Due to see MP about GRA/women's rights. Any advice?

[Stickerladiesoftheworldunite]

I'm due to see my female MP soon. I intend to focus on the GRA consultation and my concerns about enabling any male who self ids as a woman into women's spaces.

I also want to add my concerns about my son's school being a Stonewall.Champion school and my wider concerns around young people and this trend, about what's being taught in local schools regarding sex and gender.

I'm trying to stick to those points and relate national concerns to the MP's constiuency.

I need to be ready for any typical counter arguments and responses.

I've played devil's advocate below and would like some succinct water tight answers (and evidence) to support my answers. I do have answers, but they may not be as eloquant as some on here.

What do I actually want my MP to do about my concerns? What can they do?

What about the small number transsexuals who have had full surgery? Shouldn't they be able to use wcs?

Why can't we simply share facilities? Why take away from trans rights? (I recall somebody wrote a good analogy of a small cake being divided up.- saying women's cake wasn't that big to begin with after we fought for single sex spaces).

Do I 'object' to trans men using men's toilets?

And any other salient points I should mention.

Thanks

I'm not new - previously Cartertheunstoppablesexmachine/indierockandroll/thebiologicalwoman (and a regular MNetter of 13 yrs before peak trans).

There's a recent video here by Posie Parker describing how a meeting with MP went.

Its worth watching.

I talked about the homophobia of trans ideology. I said I wanted my kids to grow up feeling they could be whatever they like without being told they were bigoted or need to change sex and be sterilised.

That is one of the bits that I find most distressing and I thought I'd better focus because I only had ten minutes.

Thank you both. The video is helpful.
Charlie - agree. I want to talk about women's rights without being brandished as something else.

Wondering if I should bring up Jess Bradley/Gregor Murray/BBC reporting on prisons/attacks in prisons /Labour's so called women's officer.

Should I mention Ann Sinnot's resignation as an example of a female politican with ethics who has said no to this bullshit?

My MP is tory for what it's worth. It makes me nervous that Baroness Williams and the speaker are such raging opponents of women's rights. Oh and that Penny believes TWAW.

I was incensed especially by Williams' recent comments and just hope there are decent women politicans like Ann out there, regardless of political persuasion.

This thread is worth a look.

Thank you.
Interesting re points around impact assessments, including religion.
My MP's area is very culturally diverse and so any changes would have a big impact.
It is an emotive issue. However, that thread does keep it matter of fact, which I need to do.

My recommendation is to get them to do the talking. Ask them their views, challenge them where appropriate and get them to defend their views if you disagree.
E. G
What do you think the pros and cons of the proposed changes to the GRA?
What are the downsides of expanding the category female to include males who feel female?
Do you think sex segregated provision is important? Why?
Do sexed bodies matter when it comes to DfE coding who uses which same-sex hospital ward, prison, changing room.
Get them to do the work!

DfE coding should read determining!

there are loads of tweets from trans activists that call Jewish and Muslim women bigots - sex and religion are both protected characteristics.

''Nope, your religion is a choice, and if it tells you to discriminate then it's up to you if you do, you can't absolve yourself of your bigotry that easily.''
twitter.com/TheTransGiant/status/1029102676926181377

Don't forget the Hampstead Ponds. There were 3 ponds; male, female and unisex. there are now 3 unisex ponds.

I intend to focus on the GRA consultation and my concerns about enabling any male who self ids as a woman into women's spaces

Hopefully your MP can reassure you that the proposed changes to the GRA will not enable any man (or trans woman) into women's spaces.

Every day I am finding better ways of expressing my concerns having read and absorbed so much on here and elsewhere.

Found myself drafting an email to an elected rep yesterday where I explained that I don't think every transwoman is a potential sexual predator. But nor to I think that of every man. In fact, I could count lots of men known to me - my dad, husband, son, brothers-in-law, friends - who I think could be safely relied upon not to sexually harass a woman in an intimate space. But I'm still not in favour of abandoning single sex spaces!

The newspapers are awash with stories on a daily basis of both powerful and ordinary men sexually assaulted women. The 1 in 5 statistic and 2 women a week in the UK killed by partner or ex partner.

Also, it's not just about fear of potential for abuse of self-ID. Many women if not most feel uncomfortable in intimate spaces with male-bodied people. Been arguing with local councillors on this issue in schools with teenage girls and their shyness about their developing bodies.

And what about Jewish and Muslim women whose religion forbids them undressing in front of a man (see Rosa Freedman's thread). This will make it harder for them to participate in public life.

I met two elected reps face to face last week and it was by far the most positive interaction I've had so far. I could cut through in a way that is not possible on email. I made the issue very pointed as I'm questioning guidance that applies to schools in my town, so it's easy to point out the potential impact on girls. They both got it instantly. One is on the left and one is on the right.

Good luck!

I intend to leave my MP with a "briefing paper" on one sheet of A4 explaining how self-id will affect his wife, his sister ( a prospective parliamentary candidate in a nearby constituency) his mother, and his small children.

I'm going to ask him to give a copy to his wife/sister/volunteer helpers and see what they think!

I'm going to do this because I went to an event where an MP told us how to make them into allies. (As opposed to someone who will just "pass their concerns on to...someone else")

Give them too many strands of the case and they drown in too much information.

Leave them with some snappy notes, or a fuller briefing paper and they will read it and absorb it, at some stage.

Give them facts and figures with notes about the sources, and they "keep it up their sleeves" and feel able to contribute to the parliamentary debate.

If I don't do this, I risk my MP feeling so overwhelmed that they just pass it on to whom it may concern. But I want him to be ally.

I haven't composed it yet (gah! it's difficult). Perhaps this is the sort of material/resource that A Woman's Place, Fairplay for Women?Man Friday can help us with?

Thank you so much.
I am going to make some notes now and leave her with an A4 briefing sheet too.

I like stats for obvious reasons, so number of women attacked/raped/killed

Huge percentage of those under trans umbrella with penises

Recent news stories (will see if there are any locally).

I want her to see I am an "ordinary mother" rather than this 'Millie-Tant" caracature that's drawn of anybody who dares to question the regime.

There's so much, from Jess Bradley to the attack on a 60 year old woman to the sickening numbers of children in a cult state. Stonewall and Mermaids in my eyes are key culprits in this, yet their net is so wide.

Asking questions is good. These are the ones that caused my MSP pause.

We know single sex spaces protect women & girls, what is the advantage of single gender/mixed sex spaces?
How can a male bodied person be charged with being an exhibitionist or voyeur in the women's changing room if they id as a woman?
Should my 10 yr old see a male body with penis when she is using the changing room at X?

Good luck

Ask how you can trust that the Equality Act will protect women, when it's already failing and when transactivists have said they want it amended.

What party is your MP in?

And are you in a constituency with a big ethnic population?

My suggestion would be to talk about how this is going to play with the electorate. Point out to them how difficult they are going to find it when a Muslim woman writes to complain she doesn't want to share a changing room with a man. Or ask her what she's going to say when an angry dad is furious that his teenage daughter is expected to share a PE changing room with a teenage boy. Or that his elderly mum in a care home is being washed and changed by a man who identifies as a woman.

Thank you - some good tips.

One I quoted from here is "If the definition of trans is all of those under SW umbrella then we are including those who often don't id as a woman (either at all or part of the time) and derive sexual pleasure from cross dressing.

Is this acceptable with you? If not, why not?

My MP is female, Conservative.

I got distracted trying to cut down my larger notes. I was just furious again over Baroness Williams. I never did write to her, but doing this is making me put pen and paper. She brings shame on women, to quote her bilious venom.

How can a male bodied person be charged with being an exhibitionist or voyeur in the women's changing room if they id as a woman?

Easy - the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is sex neutral. Men have been charged under it for voyeurism in the men's changing room.

If it's not too cheeky I wonder if those of you putting together a briefing paper would mind sending me a copy via pm (if possible).

I'm in the process of trying to explain the issues to a family member and am struggling because whilst I have strong feelings about self id, I'm not very good at explaining as eloquently as you lot. In the midst of summer holiday madness, trying to start up a new business, have 2 small children and heavily pregnant with pgp so have my hands full. Have been saving links and writing notes but I'd be ever so grateful for any input.

This case is an important one. MPs need to consider this carefully as it demonstrates the serious safeguarding of young girls:

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/702003/fife-teen-on-sex-offenders-register-after-supermarket-child-attacks/

The article linked above describes how two young girls (aged 10 & 12) were sexually assaulted by a 17yr old in women's toilets in supermarkets. The article uses gender neutral desciptors and pronoun for the attacker. It also records direct speech describing them as looking and sounding 'male/man'

It seems likely that the attacker was male-born but does not identify as a man. As they are 17, they could not have a GRC.

The father of one girl had waited outside (as is common)

There has only been (I think) this one article and the court is adjourned pending pre-sentence reports.

Additionally the attacker had social care involvement and had gone to the supermarket with a carer.

There will likely be a case review and more to come out.

Its a really serious and significant case.
What should a father and young daughter do when out together & she needs the loo?

thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3329936-teen-films-girl-in-toilet

Any help?

www.sages.org.uk/publications/sages-factsheet.html

sexmatters.org.uk (has downloadable leaflet)

Thank you - It's All
Perfect.

A big round of applause for @itsallgoingtobefine and the briefing leaflet.

MPs love bullet points, sources, and the breaking down of a complex subject into themes (according to the MP who gave us a talk on making allies).

Spot on. Firing up the printer and go, go, go.

R0wan - that is some compelling evidence, thanks.