I spoke up and I wasn't the only one

[storeandscale]

I was recently at a training event attended by about a fifteen people, including representatives of national organisations.

The training covered issues around gender identity and I am pleased to say that three delegates (including me) spoke out to raise concerns about current gender politics when these were promoted by the trainer or other delegates (including in response to a promotion of Mermaids) And you know what? It was fine. Everyone was polite and respectful and calm in what they said and how they responded to what was said. And it was gratifying to be supported by and to support other delegates raising concerns or wanting to offer an alternative point of view to the narrative being presented.

Wonderful. The more discussions we have the better.

Glad to hear this. Well done for speaking up.

Thanks for sharing. It's reassuring.

Puuullllllllll!!!

brilliant.

and good work on speaking up!

Well done, we need to keep doing this in real life. I suspect if three of you spoke up there were probably a few others who thought the same and thought glad they've raised it so I don't need to

Hurrah - this issue needs more reasoned discussion

Excellent.

Well done!!

Talking is so important.

Excellent. I've avoided those events at my work suspecting it will be like attending a cult brainwashing session with people chanting "burn the witch" at dissenters. Maybe I will go some time.

Well done for speaking up store.

I ran a session with all Male senior manager group in a very male dominated industry

Asked did they know the protected characteristics of The Equality Act. One came up with gender. None said sex. (They got 6 altogether)

When discussing the difference in the definitions of sex and gender (and also gender reassignment), they surprised me with how quickly they came to the conclusion (with no input from me) on why segregation of space by the definition of actual sex is so important

"You can't just have some random bloke coming in and saying he feels like a woman and going in the loos!"

"Well there should be a third space for them because the women should have somewhere that there are no penises, and if they don't feel comfortable in the men's that's not the women's problem"

They also said it's wrong that women should have to go somewhere else if they don't feel comfortable as the women's space has always been the women's space

I'll be running this session repeatedly over coming months so will be interesting to see what the comments are when I have a mixed sex group

I have this week:

Emailed one university student regarding their survey which had nonsensical options on it

Had a correction made in the Guardian (see other thread)

Am about to email another student about another survey which again has ridiculous wording.

(I have previously also emailed a third student about their survey where she quite seriously told me her responses were indeed going to be analysed by gender and not sex; and I clarified what she meant. I have no idea how that subjective category can help in an otherwise objective set of data)

Great work!