Today programme

[nettie434]

Nicola Williams and Helen Belcher were on the Today programme on the radio. About 45 minutes in. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002g7f

At least Helen Belcher was asked to answer some questions - makes a change from the usual eggshell stuff. Could do with more though.

A bit of digging on who made these policies and why.

Just listened - Dr Nic was great, especially when the presenter tried to trip her up about it being a fact that male born people showed male pattern criminality.

Slightly disturbing that the presenter referred to the current KS vs SH situation as the former being arrested for saying something that they were not meant to say

My ears also pricked up at Helen Belcher saying 'Speaking with officials at the MOJ a few months ago' - regarding the trans prisoners issue. Were women's groups invited to speak with officials at the MOJ about this issue and its impact on women prisoners too? I doubt it!

saying something that they were not meant to say

It's the BBC

I note from Nic's twitter twitter.com/asknic?lang=en that she is struggling to continue what is effectively a full time job on a voluntary basis. I hope more BBC appearance fees come her way, but if not there is scope to donate. Donations do not appear publicly.

The FPFW guidance before the GRA was fab. We are so lucky to have a great group of brave and articulate spokespeople. We will be heard not just because our arguments are better, but because we have people who can articulate them.

It just shows how gathering proper, objective data on what people thought was the blinding obvious and a good committed spokesperson can achieve something. It is inspiring.

I always thought local politics was...…………………….. and just a load of hard work. But having where letting things lie because you think it is done has gone and how much you can achieve by getting thoughts in order and objective reality ……………

I'm happy to donate to her. It seems t be a Paypal account, which I don't have, does anyone know how else donations could be made to her?

There seem to be significant numbers of transwomen who say they're male but yet manage to survive.

Perhaps it's a bit like religion ... if your faith is so weak it can't be challenged then maybe it's not very real?

Exactly this. For those for whom Genderism is a chosen religion, dealing with doubts leads to all sorts of responses, just as in any religion. The main response of those who are being promoted as spokespeople for the movement, via #nodebate, seems to be the terrified, avoid any counterview, wrap myself in bubble wrap and stick my fingers in my ears response of the really invested cult member. It's the only way to cope when you know deep down that there aren't satisfying answers to the questions others are asking, but you are so embedded in the system that you can't even conceive of it not being true.

Helen's thing about FPFW seeing all transwomen as criminals had me shouting at the radio. The topic was transwomen in women's prisons. Therefore the starting position is undeniably that the transwomen in question are convicted criminals bad enough to be serving custodial sentences!

Dr Nic sticks to the facts. Or uses her professional expertise to gather them. She does a brilliant job and has grown so much in confidence. I really admire her work.

I have often wondered how she copes financially and it's good to hear how we can support her.

That was a fabulous segment especially compared with past BBC ridiculous bias. Dr Nic was coherent and polite and clear. Heartening.

I haven’t managed to listen, but am agog that HB refused to come into the studio? Is there some kind of implication that Dr Nic might be violent? I can’t imagine that playing well with listeners, especially given Dr Nic’s unwavering decency and common sense, which comes over whenever she speaks.

And if it’s not literal violence HB is cowering from, what is it? Are we to believe this is someone who wants to be a parliamentarian, but is unable to debate because of.... what exactly? Some kind of pretend helplessness or overblown sensitivity.

Fuck that!

Maybe the fear was that the interviewer wouldn't be able to sustain sufficient levels of cognitive dissonance if faced with HB in person?

That point made by Belcher was ridiculous. Moaning about Nic talking about criminals when the piece is about men in women's prisons.

This whole bollocks about refusing to debate is really backfiring. Women are saying the same things we have been sayigng all along and as more and more people hear it, it seems we are saying what everyone thinks. Why doesn't Belcher want to know that?

Maybe the fear was that the interviewer wouldn't be able to sustain sufficient levels of cognitive dissonance if faced with HB in person?

Which is proper bonkers when you think that it's probably easier to maintain the contrary fiction with a figure in front of you playing laydee than it is talking to an obviously un-female voice on the phone...

I think it was Norman Stanley Fletcher who explained the problem with prisons:

"There's a strong criminal element in here, Mr McKay..."

it's probably easier to maintain the contrary fiction with a figure in front of you playing laydee than it is talking to an obviously un-female voice on the phone...

For some, but for others not so much.

True. But I always think that radio is the last place the men are women crew should be plying their wares. All the clever lightjng and FFS in the world will do no good at all.

"There's a strong criminal element in here, Mr McKay..."

I get the impression that some tra have a script that they don't deviate from regardless of the context. As a result, it can come across that they don't understand what the issues are.

What are all these TW prison deaths HB spoke of?

Surely that would be headline news if it was happening in British prisons in the huge torrent she inferred?

Wasn’t there a thread about the prison deaths the other day? Rather tellingly, moving TW to the women’s estate hadn’t stopped them, or at least I think that’s what was said. But the figures were unclear as the recording of which sex people were and where they were and how they identified was all obscured as nobody was allowed to record those things...

My ears also pricked up at Helen Belcher saying 'Speaking with officials at the MOJ a few months ago' - regarding the trans prisoners issue. Were women's groups invited to speak with officials at the MOJ about this issue

Same here. Wtf?

It seems that Belcher is properly oily.

Here’s the thread with the article about TW dying in women’s prisons:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3497733-deaths-in-women-s-prisons

I liked that Dr Nic managed to get in that MPs had tried to ask questions in he HoC but that the Speaker, Brecon, didn’t allow it.

She did so well and it was great that HB was challenged (a bit) on her views.

twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1094989710433402880

Also Nic on Talk radio.

Is this the same Helen Belcher?:

On the 8th of March, we will celebrate International Women’s Day. A day set aside to acknowledge the achievements of women everywhere.

Last year we celebrated the centenary of the first women getting the vote, but there’s still a long way to go before we achieve true gender equality. There are only 209 women in the Commons right now. Women’s voices must be heard in every sphere, field and sector without exception.

This year’s theme Balancing for Better urges us all to demand better gender balance at all levels – be it in parliament, the boardroom or our education system. In celebration we are working with the Diversity Team on a new event; Bringing the Balance, Women in Politics aimed at discussing what we can do to get more women involved in politics.
Register here

I’m honoured to serve as a Lib Dem MP in Parliament, and I want more liberal women to join me, Layla, Wera and Jo on those green benches!

You will have the opportunity to hear from women who have and are doing it at both the local and national level. So, if you are hoping to stand for election, be it for council or parliament, then this is the event for you. You’ll also be able to hear about the support that is available to women such as our fantastic training and mentoring programmes.

So, join me and this line up of brilliant speakers:

Sal Brinton: Party President
Helen Belcher: Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Chippenham
Baroness Sheehan: Lib Dem Peer and Party Spokesperson for International Development
Cllr Bridget Smith: Leader of South Cambridgeshire Council

Further details below:
Date: Thursday 7th March
Time: 6.30pm (for 7pm start)
Venue: The Local Government Association (Westminster Room). 18 Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HZ

Spaces are limited so please book your place ASAP.
Register here

I look forward to seeing you there.

Christine

Christine Jardine
MP for Edinburgh West

*Please note this event is open to anyone who self-identifies as a woman.