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Original poster

Would you support the WEP if they defined women by sex and not by gender?

41 replies

dorade · 01/04/2017 21:36

I used to support the Women's Equality Party but stopped when they made it clear thattheir policy is anyone who says they are a woman is one.

I'm really disappointed in this as in every other way I think they are just what we need (and they have the fabulous Sandi Toksvig as well). But by saying that anyone can be a woman - and by extension presumably any woman can identify out of sex-based opression - they have undermined the very thing they are supposed to be fighting for.

I'm interested to know how many other MNers would support them if it wasn't for this.

OP posts:
EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 01/04/2017 21:43

I don't know. I'd probably look at them again but at the moment every time they come here they just make themselves look worse. They have no credibility at all right now, IMO.

SexTrainGlue · 01/04/2017 21:46

I don't support them, but not because of their stance on gender and sex (with which I have no difficulty, though realise that's a view barely permissible to express in an echo chamber)

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 01/04/2017 21:54

So why don't you support them, SexTrainGlue?

Sabistick · 01/04/2017 21:55

I joined the wep, but if this is the case ,i wont be renewing. I thought its purpose was to act for womens equality in a still patriarchial system. If i wanted this male identity politics palaver, i would have spported the Greens.

RortyCrankle · 03/04/2017 10:01

No. They have had opportunities on MN to sell us their message and on each occasion they failed to engage, answer questions or communicate effectively. I don't think they give a damn about real women. They also actively support trans men winning in women's sport with which I totally disagree. Links to last year's webchats if you are interested:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/2890099-Webchat-with-Catherine-Mayer-author-and-co-founder-of-the-Womens-Equality-Party-Thursday-30-March-1-2pm

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/2617026-Webchat-with-Sophie-Walker-leader-of-the-Womens-Equality-Party-and-London-Mayor-candidate-Tuesday-19-April-at-noon

Prawnofthepatriarchy · 03/04/2017 13:56

I was excited when I heard about the WEP but they are meaningless with their insistence that a woman is anyone who says they are. Their support for men in women's sports and prisons makes them even less appealing to me than other parties which don't take a specific stance on the issues.

BeBeatrix · 03/04/2017 14:01

I'd seriously consider supporting them if it wasn't for this, although my final decision would rest on the policies of the WEP and the other parties at any given time.

However, the idea of a party fighting for equality for women defining women as... well, anyone who says they're a woman, is ridiculous, so now I know this, I probably won't even bother looking at their policies too closely.

RNBrie · 03/04/2017 14:04

I disagree with their stance on transgender women competing against biological women in sport.

But they are the only party attempting to change things for the better specifically for women. They are the only party even talking about equal access to things like healthcare.

I emailed them about their stance on transgender women in sport and got a very wishy washy response, and I got the impression they hadn't given it enough thought.

Overall I think they are our best bet for change. And they are new and haven't got themselves properly organised yet and so I continue to support them and hope to change their policies from the inside rather than just complaining about them from the outside.

soapboxqueen · 03/04/2017 14:10

I left WEP over this issue. You cannot fight the oppression of women if you don't know what one is.

It's like saying your going to protect chickens but aren't going to make any distinction between chickens and foxes*

*other analogies are available.

RortyCrankle · 03/04/2017 16:32

I don't care enough to complain about them. I do not believe they serve the best interests of women, unless you are a trans man.

Actually I consider them to be irrelevant and see them failing to achieve anything. It would have been great to have a real women's equality party for real women - WEP is not it.

Treysanatomy · 03/04/2017 16:40

I left the WEP over this issue.

Their stance on how 'woman' should be defined makes them pointless and irrelevant in my opinion.

OlennasWimple · 03/04/2017 16:42

TBH I don't know much about their other policies, but I know that both webchats have been singularly unimpressive

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 11/04/2017 10:55

WEP Bath are linking to Everyday Misogyny on Facebook.

I think that says it all really.

Prawnofthepatriarchy · 11/04/2017 15:04

I think it does, Empress.

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 18/04/2017 23:45

Not keen on their men on maternity wards schtick

If they still think that

To be honest i havent looked since i saw the above policy

WhisperingLoudly · 18/04/2017 23:54

I don't think they represent women so can't support them.

The trans issue is the most significant it not only concern

astormgivenflesh · 19/04/2017 00:02

I'd never support them because they advocate for the Nordic model and ignore voices of sex workers, and amnesty who campaign for decrim instead

stealtheatingtunnocks · 19/04/2017 00:04

The WEM has been my biggest political disappointment.

I really thought they'd be amazing.

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 19/04/2017 05:51

Every time WEP come on here they just make themselves look worse Sad.

JigglyTuff · 19/04/2017 06:08

I was a founding member but resigned my membership after the webchat.

They'd have to change their stance on trans as well as men on maternity wards for me to revise my opinion that they are hopelessly middle class and politically naive.

RubyGoat · 19/04/2017 06:23

No. Women are born with functional uteruses & ovaries. Transwomen aren't. Just because they are a minority group & require protection doesn't make it automatically ok to put them in with another group that sometimes requires protection.

PhoenixJasmine · 19/04/2017 06:39

I was a founding member and started to get involved with the local party. I left due to their inability to define a woman and their embarrassing performances in any media interview including on here.

I'm hugely disappointed in them. I cannot see how they can achieve anything if they cannot name what a woman is.

Saucery · 19/04/2017 06:43

I also joined at the beginning but left when it became clear it was all empty promises, an inability to define Woman and a high handed dismissive approach to debate.

SailAwayWithMeHoney · 19/04/2017 07:07

I don't know. I've met Sophie (professionally) and she is lovely and at the time I met her I thought "wow, finally a party for women", but reading through the web chats she's done on here and I find I'm shaking my head. I don't agree with her stance on trans-women or her stance on men being allowed free reign on maternity and post-natal wards. I think she's striving for equality but ignoring the very valid issues and concerns of vulnerable women and girls.

OddBoots · 19/04/2017 07:13

It would be enough for me to look at them again and read their policies. At the moment when they are defending the very thing that oppresses women (gender) they seem pointless.