A Woman's Place - Edinburgh GRA meeting 14 Feb

[AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth]

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-womans-place-loves-womens-rights-tickets-42402450872

Who is going? I'm def up for it

[BetsyM00]

Apparently they are chanting "this is what a feminist looks like" with their faces masked.

Don't know why they couldn't just buy a ticket and go and hold a conversation.

[Fekko]

Wtaf is a ‘swerf’? Is that like a Smurf?
Don’t they look like those furry little creatures in Star Wars?

[WiltedDaffs]

SWERF stands for sex worker exclusionary radical feminist.

www.feministcurrent.com/2015/11/04/shit-liberal-feminists-say-swerf/

[OvaHere]

Didn't get much of a turn out did they? I thought Edinburgh was TRA capital.

[Fekko]

I prefer smurfs myself.

[busyboysmum]

So the last three meetings in Manchester Bristol and now this one have all passed off without any violence towards the women attending. We all need to be braver and we all need to go to these meetings and talk to each other. We need them to get bigger and bigger.

[Mrsmiguelcervantes]

They stood outside banging pots and pans. At the event one of the speakers stood up to talk about being raped as a child. Her voice was accompanied by their football style chants from outside. Later we asked one of them, a young woman, how she felt about shouting over the testimony of a rape survivor. She looked blank and then bleated ‘You’re trying to take away trans people’s rights!’ She didn’t really look as though she understood or believed in what she was saying.

[OOAOML]

It was so moving when that woman spoke wasn't it? You were braver than I was challenging them outside though!

[newyearsameme80]

That woman’s story was really powerful wasn’t it, and not something I’d thought much about before. All the people who spoke were excellent, and a real cross section of women who’ve all had enough of this erosion of our rights.

[BearFoxBear]

It was a really good event. We need more opportunities like this women to speak up. I'm really grateful for it and feel like it's clarified my thoughts around a lot of what was making me uncomfortable.

[Melamin]

I am enjoying reading the #wpuk tweets - it all sounds very positive and that things will move forward. I am encouraged. Thanks to those women out there organising these events

[PlonitbatPlonit]

All sounds brilliant! I wish I could have been there. I agree with busyboysmum when she says "we all need to be braver and we all need to go to these meetings and talk to each other. We need them to get bigger and bigger."

Next meeting in London has the potential to be really huge! I hope lots of women go to it.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-womans-place-is-making-a-stand-tickets-42865237078

[sexnotgender]

I had a tear in my eye more than once listening to those stories.

Great meeting, so glad I went.

[mummybear701]

I'm curious about the story of a detransitioned teen, and the implications for the explosion in transgender children.

[SonicBoomBoom]

It was a fantastic night. The speakers were great, the discussion was great, the chat in the pub afterwards was great.

So glad, relieved and reassured to know there are so many brilliant women among us. We should all trust ourselves more.

We will do this.

We will protect women.

[MarSeeAh]

It was a great night and I’m so glad I came through to Edinburgh for it.

I videoed the protestors as I was leaving - because one of them, face covered, was filming us! Really disappointed and quite unsettled watching the video later to hear mostly or all women’s voices doing the chanting.

[PlectrumElectrum]

Agreed, great night, glad I was there & so important to connect with other gender critical feminists.

[varvara]

The chanting and music in the background while the woman was speaking out about being raped as a child and the effect it has on her was awful.

From what I saw of the protesters they were quite young and very few in number considering the racket they made. I wish the politicians who think that this is a done deal could have been there to see what a tiny, extremist fringe they are.

Thanks to all the women who spoke out, especially those who were so open in sharing their personal stories.

[LassWiADelicateAir]

How many people were there?

[SonicVersusGynaephobia]

I'd guess about 150+

The seats were full anyway!

[AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth]

Outside was like a bad hen night with the pot banging. With really shit costumes. They did have the veils though

[wantaticket]

I got a ticket in the end - hooray! So glad to have gone and I was really impressed by the speakers and by the women I met before and afterwards (thanks for the great chats people!).

I didn't really look at the TRAs before and after, I was more focused on getting past them and keeping my head down. Is it normal for them to cover their faces or is the tide turning and their views are becoming more unpopular. I'm surprised they felt the need to cover their faces but my guess is that they believe their own lies that we're violent and hateful rather than it being a sign of holding a view that they view as being unpopular?

[wantaticket]

I didn't really look at the TRAs before and after, I was more focused on getting past them and keeping my head down. Is it normal for them to cover their faces or is the tide turning and their views are becoming more unpopular?

Missing question mark from my last post!

[Mrsmiguelcervantes]

Wantaticket no they definitely believe they are on the side of right. I think they are trying to protect themselves from us and our violent transphobia!

[AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth]

The face coverings are a total affectation. They fancy themselves as Antifa and a bit raaad.

Arseholes