WEP statement from Sophie Walker

[SturdyEarmuffs]

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

You know, another poster on another thread pointed out that there is a crisis in our political system st the moment- and one factor in the crisis is that only a fraction of the electorate are actually members of and involved in our political parties. It has led to over-representation of extremist positions and entry isn.

So I would say, try it. Try joining, try pushing for the direction that needs taking. Try.

So little... so late. WEP should have doing the work that WPUK is doing and lobbying hard on this issue to make sure women's voices are heard.

Having, what was the issue with men on may wards?

Congratulations btw! My 15 wk old has just puked on me and is now finally asleep on my shoulder.

I'm wondering whether to join. That's a good point re no one joins parties any more. However I'm wondering if it's better locally to join the Lib Dems. I scrutinised our local MPs twitter and I think he could be gc if pushed.

Its the best statement I've seen on this yet though.

I feel I'm giving in to a cheating ex who turns up with a bunch of flowers nicked from a petrol station and says, 'let's talk'. But anyway I'm going to listen. This is how desperate I am right now.

The part about members being afraid to talk openly - in a women's party - is so chilling. That and James Kirkup saying cabinet ministers - not just MPs, fucking Cabinet Ministers - are afraid to speak up. What sort of country is this?

Ek - it's one of their core policies. That men should be allowed overnight on all post natal wards. So fucking middle class it makes me want to vomit

Some day we will find out who's pulling the strings, but I'm worried that by then it will be much too late.

I’m reminded of this west wing quote:

I never understood why you gun control people don’t all join the NRA. They’ve got two million members, you bring three million to the next meeting, call a vote. ‘All those in favor of tossing guns?’ Bam. Move on.

I think I will join.

Why has nobody pointed out the obvious to her?

That any Woman who has the guts to stand up at conference and say what needs to be said, will be hounded by the witch finders, have their employers involved and all the rest of the vile behaviour that goes with speaking ‘out of line’ i.e. gender heresy.

I don't really see how a full consultation with members after their conference can take place in time to respond to the GRA consultation.

Karen Ingala Smith joined WEP recently, didn't she? If SW was smart, she'd have picked up the phone to Karen immediately for help on this issue and maybe that's what happened.

It is (tragically) the best statement on sex-based rights from any political party. But (a) I can't see GC WEP members feeling properly comfortable standing up to speak in this debate for all the reasons we know in which case (b) I suspect TRAs may still win the day because nothing other than total compliance will do for them.

Sophie may have woken up too late. I agree with a poster further up that she may be gone within the year, possibly replaced by a TW.

(I do also agree with another previous poster who laments the situation whereby so few people are members of political parties. I read recently elsewhere that the Tories are ripe for entryism. Current membership very small, most of them very elderly etc.)

You know, another poster on another thread pointed out that there is a crisis in our political system st the moment- and one factor in the crisis is that only a fraction of the electorate are actually members of and involved in our political parties. It has led to over-representation of extremist positions and entry isn.

Very true snd conclusion i reached fairly recently. I’ve never joined a party, never even considered it till now. It was joining twitter that made me realise that many who actively get involved in politics are the kind of folk who scare me silly. Watching how student unions/politics works (again twitter has been enlightening - and mn) - a small group (often seemingly militant) running the show, making rules/decisions cos the majority can’t be arsed with it all. And somebof these are the folk who go on into general politics - it’s kind of made me more scared about what calibre of folk are running the show. I always naively assumed that to run, get elected - be given any kind of power - you would have to have something about you, be intelligent - now I’m just scared that we are being guided and run by the folk least suited to the job.

It is (tragically) the best statement on sex-based rights from any political party. But (a) I can't see GC WEP members feeling properly comfortable standing up to speak in this debate for all the reasons we know in which case (b) I suspect TRAs may still win the day because nothing other than total compliance will do for them.

I agree. Transactivists are already doing the DARVO act on SW's Twitter thread though about how they are fragile and won't be equipped to debate their existence against the horrid nasty feminist women.

Imagine my astonishment.

Sophie may have woken up too late. I agree with a poster further up that she may be gone within the year, possibly replaced by a TW.

I'm not sure they will be that brazen as it will make them look a laughing stock to the general public and get press attention. I agree it's quite likely she will go, but would say it will be a totally compliant handmaiden of which there is no shortage.

If she doesn't though, I'll consider joining.

I've slept on it and it's still a big nope from me.

Several scandals and public awareness increasing and Sophie suddenly finds some integrity right at the point she finds herself with less to lose?

Nope. She can still fuck off.

Not giving her one iota of the credit that belongs to women like Venice, Jean, Ruth, Jen and all the rest of them who have risked careers and personal reputations for years.

If WEP did go anti self-ID, I'd consider voting for them on a temporary basis if a candidate were in my constituency but I'd still consider them to be a party for middle class women and not the vulnerable and/or working class women who are my political priority.

Ek - it's one of their core policies. That men should be allowed overnight on all post natal wards. So fucking middle class it makes me want to vomit

Oh that has happened here. A very big, well known hospital. (Through survey perhaps?)

My first: that would have been helpful as emcs, by the time I'd come round Dh had to go. Low birth weight so on the busy ward, broken light, trying to express alone in the dark by hand. Hardest and loneliest night of my life.

However, by my second, around 3 months ago, men were allowed to stay over. Elcs so in the morning and easier. But - I felt very uncomfortable and vulnerable hearing male voices all night. Using the loo right next to my bed that was clearly for women ('patients only') the measure their blood loss as he couldn't be arsed to find the male loos. That bloke was knackered and no use to his partner as there was no where for him to sleep other than an upright chair. I sent Dh home for a proper sleep and to see ds.

Apparently one bloke had slept on the floor the night before. The beds were close and only a curtain for privacy. A full ward could have had 12 people sleeping in there under that policy.

Sophie Walker is a disgrace and a traitor to women. And I will never forgive her or vote for that shitshow masquerading as a political party

I love how mens needs are put before women's needs twice in that original statement. Seriously. You can't even adjust the order of your wanking sentences to put women first, Sophie? I'll hope for this to make a difference, but until we stop pandering to those with sexual fetishes, nothing will change.

Via Sophie's twitter I found this which I've not heard of before:

filia.org.uk/news/2017/11/24/filia-statement-in-support-of-a-womans-right-to-speak

I love how mens needs are put before women's needs twice in that original statement. Seriously. You can't even adjust the order of your wanking sentences to put women first, Sophie?

I know.

That struck me about it immediately too.

I won't hold my breath

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3214063-wep-sophie-walker-on-twitter-what-s-going-on?messages=100&pg=1

Reading that webchat from 2016. sophie believes one 'becomes a woman'. seriously. fuck me.

one wonders why malala yousafzai bothered. she could have avoided all that being shot in the head for wanting an education nastiness.

and reading the rationalisation behind men being on maternity wards at all hours. partners should be involved.

clearly stems from some middle class islington couple's experience and shows no insight whatsoever into actual women's lives.

i was feeling a bit positive about sophie last night, but reading that thread, i don't believe anyone starting from that position can have got to a sensible view. the opinions and justifications she was giving were so out there.

I think a lot of people have changed their minds since 2016. they are starting to see what these "women" become.

The t w first thing did stick out to me hugely. I wondered if the following sentences in both cases slightly out weighed and countered the T statement.

Not exactly on topic but this blog post from the aforementioned link (who have commented on the statement) is very good from a legal POV on the GRA.

filia.org.uk/news/2018/8/23/has-everyone-really-got-it-wrong