Page 19 | To think it is not at all sad that the Women's Institute is now only for actual women?

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 2025-12-03T11:36:29+00:00

^“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 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.

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

AccidentallyWesAnderson · 04/12/2025 11:08

Did anyone catch the Jeremy Vine show on C5 earlier? Not sure who the two panelist’s were, I think
one is a political commentator (the woman), but a lot of ‘what a shame, can’t see what the problem is to let them be in a women’s(!) group, do they share changing facilities at the WI, it’s not sport so what’s the problem’ sad musings. Along with they couldn’t imagine being ‘born in the wrong body’.

JKR got a special mention for being a hypocrite as she only cares about women’s rights when it comes to trans (never mind all the other shit she does).

Why are people so wilfully stupid?

AccidentallyWesAnderson · 04/12/2025 11:09

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

3/10 for rage bait effort.

5128gap · 04/12/2025 11:13

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 04/12/2025 10:33

I do hope that women will stop trying to get into men's groups and clubs.
There are men (perhaps recently widowed or divorced) who just want the company of other men at least in the short or medium term.
The mens shed groups are a brilliant idea.
DB is in one of these groups and his DW would not be pleased if it was a mixed group.

Are women trying to get into groups set up for men? Obviously women would challenge any restrictions on being included in professional bodies and the like, which could harm their prospects, and/or any gatekeeping of bodies of influence to men; but I'm not aware of women trying to gain access to men's support groups or to groups set up for purely social purposes.

ArabellaSaurus · 04/12/2025 11:14

AccidentallyWesAnderson · 04/12/2025 11:09

3/10 for rage bait effort.

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'trans members'

🤔

FloralHighNotes · 04/12/2025 11:22

5128gap · 04/12/2025 11:13

Are women trying to get into groups set up for men? Obviously women would challenge any restrictions on being included in professional bodies and the like, which could harm their prospects, and/or any gatekeeping of bodies of influence to men; but I'm not aware of women trying to gain access to men's support groups or to groups set up for purely social purposes.

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Unfortunately, at least one branch of Men's Shed has started allowing women in their meetings (because the wives of some of the men insisted). Some of the men left as a consequence and many of those that remain are unhappy about it.

It was entirely unnecessary, because women (unlike men) are spoilt for choice in our area with the WI, two off-shoot WI groups (that have never allowed men pretending to be women) and several lunch and hobby clubs.

It's a shame that there are people (of both sexes) are so hell-bent on invading single sex organisations.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 04/12/2025 11:26

I agree that the men’s sheds should stay male only. They were set up to promote men’s mental health.

FuckRealityBringMeABook · 04/12/2025 11:29

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 04/12/2025 10:01

you can talk about exceptions that prove the rule as much as you like however 99.99% of the time you can always tell

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How do you know someone is bald if they are wearing a very good wig?

ThatCyanCat · 04/12/2025 11:32

FuckRealityBringMeABook · 04/12/2025 11:29

How do you know someone is bald if they are wearing a very good wig?

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Who cares?

5128gap · 04/12/2025 11:33

FloralHighNotes · 04/12/2025 11:22

Unfortunately, at least one branch of Men's Shed has started allowing women in their meetings (because the wives of some of the men insisted). Some of the men left as a consequence and many of those that remain are unhappy about it.

It was entirely unnecessary, because women (unlike men) are spoilt for choice in our area with the WI, two off-shoot WI groups (that have never allowed men pretending to be women) and several lunch and hobby clubs.

It's a shame that there are people (of both sexes) are so hell-bent on invading single sex organisations.

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Are you in the UK? Because if so, the sheds are acting against their policies. Any shed who wants to allow women is asked to change its name. The men should complain to the association because the sheds are covered by single sex exemption so no woman can 'insist' on inclusion. The shed should have declined their request to attend.

HeadyLamarr · 04/12/2025 12:08

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

Perhaps, but it would be a lot less like the Women's Institute.

It's right there in the name.

HeadyLamarr · 04/12/2025 12:14

FuckRealityBringMeABook · 04/12/2025 11:29

How do you know someone is bald if they are wearing a very good wig?

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That isn't even close to being the same thing.

The frame and gait of men and women are different because of skeletal differences - basically the wide pelvis of women and narrow pelvis of men mean the sexes walk differently. The sex differences from puberty aren't something we can erase - a woman with a double mastectomy isn't the same as a man.

Being able to correctly observe sex is a survival trait human beings have.

Namelessnelly · 04/12/2025 12:21

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

Why? What do males bring to the table? Why would women have a better time than if it was mixed sex?

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 04/12/2025 12:30

5128gap · 04/12/2025 11:13

Are women trying to get into groups set up for men? Obviously women would challenge any restrictions on being included in professional bodies and the like, which could harm their prospects, and/or any gatekeeping of bodies of influence to men; but I'm not aware of women trying to gain access to men's support groups or to groups set up for purely social purposes.

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Yes. It is a long standing mens group DB is involved.

Brefugee · 04/12/2025 12:37

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 04/12/2025 10:33

I do hope that women will stop trying to get into men's groups and clubs.
There are men (perhaps recently widowed or divorced) who just want the company of other men at least in the short or medium term.
The mens shed groups are a brilliant idea.
DB is in one of these groups and his DW would not be pleased if it was a mixed group.

I hope so too.

My feeling is that if men said "no" everyone would listen...

IsntItDarkOut · 04/12/2025 12:38

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

They have the option to changed to mixed sex and then collapse when lots of women leave in droves, women have already left because of what they’ve done.
it’s single sex as that’s what their members want.

LarkspurLane · 04/12/2025 12:44

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

What would you call your new inclusive society? Women's Institute does not seem to fit your brief.

SternJoyousBeev2 · 04/12/2025 12:54

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

No it wouldn’t.

Sureitwont · 04/12/2025 13:19

Brefugee · 03/12/2025 22:41

Feminists (Julie Bindel, for example) are now admitting that campaigns that forced gentlemens' clubs and golf clubs to admit women were probably misconceived. The success of those campaigns has certainly made arguments for women only organisations a lot harder.

yes and no. There was no reason for, say, golf clubs to be the preserve of men. Especially given how many business deals go on at the 19th hole.

Men's sheds? no, they are vital for men, we want men to talk, and they need a space to do that.

Gentlemen's clubs? same as golf - if decisions are being made by politicians etc in men's spaces? that is not acceptable

Also, a lot of these organisations actually allowed women to attend historically, but only at set times or certain areas of the clubs as guests of male members, ie women were not allowed membership in their own right. So they weren’t “single sex spaces” as such…

The Garrick Club allowed women to be “guests” for decades, which is often forgotten when people complain about women pushing their way into men’s spaces “first”

Boiledbeetle · 04/12/2025 13:28

Rosealea · 04/12/2025 11:05

It's sad that it's narrowing membership at a time when there is far too much separation going on. Hopefully there's enough time for them to change their minds. It'd be a better and nicer place with men and trans members included.

They could have chosen to change to mixed sex if they really wanted to.

They could have refused to change anything and taken their chance if any legal challenges arose.

Instead they chose to revert back to what they have always purported to be, an organisation for women. Just women.

Why don't you drop them a line and ask why they chose the option they did. Maybe you can get them to change their mind.

Original poster

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 04/12/2025 14:04

FuckRealityBringMeABook · 04/12/2025 11:29

How do you know someone is bald if they are wearing a very good wig?

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because we are talking about sex, not wigs.

I have not spent the last 3 billion years honing my senses to detect wigs. I have spent it detecting sex for a wide variety of very good reasons.

OP posts:

Gloriia · 04/12/2025 14:18

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 04/12/2025 14:04

because we are talking about sex, not wigs.

I have not spent the last 3 billion years honing my senses to detect wigs. I have spent it detecting sex for a wide variety of very good reasons.

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I'm baffled by the wig comment. What does it matter if someone has hair loss and wears a wig? That is nothing to do with men dressing up as women and how we can spot them a mile off.

ThatCyanCat · 04/12/2025 14:27

Gloriia · 04/12/2025 14:18

I'm baffled by the wig comment. What does it matter if someone has hair loss and wears a wig? That is nothing to do with men dressing up as women and how we can spot them a mile off.

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I think he's trying to imply that passing yourself off as the opposite sex to everyone you meet, inverting every sexed cue in your body and manner and movement, is just as simple as wearing a high quality wig. (As it happens, styling experts are very good at spotting these too; apparently the hairline is usually the giveaway, as it's hard to get that to look totally natural up close.)

If he honestly believes that, then it explains why he thinks sexing humans is such an elite and complicated art, but it's still cobblers. And as before, why would the fact that a very few people might get away with undermining women's rights mean that women shouldn't have those rights? Not everyone who speeds gets caught, do we do away with those laws?

bigboykitty · 04/12/2025 14:56

5128gap · 04/12/2025 11:33

Are you in the UK? Because if so, the sheds are acting against their policies. Any shed who wants to allow women is asked to change its name. The men should complain to the association because the sheds are covered by single sex exemption so no woman can 'insist' on inclusion. The shed should have declined their request to attend.

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This. Plus, if it's true, it's literally the first example of women pushing their way into men's spaces that I've heard of since the 1980s. Men forcing their way into women's spaces, on the other hand, there are literally thousands of examples.

JennyForeigner · 04/12/2025 15:06

FWIW I don't believe for a minute sex-based exemptions are 'narrowing membership' (although if they are, isn't that the point of them?)

A school mum invited me along to the local WI a couple of years ago when they had axe-throwing and it sounded fun. I am often stuck at home with three young kids including a disabled child and it would have been good for me. I never went, because I'm knackered and pressed upon too much as it is. I just could not find the mental energy for another space that was up for grabs or where I might be told my being prepared to shove up all day long is a civil rights issue. I just wanted to trundle along and be knackered with women, about the things that are uniquely exhausting for women.

I'll probably go along now just because I feel safe enough to say no thanks to any constitutional changes and feel I can actually have my night off.