Some feminists, Emma Thompson amongst them, sign letter decrying trans-exclusionary responses to the GRA

[EweSurname]

www.thenational.scot/news/17472564.they-do-not-speak-for-us-feminists-hit-back-at-trans-exclusionary-activists-in-open-letter/

We, the undersigned, are a large and diverse group of women who are committed to ensuring that trans people feel welcome and safe within our society.

Recently there has been a rise in ill-informed articles and commentary, where writers have continually insinuated that trans women are not women. These same pieces misrepresent current legal statutes, equalities policies, and public attitudes in Scotland.

Since 2004 the Gender Recognition Act has realised, in law, the rights of trans women as women and trans men as men. Since 1999, the Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations and then the Equality Act (2010) have recognised, in law, the right of the trans community not to be discriminated against on the basis of their gender reassignment. The right of trans people to access gender specific services is an already settled legal matter.

Many national and regional news outlets routinely fail in their pages to recognise this legal reality. Instead, it is our perspective that some writers rely on recycling outdated arguments in an uncomfortable attempt to shoehorn trans identities into much needed conversations about gender-based discrimination and violence.

We believe that national conversations about gender-based discrimination and violence are necessary, however these conversations should not in any way attempt to roll back the rights that trans people already have in Scotland, nor spread misinformation.

In the Scottish Government's recent public consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act (2004) a majority of respondents supported gender self declaration, as well as recognising non-binary people. As a collective of women, we urge that trans-exclusionary writers do not suggest that their narrow and archaic arguments are in any way representative of the women of Scotland. They do not speak for us.

This is not an issue of Freedom of Speech. Both sides have a plethora of platforms to outline their position. However, it is imperative that these platforms should not be used to spread misinformation or misrepresent the law or the facts in this area.

When this conversation is reduce

d to allegations of "shutting down debate" whenever misrepresentation or misinformation is challenged, the result is to purposefully discount the position of many women - like us - who support the trans community. We will be heard.

Trans people have played an integral role in every civil rights movement to date; from LGBT equality to women's causes. Attempts to airbrush trans people from conversations regarding equality and human rights, or to exclude them from advancements for LGBT and women's rights, have happened before. Such efforts may have re-energised, but they are nothing new, and we say as a collective of women: they are not representative of us. We support trans rights.

Outlets and commentators have an ethical responsibility to consider the impact of their reportage, analysis and commentary particularly on the mental health of trans young people. Recently, data from Stonewall Scotland revealed that over half of trans people considered ending their lives last year. Trans people continue to face unlawful discrimination and violence. Routine misinformation and sensationalism is contributing to a cultural climate where this is legitimised. This has to stop.

Journalists, commentators, and publishers have a central role to play in ensuring Scotland is a welcoming and inclusive place for trans people.

The conversation has to change.

Rhiannon Spear, Chair of Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) and Glasgow City Councillor for Greater Pollok

Tiffany Kane, Vice Chair of Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) and Operations Manager at Common Weal

Dame Emma Thompson, Double Academy Award Winner

Laura Waddell, Publisher and Writer

Dr Jennifer Jones, Independent

Rosa Zambonini, Communications Manager to Member of the Scottish Parliament

Cllr Jennifer Layden, SNP Councillor for Calton

Dr Claire Askew, University of Edinburgh

Laura Wylie, Sexual Violence Prevention Worker at the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Dundee and Angus),

Sinead Daly, CEO of the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Dundee and Angus)

Christina Neuwirth, Writer

Kate Adair, SQIFF

Eve Livingston, Freelance Journalist

Kelly Given, Equalities & Mental Health Advocate

Jennifer Constable, Journalist

Rachel Hamada, Journalist

Leona Jack, Gender Based Violence Practitioner

Angela Haggerty, Journalist

Lynne Davies, Foster Carer

Amanda Stanley, Freelance Podcast Producer

Kaite Welsh, Author & Journalist

Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston

Miriam Brett, International Finance Project Manager

Sarah Masson, or Co-Artistic Director of Shift, Shift Theatre

Fi and Charlotte Duffy-Scott, Co-Owners, Category Is Books, Glasgow

Claire Biddles, Freelance Writer

Erin Hardee, Schools Outreach Organiser

School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee

Dr Pat Cullum BA (Hons) DPhil FRHistS, FHEA, School Co-Ordinator for Student Experience, School of Music, Humanities and Media, University of Huddersfield

Gail Ross MSP, SNP Member of Scottish Parliament for Caithness

Dr Eleanor Janega, Guest Teacher at the LSE

Cllr Kim Long, Green Councillor for Dennistoun

Cllr Eva Murray, Labour Councillor for Garscadden/ Scotstounhill

Cllr Christina Cannon, SNP Councillor for Springburn/Robroyston

Cllr Martha Wardrop, Green Councillor for Hillhead

Bailie Christy Mearns, Green Councillor for Anderston/ City & Yorkhill

Cara Spence, Head of Programmes, LGBT Youth Scotland

Amy Irons, Broadcaster

Hannah Pearson, Queer Feminist Campaigner

Rebecca Crowther, PHD Social Science Researcher

Susan Ross, Police Scotland

Jane Friffin, Head of Partnerships, LGBT Youth Scotland

Michelle Sodo, Head of Operations, LGBT Youth Scotland

Nicola Booth, Head of Youth Work, LGBT Youth Scotland

Bridget Bradley, Teaching Fellow, The University of Edinburgh School of Medical Anthropology

Naomi McAuliffe, Scotland Programme Director, Amnesty International

Gayle Telfer Stevens, Olivier Award Winning Actor

Jen Ang, Lawyer and Director, Just Right Scotland

Lisa Clark, Senior Communications Officer, Children in Scotland

Mhairi McMillan, Solicitor, Logans Solicitors, Cumnock

Margaret Logan, Women’s Aid, Support Worker

Dr Brandi Lee Lough Dennell, Research Associate

Rona Mackay, SNP MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden

Hazel Marzetti, PHD Student, University of Glasgow

Pam Currie, EIS FELA President (Personal Capacity)

Fiona Robertson, SNP's National Women's and Equalities Convenor

Katherine O’Donnell, Journalist

Christine Burns MBE, Equality Campaigner and Author

Lucy Spraggan, Musician

Leeze Lawrence, Producer, Editor, Filmmaker & Trans Advocate

Helen Nugent, Journalist and Editor of Northern Soul

Janet Coulson, Actor and Creative Director of Firebrand Theatre

Paris Lees, Writer and Broadcaster

Marlene Zwickler, Agent and Producer

Elena Soper, Feminist and Activist

Mhairi Black MP, Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Dr Lindsay Clark, Post-Doctoral researcher

Jackie Brock, Chief Executive, Children in Scotland

Joanna Murphy, Chair, National Parent Forum for Scotland

Louise Oliver, Actor and producer

Lady Mary Hope, Lady Hope of Craighead

Audrey Barnes, Campaigns & Programmes Coordinator at YWCA Scotland

Jemma Tracey, Senior Participation Officer, Children in Scotland

Laura McGlynn, University of Glasgow

Bailey McCormack, Event Coordinator and Freelance Performer

Emma Rogan, Senior Policy Officer at Children in Scotland

Róisín McKelvey, Feminist PhD Researcher

Janine Ewen, Queer Feminist, Violence Against Women Campaigner

Mhairi Black - I want to know if she as a lesbian, would sleep with another lesbian with a beard and a penis.

If she wouldn't, she's a transphobe.

Emma Thompson - she defended the child-rapist Roman Polanski. Not someone anyone who is concerned about women's rights, should be listening to.

All the others - Aunt Lydias to a woman. They can all piss off, most women disagree with them and so do most men and so does science, biology and reality.

Actually, Emma Thompson didn't backtrack as such, she was persuaded by a 19-year-old student to change her mind! Who's going to be our Caitlin?

Caitlin Hayward-Tapp, a 19-year-old student at Exeter University – where Thompson's adopted son graduated this year – arranged a meeting with the actress this week to try to convince her to change her mind.

Days earlier, Ms Hayward-Tapp had set up her own petition, to express outrage at those petitioners who were calling for Polanski's release, and on it, she had expressed her surprise at Thompson putting her name to such a cause.

The student's campaign seems to have paid off. Thompson, who initially signed the petition in support of Polanksi, which was launched by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, agreed to speak to Hayward-Tapp for 15 minutes. By the end of the conversation, the actress had decided to withdraw her name from Lévy's petition, according to Ms Hayward-Tapp.

"I met her while she was here to take part in 'One World Week' at my university, which raises awareness of diversity. I was due to sit on a panel on gender equality with her but I asked if I could speak to her [in person]. She is such an inspirational woman, I reckoned she must have been willing to reconsider.

www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/thompson-talked-out-of-support-for-polanski-by-19-year-old-student-1816553.html

So Emma's opinions are mainly based on the force of opinion of her peers but can be swayed by someone pointing out she's wrong.

I suspect she doesn't research much. Maybe busy?

I like Emma Thompson.

Emma I hope you can have a rethink about bedicked rapists in womens prison, men in womens sport, and the actual consequences of the erasure of biological sex as a marker, measure, recordeed chaarcteristic anywhere in society.

I have faith in you.

(Not that she's reading but whatever lol)

EweSurname Re-reading this thread-your re-write of the letter was spot on.
Dr. Jane Clare Jones great summary of what is really (as well as not) being said.

All the long weepy statement/letter does is, in effect, to wail ‘all the criticism is so nasty’.

Despite starting with a concealed claim that TWAW (contrary to all those horrid insinuations otherwise) it makes no attempt to argue how, or why this is. How exactly is a transwoman female, Emma T? Is this because the law says so? Is that all it takes to be a woman? A piece of legislation?

Would hens be women if a piece of legislation said so?

Is there nothing, nothing, nothing at all biological about women? Periods, childbirth, miscarriage, breastfeeding, the clitoris, cervical cancer, the uterus, endometriosis, menopause, all irrelevant? A nasty ‘insinuation’ to claim otherwise?

How lucky we silly hens are to have men in Parliament to explain to us what and who we are, to define us and create us.

some cock in a frock

😂

It's whether Emma will bother to do the reading.

I'm a bit gobsmacked by someone who has had this experience before - signing up to something really dodgy and controversial and realising she hadn't really thought it through- not being a bit cautious about signing up to something else she clearly hasn't done the reading about.

Not sure whether to admire her chutzpah or just roll my eyes really.

Utter utter bollocks. Also, its spectacular how so often, feminists are accused of the type of behaviour that TRAs actually do commit regularly..making out that feminists shut down the debate indeed

Many people will sign anything without doing any reading, if it's presented to them as an LGBT rights issue.
ET will probably be thinking of someone 'fabulous' she has worked with, not the Karen Whites of this world or women who will be affected by the decimation of single-sex services.

orwellianmince thank you! Was quite satisfying and I think it helped lower my blood pressure after reading the original.

There's another response (this time by @Indy_Leya) here:

twitter.com/Indy_Leya/status/1102171285654769665

I don't think it's surprising at all, shocking yes, to hear those that have put their names to this and deeply disappointing, but to me its like the fight to get widespread understanding of abuse. It's not glaringly obvious to see on the outside. When you experience it from the inside its not always easy either, because of the nature of it (Agp), but when its out and more do start to understand the real issues involved, the tide will turn and safeguarding will be paramount again

I wish i could speak to Emma Thompson about the decimation of abused women in supposedly 'safe' services.

She's not on Twitter, is she. And mumsnet is one of the only places this is discussed with any degree of knowledge.

I'm hoping that when she sees a few of the loopholes being exploited, she might take a few fucking minutes out of her busy schedule to look a little deeper.

Yes CharlieParley well said.

I just like to clearly point out that they have been disingenuous liars through this whole debate.

I don't believe ET didn't know the truth about Polanski. I'm not much younger than her, and I've known all about him since the late 70's

with a hint that they are scrutinising who isnt signing up, therefore must be a TERF that needs outed

Are you now or have you ever been a communist?

McCarthyism all mixed up with Henry VIIIth and the compulsory turning up in church porches to sign a document that you definitely do believe the belief that is currently politically expedient for your betters.

I thank 400 years plus of women fighting for their rights that I am able to say, out loud, as a woman, fuck that.

There goes my admiration for my favourite actress and woman - very sad and disappointed

I think signing support for Polanski is like signing for mjackso

The letter is extraordinary in that it is doing everything it accuses others of doing itself.

It's so textbook in its DARVO that I imagine it was composed by a TRA.

Here's Dr Brandi the guider as mentioned.

twitter.com/BLLoughDennell/status/1101426090919239680?s=20

"I've never experienced discrimination based on my biological sex, only based on assumptions made about my biological sex (a.k.a. about my gender identity & expression"

When this conversation is reduced to allegations of "shutting down debate" whenever misrepresentation or misinformation is challenged, the result is to purposefully discount the position of many women - like us - who support the trans community

Funny that, because I don't remember hearing any trans rights campaigner challenge or debate ANY presentation or information put forward by a GC feminist. They simply refuse to. (We know why).

How very topsy turvy this letter is.

My MP signed that, can someone help with a letter to send to her?

The letter doesn't actually explain which articles are ill informed or why they are ill informed.

This seems to be motivated by recent commentary on the Scottish census. I'd love one of the signatories to explain why they think Rosa Freedman is ill informed on Human Rights issues.

Reading that letter again, it really is just pure guff isn't it?

I find it hard to believe that all of those people who signed that letter (and all the others who apparently are falling over themselves to sign) actually believe that self id is a cracking idea, or they wouldn't of they actually stopped thinking about how woke they want to appear and engaged their critical brain for just a few minutes.

I mean, even a lot of the 'god you lot are so transphobic and any dissenting view is shouted down, but I can't actually come up with a decent argument of my own' brigade that come on here, concede that self id is a bad idea.