New Zealand wants to introduce Self-ID - article by Meghan Murphy

[Scrumplestiltskin]

www.feministcurrent.com/2018/10/30/new-zealand-green-lighting-gender-identity-ideology-policy-without-considering-consequences/
A few excerpts:
Official Information Act requests have revealed that there are currently approximately 33 trans-identified males in New Zealand prisons, and that 18 are in for violent crimes, including sexual assault. Seven of these individuals are are currently housed in women’s prisons (though none have sexual assault convictions). Corrections has admitted that, since January 2017, at least six assaults have been perpetrated by trans-identified prisoners in women’s prisons.
And
This year, Malcolm “Morgana” Platt returned to prison after grooming a 10-year-old girl for prostitution. Platt had already been jailed in 2009 for raping a 16-year-old who later took her own life. Rory Francis, who identifies as a woman, is also currently incarcerated and has been sentenced three times for raping children. Pierre Parsons is under supervision, since he continues to harass young girls after kidnapping and raping a 12-year-old in 1995, and stealing her clothing to wear. In 2017, Cameron “Cinnamon” Hakeke and Alex Seu, who both identify as women, were sentenced for violent crimes: Hakeke kidnapped a 19-year-old woman before dragging her into a flat, cutting her hair and tasering her. Seu pleaded guilty on three charges of indecent assault and two of sexual violation, one of which involved Seu dragging a drunk man into an alleyway and pushing him into a brick wall. In 2014, “Shelley” Williams pleaded guilty to three charges of assault, following prior convictions for violent crimes in 2000, 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Hendrix “Hina” Tutaki assaulted a pregnant woman and a “transwoman” named Glen Cooper pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to injure.
And
This discourse has impacted women’s sports in New Zealand outside women’s gyms. Anton “Kate” Weatherly competed as a man in mountain biking competitions until he decided to compete as a “woman” in January, winning the elite women’s division at the national championships near Wanaka in February. Prior to his “transition” (which includes hormone therapy — testosterone levels are still acknowledged as indicative of sex in sport) he had competed in grades lower than elite, usually finishing mid-pack. Gavin “Laurel” Hubbard represented New Zealand in women’s weightlifting in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, having already taken gold in the Australian International women’s weightlifting championships in 2017, when he lifted 42 lbs more than Samoan silver medalist Iuniarra Sipaia.
[...] HRC advisor for sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics Taine Polkinghorne said:
“There is no valid reason to exclude trans women from competitive women’s sports. Laurel is a woman — not a man masquerading as a woman to gain medals or glory…
… Participation in sport and physical activity is a human right.”

This is all so terribly worrying and depressing, especially in light of the silencing of women across social media ramping up, lately. They are genuinely trying to crush our ability to even protest! It's become sincerely Orwellian, and it's frightening. What can we even do?

Thank you yeahnahyeah for your comment. In the 1970s during the heady days of Women's Lib there used to be something called consciousness raising, in which women met in groups and educated themselves about the evils of patriarchy. A bit tongue in cheek there, but this is what is happening now I suppose on this issue, but with the added advantages of social media to spread the word. The MPs here in New Zealand need to informed about the growing disquiet over the Self ID issue. Surely it is not not too much to ask them to look at the speakupforwomen site as a first step towards understanding why this needs their attention.

The bill has its second reading in the House in the New Year, so perhaps we can flood the Prime Minister's office with letters asking for Self ID to be held over until the public is given a chance to have a say.

These are two good sites for further information -

speakupforwomen.nz

reneejg.net/author/reneejg/

There are some Facebook groups too

So glad to see other GC feminist Kiwis here.

Louisa Wall (Labour MP) was on National Radio this morning explaining to the presenter that TERFs were feminists who did not agree that trans women were the same as biological women, and that they were abusing the human rights of trans women by stating as such. I was really hoping the presenter (Guyon Espiner) would ask her to explain this and explain how trans women were the same as bio women but he obviously didn't.

I am so glad there are more of us out here. I was a member of a feminist mothers' facebook group but i left because they were staunchly in the "trans women are women" camp and if anybody posted anything questioning this (for example questioning Laural Hubbard) they were flamed and told they couldn't possibly be a feminist.

Thanks scrumple for the links. If you don't mind PMing me some FB group info i would be grateful but also understand if you are wary!

One of Australia's GBTQ campaigners being called out on his public commentary re: the NZ legislation:

tasmaniantimes.com/2018/11/transforming-tasmania-and-rodney-croome-spreading-fake-news/#comment-223477

Thanks for starting this thread, Scrumplestiltskin. Another GC Kiwi feminist signing in.

I am concerned by how unenlightened many NZ women are on this issue, and was so surprised by Louisa Wall's recent remarks.

I truly hope you get some sort of sort of positive response to your enquiries, OtepotiLilliane42.

I find twitter the best Yeahnahyeah - Renee Gerlich who I think actually wrote the article linked to above has very bravely, and often at great personal cost, led the fight back from the very beginning and is well worth following.
twitter.com/renee_jg

NZTwitter is often dominated by the woke Wellington twiteratti but in the last week or so gender critical views seem to be gaining some traction. The kerfuffle over the Pride Parade seems to have bought the issue to a head and journalists and columnists like Rachel Stew, Fran O'Sullivan and Whena Owen have all been accused of being transphobic in the last few days for not backing away from this issue and accepting the diktat of wokethink.

I do think people are waking up a little - me included. I was very much in the same camp as Louisa Wall etc but am slowly starting to see the issue in sharper focus.

I think it’s because these issues are so new to many of us perhaps?

Agree that the pride parade has also focused the issue a little more

whistler where were those articles? Am interested to read them

Hi sorry I’ve Name changed :) - this discussion is mostly occurring on Twitter. If you go back through their timelines you will come across it.
But, Just in case you missed it, here is Rachel’s opinion piece this morning in the Herald.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12166957

Thanks for all the guides folk. Off I go down more rabbit holes. I am still utterly utterly gobsmacked that all this is happening.

We are born male or female and in some rare instances not clearly one or the other. That is an immutable fact. Adults who change their gender identity can have a certificate which lets them lead a life consistent with that new identity. Changing their birth certificate is a deception. Not putting down a child's sex at birth because of gender ideology is madness. I cannot believe how easily this nonsense is being pandered to. If one says these things out loud one is vilified. I don't care how adult men and women choose to lead their lives so long as their choice does not infringe upon the rights of others. Why women in Britain and New Zealand are so concerned about the self-identification matter is because it could open the door to sexual predators accessing our hitherto female safe places. The fact that our lawmakers don't seem to have grasped this is extremely frustrating. The hostility towards the women and some men who have dared to point out it might be a good idea to halt proceedings and really look at the implications of such a move is shocking. In New Zealand we are celebrating a 125 years since Women's suffrage which makes this hostility all the more disheartening. Well, I will be writing to the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to tell her exactly how I feel, especially as I am in the early seventies and a life long feminist, supporter of gay and lesbian rights. And don't even get me onto the whole Toilet issue!

Hi, my sister and I have just drafted a letter to Jacinda Ardern, NZ Prime Minister expressing our concerns re self ID. We are sending copies to Deputy PM Winston Peters Leader of the NZ First Party as the sponsor of the Bill is a NZ First MP. A copy will also go to Green Party Co-Leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson. We hope this elicits a response before Christmas.

Posted our letters today. (Illyria42 is my sister.) Gave the draft to my daughter to critique as she worked as a legal researcher and policy advisor for the previous government. She sharpened our complaints about the lack of proper procedure for the introduction of self id.
We will see what happens.

"Participation in sport and physical activity is a human right.”

And it's always so interesting that denying the physical advantage a TW has over a woman, and denying that the right to participate in sports, is part of that "human right".

I have to say, I was astounded at the lack of outcry when Laurel Hubbard won the Australasian champs. That was my first glimpse of a transwoman competing in a female competition and it just seemed so obviously unfair.

I wonder if the response would be different now? Things have certainly blown up in the last couple of weeks with Rachel Stewart's article. Maybe more people would feel able to say "hold on a second..."

I was too, Eketahuna. Gavin Laurel was actually my peak trans moment, in hindsight, I think.

Up until then I had been completely accepting, understanding and sympathetic to the cause. But that did it for me.

I'm not sporty at all, but the inherent unfairness of someone who fully admits they were born in the 'wrong body' using that body they acknowledge as wrong to their complete advantage to cheat, saw the scales fall from my eyes.

Laura Hubbard is 20 years older than most female weightlifters who compete at Commonwealth or Olympic events, and went from being very average in men's events to wiping out the competition in women's. I new this, yet how the hell did I not peak trans until now?

'Kate', the mountain biker was also a very average men's competitor, but started winning once she transitioned.

If Australian sportswomen were doing this, we'd be beyond livid, but we're accepting of it when it's Kiwis cheating.

It's completely embarrassing.

Totally agree with you all regarding trans women in sport, but came on to say that at our electorate Christmas function this afternoon was privately assured that our MP was totally on board with concerns about self id. Which is good news.-

Laurel Hubbard won the Australasian champs. That was my first glimpse of a transwoman

Laurel has never claimed to be a transwoman. Laurel very carefully chooses words when doing interviews.

What does Laurel say he is?

Presumably Laurel identifies as a woman in order to compete in women's events? How does that work otherwise?

Presumably Laurel claims to be a woman?

The documentary"Transgendered Kids:Who Knows Best" was shown on a NZ television channel last night (Vibe), and I recorded it to watch today. I thought it was a balanced analysis of the situation in Canada, but apparently it was pulled from CBC after complaints from some transgender activists that the programme was biased and transphobic, which wasn't evident to me. Has it been shown in New Zealand before? Apologies if I am raising a topic discussed already.
I did wonder how it would be received if it had been shown on TV One or TV3.

Otepoti I watched it via a link posted on here. Yup, shame TV one or three did not show it. It would open many peoples eyes. Mind you, I'm having a few problems getting some of my friends to believe things are as serious as they are (especially if self ID becomes law). And bloody Louise Hall (NZ MP) and her " I don't want any f**king terfs".........at a march on women's reproductive rights. Hell in a Handcart stuff.