Sophie Walker's speech tweet

[SturdyEarMuffs]

Is this a mast nailed, or more fudge (as someone has suggested in response to her tweet)?

That says nothing and everything.

Only one kind of woman is taught to ‘acquiesce to everyone else’s needs first’ and it’s not the trans kind. That she doesn’t acknowledge that shows that she no more believes TWAW than I do.

Ultimately I think it was a fudge that won't please anyone. I also note she said she didn't make the entire speech at the debate so I wonder what was cut. Because it's a speech that could appear very different depending on where it was edited . . . and if people were pleased with it in RL, they probably won't go on Twitter to pick up the more nuanced version.

I've lost track of whether WEP has a submission to make to the GRA consultation due in October?

I asked her outright to define woman and does she believe TWAW? If she can't come out and say it then I can't join that party.

Do they fight for single sex spaces? Have they dropped their policy of men sleeping overnight on maternity wards then?

One of the members representing a local group has already said TWAW (that rep is a TW).

These are some Tweets I've seen so far

One of the members representing a local group has already said TWAW

And, if the committees that are charged with making policy are predominantly weighted/committed/intimidated-by-WEP-culture-after-what-happened-to-Heather to state likewise and frame policy that way then what outcome can women expect.

Cheryl Morgan (@CherylMorgan) Tweeted:
Pleased to report that @SophieRunning & I have won the first big vote of the day. We will not be railroaded into taking a vote on whether trans women are women. We will have discussions on trans issues respectfully, and with trans members involved. #WE2018 twitter.com/CherylMorgan/status/1038710275288064001?s=17

Those thanking "Cheryl" mainly identify as "they"

It's a politician saying that we need to discuss the impact on women if GRA proposals in a very difficult climate.

To be applauded in my opinion. Every comment like this helps open up the debate.

Whether someone in a local party thinks TWAW is neither hear nor there. There is obviously an active debate in the party.

I agree. I am encouraged. This was Sophie slapping down the #nodebaters and I am starting to think WEP May offer something I can get behind.

Sorry. Just to say that if we all hang back waiting for WEP to do everything we want, particularly wrt the HBE debacle then we will not be able to make sure TRAs don't drive the agenda at WEP. Because they will commit like hell to this battle.

Another one who is cautiously optimistic. She wouldn't have dared to make that speech a few months ago. We really need to remember that every single political party and politician have been caught up with this nonsense and it is not going to be easy to turn it round.

Fortunately there seems to be a never ending stream of evidence to rebut the 'this never happens' and as the public are finally seeing the reality of where these policies have led us, the pressure for change is slowly growing.

She says that sex and gender are different and then says she supports single sex spaces.

Wow she is going to get massive amounts of threats.

I am pleased to hear her say this though.
IF WEP seem to be getting better on this they can count on me to join.

There are approximate 5000 women that have left the Labour Party over this issue. WEP get my subs each month. I'm hovering over the button.

Make the equality matter.

Make women matter.

Be a Party to be proud of.

Yep. The best outcome they could have hoped for really.

It was brave of Sophie to take charge of this in having the emergency motion in the first place.

Sophie has managed to head off the wholescale WEP endorsement of self-ID in the GRA consultation. Which was looking like a certainty a month ago. She'll have made enemies in the party by doing this, but hopefully inspired others to speak up.

There needs to be action to follow this up.

Feeble.

Sorry, but feeble.

Can anybody tell me what Chris said?
WomensEqualityUK (@WEP_UK) Tweeted:
.@chrispaouros introducing motion on changes to Gender Recognition Act. Following debate, members voted to refer this to the Policy and Data committees to develop in consultation with wider membership. #WE2018 t.co/5LfUds0bxl twitter.com/WEP_UK/status/1038797553897283585?s=17

Chris Tweeted this earlier in the year, siding with Stonewall so curious to hear views on GRA.
So far on Twitter on WEP feed I am seeing mainly Tweets from those who believe TWAW so I am confused about the direction of travel.

Oh
I was at school with her!

Not good enough, in a week in which we learnt that the state has knowingly incarcerated women and children with a rapist paedophile because of this out-of-control ideology

I've seen SW speak before and she is v impressive.

Anyway, I agree in the current climate this is a pretty hopeful statement in the opening of discussions.

But it's pretty fudgy.

It's not easy for Sophie Walker to stand up against the TRAs and the right-on left. Criticising her for not going full-on GC is unfair and unkind. She has shown she has engaged with the key issues, at considerable personal cost, and we should cut her some slack.

My own feeling is that we criticise people on this board for not speaking out at all. Rightly.

And then when someone does speak out finally, we criticise them for not speaking out enough. Or not going far enough.

That probably incentivises someone to keep quiet in the first place. That way they'll only ever get one lot of criticism, rather than two lots.

This goes further than any other political party. The other parties see no conflict between gender identity and sex-based rights.

It is scary as hell, that what makes a woman ‘brave’ in the current climate, is to tentatively suggest they might be in favour of keeping the status quo.

Women are not even trying to gain more rights, or increase our political representation, we are only fighting to keep what few rights we do have.

The biggest fight in our life time, is to try and stop our rights being rolled back. That is one hell of a damning indictment of early 21st century.