Sophie Walker WEP "It’s time to make the Women and Equalities brief a proper Cabinet job"

[R0wantrees]

Sophie Walker wrote in the Telegraph May 1st:
www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/time-make-women-equalities-brief-proper-cabinet-job/
"This year has been a monumental one for women: Not just the centenary of the first group of women to win the vote, but also the year in which we are seeing truly how far we still are from equality.

Companies across the UK are publishing gaps in pay between men and women - along with sheepish corporate narratives demonstrating how little they understand why this is happening. Sexual harassment scandals continue to rock Westminster as the #MeToo movement gives voice to the daily abuse of women in workplaces everywhere." (continues behind paywall)

Tweet from WEP today:
"Scathing evidence this morning by experts from @instituteforgov, @EDUKPrevent and former civil servants about the impact of the Government passing around the Women and Equalities brief like a hot potato."
twitter.com/WEP_UK/status/994166254872100864

Please please do so... make it a cabinet role that is...

I agree, Sophie.

I just have no doubt who will get the post and what they will then warp the brief to.

I think women need our own representation separate to equalities. In fact I think all groups included in 'equalities' need their own representation. Yes we have crossover issues of course (isn't that what 'intersectional' is all about?) but I don't think any groups specific needs and the difficulties we experience in society are well served by all being lumped together - it feels like a fob off. Can anyone explain the positives about being "and equalities" like this because I don't understand it?

Open letter to Penny Mordant MP at the weekend:

reported here: metro.co.uk/2018/05/07/government-under-pressure-to-reform-vital-transgender-laws-7528227/

(interesting to note that in the PN segment quoted in the thread below she is referred to as the 'Equalities Minister' so 'Woman &' seems to have been dropped...)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3242812--Amnesty-International-Mermaids-and-Stonewall-have-signed-an-open-letter-to-Penny-Mordaunt-stating-the-importance-of-reforming-the-Gender-Recognition-Act

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3236009-Rudd-resigns-Who-is-new-Women-and-Equalities-Minister

link to the Women's & Equalities cross-party Committee
www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/women-and-equalities-committee/

Sophie Walker quoted in Gaby Hinsliff's Guardian article today.

“There is a difference between social media debate and the conversations going on elsewhere,” says Sophie Walker, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, who was torn apart over her party’s trans-inclusive stance in one notable Mumsnet webchat, but is now more optimistic about the chances of reaching some consensus. “I am encouraged by the number of women who have contacted me privately to say they want to find common ground.” Both Woman’s Place and trans activists led by Stonewall have given well-received briefings to Labour MPs in recent months."

The article is balanced & covers important current wider issues:
www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/10/the-gender-recognition-act-is-controversial-can-a-path-to-common-ground-be-found

Agree with Sophie and also with Joan Summers that it needs to be a separate post - a Woman’s minister. We are 51% of the population and need proper representation.

it needs to be a separate post - a Woman’s minister.We are 51% of the population and need proper representation.

I've copied my comment from a recent thread about female prisoners who felt intimidated by two prisoners who identified as women.

"The issue is surely that there is no 'lobby' for the protection of the rights of women and as the word 'woman' has been legally and socially extended to include trans women, how can there be one for those born female?"

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3242178-Transgender-killers-split-up-by-prison-chiefs

Nic Williams discusses in her in depth article:
fairplayforwomen.com/legal-basics/

Introduction:
"In the UK there are three groups of people all staking a claim to the word woman. Under UK equality law a women is defined as a ‘female of any age’ and the overwhelming majority of women are legally female by virtue of birth. However, a small number of male-born people (a couple of thousand) are also technically defined as women having legally changed their sex classification to female by using the legal powers of the Gender Recognition Act 2004. There is also a third group of people, also male-born, who self-identity as women. Self-identification currently confers no legal status and these people remain legally male and therefore men by definition. This article discusses the way UK equality law applies to each of these three groups, how their rights are fairly balanced and how changes to gender laws will impact on all three. Trans rights do not exist in isolation. A fair society balances the rights of all groups and acknowledges both our differences and similarities. Equality is not about treating everyone the same. It is about fairness for all. Sometimes the fairest thing is to treat people differently..." continues

If equility is about fairness why is there not a minister representing men's rights and the gender pay gap in there wages.
Women should be demonstrating what equility is by campaigning for men and women's fair treatment, that way men would be more likely to support women and not resent the constant criticism aimed at them by the rabid feminist sisterhood who do not understand that equility is for all.

I'm going to echo @terfulike 's response to you following your misogynistic/agist/sexist comment on www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/a3244160-Germaine-Greer-Fan-Club?msgid=77768766#77768766

fo vicky1990

Wow you're right, I've seen the light!