I have just posted this over on FWR, but I actually meant to post it here as it is very relevant imho.
“It was the gasps and cries of transphobia that brought me to the FWR boards a few years ago. I was worried and horrifed, because I hated to think that there was a section of this great community on mumsnet, who could be so openly hateful to people who were just trying to live their own lives in their own way and who don’t affect my life by doing so. So I looked, and I looked and I couldn’t find this transphobia at all, what I found, was an intelligent respectful debate, involving and including Women and Transwomen/TransMen/Lesbians/Gay men etc... discussing the pitfalls of the proposed changes to self identification and the very serious detrimental effect that these secretive proposals could have on the lives of women and girls. I learned about the GRA, Radical Feminism, the equality act, the Cotton Ceiling, Lady Dick (confused), the perjorative use of the word TERF, the diminutive use of CIS, Women’s refuges, dangerous Puberty Blocker use on children, no platforming, breast binding, Autogynophilia, companies/organsitions etc... who now seem to think the word ‘Woman’ is a dirty word and so on. (I could go in all day about what I have learned there but you get my drift.)
I lurk mostly, as I always worry that I cannot add anything as constructive and eloquent as those already contributing to the boards, but I read very regularly and am eternally grateful for the work that these brave Women, men and Transpeople, are doing to protect my rights, and those of all of the women and girls in the UK, whether they realise they need these protections yet or not.
If Flora (Upfield) had done any research at all, they would have seen what I have seen, and realised that by their actions, are not only destroying brand confidence in their products, but placing themselves very firmly on the wrong side of history.
Fuck you Upfield, if you don’t care for my rights, I don’t care for your products. There are many more lurkers like me, who will see this as a massive fuck you to Women and girls across the UK just as I do.
Thank you Mumsnet, for allowing this debate to rage on, I understand how difficult it must be, but it’s so important to continue nevertheless. It wouldn’t surprise me to find that this actually brings these issues more into the mainstream and once people check the FWR boards out properly, like I did, they will find that it’s not a “hotbed of transphobia” at all
but actually a very wise and sensible debate, that absolutely must be had.”