AIBU to be extremely proud of Justine Roberts & Mumsnet right now?

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

Open access link. www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mumsnet-founder-justine-roberts-transgender-activists-try-to-curb-free-speech-on-site-z3sr3nf6q?shareToken=ade388be59ac427155003eff83c5158c

“Transgender activists have contacted Mumsnet advertisers and said they will be organising a boycott of their products if they don’t remove their advertising from Mumsnet,” Roberts said.

“A significant minority of our users feel very strongly about women’s rights and very uneasy [about the proposals]. This is an issue that needs to be discussed and that’s why we’re prepared to take any potential advertising hit.”

Why was the feminism board muted then?

Thank you Justine and MNHQ

The FWR board is not hidden or muted. It is simply that topics from that folder do not appear in the Active list.

Sickening behaviour by TRAs. I also would not support companies who are complicit in suppressing free speech about legitimate concerns over the erosion of womens rights in favour of a very small minority of trans people.

I also support genuine MTF / FTM people whose lives are blighted by their condition and I think their cause has been hijacked by TRAs with a misogynist agenda. I am a tolerant person but I cant pretend "transwomen are women". I respect trans people enough to think they deserve their own category. I dont think its helpful to lump male born people in with female born. I could go on.

Well done for speaking out Justine but i worry about the state of the world that it makes you "a target" for doing this.

Thank you Justine. From one of the lurkers. I am sure there are more of us who read and follow the threads on FWR but are not brave enough to post.

Thank you Justine and MNHQ.

I will also boycott any advertiser who pulls out due to TRA bullying. Like so many other mums here, I'm the one with the purchasing power due to having to do so much of the life admin. Advertisers should think carefully about which 'side' is more valuable to them.

Well done. Not sure about the 'minority' comment. But anyway, shutting down the opposition's free speech is not the way anyone with a real argument would want to win a debate.

I think it's more important that I applaud the sentiment and the direction of travel.

This. It doesn't need to cover exactly what's going to happen, that's a subject for the boards. It's simply a public statement on Justine & MN's position.

Well DoneJustine.

I too think MNHQ has peak transed.

👏🏻 agree with PP's that it's a significant majority than a minority- many of us are not able to voice opinions due to concerns about anonymity and the impact on our employment public sector here I have to be PC at all times

Thank you, Justine.

Thank you

Thank you Justine and MNHQ - this really matters and I am so pleased you have taken this stance

I'm very happy to hear this. Freedom of speech is so important and yet some people don't want it... I wonder why?

On the other hand, I'm not happy to hear that FWR won't be showing up in active convos as that's how I normally access them. Another long time lurker here, not ready to post but always find it interesting.

""I will boycott any advertiser that pulls out of MN due to trans extremist pressure. Brands that are complicit in bullying women into silence will not get my custom. ""

Agreed

I suspect it may be a significant majority rather than a minority that feel strongly about women's rights, but until all women can speak freely with no fear of repercussions we'll never know.

I also agree with this. I work within a health care setting where transgender rights and issues are beginning to take centre stage. I am happy to support transgender people's right to access good quality healthcare and my role in this would be predominantly an educational one, ensuring that they are sufficiently informed and comfortable to proceed with treatment and as such have given informed consent to procedures based on this.

However I do not believe that transwomen are women. I believe they are different, not lesser. I would not be doing my job properly if I merely treated them as a woman, if I did so I would miss great swathes of their experience and particular issues that would potentially affect their decision making around accessing treatment.

I am not sure I could openly state the above within my workplace at present. The organisation is hyper vigilant to any perceived criticism or 'bigotry' towards transpeople and as such i would be very cautious as to who i might explore this issue with within the boundaries of my professional role.

Well done Justine.
More great news this morning www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/allowing-boys-to-be-guides-is-wrong-v0dngnvjp

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a3219589-to-ask-you-to-sign-our-letter-to-girlguiding-uk?msgid=77131018#77131018

Thank you. I have two young trans people in my life and there is nowhere else I can express my worry for them. Any questioning of their choices or even worry for the reprecussions if their choices (e.g. infertility) is not allowed anywhere else but here. Neither can I talk about being worried for other vulnerable women (rape victims, domestic abuse victims etc) who may have to share spaces with natal men on the pretext they are women just because they say so. The discussion is very nuanced and women's voices are being silenced by companies who think they are being progressive when in fact the opposite is true. Thank you Mumsnet.

Imagine TRAs actually contacting MN advertisers to try to shut down conversation. That's really horrifying and worrying that any group would think that is ok.

Come on Justine, I know it's a Sunday but come over here and take a bow!

I will boycott any advertiser that pulls out of MN due to trans extremist pressure. Brands that are complicit in bullying women into silence will not get my custom.

Hear hear!

I was previously unaware that the FWR boards are muted. Why is this?

I won't be happy to support any advertiser that pulls out because we want a discussion with my custom.