Leeds WPUK cancelled

[LiverpoolReSisters]

IMPORTANT NOTICE - It is with regret that we have to announce that our meeting in Leeds cannot go ahead due to late and unreasonable cancellation. We will be emailing attendees shortly with more information. We condemn this act of silencing women. More to follow.

And sued a school using Council money ( a lot of it)

People need to have a good look at every individual they are voting for.

Local politics stinks. There are some truly disgusting people involved in it. They are even worse than MPs.

WTF? That the actual fucking fuck? How is she still in that job?

In a spirit of possibly undeserved fairness - that article was published before the whole Jimmy Saville thing was uncovered...

Actually, you're right - local politics stinks around here.

One party on the council lost a load of money (hundreds of thousands) that has never been accounted for, and the other wants to pave over the greenbelt.

Dodgy goings on with school places here too. Lets just say one counsellors children got into the outstanding state school my dc were at, despite living a rather long way away.

A monument to Jimmy Saville should as no fucking surprise.

I'll say no more. But.... South Riding.

To go with Red Riding.

I spent a lot of time living in Leeds. Brilliant alternative club scene.

However, this does not entirely surprise me.

So glad the meeting is going ahead. Courage calls to courage.

You're not wrong Oakmaiden - but I knew about Jimmy Saville well before the news officially hit - and so did everybody else.

Just back home. What a brilliant meeting of a cancelled meeting!

Despite the cancellation some of us met up at the Civic Hall anyway. Over 70 of us, and a smaller group of protesters. Civic Hall was beautifully decorated in suffragette ribbons and banners. A couple of police officers were hanging around. Good, happy atmosphere.

Karen Ingala Smith did a short speech on the Civic Hall steps ending with a lot of applause. Protesters started shouting 'terfs out' so we did a bit of chanting. Then we all sidled off pretending we were heading home separately and reconvened in a pub nearby where one of the attendees had managed to get us a private room.

The meeting went as planned and all original speakers attended and spoke. Karen Ingala Smith (what a woman, drinks pints of Bridgehouse porter!), a wonderful woman called Tish who spoke about ROGD, Stephanie Aria Davies and Nic williams. Such a great and optimistic atmosphere all round.

Spoke to both Tish and Karen, totally inspirational, funny and warm women. Nic reported back on how well the campaign is working re the consultation. The great majority of people volunteers are speaking to on the streets are in complete disagreement with the GRA proposals once they have been made aware. The FPFW street campaign has had phenomenal responses from the public.

Towards the end of the meeting we were told something interesting, can't remember who said it -Sarah from WPUK?, not sure. That the NHS are changing the name of Gender Identity Service to Gender Dysphoria Service (significant change in language).

I took mini wichbitch with me too, second WPUK meeting for us both. We're both buzzing.

They tried to stop us from meeting and speaking, they failed. And as I understand the issue of Leeds CC cancelling the meeting has reached no 3 trending on Twitter this evening. Thank you for the publicity!

So pleased the meeting is going ahead. I have a feeling this is going to turn out to be another spectacular own goal for the TRAs.

Thanks for the update Wichbitch

Everyone there was in agreement that there's been a distinct change in the air very recently with more people speaking about it and becoming aware. One of the women involved tonight said she has been doing some analysis of online public responses to recent media exposure of the issue and though the This Morning public comment responses came in 50/50 between 'but India is nice' and 'Posie speaks the truth', the other public commentaries are overwhelmingly and significantly GC.

Lovely update!

Sounds like a brilliant evening and a spectacular own goal!

Excellent

Those twitter comments posted by Anlaf (and thanks for those) show that some Leeds councillors have no clue about what it all means for women. It's bad enough when men silence women, we're used to that. But here it's women silencing women. I feel very bitter about that.

Naive question perhaps: but I wonder what other groups would be unacceptable to Leeds CC to book a room in the Civic Hall.

Also, I wonder if it's possible to find out, maybe through a Freedom of Information request, what other groups have been allowed.

Local politics stinks. There are some truly disgusting people involved in it. They are even worse than MPs.

This is what happens when local press dies and voter turnout/engagement is so low. We need to get people engaged at all levels of politics again. Council is not unimportant.

So the councillor who cancelled it was also in the group organising a protest against it? Seems like it was all done in a fair and impartial manner then....

Oh so it was the Green Party.

FFS

Safeguarding anyone ?

Women - yes local press is very important. I've written about this before on here - but I have a friend who was a journalist on local papers for years, even believe it not, in W Yorks - plus Midlands, Herts, before doing a stint on the Daily Mail.

She could cry over what has happened to local journalism. She used to have a job where she would go into the courts on a daily basis, and knew all the local coppers, who would tip her off off on the best cases to cover.

Same with council meetings.Always used to be local journos there keeping them on their toes, holding them to account.

Hardly happens now - without that - these things are not reported, not scrutinised. Unless it makes the nationals. And they all copy each other, half the time.

Some areas are better than others obviously.
Bring back local news coverage. Strong, independent, local new coverage is what's needed. It used to be a thing.

Ironically, on Monday morning the Leeds city Council holds an elaborate ceremony to celebrate suffragettes:
news.leeds.gov.uk/iconic-emblem-of-womens-right-to-vote-to-receive-civic-welcome-in-leeds/

I think I'd present Judith Blake with an award.
To prevent me from being banned I won't say what.

Also available for interview will be the leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake and the Lord Mayor.

I was there. Such a very moving meeting.

Please, please everyone tweet/email/whatever the hell out of Leeds City Council.

It’s outrageous.

Lots of people tweeting them, me among them

The odd tweet calling them a hate group - shut down fairly easily, because....WPUK is not a hate group.

Hated, yes. By men. And transactivists. And women who call themselves inclusive feminists who have no business doing that.

But def not a hate group ffs.

*Not all men

Lovely Michael Conroy, among others, tweeting about this.

Hated by misogynist men.