International women’s day. Sick day or go in?

[Sickorno]

I want to start by saying that I don’t have strong feelings towards trans people.

I believe if you were born a woman then you will always be a woman and vice versa.
I believe in women’s only spaces.

But apart from that I’m not really bothered.
If you want to wear a dress and grow your hair long then crack on.

However I have been struggling the past few days with my workplace.

Firstly, it started with asking for donations of women’s clothing and make up for the trans residents.
This wound me up but I just said I had nothing to donate.

But we were told on Friday that on Monday there will be a celebration of international women’s day where the trans women residents will receive a party and gift packages.
The male residents and female staff won’t get the same and therefore won’t be celebrated.

I have been wound up all weekend and I genuinely don’t want to go in tomorrow.

Am I going mad or does this seem so unfair?

My AIBU - should I go sick tomorrow?

YABU - no don’t call in sick, go and do your job.
YANBU - yes call in sick so you don’t have to deal with it.

Residents? Is it a care home?

I wouldn't be happy about it.

It comes across as OTT virtue signalling.

I wouldn't go sick though. I might buy some cupcakes and make a point of "celebrating" IWD with colleagues who have been overlooked.

Go in or don't, who cares.

I would go in and ask to celebrate IWD.

Trans can be celebrated Trans Visibility Day which is Tue 31st March 2026.

There's a day for everyone if you look

Men’s prison.

Me obviously which is why I started a thread lol

Where do you work that has enough trans women residents to make it a party?

Edit: X post. Ah a prison. No, would I fuck take part in celebrating male prisoners on International Women’s Day. In fact, I’d be going to the press about it.

I think you have missed the point of Mumsnet

Then dont bother to comment then. the person is asking other ppl to give an opinion on it. !

If they had decided to celebrate IWD separately for female staff, and also done something for the trans inmates, I think I’d be fine with it. I’m assuming it’s a man who came up with this genius idea, and didn’t think those born female deserved celebrating also?

But I think I would also be looking at whether they celebrated IMD in November for the rest of the prison population. If not, it’s purely performative bollocks.

I’m not sure anyone in a prison needs to be celebrated.

They asked for an opinion, I gave them mine.

Believe me it happens

Go in just ignore them. Most of your colleagues will also think its ridiculous. Very few people agree with this stuff its just the people who do often have large mouths. Id also send an anonymous email to a local newspaper

Female prison officers asked to donate make up and clothes to trans prisoners, and an IWD party with gifts for them?

Just all sounds vanishingly unlikely for a men’s prison.

Go. Take some redacted (for ID purposes) photos and take to the press. Bloody ridiculous.

I was going to say you’re unreasonable and to go to work but after reading your next comment I’d say phone in sick. What an absolute joke of a place it is

I think you need to read the whistleblowing policy of your employment T&Cs and fuck this shit off. Start looking for another job. Anecdotally I know a lot of lesbians who work in prisons - is this a LGTB allyship thing on steroids? You’d think they would know better than to indulge the fetishes and mental health issues of male criminals.

No, I wouldn't participate in this utter insanity. I wouldn't feel like celebrating any prisoners, if I'm honest, but I particularly wouldn't want to celebrate men pretending to be women on a day that's supposed to be about women—real women born with real women's bodies and everything that goes along with that. What a ridiculous concept!

The very thought is enough to make a rational person sick, so...

Speak to the POA or your union ASAP today. I'd love to know which governor has pronounced this as acceptable.

Also speak to the SEEN team at the Cabinet Office. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-staff-networks/seen-network - there isn't a HMPPS team specifically yet.

A prison?? They shouldn't be allowed to have any celebrations. They're in prison for punishment not for fucking parties.

Ah fuck that shit @Sickorno . Enjoy your sick day. What an absolute piss-take. Will they be celebrating women on trans visibility day. Thought not.

The unions have generally drunk the kool aid on this matter.

Generally I am a live and live person but the minute you commit a crime serious enough to require prison you loose your right to this. I would go it but refuse to participate