Statement in support of women threatened with a 'device' for speaking

[JoanSummers]

A meeting planned by the women's rights group Woman's Place UK has been threatened that a "device" will be placed at the venue.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3278892-Womans-Place-UK-meeting-threatened-with-device

The device is allegedly being placed 'in retaliation' for the Hampstead Pool action taken by another women's rights group, #ManFriday, which is organised by a group of female Mumsnet contributors.

The Hastings Woman's Place event that has been threatened is likely to be attended by women from all over the UK, including many who are regular contributors to Mumsnet.

Given that Justine and MN have recently created new rules regulating the words which women may use here when speaking about women's rights, especially in the context of the current battle over gender, in which both Woman's Place UK and #ManFriday are involved, and that Justine's statement regarding these new rules begins:
"Mumsnet will always stand in solidarity with vulnerable or oppressed minorities. Mumsnet is also committed to freedom of speech."
www.mumsnet.com/info/trans-rights-moderation-policy

I would like to ask Justine and Mumsnet if they will make a further statement in light of this new threat against a women's meeting which multiple regular MN contributors will likely be attending, stating that Mumsnet stands in solidarity with women who are speaking and organising for women's rights, and condemning the actions of those who threaten them.

How about it?

This bomb threat is the worst example (so far) but it is irrefutable that feminist meetings are being targeted by those who see our refusal to agree with their political opinions with actual violence. Women have been punched, threatened, shoved, abused and physically intimidated. There is plenty of hard evidence.

That feminist meetings are being attacked is almost incredible to me, a woman who grew up in the 1970s. Surely, MNHQ, it's time to speak out against this? It's terrorism.

The person who threatened to bomb the feminist meeting in Hastings referred to the Mumsnet inspired group, #ManFriday. I feel it would be appropriate to make a statement in support of women meeting to discuss proposed changes to the law which will affect women, and an ideology that threatens safeguarding.

I say "person" because I understand i might get deleted if I misgender them.

Hang on....

So a TRA threatened a women's meeting in Hastings on Twitter with a 'device' and yesterday police found stuff for making a 'device' at a house in Hastings?!

MNHQ have left us in a position of reporting to describing this as KFC bomb person, because their gender is ambiguous and we can't talk about biological sex in such incidents.

Hands out

Like others, I do believe it is a matter of time before something like this is done to women by or on behalf of trans activists. They are emboldened every time a politician or other authority/influential body (Mumsnet included) joins in the silencing of women or looks the other way.

By something like this I mean a terrorist attack, meaning a step beyond the threat or attempt of a terrorist attack.

Mumsnet many of the women specifically targetted in this specific example are contributors here, women who are respected and appreciated here. You must condemn the attacks on women's meetings and right to speak, or you have to eventually accept some level of complicity in what is being done to us.

Is there any way to make a statement trans folk could support?

Is there a reason trans people could not support a statement that says that women should not be threatened with being bombed for wanting to discuss something that affects their rights?

Anyway, I think this would be a great idea, but can't see it happening somehow.

Is there a reason trans people could not support a statement that says that women should not be threatened with being bombed for wanting to discuss something that affects their rights?

There is no sane reason anyone who did not support women being bombed for voicing opinions they don't like could come up with.

Man Friday is the quintessential British protest mode. A serious subject tackled with grace, a little humour, and with nobody hurt or harmed. No raised voices, no aggro, just a serious point made with a light touch.

To have the response as an actual bomb threat just shows the visceral hatred some people have for women, and women who speak up. Simply to speak as a woman is a radical act it seems.

I sincerely hope the police and authorities treat this with the gravity it deserves, because there is a word for people who do this, and it is terrorist.

May I say also that if the situation was that transpeople were being threatened with devices when arranging meetings, I would be condemning it loudly and wholeheartedly.

And yet it has now been five hours and not a peep from the people running this website.

Since this thread began I mean, not since the threat itself.

Not even an "We will get back to you"

May I say also that if the situation was that transpeople were being threatened with devices when arranging meetings, I would be condemning it loudly and wholeheartedly

Speaking as someone who is trans, I condemn anyone who uses such methods to intimidate people trying to speak up.

But trans people should no more be expected to condemn radical activists acting on their behalf than any other group should be expected to condemn people who belong to the same group who use terrorism to silence others.

yetanother I meant I’d be condemning it as a human being and feminist - bombing/ violence is never appropriate. I didn’t mean it as a call that all transpeople must denounce or else (if you see what I mean.) :)

And yet women are expected to always condemn other women if they speak in ways that men deem 'out of turn'.

Example: the harassment of Mumsnet by trans activists to silence feminist analysis and language on this site.

Why we're MN expected to condemn women, look at all the organisations and their statements in the Guardian, why are they now silent?

And yet women are expected to always condemn other women if they speak in ways that men deem 'out of turn

No one member of any group should be expected to condemn any other member of a group just because they belong to that group.

And no member of a group should be judged or stereotyped just because another member of a group does something or behaves in a particular way.

Yet we all know that doesn't happen - and many members of oppressed groups are judged and stereotyped because of the actions of others.

(slightly off topic)

“But trans people should no more be expected to condemn radical activists acting on their behalf than any other group should be expected to condemn people who belong to the same group who use terrorism to silence others.”

A Not In My Name statement would be a useful gesture.

A Not In My Name statement would be a useful gesture

Do you expect white people to say such a thing when far right extremists threaten terrorism?

I agree @MNHQ should make a statement condemning this TERRORISM

“Do you expect white people to say such a thing when far right extremists threaten terrorism?”
Sorry? White people? Don’t understand.

But if I was a trans person, I would sure as hell want to disassociate myself from anyone threatening to bomb a meeting. In the same way that if I was a man, i’d want to be sure nobody thought I had any sympathy with MRA and F4J.

Are we witnessing another example of a trans person entering discussions about a threat of murdering women for meeting and speaking to make it all about them and how it makes them look bad or how they shouldn't be expected to condemn the threat? Really?

Is there a trans person here who can just show some solidarity with women on this day and just leave it at that??

I mean that is the absolute least that could be expected in the circumstances, isn't it?

But if I was a trans person, I would sure as hell want to disassociate myself from anyone threatening to bomb a meeting

I am sure that most people wouldn't associate trans people with terrorism because someone who may or may not be trans has threatened women who speak out.

So why should they need to disassociate themselves from these people?

oppression olympics

Are we witnessing another example of a trans person entering discussions about a threat of murdering women for meeting and speaking to make it all about them and how it makes them look bad or how they shouldn't be expected to condemn the threat? Really

No.

Speaking as someone who is trans, I condemn anyone who uses such methods to intimidate people trying to speak up

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3209903-to-say-not-in-my-name