Are women in Scotland aware of how bad things have got?

[Leafstamp]

I hang out on the Feminism board a lot, and I know not all MNetters care for that section. Which is fine. But I am continually appalled at how bad things are for women in Scotland - compared to England.

For example, this, from Feminism thread:

www.spiked-online.com/2022/02/01/the-thought-police-are-here/

To briefly summarise:

• Mridul was born male

• Mridul is legally male with no GRC

• Mridul is the CEO of Edinburgh Rape crisis

• Mridul claims women who want female only rape crisis services are bigoted and should 'reframe their trauma'

• The CEO of a domestic violence charity Nicola Murray stopped referring women to Mridul's rape crisis service due to Mridul's misogyny

• Mridul reported Nicola Murray to the police for committing a hate crime

• The police actually visited Nicola Murray to question her thinking

Please can any not-particularly-feminist women share how you feel about this?

Indeed is there a list of womens groups around the country?

Yes me. I have only just become really aware (thanks to these boards) and my friend who works in the Scottish Government, about what is going on. I don't think my friends know the extent, all as far as I'm aware are SNP voters as they are pro-Indy. I'm on the fence about that but I can't and won't vote for the horror show that is the SNP. I am politically homeless as I have no one else to vote for and whilst I could vote Conservative locally due to the state of my city as a result of the local government, I couldn't do it nationally.

I also work for Police Scotland (I have name changed) and I'm horrified by their recent actions.

Sole Sisters is a good group and you can volunteer to distribute information for them.

I’m pleased to say that I’m in a book group on Facebook, pretty international, and both sexes, and people on there were very aware of the dire situation in Scotland.

I think it’s scary.

I am starting to be more vocal and proactive on the matter.

Neither do I understand why it’s such a priority for the SG, given the myriad of other issues.

@CanIPleaseHaveOne

If it is as simple as that then why all the issues? Why the numerous threads? Why all the angst?

Also it's far from just an SNP issue. Labour take a very similar stance as do many centre or centre left governments and political parties across the Western world.

It might be simple to you, me and countless others on threads like this but failure to recognise the reality of the situation does nobody any favours.

@alicesfavouritepen

The issue is complex or else there wouldn't be all the issues we are facing and the numerous threads on here and on Twitter.

I answered your question @ElephantOfRisk . I have no particular interest in you personally. I don't know you. If you can't understand that some jokes are offensive and undermine a bigger issue then I'm not really sure what to say to you. Simple.

The issue is complex…I hear this time and again from people who refuse to see the implications of TWAW. Please try to break it down and perhaps some of the very knowledgeable, clever posters on this topic can help you through the complexities.

What is complex about it, please?

In answer to the OP: I have been aware of the issues in Scotland for a couple of years. I’m delighted that I don’t live there, and shan’t be visiting any time soon.

@Whattochoosenow

I’m growing increasingly concerned, but I’m also a cantankerous menopausal woman so I’m more likely to voice my opinion no compared with when I was younger

Yes, me too. I have a daughter in her teens and she's all "TWAW, be kind, you can't say that mum". She's yet to come across direct discrimination because of her sex.

I have in the past done the same as a previous poster when asked a question about "gender" - tick the other box, state I reject the concept and am a female/woman.

@LargeProsecco

I heard the advert on the radio, encouraging "people with a cervix" to come for a smear test - WTF!!

What's wrong with the word "woman".

The needs/rights of 99.9% of women are being trampled by a minority

I am a woman WITHOUT a cervix, mine was removed in a hysterectomy over 5 years ago.

I cannot get the NHS to stop sending me a letter every 3 months telling me to book a smear. So I have very little confidence in them getting this right.

@alicesfavouritepen

The issue is complex or else there wouldn't be all the issues we are facing and the numerous threads on here and on Twitter.

I answered your question @ElephantOfRisk . I have no particular interest in you personally. I don't know you. If you can't understand that some jokes are offensive and undermine a bigger issue then I'm not really sure what to say to you. Simple.

I thought it was funny.

I guess some people are offended easily.

Best to move on. Don't let it eat you up inside...

@alicesfavouritepen

Of course. But we also need to think about how we sort it and presenting ourselves as morons who believe that women with short hair are going to be transitioning to male, even as a joke, isn't the way. It just undermines every intelligent well thought out post on this forum.

You think refering to other people as morons somehow makes your posts intelligent? They really don't. Nasty language.

I said the post was moronic which I still believe to be the case.

My mother is in Scotland. She's an SNP supporter and won't have a word said against Oor Wee Nicola. She glazes over when I tell her about Joanna Cherry, thinks Marion Millar must have done worse things than have been reported to have received such heavy handed treatment from Oor Great Scottish Justice System, Best In The World, and doesn't see why a man shouldn't be heading up an organisation to support raped women, "Some men are better at that sort of thing than a lot of women, the most unsympathetic gynaecologist I ever met was a woman." And anyway, she's sure things are a lot worse Doon In That England O' Yours. I suspect that attitude isn't all that uncommon.

I think people simply don’t believe what’s happening as it sounds so crazed. Once they know it changes their view.

It was not spelled out by the SNP in their election literature so I think they know it’s not a vote winner.

DP was a long time SNP voter, but now won’t vote for them because of this. It’s a far cry from the concerns of ordinary people.

@FrancescaContini what's complex about it is that it's already happening. If we start from the point that there are women, men and then a third category of trans people and that should be that, simple, then we are ignoring the fact that Transwomen are already competing in women's sports, transwomen are already in women's spaces and we already live in a world where people can essentially choose to be whatever gender they wish. Do you actually think, given the huge number of people who are supportive of all this that it really is simple?

Of course it's complex. There are so many conflicting views how can it be anything else?

I think it's fairly common, @KohlaParasaurus. The SNP can get away with all sorts of nonsense because a lot of people believe in their core message of independence. They are willing to overlook the missing money, the education fuck ups, the sleaze, the cronyism and the rest of it because freedom from Westmonster and Boris.

Which political party do you believe protects women's rights?

@alicesfavouritepen

I said the post was moronic which I still believe to be the case.

You said this.

need to think about how we sort it and presenting ourselves as morons

Incredible that you try to police other people's words and language whilst you use terms like this. A bit of self reflection might be in order.

@RedTigress

I was form filling, online for HR today and was asked how "do you describe your gender". The options were

1. Woman, including trans woman
2. Man including trans man
3. Prefer not to say
4. Other (I think it said non binary, and some other terms)

I ticked "other" and added a comment "Woman/Female . Not a description, a fact ". Not very eloquent I'm sure but I felt I had to say something.

I'm in Scotland and worried for young women who might feel they have to go along with things for fear that a disagreement could result in being accused of a hate crime.

You could point out to HR that your organisation has 2 legal obligations which that question is likely not satisfying. HR need to read up on • discrimination legislation; the protected classes of sex and gender reassignment are separate and distinct, and • GDPR collection; holding of data must be correct and for the purpose intended as the question fails as a PC what justification is the company using to collecting sensitive data on employees.

Well free free to report. That still relates to the post because that is how they represented themselves.

I'm sorry if you are offended but I stand by the fact that making silly jokes like that is what essentially tars all the well informed and interesting posters with the MN anti-trans brush.

@WouldBeGood

I think people simply don’t believe what’s happening as it sounds so crazed. Once they know it changes their view.

It was not spelled out by the SNP in their election literature so I think they know it’s not a vote winner.

DP was a long time SNP voter, but now won’t vote for them because of this. It’s a far cry from the concerns of ordinary people.

I think that's it. They've not openly pushed it as part of their agenda. I can also sympathise with people who say 'it's simple' as it should be simple. To intelligent, reasoned people it is. So why isn't it?!

I won't bother to report your posts. Not my style. It's always generally better to leave posts standing. Can see who people really are then.

So busy being Woke - that's the SNP imv. When we have the worst religious hate problems outside Northern Ireland but let's just pretend that's not happening (like our horrendous drug problem) lalalalalal wave the flag, get out the shortbread.
Unfortunately I am in a Conservative constituency and they seem to be powerless (or my MP certainly is weak).

I think people generally think Hayley from Corrie, live and let live.

Without knowing that most people calling themselves trans have no surgery and remain fully intact men.

The AGP thing is also really disturbing, and maybe those saying it’s not an issue are not aware of this. It seems to be a thing amongst some of the most vocal TRAs.