WEP statement from Sophie Walker

[SturdyEarmuffs]

She's tabled an emergency motion re the GRA debate at conference

I'm a member of WEP. Relatively new but joined before I was aware of the self ID issue.

I'm going to the conference with an open mind. This seems to be a positive move.

And yes, I think that WEP did get it wrong with HBE. But if we ditch support for every party every time the fuck up we'd have no one to vote for!

This is an improvement, and I am happy when I hear any politician recognise that females exist and deserve to retain their sex based rights and protections. This may be too little too late but at least she is talking about it. I'm holding onto my membership for a while to see how this goes down.

Interesting timing....

...isn't it?

We desperately need a Party the foregrounds women's needs. Misogyny is out of control and there has to be some means of mounting a high-profile response to that.

WEP effectively stole that position in the political constellation, stole money, energy, organising power, publicity, acknowledgement and placed a travesty, a parody, and a machine for doubling down on women's political suppression in its place.

I.am.so.angry.

Again I fully agree. Great comments. I do think they've stolen the position and used it against women.

She is totally gender critical but she is just being too nice to say.
If she gets some decent support she might admit it.

"I note how she comments abut women being so frightened of speaking out. Given what happened to Heather Brunskill Evans - who let's not forget was raising concerns about the welfare of children - women have every reason to be scared of certain members of the WEP."

Yes, WEP itself absolutely has to acknowledge its own role in making women so frightened to speak out. They have definitely contributed to the hostile environment for women.

I think it is good news for us, not because of the WEP itself (which few of us care about by now), but because there will be an inevitable backlash from the TRAs to this.

And I'm hoping that at least some of the media will cover that aspect of it.

And I'm hoping that at least some of the media will cover that aspect of it.

YY.

Sceptical, but optimistic.
It is very telling that so many women are afraid to speak up. That's not what the WEP should be about.
I hope it does go ahead and I hope they create an environment that allows a decent discussion.

I'd support WEP on this kind of manifesto.
If the party doesn't listen to and represent women, it should call itself something else.
Reasoned debate should not be feared or avoided.

Interesting.

I suppose, when the money from your core potential membership demographic starts drying up you have to start listening.

The backlash will be interesting - Sophie herself may well be on the receiving end of a complaint or 90, and subject to investigation. I'm watching closely to see how it plays out - wonder if she's had a battle on her hands getting agreement on GC legal reps speaking at the conference to give balance to the debate, or even just realised how she's been stitched up by whoever proposed the 2 very-busy-but-not-too-busy-for-WEP-conference legal experts.

SwearyG I noticed that too, it grated immediately. FFS, they have taken money, time and goodwill from WOMEN to centre WOMEN, and yet women's RIGHTS are still second priority to men's feelings.

Could not be less impressed. This is arse-covering. "Oh look, we had a debate. Get over it."

Go on, WEP, prove me wrong. I would love you to.

She is totally gender critical she is just being too nice to say.

We don't need nice, we need courage

Who is Christine Hart who’s making defamatory remarks about mumsnet and Debbie Hayton? Are they a WEP member?

A TRA. They've popped up on MN to scold us before.

Not sure if they're a WEP member.

Is the WEP now largely composed of "non-men" then? Seems sad so many women's organisations lack the guts to tell people with Y chromosomes to form their own parties. We wouldn't try hijacking a trans party, happy to leave them to get on with it. Some use government funding regulations as an excuse but I think more organisations should seek to be indepeneantly financed if goverment funding means pretending men can become women who then try and take over.

Thanks not one I’d encountered before.

Christin hart is a low rent troll who specialises in faux outrage at anything posted here, screen shots, @ anyone who they think they can get a reaction from. Best ignored.

I’m so happy about this. As a staunchly gender critical WEP member I wholeheartedly welcome this and am looking forward to conference with a lot less worry and a lot more hope now.

Also great that assuming this plays out how Sophie suggests, all members will have a chance to contribute, not just those able to attend conference.

Doing politics differently for real.

American I think

Ah no

What’s Stella Duffy’s position on all of this, I wonder?

WEP Conference 2018:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3325882-WEP-conference-questions-for-panel-of-trans-rights-advocating-barristers

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3318961-Ultimate-betrayal-by-the-WEP

March 2018:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3190170-a-flicker-of-hope-regarding-wep-and-trans-issues

Re Stella Duffy, She's commented on it:

twitter.com/stellduffy/status/1034519062888501248?s=20