Lurker turned talker: What can we actually do??

[howlsmovingcastle84]

Hello all,

Long time forum lurker, first time poster!
I've been watching (along with a lot of you) the developments of self ID with increasing concern, especially the tone of the debate and the attacks on women in general. I won't rehash the whole debate here but I just wanted to post to ask the question of what can we do-and I mean actually do??

I feel like something new is needed. I've never been a fan of forming lots of little mini groups talking about slight variations of a theme as I don't think it achieves much but it does seem like there is actually nothing at the moment that is representing the concerns of women. Online stuff is always a tricky minefield as it is too easy for things to get shouted down. I feel like an actual group, society, whatever you want to call it needs to exist with with actual people and faces doing the talking. As I say, I'm still not sure exactly what but feel I need to do something. Women seem to be being told to sit down and be quiet and a lot are being intimidated into doing just that. I want to start having our voices heard.

I would probably describe my main talent as the ability to be a complaint pain. I've managed to get refunds from companies who were completely, legally speaking, in the right just by not giving in until they relented. I feel like this is what we need now. People who will say it, keep saying it and keep saying it until people start to listen. We need articles in newspapers, appearances on Daily Politics and Newsnight and for our voices to start being heard. We need to start taking control of the narrative.

Apologies for a lot of the stating the bleeding obvious and not offering much in a way of a solution! But I really do think we can do something. If other people feel the same and want to try to come up with some ideas then let's see if we can get a discussion going.

the obvious starting point is a letter to your mp. Although I have had a draft on my computer for a week now so not necessarily practising what I preach!

Each woman fight this in their own are a, then recruit everyone you know to help in your area, fight and recruit in their area. Speak to your MP, so we get as many votes against the GRA reform and get them to consider their position should there be a future safeguarding issue, now you made them aware (back this up in writing) in the future if they knowingly did nothing to prevent. Get the Transgender trend into your child's school with the same threat notification on safeguarding.

Some ideas
On the "Today I self I-D as a Man" thread there are links to an activists group you can join.
Join A woman's place for one of their gatherings.
Circulate the Transgender Trend school advisory document to you Child's school and meet with head.

Meet with your politician personally.

I wrote to my MP and received a reply explaining why I had got it wrong. Unless MPs receive many many letters/emails/visits to their surgeries, (from different people), they will continue to say that we are wrong.
So it's important to talk about this with everyone you know and urge them to contact their MPs also.

I spoke to my MP and got them onside. I sadly know so much on this subject I just kept going until I hit a group being negatively impacted, that he wanted to protect. As there are so many groups, you can probably find something that will make them think, hang on that's not right and peak them.

I don't care how many people say I am wrong, when ever has it been ok in history, to abuse children?

I have emailed the Women's Equality Party, asking them to explain why Heather Brunskell Evans was expelled from the WEP, and what the WEP's stance is towards people with male life experience and male bodies, who now state that they are women.
www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/even-a-party-for-women-won-t-take-on-trans-lobby-hncf8ljnn

I'm not a member of the WEP but will consider joining it, if it looks like a useful thing to do.
(If one is already a member of another party, one can join WEP as an associate member.)

I'm being very dense here, but I can't quite work out what you are all referencing! Is it to do with gender some how, and men who decide to identify as women? This is a genuine question!

that's right, MiddleAgedMe, we are talking about transactivism which is (mostly) men who claim to be women and may or may not have had drugs/surgery to pursue that. It's a hot topic because at the moment it's quite difficult to get a gender recognition certificate (which would change your legal status from male to female or vice versa) but there's a bill proposing to make this available simply on self declaration, meaning a man could very easily get the legal status of a woman and therefore be able to access all kinds of woman only services.
There are loads of threads in the feminist sections of mumsnet about this, but as posters have been discussing it for a few years now it may all seem a bit confusing.

MiddleAgedMe Yes, Self ID means anyone will be able to legally change their sex by downloading a form to sign. From that point onwards they will be able to use any women's service, it will be illegal to refuse them.
The govt has made it clear they don't think exemptions for services such as women's toilets, refuges or Rape Crisis are reasonable.

Its already gone ahead in other countries such as Canada and it isnt working well for women.

MiddleAgedMe

Probably the best answer is to suggest you read through the threads on FWR. It will quickly become clear what is happening - how proposed changes to the GRA will badly affect women's rights - rights in sport, in swimming pools, in changing places, toilets, refuges etc. should the proposal to allow gender self ID to take place i.e. without any dysmorphia diagnosis, surgical or medical treatment. So any man can identify as a women with no checks whatsoever and it will, in effect, be illegal for a woman to challenge them.

Exactly Middle. If self-id legislation goes ahead the word woman becomes meaningless. Unfortunately with GRCs existing already the horse has already bolted. I think most women are prepared to accept people as transwomen, treat them socially as women up to a certain point. But when men are winning women's sports, are on all women shortlists, are expecting to do intimate examinations when a female healthcare professional has been requested etc. it is the time to speak out.

Pick an area eg women's prisons or girls' and women's sport.

Research online (so that you can give examples) then lobby the relevant government minister (and shadow minister etc), and national newspapers on that specific area of concern.

(Then choose another area and repeat).

I never engage in posts that start Hi all, I am a long time lurker and first time poster followed by question. What does it matter whether you're a first time poster or not.

To be clear... everyone should dress how they want, have whatever interests they want, even any cosmetic surgery they want. None of these things change your sex.

MiddleAgedMe - as well as what has been mentioned above, you also need to bear in mind that the people behind today's transactivism are not the old skool transsexuals of the past (ie. those who had surgery) but are fetishists, autogynephiles, men's rights activists, misogynists, etc. These are the people we are told we should be sharing our changing rooms with, allowing to work in refuges, rape counselling, etc. And who will be granted access to those spaces just by filling in a form to say they are a woman.

The Equality Act is the problem not self ID.

Currently all a man needs say is that they are considering transitioning and they get the protection of being transgender. This is currently interpreted as access to women’s spaces, sports and services.

We need to campaign for the exemptions already in the Equality act to be invoked on a blanket basis rather than on a case by case basis.

This means lobbying to change the Equality Act.

Thank you all for your responses so far-I've taken some steps already based on the above. Contacted MP and wrote to national and local labour party (only them specifically because they were the party I voted for). I will take a look at the activism groups. I like the idea of contacting government ministers about specific impact for other groups as sadly I don't think impact on women counts anymore.

Hi Viviennemary .

Long time poster and long time lurker on these boards. Good to see you finally posting here.

That's a great first post OP. The GRA has been put on hold for now. There's a trifling problem in the Cabinet at the moment, something beginning with B. However this thread has reminded me to get back to my MP regarding the issue, because I haven't heard a thing from her yet - died in the wool tory - her description of herself.