How do we organise?

[Tangotops]

I’m new to this, though I’ve been lurking for a long time. I’m aware that there might already be organisation and this might be a massive repeat of what has already been discussed and decided, so forgive me if that’s the case.

I’m a councillor, and am just starting to find that I’m caring less and less whether people think I’m a transphobic bigot, as I’ve been called in the past, just because I’m worried about the corrosion of women’s rights. For a long time I’ve worried about a motion being brought to Council supporting self ID etc, and knew I’d have to speak against it. Now though, I’ve actually started thinking about submitting my own motion calling for consultation and for the Labour Party, which I represent, and the Government to consider women’s views on this instead of blindly going along with self ID support.

I’m still not 100% sure I want to stick my head above the parapet though. Are there any other councillors/MPs on here, of any Party, that would consider doing the same? And is it likely to get through your Groups? Any standard motions already written that I don’t know about?

OP, I can't help you directly as I am not your target audience for this question. But thank you for thinking about this issue and how it affects women and girls.
Woman's Place UK may be a good starting point womansplaceuk.org/contact/ to ask for advice. They have 5 very reasonable demands. Especially if you are unsure.
(NB, they have just had a meeting cancelled by the council in Leeds!)
I really cannot see how their 5 demands would be seen as anything other than reasonable:

1. Respectful and evidence-based discussion about the impact of the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act to be allowed to take place and for women’s voices to be heard.

2. The principle of women-only spaces to be upheld – and where necessary extended.

1. A review of how the exemptions in the Equality Act which allow or single sex services or requirements that only a woman can apply for a job (such as in a domestic violence refuge) are being applied in practice.
2. Government to consult with women’s organisations on how self-declaration would impact on women-only services and spaces.
3. Government to consult on how self-declaration will impact upon data gathering – such as crime, employment, pay and health statistics – and monitoring of sex-based discrimination such as the gender pay gap.

I know there have been cases recently like councillor Anne Sinnott who resigned in Cambridge over this issue. A later review actually found out she was correct in her interpretation of sex versus gender:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3376567-anne-sinnott-vindicated-she-was-right

Womansplaceuk also have template motions for your CLP.

Remember that the law is already on our side as females. Trans keep demanding rights but they already have rights. What they are basically demanding is that we submit to their delusion and mantra "trans women are women" and allow them into female only spaces, let them take over everything in female-land. We don't have to do that - the equalities act has our backs on that.

Not sure which council level you are (town/parish, county, district) but making sure that Mermaids and Stonewall are challenged if they have an influence in your council or anything your council look after.....

I'm not a Labour Party supporter or voter - it's been interesting watching the Labour Party eat itself since JC took over. It's vile.

I genuinely think the best action is to get to the general public about this as much as possible. 99.9% of my friends, FB friends and other people I know think all this identity politics is a load of codswallop.

Rey interesting heresy, thank you.

Lovely, I’ll have a look at that motion, thanks.

I think this is transcends party politics, fidget. I never thought I’d be standing in the same corner as Julia Hartley-Brewer for example, but here I am. I’ll definitely have a look to see if those bodies have any influence at the Council.

There are a few things that a councillor can check and ask questions about

1. Does the Council's Equality policy mention the nine 'protected characteristics' accurately?

My council replaced the 'sex' characteristic with the term 'gender'. Not only is this a misrepresentation of the law, but it downplays sex-based rights and leads to inaccurate data collection.

1. Councils have a 'public sector equality duty' towards the protected characteristics - how does that work?

My council has no consultative arrangements for women. It relies on a Diversity Unit that tends to focus on a well represented LBGT presence and a small 'Race' Group. As a result, women's voices (and others) are missing from the decision making process while LBGT voices are amplified.

1. My Council's website pushes, recommends and speaks glowingly of a resource pack for schools, authored by the controversial charity, Mermaids. Red flag.

Please, please stick your head above the parapet.

Your are in a position to do something. I think theotherpamayers has made some good suggestions that will give you some protection above the parapet.

OP I’m impressed that you’re thinking about doing this. I think we have a very limited time for women to stick their head over the parapet.

I am not a politician but I’m in a profession where I’ve pushed it to the limits how much I can talk about this. Any further and I could be in real trouble. I’m on mat leave but I’m still going to do it. The time is now.

You have the backing of thousands of women on here, not all of them feel able to even post on an anonymous forum. Please speak for them.

Wasn't there a motion to conference/Women’s conference about this? From either Rochdale or Rotherham? You could use theirs/network with them. I believe there is a group of gender critical Labour women doing stuff.

I’ve found that motion yourwoman, thanks. I’m going to use that as the base with a few tweaks. I think I’ll dpeak to the other women councillors first so they know the issues in advance.

Thank you for considering this Tango , I hope you're able to do it. Time is short and as some wonderful woman said recently and which went right home to me, 'this is not a drill'.

Some good suggestions. I questioned my council which rightly listed 'sex' as a protected characteristic with gender in brackets by it!

They ignored me, so I kept at it and now they are correcting it!

I saw my MP and next I'm tackling my son's 'Stonewall Champion' school.

These are acts I do as a constituent. As a councillor there will be things you can do, policies to question, colleagues to peak trans.

How soon is now?

Out of interest, handsoff, what other policies can I question in relation to this? I’ll definitely do so.