As promised, I'm reporting back on my visit to my Plaid Cymru MP to ask about their position on self-ID as mentioned in this previous thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3349086-Plaid-Cymry-candidate-faces-disciplinary-for-stating-no-women-have-penises?pg=1
I only had 15 mins so I'd prepped beforehand to focus. It was me, DH (also concerned), my MP (male) and his assistant/caseworker (female). It was a really good chat, and we overran our slot as we were so busy talking about the issues.
My MP wasn't particularly well up on the details, as he has a different portfolio. However, his wife is GC, and so he was already concerned about the implications for women's rights and the encroachment on sex-segregated spaces presented by the proposals. My key points to him focused on:
- the safeguarding issues posed by self-ID and how it was going to be possible in future to distinguish between a predator exploiting the opportunity and someone with gender dysphoria ('Schroedinger's transperson' was the phrase I used)
- implications for service provision in schools, healthcare, prisons, services to the elderly, women's sport, leisure facilities
- implications for data monitoring, such as equal pay, and service planning, such as screening
- the somewhat dubious background of the key proponents of self-ID (Bradley, Challenor, Lord, Fae, and others) and what possible reason such individuals might have for wanting to reduce safeguarding around women's spaces
- the impact on groups such as observant Muslim and Jewish women and their access to services if self-ID goes through
- the fact that all the concerns raised so far by GC women about the possible dangers of self-ID are coming true (eg the stats on changing room assaults, plus Karen White et al in prisons)
- finally (!) the number of politically homeless GC women in Wales who would probably vote PC if they got off the fence and made positive statements about the importance of women's rights and the dangers of self-ID. I also cited the Pink News survey where only 18% had been in favour. I also noted the case of Anne Greagsby and suggested he had a look at the Twitter comments/reaction, which were not reflecting well on PC. Interestingly, he has openly endorsed Adam Price in the Plaid leadership contest, not Leanne Wood, so I did point out that LW's statements on 'outdated biology' and the TWAW mantra were not helping the PC popularity levels amongst women voters.
He pretty much fell off his chair at the case of Pippa Bunce and her part-time 'identifying as a woman' and I also highlighted to him the LibDem comment about how Parliament could in future be 50% men and 50% self-ID'd women, ie men. DH had come with me which was v helpful because I was able to introduce him as 'my wife', despite the fact that DH was rocking a hefty set of sideburns and chin stubble....but it made the point quite effectively. And it is Man Friday, after all, so I was clearly a man.
So, it was a v positive conversation, but I'll be waiting to see if anything happens as a result before I make up my mind finally on who to vote for. He's promised to go and talk to Helen Mary Jones about the issue, and I also offered to speak to his colleague(s) if necessary, such as Liz Saville-Roberts, who's the Westminster PC women's lead (I think). I also suggested he speak to organisations such as WPUK and FairPlay for Women, and noted that David TC Davies (whom he knows) had done so. He asked about the Greens' position on this so I referred back to the Challenor debacle and the flak that Caroline Lucas was taking for agreeing to meet with WPUK. I did also note that a number of people, including Labour MPs, felt that they couldn't speak openly about their concerns on this because of the climate of fear and that as far as I could see, a lot of other MPs were in the same boat.
Apologies for the epic post, but we covered a lot of ground in a short time. Fingers crossed......