Physiotherapy SEEN

[VenusEnvyXX]

I am concerned about the CSP's position statement on transphobia and want to explore whether members think the CSP would benefit from having it's own SEEN.

If you're not familiar with SEENs, they are a balance to the LGBTQIA+ groups, can be formally recognised and eligible for funding on an equal footing as other network groups. They exist in civil service, journalism, police, HR, city, and the NHS one is nearly ready to launch.

I do not agree with Rob Yeldham, and previously, Karen Middleton, when they say that physiotherapy has a transphobia issue. If there is evidence of this I have not seen it.

I have been contacted by a number of CSP staff and members, who share my concerns that this announcement misrepresents the law, defames members and manages to be both unnecessary and unclear.

It seems that people who are diametrically opposed to the view that sex is real and immutable are employed by and in positions of power and influence at our trade union. This is absolutely fine, it is important for a trade union to reflect its membership. I am uncomfortable with the views of activists forming policy without due process and debate. I hope to be wrong, but I suspect that might have happened in the formation of this CSP position statement.

It is difficult to speak up about these issues, people are scared of being accused of transphobia, and rightly so, the personal penalties can be high.

If you would be willing to share your views or insights with me anonymously here then I'd be grateful. Alternatively, (and if you are willing to trust that I am who I say I am!):
email - [email protected]
substack - @venusenvyxx
twitter - @gussiegrips

I am proud to have had a long career in physio and it seems to me that this is little more than a training and communication issue, which, like sex, is not complicated.

bests
Elaine Miller

I'm grateful you are all speaking up here. It's good to know that I'm not alone in being appalled by this dreadful position statement.

I've been speaking to the group who are setting up the SEEN NHS, I'm hoping we can piggy back onto them because this feels rather urgent.

I have been contacted by staff, members and members of other HCPC organisations.

I am well supported and feeling confident that we can sort this out. My feeling is that i's just a training issue - there has been a bias in physio which has run amok and can be resolved with some balance to the nonsense that TransActual teach. That's the trouble, these organisations charge large sums of money to evangelise. Simon Fanshawe (formerly of Stonewall, now of LGB Alliance and Edinburgh University), provides excellent training about all aspects of equality and I think he has rather more credibility than Jane Fae.

Honestly, sometimes the eye rolling is painful. Anyone else find that?

@VenusEnvyXX If you’ll recall, a couple of years ago a prominent physio was accused of transphobia on social media, just for asking questions about trans women’s participation in sports. I think he had to step down as a CSP spokesperson. And then what did he do? He stood for council and got elected! So if he can do it I’m sure you can too 💪🏼

Having said that, I can’t imagine he was ok with this statement but perhaps he was outnumbered.

Meant to say, I posted late last night on the iCSP thread but haven't been back. Please do screen shot that thread - we need to evidence removal of posts and if you do get an email from the Digital Team please keep it.

I've done a thread to share on twitter and to your colleagues. Realistically, we have to share by word of mouth. You do know who your colleagues are who agree. There's a lovely thing that happens when you clock a like minded person, it's a little warm and fuzzy oasis in your day.

Show someone at work this thread and say something like "gosh, what do you think of that?" You are neutral and if they respond with "that Elaine Miller, she's a hateful bigot" then you know where they stand.

I'm not a hateful bigot, as any fule no, I'm adorable.

x.com/GussieGrips/status/1780550076500189231

I do remember that, @RadFiz! And, as I recall, he had 5 or 10 times the number of votes he needed to get in. And has been doing a good job in there. There's a man with leadership skills.

Just reposting the webinar link as it got lost on previous page.

"After we have forwarded the link to you, as below, your email will be deleted, we are not retaining who attends this session.

Elections webinar details:

The CSP Governance Team are hosting an informal webinar session for members interested in finding out more about what it is like to sit on CSP Council.

This will be an informal session, hosted by the Head of Governance, for members to find out what is involved in sitting on CSP Council and ask questions about the role and / or the elections process.

Webinar participants are anonymous to each other and can post questions anonymously throughout the session.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday 17 April at 6pm, the link to join the webinar is below.

https://csp-org-uk.zoom.us/j/93957308082

If you have any further questions, please contact [email protected]

Elaine- you are really putting yourself out there and using your name, as well as all the motivation, time and effort. Thank you.

I am not sure if this is really appropriate, but in addition to my ‘I ❤️JKR’ t shirt, I am going to get a new T shirt that says

I ❤️ Elaine’s Merkin

(in response to my respect for a physio who has large testicular fortitude) .
Those in the know will understand her name and the merkin reference.
For those who are new to this- Elaine has a penchant for Merkins in a comedy and speaking up capacity.

Yes Elaine, you have my vote and my husband’s. I’ll find you more too

I hope the webinar was useful @VenusEnvyXX!

Stonewall was successful for many years with the #nodebate mantra under the leadership of Baroness Hunt . She is now backtracking and being called out on this.
I can’t understand why a health union and professional body cannot have a conversation with its members , the majority of whom are female or are we all to be labelled bigots if we believe sex is real ?

You 100% have my vote Elaine.
I just broke my ‘stop engaging with the troll’ rule and replied again on the iCSP thread. I just couldn’t let him quote made up figures about women being 100 times safer with a TW than with a man 🙄 and saying that chromosomes don’t matter when it comes to sex 🤯 I think my eyeballs have whiplash from rolling so hard 😂
It’s so embarrassing that this person is a member of our profession!

I just couldn’t let him quote made up figures about women being 100 times safer with a TW than with a man

Not just that but apparently women are twice as safe with a trans woman than a woman. I’ve never heard such nonsense!

How was the CSP webinar, unfortunately I couldn’t make it this evening.

The comments on icsp are unbelievable. I cannot believe some people in our profession are so unbelievably stupid!

<sigh> honestly, you do one merkin, one time in this town...

It was interesting - but there wasn't anything said that wasn't on the website, I think.

What was most interesting was that it was totally anonymous. We had to ask questions anonymously, so we didn't have to announce our intentions to anyone - there was no choice to be "out". I can't think why that is necessary and it wasn't explained.

There were CSP staff and one council member speaking and slides explaining how the CSP jigsaws together. There were a couple of GC sounding questions which were not answered as they were not about the election process. Also interesting.

I wonder who the troll is and how on earth he can think those things. We studied anatomy and have eyeballs. It's deeply worrying that HCPs can reject reality like this - how can you do an assessment if you can't see sex?

Mr Yeldham has created a FAQ.

Which succeeds only to raise some questions - primarily, anyone know who's the lawyer and safeguarding lead at the CSP?

x.com/RobYeldham/status/1780933703801135385

I’m not a lawyer but this seems on shaky legal grounds, no? https://www.csp.org.uk/about-csp/equity-diversity-belonging/position-statement-transphobia/faqs-transphobia-position

they must have had legals look at it before they put it out? Or am I assuming competence where there is none?

I agree, he’s completely misquoting the equality act! The document put up gives some clear guidance of when it is acceptable to segregate due to sex.
I emailed “Sex Matters” but I haven’t heard anything back from them. It would be really helpful to have an actual lawyer say “this is unlawful.”

I am assuming this is a reflection of the advice sources used ( Gender bias rather than actual well informed and balanced sources, especially as someone has picked up a quote from some trans group). I have filled in every CSP feedback questionnaire recently and mentioned concerns about the way they were heading (with references to Rachel Meade/ Maya for a start etc). So it is not as if they have no feedback from members as they have ( I am assuming I am not the only one who has given feedback ).
It concerns me that members will be apprehensive of doing anything, based on the info presented.
Good idea to try sex matters.

On another note- what are the references about X Twitter and bitterness about?

Mr Mansplainer is still going, I see.

And now Rob is back too:

The reason the CSP has developed a position statement on transphobia is because, unlike almost all other forms of discrimination, there is not a significant body of legal, legislative definition or widely held consensus on transphobia. This has made it difficult to offer views on this issue or to act within our own sphere of influence.

His reply kind of illustrates the issue. Why stop a debate then Rob?

unfortunately ,according to the NHS England document on single sex accommodation (which is quoted/referenced on the Transactual site)-see annex B of NEW-Deliveringsamesexaccommodationsep2019.pdf (england.nhs.uk) - the balanced consideration suggested by the Equality doc you reference( Separate and single-sex service providers: a guide on the Equality Act sex and gender reassignment provisions | EHRC (equalityhumanrights.com) is weighted differently in the NHS document to consider the preferences of the transperson above the need to provide single sex (ie. biological women only) accommodation. See the following womenspace submission which discusses some of the potential issues for staff trying to put rec's in place WPUK: NHS review of mixed sex accommodation - Woman's Place UK (womansplaceuk.org) (edited as incorrect link attached)

I suspect that's a reference to me - I'm pretty cross.