Jess Bradley - a government advisor on women's rights suspended by NUS over indecent blog. Part iii

[MipMipMip]

There doesnt seem to be another part 3 coming up si here goes.

Placemarking as I don't want to miss a thing in this extremely enlightning thread.

This thread is really interesting, as well as flagging up all the links it highlights how some trans women and their allies have some very concerning views while others haves fetishes both of which are damaging for women.

What strikes me is that a number of these people have influence with government or media in order to push through changes to GRA which gives them access to single sex spaces. This should set off some big fucking alarm bells but it hasn't.

Now if a bunch of people on MN can join these dots and flag up these concerns why have they been allowed such influence.
Is it because the Government and media were just a bit crap and didn't do their research or do they just not care about the safety of women and children and have chosen to prioritise the feelings and proclivities of people born male

Had a peep at Ada's Twitter and agree that is entertainingly bonkers - or would be if no-one took Ada seriously.

It seems largely to involve utterly incomprehensible sounds bites being howled in a vacuum as I didn't see many responses!

Or they are in on it, Sarah.

I can't help but feel that Maria Miller's enthusiasm for the cause was encouraged in much the same way as Dawn Butler's (shadow Women and Equalities Minister) was.

Dawn went to LA for a 9 day trip. Cost 14K trip and was paid for by GLAAD.

Or they are in on it, Sarah

I hope so. It's interesting that after sky news did that piece about trans rights v feminism a week ago which aged rather badly because they interviewed Jess 'too scared to leave the house' Bradley, at the end of the week they had done 2 interviews one with Julie bindel about Anne lister and another interview with get the l out, both raised the issue of trans and the women actually got to speak.

When the press really runs with this a lot of people are going to look very foolish.

Politicians and public groups won't be credible if they go with the "we didn't know", "we were conned". Not in this Information Age. Basic due diligence isn't being done.

Individuals will have their published support archived. At best they will look incompetent, at worst people will suspect they were part of the circle jerk. Their careers will suffer.

I was musing in the early hours - how the hell did a couple of university students set up an organisation in their kitchen and end up as a credible voice advising government? It beggars belief really doesn't it?

And it shows the whole power of identifying as enby or trans or whatever. Suddenly people take you seriously, no matter how outlandish your demands (or demeanour)

They’ve set up numerous orgs (most of which have no turnover and only scant online references) presumably for the purpose of providing apparent legitimacy to their batshit ideas.

ATH was the first one to get any real traction (presumably thanks to the NUS connection) and TELI was the first to attract actual, qualified experts to the cause (hence JB being dropped faster than a Connecticut transgirl runs the 100 metre sprint).

Gosh, don't money launderers also do the same sort of thing?

I saw it on a US TV series.

Surely that can't be also part of the incredible web being weaved?

Bird bandit - it’s going to end up as a real life episode of Brass Eye:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbq3kc29Tmg

Breaking Brad[ley]

I think it would be interesting to make a list of who gets jollies or wins awards. I am very sceptical about these awards since MM got a pink one, presumably for her report. They seem very manipulative to me.

ATH was the first one to get any real traction (presumably thanks to the NUS connection)

I have been wondering about Jess Bradley's assertion of 'expert witness' status:

'Jess Bradley, Member, Executive Committee, Action for Trans Health'

witness comment:
"Jess Bradley: My name is Jess Bradley. I am a qualified health impact assessor and I am on the executive committee of an organisation called Action for Trans Health, which is the largest UK‑based democratic campaign for trans healthcare"

What might the qualification for 'health impact assessor' be?
(This is from September 2015)

Also what might have been the structure of ATH at this point- the claims made both for JB's position and the organisation seem rather grandiose?

data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/women-and-equalities-committee/transgender-equality/oral/21345.html

how the hell did a couple of university students set up an organisation in their kitchen and end up as a credible voice advising government?

This. I don't think it's surprising that they have a network - it's what men have always done - but I'm still scratching my head as to how they managed to inveigle their way into government circles. Maybe I've been watching too much crap tv but I can't imagine how you can get this far without allies on the inside.

TELI seem to be doing a twitter splurge attacking the NHS for not training everybody enough in trans health at the moment

how the hell did a couple of university students set up an organisation in their kitchen and end up as a credible voice advising government?

How did a vulnerable teenager in Kent succesfully threaten to sue a school, gain political influence, fame & close connection to an Australian with considerable international tech & cultural influence in less than a year?

teau.me/projects/
www.theguardian.com/profile/tea-uglow

They aren't really separate organisations I don't think. They are several heads on the same beast. There is an older generation of activists who bring in and shelter the new ones - Tara Hewitt, Sarah Brown, Paris Lees, Roz Kaveney, etc. More names I can't think of right now, there I'd an older one with curly hair and glasses who is very influential but keeps out of the spotlight these days, to push forward the younger ones. Aimee, Lily, Jess - young people of the not female sex who have an enormous amount of political power way beyond their age, experience, skill, or position - because they are able to exploit an old boys network (which in turn exploits them for youth credibility and longevity). It is really no different to how all politically powerful men network and reproduce themselves politically. The money and the contacts and the exclusively male meetings and opportunities.

TELI seem to be doing a twitter splurge attacking the NHS for not training everybody enough in trans health at the moment

I'm not sure if Tara Hewitt is still employed by the NHS but given her attacks on Dr Polly Carmichael and GIDs, if she is, it seems quite extraordinary that she has not been investigated.

Good points, Joan.

Yep, there need to be an enquiry about how the transgender "experts" came to be invited to advise the government.

What exactly was that process?

Who was responsible for deciding which organisations and individuals would be invited to advise?

What checks were done on those people chosen to advise? Jess Bradley said that they were a "qualified health impact assessor" which seems to be untrue.

No checks it seems on their "experts". And yep, the irony of taking someone completely at their word and it turning out not to be true is not lost on me. That's what self-ID is. Anybody can say that they are anything. If the House of Commons can't weed out chancers and perverts, then how the hell are ordinary women supposed to navigate it?

At the very least we need a Impact on Women's Rights committee set up in Parliament, about the many impacts of allowing men to claim to be women on their say so alone, and it needs to be as in-depth as the Transgender Equality one.

I think that is what we need to push for. A separate committee for the impact on women's rights. It is the least that they can do. And of course, women will lead that, in the same way that transgender people led the Transgender Equality committee.

Only when that is complete can we have a proper consultation about the GRA and self-ID.

They are several heads on the same beast. There is an older generation of activists who bring in and shelter the new ones - Tara Hewitt, Sarah Brown, Paris Lees, Roz Kaveney, etc

Stephen Whittle plays an important role:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3249035-Stephen-Whittle-s-blog-on-Genderquake-with-a-detailed-briefing-for-panelists
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3212371-Where-are-all-the-trans-men-An-Answer

Also Christine Burns & the other founders of 'Press for Change', history in article:
www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/22/voices-from-trans-community-prejudice

Excellent thread

Christine Burns is who I was thinking of, thank you R0wantrees. And yes, Stephen Whittle as pretty much the only not male person in the mix, but I'm not sure if they are part of this particular network or just a convenient ally.

I agree with previous posters. I don't want to become too conspiratorial, but the TRA voice does seem disproportionately loud.
Additionally, I have never been able to understand why a trans woman activist needs to be centered in three separate movements (feminism, LGBT+ activism, trans activism) when TRAs tend to solely promote the trans agenda in each?

It's confusing to me.

For anyone doubting that this has been ongoing for a while, it's worth having a look at the 2011 Transgender equality action plan which includes the friendly face of the current Prime Minister and the following commitment:
Signpost, on relevant digital media, opportunities for transgender women to engage with work on strengthening women’s voices in Government.

I don't think any women were consulted.

There is also Stella Gardiner over at the Greens, who doesn't seem as involved as some of the others mainly due to constant (and I mean constant) flouncing and emotional crises. This network is cross party and beyond party - I believe their party affiliations are fully down to entryism.