Crap response from WEP

[teawamutu]

I mailed them about two weeks ago saying I was thinking of joining, but would like them to clarify whether their priority was fighting for the rights of biological women and girls.

At long last, got this today: "
We fight for women's equality and we support the right of people to define their gender or reject gendered divisions as they choose."

Anyone want to help me come up with a question they can't sidestep?

Starter for ten: for campaigning purposes, do you class woman as biological sex or a feeling in a man's head?

What is the definition of a woman?

I like it.

Honestly, I think I'm more annoyed by the lame attempt to avoid the issue. Feel kind of insulted.

Tell WEP you were referring to sex not gender?

Anyone want to help me come up with a question they can't sidestep

Ask them can they recommend a party that stands for women, as they are clearly not it?

I'd say

"Thanks you've lost my interest right there."

:Perhaps ask WEP this question

"How do you reconcile your position that "we support the right of people to define their gender or reject gendered divisions as they choose"

with UK law that defines biological sex as "a congruence of chromosomes, gonads and genitals" [Corbett V Corbett]

and with the Equality Act 2010, which defines the sexes as:

man: a male of any age
woman: a female of any age?

There is no reference to "gender" [or 'gender identity' or 'transgender' or 'gender non-conforming' in UK law.

Narrow it down to this statement

"We support the right of people to define their gender"

Ok. Do you mean you support any man at any time you define their gender as "woman" in every situation without critical thinking?

I agree sometimes it's only polite to allow preferred pronouns/use of new name etc and in most social settings it'd be fine to go along with self defined gender.

Do you also support a male bodied person who self defines as a woman to compete with women in sport? To take business awards/ grants/ jobs in politics set aside for women? To enter women's homeless shelters and prisons? To be treated as their preferred gender in every single situation with no thought given to women?
You must be aware by now, given the publicity of such questions, that it takes more than just a blanket statement if you are actually serious about "equality for women".

Please reply and let me know otherwise you will convince yet another person that your words "equality for women" are simply an empty lie.

^ to define their gender not you

What Jacky said!

I like what PPs said and would love to know what happens - I was all for WEP until I found out they believe TWAW. I'm either starting a new Actual Women's Party or a women's only Twitter type forum or becoming an MP tomorrow, I can't decide.

Perhao sask WEP to define "gender" too?

That should have been: "Perhaps ask WEP to define "gender" too?"

I think the WEP are a lost cause unfortunately. Too weak/nice/spineless to fight for women.

I know the new leader of WEP. She’s really nice and great on so many issues but she is woke with a capital W, unfortunately.

It's the ultimate demonstration of female socialisation, isn't it? Found a party for women, then start prioritising men.

There is a good answer to this in the thread about the letter from Bev Jackson to Ruth Hunt:

Do you accept the importance of retaining the word “woman” as a term relating to biological sex, since it is biological sex and not subjective identification that underlies the oppression of women?

Fantastic, thank you!

I did join them back when there was a moment that they looked like they could be considering being pro women. If they are going full woke, I will rescind my membership.

Yeah I would stress I was referring to sex, not 'gender' a 'gender' is pretty useless and seems to have no real meaning beyond..fmeinie and masculine. So basically, you have asked if they fight for women, and they have answered that..they are for feminine people. Which is rather daft. WEP that cannot define what a woman is is, pointless really.

'I never asked about gender, i asked about the rights of women and girls'.

Although I'm not in the UK I thought a woman's party was an exciting idea that might pick up lots of votes, and be a power for women. But the lack of nous shown by the new leader, announcing that it wasn't a party just for white middle class women, made heart sink to my boots. Yeah, way to go, single out your main prospective voters, you might ad well call them Deplorables. White middle class women seem to be the legitimate hate targets for everyone 😂

WEP are a phenomenal disappointment.

@Outanabout Why is that hate speech? Many working class women like myself are put off joining in with politics because it is seen as for posh people. Actively telling women not in in the majority groups they are welcome is not hate speech.

I think you’ve got your answer OP, their priority is not fighting for women and girls, it is being a smug circle jerk of virtue signalling while not doing a single thing that will actually improve the lives of women.

To think I nearly joined as a founder member, but DP said “don’t, they’ll end up disappointing you”. How prescient.

Well, I'm put off joining in with politics because I think I'm not intellectual enough, everyone else seems to understand things better than I do. But I don't expect political parties to single out any other section of their voters - a section with lots of votes - just to reassure me that I'm welcome. Why not address ME, reassuring me that my involvement is welcome and sought-after, rather than pissing off possible voters?

I'd like to think that white middle class women are included in the general term 'women'. Do you think she'd have risked saying "this party isn't for transwomen'? Imagine the offence-taking and hurried apologies there'd be. Politicians can't afford to take any voters for granted.