Hi everyone, I am looking for a wee bit of help to support Jenny Marra’s motion (S5M-17604) in the Scottish Parliament for the right of women to be able to meet to discuss their rights in peace. The motion makes reference to last week’s events in Edinburgh, where Julie Bindel was subjected to a horrible attack.
If anyone would be willing to write to their MSPs using writetothem.com, I’d be very grateful. If you want to, use the following wording or feel free to use your own. The title should be anything related to the petition itself (the title, the number and/or the general subject). It’s drafted for a woman to send, so men need to adjust it!
Maybe say if you are an academic or have any special reason for writing. But if you don’t have time to do that, just send it as it is!
suggested text
I am writing as a constituent to ask you support motion S5M-17604 in the name of Jenny Marra.
The motion notes that a well-attended discussion on women's sex-based rights took place at the University of Edinburgh on 5 June 2019; asks MSPs to agree that they believe universities should be safe places for complex and sometimes controversial discussions to take place; and also that they strongly believe that there is no place for violence or threats of violence towards women engaging in public life in Scotland. You may know that after the meeting one of the speakers was subject to an attempted assault.
Please support the right of women to meet to discuss their rights peacefully and respectfully, as was done on 5 June, without the fear of violence; and the right of universities to host such discussions, even when these are the subject of controversy. [As a woman,] I look to my MSPs to place beyond doubt that, whatever position they take on the issues here, they place fundamental value on my ability to take part safely in this debate and on the ability of universities to help those discussions take place.
[Best wishes/Yours sincerely - add your name]
Thanks so much to anyone who is able to do so. Every e-mail adds to our case.