Fawcett Society statement on the GRA

[LondonPainter]

Interesting timing, releasing this the day before the consultation closes: www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=bfa3ae68-abee-478d-b59b-71572881b5a0

tl;dr let's all be nice and inclusive

The fawcett society is no longer fit for purpose, it's time for another organisation to actually work for the representation of women. Shame, I used to be a donor.

From the Fawcett Society website:
"The fight to defend women's rights is getting harder by the day. That's why we need people like you who believe in defending them. The most effective way to campaign for women's rights is by becoming a Fawcett member".

From the Fawcett Society GRA statement:

Trans women should, subject to an appropriate and effective risk assessment, be treated as women within the prison system, which already deals with women who are a risk to other women. It is
clearly unacceptable to keep trans women in the mainstream male estate.

Fawcett’s view is that opening up AWS beyond transwomen with a GRC would be welcome.

Evidence from a Stonewall survey....

They have lost the plot.

Fuck off, Fawcett Society

Excellent. I've been wondering for ages whether to carry on supporting the Fawcett Society. They've cleared that up nicely.

Fuck off, Fawcett Society. Your founders would be embarrassed.

Any organization that doesn't know what a woman is, like the Fawcett Society, is a waste of space. How can you fight for women's rights if you cannot define the word woman beyond a feeling in your head?!

Fawcett Society clearly heavily influenced by Stonewall.

It is clearly unacceptable to keep trans women in the mainstream male estate.

Why is it clearly unacceptable? What's clear about it?

Nasty men might be mean to the stunning and brave transwomen who continue to display male pattern criminality hackmum. Obv

I always expected that once I was able to retire I'd do things like join the Fawcett Society and get more involved in womens's issues and volunteering. I live too far from London to be involved while I'm still tied to work.

Bang goes another plan.

I imagine Millicent Fawcett would like her name back.

I think I lost interest in the Fawcett's when they held that event to encourage more women to stand for parliament. Their rep, and the various women representing each of our political parties all said they would be fine with a 50:50 men:TW representation in parliament. I thought that would peak everyone immediately but I was very naive in those days.

I think there are some transwomen who I think would be better off in a woman's prison but you have to consider all the women not just that particular transwoman. Transwomen who have had gender reassignment surgery and are not in prison for violent or sexual crimes are OK in female prisons in my opinion. Anyone with a penis should be in a male prison, there should probably be a special wing or area for people with penises who have had breast implants and feminisation surgery. Anyone who just says they identify as a woman but who has made no modifications to their body whatsoever should definitely be in a male prison, they probably don't need to go in a special wing as they will just look like men.

"Privilege arises from the beliefs we hold about ourselves and our identities as informed by the society we live in and the resources and advantages (or disadvantages) we each have, which can determine our experiences and opportunities."

Women! Your oppression is your own fault! Join the Fawcett Society!

It's not a very good look for them, is it?

Fuck off Fawcett Society

Trans women should, subject to an appropriate and effective risk assessment, be treated as women within the prison system, which already deals with women who are a risk to other women. It is clearly unacceptable to keep trans women in the mainstream male estate.

"Women who are a risk to other women" are not, as a class, larger, far stronger, likely to be imprisoned for sexual offences and capable of rape.

Privilege arises from the beliefs we hold about ourselves and our identities as informed by the society we live in

This sentence is completely incoherent. How can privilege 'arise' from a belief or identity independently of the material conditions that have 'informed' that belief or identity? Either

1. society decides who does and doesn't benefit from privilege and our identities are formed on the basis of the way we are treated

Or

2. identity is innate, in which case privilege 'arising' from identity must be innate too

You can't argue the latter because it's obvious bollocks so you have to rely on a meaningless obfuscation.

Do you have to contribute funds in order to be a member?

If so, I'm not surprised they answer the question Can I be a member and disagree with Fawcett's position? with Of course. They obviously feel they could lose members (and revenue) here and judging from some of the replies on this thread, they would be right.

Also,

Many trans women currently use women’s changing rooms without comment, but GRA reform has opened up the discussion about people’s feelings on the matter

I am glad they put it this way because I am tired of hearing that transwomen have been using these facilities for years "with no problems" - just because they haven't heard anyone say anything. Not many women would say anything - especially if the person concerned looked big and intimidating - but that doesn't mean there's not problem, just that they are either oblivious to it or they don't care.

No problem

Do you have to contribute funds in order to be a member?

If so, I'm not surprised they answer the question Can I be a member and disagree with Fawcett's position? with Of course. They obviously feel they could lose members (and revenue) here and judging from some of the replies on this thread, they would be right.

Yep. I've just cancelled my direct debit.

That's another group I won't be giving any money to anymore.

Their ability to say so much and actually say very little of substance is extraordinary. They outline and acknowledge many of the problems CG people have identified, but ultimately end with little more than 'don't worry, it will be ok'.

Stonewall have been very busy targeting, infiltrating and grooming every single organisation for women and girls for a long time.

We should have urged the wonderful women from FPFW and WPUK etc to set up meetings with the Fawcett society so that maybe they wouldn't fall.

I guess it's too late now.

God, the way you lot go around writing off whole associations of learned feminists as misogynistic "handmaidens", pretty soon there won't be any "feminists" left! By your own estimation, at any rate. Except yourselves.

If I were the type to conspiracy-theorise, I might say this whole "gender critical" movement has been bank-rolled by the conservative right in order to undermine confidence in modern feminism by stoking fear and the gross exaggeration of the threat to women.

Getting women to turn their backs on the groups and associations who best champion their cause is a win only for the patriarchal status quo. So perhaps I am the type to conspiracy-theorise, because I've seen a lot of far-right sources cropping up on FWR over more recent years...

Rat

I nominate your post as the Best conspiracy post on Mumsnet ever.

I don't 'write off' everything that Fawcett, the Labour Party and the Guardian do, but I have limits, as does everyone. I've been on the verge of resigning from Labour over Brexit but the GRA stuff is the straw that broke etc... Resigning, cancelling our subs and telling them why is also one of the only ways we have some practical influence.

I nominate your post as the Best conspiracy post on Mumsnet ever.

Whoop! What do I win??

God, let it be a biscuit...