a GRC).

If this did happen the Supreme Court ruling would no longer apply although it would mean that only one protected characteristic, sex, could be negated by another (gender re-assignment).

I wonder if you can have a constitution that is based on "identifying" as a woman. This is probably what WI HQ wants as it would be an even greater member pool. ie not just those on the pathway to or having a GRC. That's only 10,000 people. Just think how big the membership could be if was based on "identifying"

They will have to change the Equality Act 2010 first. As far as I can see any charitable purpose to benefit women and some men is unlawful discrimination.

They'll change our Constitution - then they can

We'll be a U3A mark 2

I'm not sure what activities we do that are open to non-members.

Usually a WI sub-group is only open to members of that WI - a 'perk' if you like

They're trying to steamroller over everything.

I wonder how our (volunteer) national trustees really feel about all this - it's very much led by our CEO

Although I disagree the the people Unherd labels the Queer Left don't create. There are wonderful creative spaces in art, music and suchlike where LGB and gender non-conformism is part of the energy and aesthetic.

It's partly why the whole TRA thing breaks my heart, because that positive instinct has been misdirected into something like looks superficially progressive but is actually sexist, regressive and limiting (not to mention in many cases physically damaging). And with it, a movement for acceptance and hedonism has turned in one of paranoia and rage.

In fact if I were feeling psychoanalisy, I might wonder whether the rage is really because of the subconscious knowledge that this is wrong and that genderism is sexist, illogical and internally contradictory, and the rage is really the discomfort of that cognitive dissonance turned outwards rather than facing what the mind knows internally to be true.

No, I don’t think so. I don’t think there’s a lawful way to create a charity to benefit that combination of protected characteristics. Even if the entire membership, the trustees, the privy council and the King all wanted it.

They can if they allow actual men and put it to the vote.

I'll vote with my feet...

They are starting Sisterhood groups (yes, really) open to anyone and everyone, of whatever sex/gender they are. They're supposed to be a sub-group of any existing WI that wants one - just like Book clubs or lunch groups or craft groups. And self- funding.

Will be interesting to see what happens

We never usually have to sign a form when we renew our membership but because they've finally accepted that they were breaking the law (as we are a charity and therefore could be women-only as per our Constitution) they've rewritten it - with all that added guff, We only have to sign in once, never again. But no sign=no membership

The members of my institute know what is being asked of them but they just want our very successful, very happy group to continue

So they've signed

Unless NFWI publish the figures (unlikely) we'll never know the true outcome

You have to agree to follow their Code of Conduct and ED&I policy (which they can change whenever they feel like it)
Up till now, we've only had to abide by our Constitution - which is perfectly reasonable

Yes. It just astounds me. If some women wanted a "like the WI, but with trans women" or "like the WI but mixed sex" they could always have set that up.

But it wasn't the activity of the social group that was important to them in reality, it was that "women" had to include TW. So like a cuckoo or a parasite wasp, only the already existing WI would do.

Reading the article I've just linked upthread reminded me of this comment I read below an article in Unherd. Apologies to the person who posted, I've forgotten their name or I'd credit them

I think the Queer Left are like Tolkien’s orcs in that they cannot create. They can only mock, pervert, and twist truths and ideas. They’re miserable husks raging at the strong and the good.

A new Telegraph article

https://archive.ph/T6A6y

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/04/womens-institute-tearing-itself-apart-over-trans-policy-uk/

Apparently some of 'mister'hood groups are up and running.

This bit

The policy states that transgender women are welcome to attend the WI’s “range of local and national activities that are open to non-members”.

I wouldn't have a problem with. From the way it's worded these events would be open to anybody, any man, no matter how he's dressed. Perhaps underlining that trans identifying men would be included too in a necessary clarification. I'm sure that's why it was worded like that.

But this

The 12-page policy document, seen by The Telegraph, sets out the National Federation of Women’s Institutes’ (NFWI) “legal position on equality, diversity and inclusion” and warns that “contravention of this policy would affect the ability of WIs and federations to operate”.

But it has enraged some members who claim that the policy is discriminatory towards those who hold gender-critical views.

They are also unhappy about a new compulsory requirement to sign a membership form, which asks them to confirm that they are a biological woman and agree with all NFWI policies, including any future policies that may be published.

Is overreach, imo. This woman makes a good point

One said: “They’re basically asking us to sign a ‘blank cheque’ – agreeing to policies we may disagree with, including some that haven’t even been published – which seems pretty risky.”

One member mentions taking legal advice.

I don't think folk should be forced to sign anything re their beliefs. I think it contavenes our human rights

Both the WI groups I belonged to shut down,the first one was over 100years old.When it closed we went to the next village and joined theirs.The President was unhappy with things,so it closed and we now have a ladies group,same members.So neither my village nor the adjoining one has a WI now.

It is important if shutting that money held is spent,otherwise it goes back to the WI.We spent ours and when the women came to “officially “ close us,they were incandescent with rage because there was only a few pence left!much arguing about it,made us all delighted we were leaving.

This is so very strange. The WI has decided that being a member involves believing that men can be women? What on earth are they thinking?

All I’ve had to do is redo my form with my details and at the bottom it states that I was born a female. No big deal.

it’s a huge shame that WI’s are closing.

@Mauvish1

i have sent you a DM - I am the one who posted the original post on here about this . Can you check your inbox?

The EDI policy says "Our inclusion of transgender women in activities outside of membership is based on our belief that being a woman is about biology and lived experience", there is a chunk about inclusive language as well and reporting members who don't use it, coupled with it's important to find out how non-binary want to be addressed.

The form states you are female and that you "acknowledge and agree to follow all NFWI policies and the Code of Conduct".

I believe it's very draconian.