Call to write to your MP before Commons debate

[GarlicSpartaterf]

On Thursday 1st December 2016, The House of Commons will debate a motion on Transgender Equality.

Maria Miller’s Committee has called for the removal of qualifying requirements for gender change, so that anyone could easily become legally a member of the opposite sex, without the need for any form of social or medical transition.

We’re asking anyone worried about the implications of this move to contact their MP.

"We" are Fair Play For Women. There's a lot more detail in the link.

Thelilywhite

I just think it looks more credible, if you add links, rather than just writing an opinion. It's fairly obvious from a lot of these threads, many people don't know that transwomen often have full male genitalia and are attracted to women, for instance. There is a misconception.

Datun I agree. I've finished it this morning with the links you suggested plus a couple from the fair play for women link. Am going to send it now before I lose my nerve!

Thelilywhite

Well done. I too felt nervous but once I had it all down, and I re-read it I saw the massive disconnect between the public's perception, and the actual reality, which was being sanitised and glossed over.

Stating facts should NOT be scary.

Here is a great link to a resource on the possible impact on worm

fairplayforwomen.com/unintended-consequences-house-commons-debate-transgender-equality

*On women.

Thank you OP for advertising this. I feel it's being missed by the general public though - it feels too important to be 'hiding' in the feminist section.

For anyone else wanting to write to their MP before 1st Dec there's a good article here
www.transgendertrend.com/transgender-equality-debate-in-parliament/ that gives good ideas on how to personalise your letter.

Darn I wish Id seen this before I sent mine Ghosty ! It took me about three days to put down my thoughts and relevant links. Although I did get a lot of useful advice/information from posters on here and from fair play for women. You are right it does feel too important to be hiding here and, as Datun said, there is a massive disconnect between the public's perception, and the actual reality.

I'm sure yours sounded more personal Lilywhite because of all your research - I'm convinced MPs take more notice the more individual your message sounds. Well done for all your hard work! I did find it such a difficult one to write - trying to sound completely outraged but not at all transphobic all at the same time.

Done

I wrote the other day, but I do worry that my letter was too outraged for someone who has not yet reached peak trans and all that implies. It is very hard to jump through all the steps in one letter that it has taken me months to think through.

MM is my MP. She hates me (all women tbh) and I hate her.

Can you tell I'm not feeling hopeful about this.

I take solace from a previous poster's reply from her MP. Who said they would add it to the ever growing pile from their constituents...

Datun that might have beven mine. I don't wish to burst your bubble BUT,
As much as I was impressed by his swift reply I fear our concerns are actually polar opposite. I'm not entirely sure how well my voice will represented by him and I don't want it to be swept into a 'cause' that never was mine. But I am keeping the dialogue open.
I hope more people join this thread and write to their MP's.

Sweets101

What do you think his agenda is then ?

Edward Leigh is my MP. I'm sending my email letter tomorrow. I'll let you know if he writes back.

I think he is more anti Trans (/anything that he perceives as a threat to his status quo) than pro equal rights. I think he might just use women speaking out to his own agenda.

This document from Women Analysing Policy on Women is very, very good. It breaks down the all the salient points and unintended consequences of the current suggestions. I'm going to email the whole thing to my MP.

I have written to my MP - have done before (regarding the increasing numbers of transitioning teenagers, one of which is my DD) and he responded positively. I have used the resources mentioned in this thread to email him again this week.

Took me ages, but it has gone off now.

I would like to stick my neck out and say a big thank you to women and parents who have written to their MP. It's easy to think that one voice is meaningless, but the consequence of that is No Voice.

A line has to be drawn.

I sent mine last week. No response yet.

I'm interested to see how many attend this debate.

Whew. Finally managed to get an email off to mine, it was hard work trying to get all my thoughts down in a way that (hopefully) wouldn't be misconstrued though and without getting to a million pages! I decided to email rather than write, so that I could put in links to some of the relevant cases and good articles that have been mentioned.

I was hoping to get it done a lot sooner, but then it sounds as though my MP may be away tomorrow and not able to join the debate anyway, so it might not make a difference for that. But at least I have given them some food for thought hopefully...

Daft question, but it is the first time I've ever written to my MP - is it normal to not get a reply? Not even an acknowledgment? I've sent it again, just in case, but I don't want to come across as a stalker!

I pretty much always get an automated reply very quickly, just saying thank you for the letter, it has been received and I'll respond to you when able - and then a proper response later, though sometimes it can be quite a while later (I guess MPs can get pretty busy!). It probably does depend on your MP too though, mine is very responsive but some of the ones above sound pretty bad!

I emailed and sent a paper copy in the post. In the email I said I'm sending a paper copy and in the paper copy I said I had emailed it.

In this day and age, frankly I think it's more unusual for them to receive paper copies and as it has a certain physicality it's harder to ignore.