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.

You know what, I think all things considered women have exercised the most remarkable fucking forbearance.

Women have been sexually assaulted as a direct result of this shit. And plain assaulted. As well as all the threats, insults, bullying, job losses. Children have been harmed. They tried to take all our stuff, and the words so that we lost the ability to describe what was happening. AND then told us we were horrible fash bigots for complaining.

So the 'very slightly bolshy/jubilant' tone is, in fact, what happens when determined women squish their rage and fury and hurt and anger and fear and confusion down for a very long time and put it on the backburner, because they know that in order to win all these endless stupid fucking battles - to demonstrate that humans come in one of two sexes and these are immutable, in 2025 ffs - we have had to be endlessly poised, courageous, tenacious, resilient, dogged, strategically silent, bold, etc, to make sustained effort, donate what we can, risk what we dare, and we've had to work against all the patriarchal naysaying from bloody everywhere, and do it all backwards, in heels.

I'm surprised we're not all out there setting fire to things and advancing like raging, teeth gnashing Sheela Na Gigs on the House of Commons, to be perfectly honest.

That’s good, pleased to hear it.

' It makes sex-realist action look cruel, disproportionate and obsessive.'

Fuck me, why aren't women allowed our own stuff without being called cruel and obsessive?

I amnt sure that single sex organisations should exist except where there is a rational need - because anything else reinforces stereotypes. Of course this may because the only ways I have come across the WI are judging cake baking and the like which is pretty sex independent and I haven’t seen them in any roles that aim to Overcome prejudice or specific female issues

but my comment mainly was - if they want to be fully inclusive, include all men. And given their attitude they offer nothing in particular for women because they are happy to offer it to some men. How can they be helping overcome problem women face if they believe that transowmen are women ?

Yep and it really doesn’t. Attacks like this are male centric.

I amnt sure that single sex organisations should exist except where there is a rational need

You often aren't aware of the need until the organisation starts; they can be very valuable for women in abusive or controlling relationships, for a start, even if that wasn't their original purpose.

But even that aside, women are allowed to congregate away from men for the simple reason that they want to. They don't need to justify it to men!

I really think Men’s Sheds should be male only. The one I know of locally has done excellent work in getting men to open up about their mental health. That wouldn’t happen so easily if women joined. I’m

Nah. I scroll through here all the time and only open about 10% of posts on the first page because the others look boring. Imagine if I spent my time opening each thread to type out how boring I found them? Weird behaviour.

I contributed and I am deeply relieved by the decision and consider it money well spent.

Totally agree with this

Mine has. I’m a member of a women’s sports team. We play in a women’s league. 3 years ago an “inclusive” team entered the league. Which included 3 men. Not fun. I took myself off the pitch and unselected myself from the return leg against them.
Now, thanks to an immense amount of sunlight on the issue, in huge part thanks to mumnet, I can go out and enjoy my sport knowing that I will only be competing with actual women.
So yes, there is a housing crisis, a health crisis and a government (lol) crisis. I care about all of those things. But I also care about playing sport only against women and I also care that my girls will never face this. While it may not have changed VAWG, my girls can now call out “transwomen” in changing rooms or anywhere else they shouldn’t be without having to worry about being kind or cancelled.

I have no intention of joining the WI but I do plan on writing to both them and GG and congratulating them for finally being “stunning and brave” enough for recognising the law as it is and always has been.

Snap. I'd have contributed more if I could have, and I consider it a bargain. I hope the Darlington fund is similarly successful.

I have been called cruel a few times already today by posters and all because I choose not to use the language that they demand.

I think if women who choose to campaign to safeguard female people and children are being called 'cruel' and that attack is all that someone can come up with, then it is just a new 'buzzword' that really just means 'women who campaign to support women and children.'

(and when I say women, I mean female people, just to be clear)

100% agree.

"If I understand correctly, the original campaign to open up men’s clubs/golf clubs etc to women was because that’s where the power was"

That is my understanding too.

And it was at a time when women were heavily negatively discriminated against for being female.

I too support Men's Sheds etc as being able to remain male membership only. If they want to have separate groups to include women, or special sessions, that might be useful, but there should not be pressure on these groups to open membership up to female people.

Damn right! I celebrated the FWS Supreme Court decision with Champagne, and I'll be celebrating the same way again this weekend over the WI and GG capitulations. I will be GLEEFUL!

Still a long way to go but I celebrate every win and donate to yet another crowdfunder with great fucking JOY 😘

How dare some posters on here try the Bananarama crap on us?! (Well yes, you won, but don't dare celebrate or even look vaguely pleased because you will make the men SAD and make yourselves look bad. You can celebrate but not like THAT, that's too triumphant, just be pleased in your head.)

Fuck that, I'll take all the jubilation I can get. And then pour another drink 🍾

No, cruel is not just a buzzword that means supporting women and children, and you can't just turn it in to that to make yourself feel better.

It means someone who relishes and gets enjoyment out of deliberately using language they know will hurt others, and clearly having fun while doing it. You are proud of that behaviour so just own it.

No how dare you, just pointing out that you're being childish. The "How dare you!" Is just drama you're whipping up because you clearly enjoy being dramatic.

No, I understand perfectly. I don't need extra time.

I just think it's a stupid conclusion to draw.

You also think that JKR's charities for women and children don't count as helping anyone, so what?

What language do you mean specifically?

I didn't say that. I said that poster clearly thinks that. Who's struggling to understand now?

The language is simply describing reality. If people can't deal with being confronted with reality, this is not anyone else's problem to solve. They need therapy.

Apparently they have had this policy for 40 years. But irrespective based on what has been written it does matter what the board / membership. An organisation restricted solely to trans women and cis women / women who are not trans is illegal.

I don’t think that should be the case. It seems like overreach to go from protecting single sex spaces, to completely disallowing any organisation to be trans inclusive without it being open to all.

(To be clear I think there should be 3 options but currently there are only 2.)

An organisation restricted solely to trans women and cis women / women who are not trans is illegal.

No it isn't. It's discriminatory to allow some men in, but not all men.