To think that a Rape Crisis centre should not have a transwoman CEO?

[ArabellaScott]

Mridhul Wadhwa has just been appointed CEO of Edinburgh Rape Crisis. The job was advertised as for women only. Mridhul is a transwoman (born male) without a Gender Recognition Certificate.

AIBU to think that women survivors of rape and sexual violence should be able to have a female only space?

theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2021/05/new-boss-for-edinburgh-rape-crisis-centre/

Cross Post - I see that post has been deleted. Happy for mine to be deleted in that case.

I don't actually have a problem with a CEO of a rape crisis centre being a male or a transwoman, assuming that they are not also acting as a counsellor for female victims. I don't know if ERC also has facilities for male rape victims, they may well do.
However, given they advertised the role as needing to be filled by a woman, under the exemptions act, presumably it isn't the case that it coud be filled by a man - so i don't understand how someone who is both biologically and legally (no GRC) not a woman can possibly fulfil that criteria? If it doesnt need to be either biologically or even legally a woman, then why did they advertise with those criteria?
Surely all the men who didn't apply on the grounds they didn't qualify could now appeal this?

Not quite, OP. A female can support other females through trauma and horrific experiences. Why is it you're so against that?

Who is saying a female can’t support another female in this way?

You seem to be casting aspersions widely and denigrating other women with slurs widely. Yet, you also seem to be rather misinformed about these vital facts.

How many of the posters on here are tradwives? So many act and speak as 1950's husbands would expect them to. How very sad.

LOL. Because gender identity ideology isn't completely built on sexist stereotypes or anything.

Just requoting this here because it made me go WTAF!

The work is incredibly emotionally draining, so Wadhwa has to be balanced and mindful of her own emotional state. The Student asked her what she does to take care of herself: “Well I don’t deal with individual survivors every day, so for me what I do in terms of self-care is a lot of avoidance. I do see survivors – four a week usually – who help me stay connected to the cause…but it’s important to keep it fun. We should be able to laugh and use humour atwork.In terms of my team, I try to cook for them once a week or every other week.”

Yeah gotta keep the job of helping traumatised people "fun" eh?

So the CEO isn't doing the counseling I'm guessing. A bit like NHS bosses ain't all heart surgeons. If I need to access any help I don't care who provides it just so long as I get the help I need. I've had embarrassing examinations by both men and women. I never at any point thought the men were getting off on it or questioning if the female docs in fact had a pair of XY chromosomes that they had cunningly disguised in order to trick me.
If we are saying these places are women only spaces then does that mean all the other women should have to prove they are women too by way of a blood test?

@Helleofabore

Not quite, OP. A female can support other females through trauma and horrific experiences. Why is it you're so against that?

Who is saying a female can’t support another female in this way?

You seem to be casting aspersions widely and denigrating other women with slurs widely. Yet, you also seem to be rather misinformed about these vital facts.

If you can't read or understand my comments, please feel free to disregard them.

I can't accept this as ok. Nothing to do with whether the candidate is a man or a woman.

"They do not recognise that women and girls deserve a female only sex space. Not fine. "

Does not fit with the policy and morals and views, aspirations and goals of the company. So, that's what's puzzling/mystifying?

@BetterKateThanNever

Yes, I do believe women are female. Is that so hard to comprehend?

How many of the posters on here are tradwives? So many act and speak as 1950's husbands would expect them to. How very sad.

Before we continue this conversation, I think we need to check what everyone is saying.

When you say "woman", what concept do you intend to convey?

When you say "male" and "female", what concepts do you intend to convey?

@Graffitiqueen Gaslighting? Do you even know what that means?

assuming that they are not also acting as a counsellor for female victims

According to a MNer they did. I posted the quote upthread, and she felt that MW was dismissive and more interested in scrolling through their phone.

Rape is an extreme action by a man to invade a woman's space, deny her right to refuse, cause her physical harm, trample her boundaries, tell her that she is has no rights.

A more subtle way for a man to give the same message is to demand entry to women's single-sex spaces, deny their right to privacy, cause financial harm by taking women's jobs and roles (just the prestigious ones -- not the shitwork), complain that women's boundaries are prejudiced, and tell them that they have no right to object.

It would be kind not to do that to women who have already suffered trauma. As one could reasonably expect of someone wishing to work with rape survivors.

Yeah gotta keep the job of helping traumatised people "fun" eh?

Yes. One could say that this person has their own agenda all round....

@QuarantineQueen

I don't actually have a problem with a CEO of a rape crisis centre being a male or a transwoman, assuming that they are not also acting as a counsellor for female victims. I don't know if ERC also has facilities for male rape victims, they may well do. However, given they advertised the role as needing to be filled by a woman, under the exemptions act, presumably it isn't the case that it coud be filled by a man - so i don't understand how someone who is both biologically and legally (no GRC) not a woman can possibly fulfil that criteria? If it doesnt need to be either biologically or even legally a woman, then why did they advertise with those criteria? Surely all the men who didn't apply on the grounds they didn't qualify could now appeal this?

This sums up my take on it.

I see no reason personally why a manager of a rape crisis centre shouldn’t be male. It’s not a client facing role, and the skill set needed to run a centre is very different to the skill set needed to counsel and support victims of sexual assault (not that I think men aren’t fully capable of doing the latter).

But if they felt it was necessary to employ a female/woman in the role, why didn’t they? I’m of the belief that trans women are women, but I recognise the law states they aren’t until they’re legally recognised as women and it seems this person isn’t. So the crux seems to be that they’ve excluded a lot of potentially capable men from the post by only being willing to interview and employ own biological male and not any others. I think other men who might have wanted to apply for the post could have a case for discrimination here.

It's unusual but I don't think it's necessarily a disaster. If this person has the skills needed to be a good CEO that's the important thing. It's also important to remember people born male can be victims of rape by men just as much as women.

When they appear to have very little empathy for women. Isn't that strange.

@Bang4Bond

Out of all the jobs this person could have done they chose to work with rape victims ...

Because she is passionate about supporting them! How wonderful, if only we all had the opportunity to do so.

[quote BetterKateThanNever]@Graffitiqueen Gaslighting? Do you even know what that means? [/quote]
I guess we should then ask you to tell us what the word female means since I have been confused by your posts.

Did you state that transwoman was female?

A more subtle way for a man to give the same message is to demand entry to women's single-sex spaces, deny their right to privacy, cause financial harm by taking women's jobs and roles (just the prestigious ones -- not the shitwork), complain that women's boundaries are prejudiced, and tell them that they have no right to object.

It would be kind not to do that to women who have already suffered trauma. As one could reasonably expect of someone wishing to work with rape survivors.

Indeed. Or perhaps not.

You have to ask yourself how is it possible (and what is the point of trying) to rationally discuss an issue with someone who is so invested in denying reality that they insist that a male person is actually female?

For those who haven’t come across this phenomenon before, here we have a perfect example of a Trans Rights Activist who won’t acknowledge any distinction whatsoever between female people and male people who identify as female people.

Of course, if we ask BetterKateThanNever what the word “female” actually means or refers to, we won’t get a clear answer, if we get one at all.

Another person who doesn’t want woman to have boundaries. Not even in the words we use.

Very disturbing. And very misogynistic.

@Confusedandshaken

It's unusual but I don't think it's necessarily a disaster. If this person has the skills needed to be a good CEO that's the important thing. It's also important to remember people born male can be victims of rape by men just as much as women.

Unfortunately, they have already shown the women of Scotland what their policies priorities are.

And they are not about centering females in their time of need.

LOL. Because gender identity ideology isn't completely built on sexist stereotypes or anything.

@chocolateorangeinhaler

So the CEO isn't doing the counseling I'm guessing. A bit like NHS bosses ain't all heart surgeons. If I need to access any help I don't care who provides it just so long as I get the help I need. I've had embarrassing examinations by both men and women. I never at any point thought the men were getting off on it or questioning if the female docs in fact had a pair of XY chromosomes that they had cunningly disguised in order to trick me. If we are saying these places are women only spaces then does that mean all the other women should have to prove they are women too by way of a blood test?

So why state that only female applicants should apply then?