To think it is not at all sad that the Women's Institute is now only for actual women?

[SingleSexSpacesInSchools]

“Incredibly sadly, we will have to restrict our membership on the basis of biological sex from April next year,” Green said. “But the message we really want to get across is that it remains our firm belief that transgender women are women, and that doesn’t change.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/dec/03/womens-institute-no-longer-accept-trans-women-members-april

Tellingly - they still think women can have a penis.

Spiteful and petty to want men to stay out of women only spaces and organisations?
Fine by me

That's one way to attempt a derail, I guess. Can you make it funny?

Someone mentioned Trump upthread so it was in response to that.

I doubt I can make it funny for you. Any ideas?

I'd rather be spiteful and petty than a liar or an idiot.

I’m neither petty nor spiteful, I’m fucking raging.
And yes, trans men can come into WI, but as many trans identifying women aka transmen, want to identify outside of their female sex class and take part in so called stereotypically male pursuits, I’d be suprised if many wanted to. But yes, they’re very welcome.

I'll have a think and get back to you. In the meantime, stay on topic. Derails are so boring.

It was perfectly clear.

You failed to understand what I wrote which is your issue not mine.

Nowhere did I state it’s sad that private organisations cannot choose to ignore the law.

Saying it’s sad they cannot decide for themselves makes it very clear I am talking about the restrictions the law imposes.

I'm gender critical and was unimpressed by the insistence in the WI's statement that they still believe "transwomen are women", when they clearly are not. But I have to say I see the WI as a different case from the Girl Guides, where members are children and activities commonly include overnight stays, i.e. where there's a safeguarding issue, particularly given that for confidentiality reasons parents are excluded from knowing which other children are trans. The WI's activities - unless I'm mistaken - don't involve shared overnight accommodation for children and young people so much as talks, daytime visits and jam-making competitions for adults. In fact, tbh, I'm quite surprised that membership isn't open to men anyway, and take a dim view of that in the same way as I take a dim view of women being excluded from meaningful membership of the freemasons. I would rather the WI had squared the circle by reiterating their openness to men than excluding trans people, many of whom, I'm willing to bet, are not the TRA type of trans people who insist that they actually are women, which is the bit I find most offensive.

As are you.

'without any issues.' - just means that women didn't say anything. Hardly bloody surprising, given how we have seen women who speak up are treated. Job loss, death threats, rape threats, shunning, called 'Germs' and 'Terfs' and all sorts of dehumanising names. Elderly women actually punched and attacked.

It's why I left. When I choose to socialise at a women only group, I expect them to actually be women.

I have enough of males in the rest of my life. Glad I can rejoin come April.

@SingleSexSpacesInSchools the delay is because the membership year runs from April to April, so it's no renewals for thos males who joined.

are you ok with a trans man turning up?

Why wouldn't we be? They're just women with, sometimes, a bit of beard growth and/or a mastectomy. By the time you get to your late middle age, most of us know and are used to women who have had breasts removed, and ditto a bit of facial hair.

Stop pretending short hair and a flannel shirt turns a woman into a man.

Yes it's not rocket science is it. Why do people think we care if some women with beards and tats turn up, they are indeed still woman.

I'm loving how the whole ridiculous farce is finally ending. Make your own gender neutral places just clear off out of women only areas.

No more so than you are.

Good on the WI to stick to their guns and belief that transgender women are women. I agree with them wholeheartedly - and no, save your breath and "What aboutism", "pervs in dresses" etc. etc. :D
Just here to say what I believe - end of.
Carry on :D

The law in no way prevents them including TW. It prevents them including TW whilst excluding other men. They could have changed to a mixed sex organisation and become fully inclusive.
The law isn't about who you're allowed to include, it's about who you're allowed to exclude.
Which is a really important difference.

Glad you clarified. I wasn't the only one to take your words at face value.

I know three women who identify as transmen. Of course they would be welcome at a WI, because they are women.

However, two of them are vociferous in rejecting anything they perceive as 'For Women', so I can't see them fancying the WI.

Of course if the WI had gone officially mixed sex then a lot of women would have either left or fought it.

'end of'.

Alrighty. 😂

Unfortunately saying stupid things like ", you think women aren't people" just turns people off to what you're trying to say because it makes you sound silly and childish. It's something a ten year old would say to win an argument.

Even raging misogynists know women are people. They're just people they don't give a shit about.

Exactly this. Silent victims being given a voice by this court ruling 👍

JKR: I am funding two charities for vulnerable women and children.

RANDOM: Why aren't you helping people?

What do you infer Random thinks about women and children?

They are men

Quite possibly. Which I'm sure would have been a consideration in their decision making.
My point is that this is being framed as the wicked draconian 'law' and the spiteful women who got it clarified are forcing institutions to ban TW. When that actually isn't the case at all. Institutions are fully at liberty to include TW provided they don't also intend to exclude other men.