Do you want to see the agenda for my companies Gender Forum annual meeting tomorrow?

[LookingAtMyBhunas]

I've emailed the Chair of the forum asking her if the original purpose of the Forum (to champion and support women in policing) has changed, because I'm at a loss.

In amongst some important topics, such as VAWG priorities and Women in Leadership, we also have:

• Men's Health
• Celebrating Our Men
• Paternity leave (this one I'll let slide as it is beneficial to women as well)

She's just replied saying that in 2020 a decision was made, seemingly by a rather high up the ranks boss, to change it from what was the Women's Network to the Gender Forum.

From what I can see, no members were consulted on this change back in 2020. I've offered to start a women's network myself to run alongside it.

I've pointed out that I can't imagine the LGBT network having a 'Celebrating our straights', or the Black association having a 'Celebrating our white officers' topic, and nor should they.

Will see what she says.

There's no point arguing with her as she wasn't responsible for the change and presumably can't change it back.

I think your idea of running a women's network is great.

Yes that's all we need:
To celebrate men!
Hey, how about we forget women and point out how men have always done the right thing?
Yeah, let's turn the clock back to the 19th century!

Thank you.

We've been emailing and she seems wholeheartedly agree with me.

Apparently in 2020 a superintendant (who's no longer with the force) decided what was the Women's Network should be got rid of and the 'Gender Forum' put in its place. This was done for reasons of 'Equality and Diversity'.
No one in the womens network was consulted and if we had been I would have made representations. It's because of that network I knew about the Association of Women in Policing awards and nominated my amazing best friend, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour, which she won and we had an amazing ceremony in Bath, before she died a year later.

I've pointed out that I would like to see what would happen if they suddenly said straight people needed to be more represented in the LGBT network, or white officers in the Black Officers Association.

Basically a decision was made 5 years ago by a man under the guise of 'Equality and Diversity' but seems more to me to be about not letting the womenz have their own space.

The worst part is this particular segment is being run by a woman.

but seems more to me to be about not letting the womenz have their own space.

Misogyny in the police! I'm shocked I tell you.

It reminds me of the Women in Rail Awards who have a category for ‘Male Ally of the Year’.
Mind you, their definition of woman includes men who are transitioning and non-binary people.

womeninrail.org/awards/categories/

Scene: my kitchen table
Me: It's Autism Awareness Week this week
DH: every week is Autism Awareness Week in this house
<end scene>

Substitute Autism for Men and you're there. Perhaps your Man Forum can now be renamed back to Women's Forum in the light of the SC ruling?

To be fair, at least they're identifying an ally, presumably one who champions women, and therefore leads a good example to other men, like the #HeForShe movement, so I'm not totally against that on the surface.

It's not specifically a Man's Forum, it's the Gender Forum now. But I do like your example!

"gender forum"? So, basically a "people forum"? Of course it was because a man didn't like that the uppity women had something he didn't.

Similar in my workplace, plus multiple other staff associations all doing the same thing but somehow different. I avoid all of them, which is a shame as I'd like to champion women in my business but hey ho.

Good news!

At the end of the meeting this morning, the bad ass woman assistant chief Constable said she's basically disbanding the gender forum and reinstalling the Women's Network, and men can instigate their own network should they wish to. ✌

Hooray!

Brilliant - well done! Especially to the BAWACC! 👏

Amazing. Well done 👏

Great outcome! Well done her and you for raising it

What a great result 🎉

Well done @LookingAtMyBhunas , because let’s face it, if you hadn’t raised the issue it would have just been let slide.

🍰you deserve it.

Well done you and her!

Celebrating our straights
🤣🤣 🤣

well done!