Another Woman Hounded Out of Employment...

[SunsetBeetch]

A twitter account called @thewhitepube, run by two intensely irritating very young women, has been targetting a woman called Nina Edge for alleged 'transphobia', which has apparently culminated in her being sacked.

Excuse me WHO is running the @welshstreets account and retweeting bad terf bullshit logic?

I will loudly bang this drum tomorrow when everyone’s awake 😊 @edge_nina @welshstreets pls let me know in the meantime!! Sweet dreams Xxxxx

It appear the Welsh Streets account has become the soapbox for artist @edge_nina (who was recently commissioned to do the winter garden) to spout transphobia, does that represent the view of all involved in the Welsh Streets effort?

I understand why people followed the account in the past (because their housing activism has been good for Liverpool) but I would urge everyone to unfollow in the meantime because you are just putting your trans followers and audiences at arms length in the meantime.

That essay is amazing and really deserves its own thread.

Great description. Adolph Reed was also someone I found when looking into critiques of identity politics.

I don't know what class they are-not sure why it matters

It matters because they are representing themselves as rebels against upper class art culture (and getting lauded for it) while attacking the rights of women which will overwhelmingly impact working class women (as we rely upon access to sex based public resources that are under threat by TRA demands, for one thing). It matters because this specific attack on Nina Edge impacts in a big way on a community involved in grassroots actions to protect and preserve itself and Edge as an artist who provides important support for that.

It is important because they are attacking feminist activists (Inc many working class women themselves e.g. Julie Bindel) and academics who provide representation and inspiration for women who are developing their analysis of male supremacy and therefore will be considering and creating activism to thwart it, as well as pushing for women-centred cultural and political changes that will, again, impact working class women who rely on public services, and will benefit from equal pay (which has disproportionate impact on lesbian couples) , support for mums, support for women in crisis (e.g. mental health, male violence at home), maternity services, public toilets and changing facilities, etc etc etc. And we haven't even got into the topic of working class girls, who are being indoctrinated into self hatred while being denied safe spaces in the schools most of them have to be at all day 5 days a week compulsarily (unless they are in the minority who are home educated).

The white pubes are appropriating our voices as working class women and attacking our precarious rights and the feminist activists who fight for our rights. That matters!

Excellent post Joan.

Oh and also it matters because they have adopted that shitty fake working class yoof accent in their writing which doesn't affect them negatively because they can code switch at will (they do it throughout their interviews and writing if you look), they are using it as an identity for sales, but working class women (and men) have to live with those stereotypes about our 'illiteracy' and behaving 'common'. We have to live with the stereotypes of Vicky Pollard etc.

Look to women like the Julies Burchill and Bindel for authentic working class voices that are literate while still being able to express righteous anger and controversial views that challenge the imagined superiority and cultures of the 'elite' class.

The pubes no doubt hate both of these women and would like to see them silenced

Great posts, Joan. Agree with everything you've said.

Someone upthread (kendoddsdadsdogsdead18?)asked about complaining to the University. Anyone can make a complaint to a University but it is more effective if you have the name of a specific student. Neither of TWP are LJMU students but the other student whose Twitter was screenshot a few pages back most certainly is. I linked in a previous to the student discipline policy at LJMU which explains that to make a complaint, you contact the Student Governance Office at [email protected] with 'full details of the incidents and should include any evidence available'.

LJMU have updated their statement. Am in a rush but just thought I'd put it on here.

Unless I'm reading it wrong it doesn't sound supportive of Nina.

twitter.com/ljmu/status/1058373785592758272?s=21

Well, Nina is a woman and this has a protected characteristic so it could be read either way. Don’t know what to think of that, tbh.

No it's criticising Nina for being a bigot. People needed protecting from her, they're saying.

The uni aren't handling this very well.

I think it could be read either way but first and second glance reads like it isn't supportive of Nina.

So much for not making another statement. They'd been better sticking to that.

It’s meant to be bland reassuring bollocks-speak to appease the attackers because (hopefully ) they have not actually sacked her / discontinued her contract.

As an art college they would serve themselves better by emphasising the importance of freedom of expression.

That essay is amazing and really deserves its own thread. yes I've read it. There are so many insights in that essay.

Thread for Fisher's Exiting the Vampire Castle: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3413036-Class-and-Identity-Politics-Mark-Fishers-Exiting-the-Vampire-Castle?watched=1

It’s meant to be bland reassuring bollocks-speak to appease the attackers

I agree. I think it's deliberately vague so that it can be read either way. I would have more respect for them if they'd made a statement about freedom of speech but I suspect they think this is the best way to shut things down and let it blow over.