House of Commons event - anyone else going?

[grandplans]

If so, see you there!

Do you think it'll be mobbed by TRAs as the venue's been announced in advance or not because of the security at the HOC?

Brilliant feedback from all here. I like the idea of the two 'camps' with a common cause, yes.

LangCleg I think being 'nice' is one of my failings in a way. We need blunt speakers!

As Lang says, wntt and wpuk has quite nicely put themselves into a 'slot' each.

I think there is room for different groups with the same broad aims, it follows the same pattern of the suffragists and the suffragettes. We need both because different people respond to differently presented messages.

What must be at the core of what is spoken about is truth. This is the biggest thing we have on our side. TRA ideology is largely based in fantasy and the distorting of truth. I think most reasonable people understand the value of truthfulness in society.

What's WNTT?

We Need to Talk

Langcleg you made me laugh with "I'm not a nice girl"! My DH recently complained that it is hard to argue with me because I'm assertive. Yes, I'm not arsy or aggresive or sulky, I'm assertive, definitely not nice in a female!

Thanks hipster.

Really wish I could go to this. Have fun everyone.

Bet the TRAs really wish they had just left it alone and the event was at Milwall instead

Fucking hell, Giuliana is going tonto on twitter

Possibly encouraging riots..

twitter.com/Giuliana_London/status/974308716316151809

Wouldn't that go down well..a group of masked protestors rioting at HOC screaming about how women should not be able to talk about law changes that affect the, and that women can have dicks. Can just imagine it..

Fucking hell, Giuliana is going tonto on twitter

I think that is the very definition of a mantrum.

Sorry posted when I was only on the first page. Glad it all went fine. I was kind of hoping for some TRAs (and their human shields of course) to turn up

I'm preparing myself for twitter

I was there yesterday. It really was amazing. Just brilliant to have a meeting like that, about free speech and where we speak the truth, in the very heart of a place of democracy and free speech. It's very symbolic.

All the speakers were great, although I agree with what some have said about some of the stuff being a bit radical. In some ways it was a bit preaching to the choir. Not a bad thing at all but we need to convince the general public.

Posie Parker gave a brilliant speech. Really admire her and she got a standing ovation.

Just an amazing night.

"Giuliana" appears to be somewhat hard of thinking, and I can't help wondering what skin she has in this game

The event sounds like it was fabulous.

I should add that I completely agree with all that was said and wish I was able to speak out like this! And it definitely does need to be said, even if it’s just to give people like me hope that things will get better

Last night was brilliant, so glad I went. It was even worth the rail replacement bus home!

I think there is room for two groups, not working in opposition to each other. One for the blunt speakers and those who are already deep into the issues, and another for consciousness raising and alliance building. These two groups, WNTT and WPUK seem to fulfil each niche nicely.

This is spades ^^

Women are not the borg! We do not have one hive mind. There's space for different groups, and I for one need something like WNTT. Women are making connections and this movement is growing.

I'll be at the next WNTT for sure :)

Giuliana is a man, not a she. A trans-identified male.

Giuliana has played/is playing a key role in spreading the idea that those who met are part of a hate group. This twitter account has been relentless in seeking out the very worst of comments, sometimes editing and often taking tweets out of context to build the 'proof' of extreme transphobia and hatred. Her 'evidence' has been seen & shared by representatives from all of the main political parties/Stonewall/Mermaids etc- I believe its telling that hers was the tweet used by Maria Miller. Her account (and a few others) have consistently goaded and sought reactions whilst calmer voices then take the evidence and narrative she collates forward.
Reading the collated comments from Guiliana would without doubt add to a lot of people's worries and distress as they do create the impression of women & groups filled with hatred. As people express their distress, their comments have also being collated 'proving' the devastating effects of transphobia and adding weight to TRA claims.
The Pink News article has similarly being spread far and wide and with it, the belief that a group in Parliament have described people who are transgender as parasites. That is a massive deal and hugely distressing!
The question I would ask though is who is creating and amplifying the hate speech and to what ends?

I'm sorry but showing that suit and calling transpeople parasites was a fucking offensive and idiotic thing to do.

I think I've reached peak Mumsnet over the trans issue.

I thought the "parasites" description was a terrible idea too, Tralalee (I thought it was an obvious own goal, as we know that we are constantly being scrutinised, plus I really dislike any description of anyone - including people whose politics and actions I am utterly opposed to - as insects, as it comes with political baggage), but I wasn't offended by it, as such. It's been taken out of context, but we should be self-aware enough to know that things like this will be taken out of context.

This issue is rapidly degenerating into extremes - if TRAs are extreme right and the activists at the HOC are extreme left, then I am centre left.

I'm sorry but showing that suit and calling transpeople parasites was a fucking offensive and idiotic thing to do.

And this is the constant subversion, which I find fucking offensive.

You're more concerned with the term used to describe men who wear female bodysuits, masks and mimic the female, pornified camel toe, than you are about those perverted men.

More offended by the term used, rather than the fact that the government are about to legislate to legitimise this exact fetish.

More concerned about a provocative word, than legalising autogynephilia.

Good to know exactly where your loyalties lie.

If there was an actually Pink News person there, them they were remarkably restrained in not shouting out when the speakers were "literally killing them

That's what I was thinking! I wonder if to keep up their cover they clapped and cheered along with the rest, or just sat there with a face of thunder and a cats bum mouth

You're more concerned with the term used to describe men who wear female bodysuits, masks and mimic the female, pornified camel toe, than you are about those perverted men

I'm not actually. I'm just able to see that it was an absolute GIFT to the Pink News and the TRAs. It's a complete own goal. It is also something on the border of normality that absolutely noone can relate to.

It made me cross because I could just FEEL the press reports. So ill thought out.

Datun as I said, I'm not offended, but I do think it was an own goal. (And calling people parasites does comes with some serious historical and political baggage, whether we like it or not.)

We've got so much on our side, I honestly don't think we need this.

(And, as I've said before on here, I think it's OK to disagree with each other. We aren't a hivemind, and we shouldn't aspire to be one.)

And YY Datun. Autogynephilia, and the fetishism and need for other people to participate, is a big issue for women and this argument around women's spaces and roles like rape counsellor etc and the creeping legitimisation of people's right to practice their "kink" even when others do not consent is worrying.