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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Labour Party confirm that all women shortlists are open to anyone who IDs as a woman

137 replies

CapnHaddock · 17/04/2018 13:52

They did not consult as promised, they did not discuss. They just decided.

Jennifer James has instructed her solicitors.

Fuck the Labour Party. That is the final nail in the coffin for me. Anyone got any ideas about how best to spoil the ballot next month?

OP posts:
whatnow123 · 17/04/2018 16:57

Wouldn't it be an idea to get some willing men, to self id as women and attempt to get on these shortlists, to highlight the craziness of it all.

Bourdic · 17/04/2018 16:58

Still need an idea as to what to write/draw on ballot paper?

merrymouse · 17/04/2018 17:00

Given that Jeremy Corbyn actually said that after work drinks were sexist because women would want to get home to their children, it's not that surprising that Labour have a special policy for people with lady brains.

UpstartCrow · 17/04/2018 17:03

That does it. All I have to do now is decide how to spoil my ballot.

OlennasWimple · 17/04/2018 17:07

Bourdic and Upstart - I'm going to write "Vote XX" in a new box at the bottom of the page and then put another X next to it to mark my selection. If I could get into Twittering, I might try to promote this as #VoteXXX

Floisme · 17/04/2018 17:07

I think I'm going to draw an extra box and vote for Justine.

Weezol · 17/04/2018 17:14

Thing is, apart from the count, who actually sees spoilt ballots? What happens to them?
Unless they are seen by candidates after elections it seems a totally pointless action, especially in this particular year.

SirVixofVixHall · 17/04/2018 17:18

Whatnow123 I was thinking that too.

NaiceBiscuits · 17/04/2018 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SmurfOrTerff · 17/04/2018 17:21

Still waiting for canvassers round here. My MP (another one who was on an AWS) is apparently going round with the woman candidate.

I hope they will knock on my door.

I think I will say

I am a cunt and have been erased
I will vote for anyone who does not buy into this

Noqonterfy · 17/04/2018 17:26

I can't believe I put so much effort in for labour in the past. Never again. They can fuck off.

BabyItsAWildWorld · 17/04/2018 17:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GenderApostate · 17/04/2018 17:56

Tell me if I’m way off, could Labour’s legal argument, assuming it gets to court, be that they and the Lib Dems have used self id for selection purposes for some time, so some sort of precedent has already been set?

Ereshkigal · 17/04/2018 18:01

Thanks Sarah!

Threewheeler1 · 17/04/2018 18:04

They've lost my vote then.
No consultation.
They've made their feelings about the rights of biological women pretty clear lately.
Still can't believe vile male Labour members get away with calling women who question this ideology 'c*ts'. Shouldn't someone be sanctioning that behaviour?
Such a perfect demonstration of why meaningful change is still light years away.

OlennasWimple · 17/04/2018 18:13

could Labour’s legal argument, assuming it gets to court, be that they and the Lib Dems have used self id for selection purposes for some time, so some sort of precedent has already been set?

Not a lawyer, but breaking the law for a length of time doesn't mean it's OK to carry on breaking the law.

I'm genuinely flummoxed, as I can usually see some kind of legal counter argument to most situations. But in this case I think the law is very clear that AWS are for women only and the Equality Act is very clear that only TIM with a GRC are considered legally women. So I don't know what on earth the Labour lawyers are saying

Terfmore · 17/04/2018 18:19

I wonder if this has come now while Syria is going on and they hope the AWS issue can slip in under the radar.
The court action is now incredibly important. Although the legal issue may be peculiar (as the EqA allows for AWS but choosing to pre empt) the case will be relevant for other issues of women's spaces.

Winewinewinegin · 17/04/2018 18:20

I will vote tactically for women's rights. At the moment the conservatives look like they will keep sex based exemptions and are more open to debate (low bar compared to the competition, but still).

Am keen to meet canvassers too. It will be a good chance to raise awareness of the actual issues - many of the front line members don't know about this yet in my experience.

Will be trying my best to appear to be a reasonable human being.

SomeDyke · 17/04/2018 18:21

"But in this case I think the law is very clear that AWS are for women only and the Equality Act is very clear that only TIM with a GRC are considered legally women. So I don't know what on earth the Labour lawyers are saying....."

I suspect that they know which way the judgement will go, but that is exactly what they want! So, they get all the benefits of saying they are wonderfully inclusive, AND feeling even more virtuous when they are stopped from being so virtuous................

Because otherwise they would have to admit they were wrong when they blithely steamrollered this through without debate/consultation/lying to us all. Instead make the courts the bad guy.

Oh, and cost women time/money/effort to fight it, but we already know they don't give a fuck about us cunts...............

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2018 18:24

I suspect that they know which way the judgement will go, but that is exactly what they want! So, they get all the benefits of saying they are wonderfully inclusive, AND feeling even more virtuous when they are stopped from being so virtuous

YY. If labour lose this it will be used as ammunition for why we must have self ID now because current laws outdated etc etc.

I'm still glad it's going to court though.

LassWiADelicateAir · 17/04/2018 18:25

But in this case I think the law is very clear that AWS are for women only and the Equality Act is very clear that only TIM with a GRC are considered legally women

The Labour Party's AWS will only have a status as defined and referrable to Labour Party internal rules. I don't think they are "breaking the law" by permitting self ID.

I think you are conflating actual law as created by Parliament by statute and the internal rules of an organisation.

I don't personally care. I am no longer a member of the Labour Party and I don't support AWS anyway.

OvaHere · 17/04/2018 18:35

I don't think they care about breaking the law.

If it goes to court and the judgement is against them they will just drop AWS (intended purpose in the first instance IMO) and say if women lack proportional representation it's their own fault for being mean bigots.

I also think there is a chance it won't go to court because they will enact the above before it gets to a hearing. Although maybe there would be a legal case against dropping AWS without taking a party vote on it.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2018 18:35

I think you are conflating actual law as created by Parliament by statute and the internal rules of an organisation

It was originally in the Sex Discrimination Act (Election Candidates) 2002, and then extended in the Equality Act (2010). So actual law.

researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN05057

borntobequiet · 17/04/2018 18:54

Barrister: What did you see on ?
Witness : I saw a man running away. I saw him dispose of in a litter bin.
Barrister: You saw a ...man?
Witness: Yes.
Barrister: But my client is a woman! Are you sure of what you saw? Do you usually wear spectacles?
Witness:
Disclaimer: all I know of criminal trials is from reading crime fiction.

Italiangreyhound · 17/04/2018 19:00

How is it legal?