The tide isn't turning. It's relentlessly marching up the beach.

[Velella]

Even allowing for the social media bubble in which I exist, I accept that there have been more articles and media in general in favour of a radfem/gender critical/rational position.

HOWEVER, much of this media merely says yes, there is a debate.

MEANWHILE The infiltration of trans ideology into universities, schools, political parties, businesses etc continues unabated.

Even if there is a pause for thought on self ID, what is not being challenged is the whole premise of transgenderism. The debate still centres around real transwomen and those who would pretend to be trans for nefarious purposes.

The debate needs to begin about the whole concept of transgenderism, or more accurately to what extent should and personal unverifiable identification should have ANY influence on law and policy.

If you can claim to be something as unverifiable and unprovable as the opposite sex, then trans age or trans race is not a leap. But no governments are rushing to embrace that.

We also need to show the extent to which most adult male transgenderism is driven by sexual fetishes.

This drags me down so much.

In total agreement with Valella......Beyond the consultation on Self ID & the GRA is the thorny issue and the ideology of transgenderism itself; what it has become; who is included; who is exploiting the 'movement' for their own ends: transvestites, cross-dressers, fetishists and proponents of various deviant sexual practices, including paedophiles.All this and the growing issue of children 'transitioning' - and the deeply worrying implications of that.

In my mind it all falls under the mental health umbrella; and is a really regressive movement with quite troubling consequences.

The wider population really has no idea of the whole trans-gender agenda. It is so open to abuse.

I wonder if the real backlash will come when it impacts businesses.. Example this morning I met my dd aged just 18 to go to her new gym (gym membership is her birthday present, she chose it etc) as it was take a friend for free. So I note change rooms full of naked, semi naked women, (natal) changing, showering etc from age 18 to probes well into 60's.
No issues, no one embarrassed or scared.. I asked dd what she would do if or when the gum had to allow natal men into the women change rooms just could they said they were being a woman that day..
Her reply 'well I'd leave, I can go run in the park and take a shower at home, safely and in peace'
Around us not a single other person disagreed, it must have been 20 odd women all agreeing they would end their memberships.

This is a medium price gym, part of biggest chain in UK, imagine that would hurt if all over UK majority of female clients end their contracts...

I was re-watching 'Louis Theroux meets Jimmy Savile' last night; and so many of the markers and red flags that were there with that vile specimen are apparent in the way that the trans-agenda is being forced through in a very under-hand and grooming-like manner. To think of those that are hanging on the coat-tails of self ID - knowing it will offer them all of the thrills they could ever have wished for.

Savile had the ears of many very influential people, & even then he was flaunting his deviancy in front of them. For some reason nobody spoke out and said, "Christ this guy is seedy", or questioned what was happening or what he was being allowed to do & who he was being allowed to access. He gave everyone the creeps - but for some weird reason he was enabled to continue.

theredjellybean
Yes there could well be men's changing rooms and women's changing rooms populated by transwomen only. Where are they going to get their "validation" from then. Women only swims may be all transwomen etc

I agree with you OP. This week I was feeling vaguely optimistic given the press coverage. But just a few things today:

The BBC are calling women Terfs now

Latest police force weighs in on politics

Step TWO from Stonewall - remove all sex based exemptions from the Equality Act 2020

It's not looking good for women's rights. We won't have any - not if we are legally unable to exclude any and all males.

Crikey, Stonewall have completely lost the plot! They’ll fold soon-sadly gone the way of Kids Company, started off with good intentions then got so big the beast got out of control.

The LBGT brand is formidable.

It has channels of influence through Human Resources departments in public bodies, charities, corporations and grant-giving organisations. Once you've hitched your wagon to the LBG, you're onto a winner. The Prime MInister, the Leader of the Opposition, corporate heads, police chiefs and mayors all want to take selfies under a rainbow flag.

No-one is going to say: 'hang on, what does the T and the Q mean and what has that got to do with the L and B and the G?' No-one. For a start, it's transphobic.

That is how the T has been so easily embraced by the likes of Tesco, GCHQ, the Police's diversity units and the TUC.

Women's organisations found it difficult to compete against a lobby group that was already embedded, networked and funded. The fact that they achieved a grassroots bottom-up resistance movement in 12 months is remarkable.

Think what we can still achieve while as we wait for the results of the consultation.

'Women's organisations found it difficult to compete against a lobby group that was already embedded, networked and funded. The fact that they achieved a grassroots bottom-up resistance movement in 12 months is remarkable.'

I agree, I think we've only just got started.
What has become clear is the tremendous appetite for activism among women from all walks of life and the effectiveness of real life campaigning.

I am going to be very interested to see how many people on each side have actually got round to filling in and submitting the consultation. Although there are a lot of people who act like they are woke on Twitter, I strongly suspect the average person on our side is far more likely to see it through, because this is our rights they're talking about removing, not just those of a group we feel we ought to support in order to be good people.

I’m fucking livid my kid come home, they been stonewalled I’m fucking fucking livid!! Young fucking kids!! Being brainwashed using two fucking young kids to promote this shit. Fuck off fuck off don’t you tell my child about ‘feeling’ bollocks. Waiting for head to call me back if receptionist passes on mesg who was pissy with me because I refused to give reason why I want an appointment with them. Rahhh

I'm not sure that 'beating' stonewall was ever a viable objective especially since 'we've' only had the 1 click consultation response for a wk. They have tentacles everywhere.

However thanks to the amazing efforts of WPUK, FPFW, Posie Parker, Prof Stock and thousands of ordinary women a lot of noise has been made and I think it would be difficult for the govt to do much more than simplify the paperwork on the GRA. Tory MPs won't back it and they know their voters won't.

Stonewall have the 'woke', ample funding and a network of organisations but once people 'see' the conflict they can't unsee it and Stonewalls brand is beginning to tarnish.

I think the most important thing is to delay any change as long as possible so we can keep getting the message out. The government presumably can't afford for this to completely blow up at the moment when they need to get brexit through.

Stonewall though need to keep the pressure on though - they know they have a limited window and also presumably want to get it debate before their mate Bercow goes next year.

Or have I underestimated the desperation/ powers/ tentacles of those trying to get this through???

Good luck IKeepFlouncing. I think schools trust the Stonewall brand, based on past glory, and don't scrutinise its current message. I hope the head at your kids' school will look closely at what they're actually about when you raise the red flag. Jonny Best's articles are brilliant on this subject, if you need anything to forward on for an alternative perspective.

I still don't actually see what need there is for a transwoman to be able to change their birth certificate....the GRC was to enable them to legally marry, now same sex marriage is legal, what purpose does it serve? If being transgender is a protected characteristic by law what rights are they denied? Can anyone clarify?

Happydappy2, the GRA wasn't purely to allow them to marry. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the UK was wrong not to fully recognise post-operative transsexuals as women. (The UK, however, probably went beyond what was required by allowing preoperative transsexuals to get GRCs provided they had gender dysmorphia.)
Also, transgender isn't a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. Rather, gender reassignment is a protected characteristic. If someone identifies as trans but makes no meaningful attempt at transition, they might not be protected under current law.

MsJemima,
I know Bercow blocked that urgent question but he can't block debate altogether. I don't think him staying or going will make any difference to the likelihood of passing a bill. That will be down to the government and MPs really.

transdimensional thanks for clarification. Interesting at ECHR ruled post op transexuals should be viewed as women in law....yet the UK extends this to pre op transexuals.

IKeepFlouncing

Ask the Head to show you the materials that were used with your kids. If they used a taught package, ask to see a copy of pupil materials and teacher notes
Ask them if they checked the materials in advance to ensure that they were fully safeguarding compliant and age appropriate?
If they used external speakers, ask if they had enhanced DBS checks (if they worked with children) and what their qualifications for delivering the sessions were?
Ask if drugs / medication were mentioned and if so, ask for the text of what was said and to see any associated hand outs.
Ask what was said about confidentiality and talking to parents?

Finally ask for details of their insurers and leave the Head in no doubt that if any age inappropriate materials / materials that undermine safe guarding / age inappropriate information was shared with children then you may be seeking action against the school.

Well - that's the nuclear option!

Hopefully something from the above will be helpful.

AbsInTheFriends Probably glad Head couldn’t take my call I was ranting. Yes Jonny Best & got The Transgender Trend. Not sure how I actually going to start the conversation, am not doing it over phone I want face to face meeting.

I from big city living on what appears tiny island, this is nothing but a look at me by the parent, it was done on day that is meant to focus on anti bullying. Child so happy that nobody aware they crying on own except mine. Didn’t want to start thread about it. DS is fully aware what’s going on as been my handy leaflet helper.

So what will happen, kids Will have to walk on eggshells. Why a skirt ffs girls wear trousers, why a wig ffs!! Girls have short hair. Why kid paraded in assembly at front, deputy head saying this is good thing. Primary age kids.

All fucking look at me. Argh fuckoff. I expect full shun from Island that I’m already outsider off.

Thanks scepticalwoman

Ok so maybe I was wrong about race and age.

More generally I can't help feeling given the numbers in this poll that most people don't realise someone with a penis would be competing in women's only sports.
www.c4m.org.uk/press-release-18s-not-able-self-define-gender-new-poll-finds/

I don't think it's too late. Yes the consultation is ending tmrw but it's not a vote like Brexit-this is not the end of the road. The public discourse has changed and MPs are more aware of the threat to women's rights. We need to keep pushing, the fight is not over by a long way, but sunlight is the best disinfectant. The GRA was passed became very few people were aware of the implications at the time. We need to keep the pressure on now and not be disheartened.