TRAs planning a protest against A Woman's Place meeting on July 10th

[NotTerfNorCis]

The theme of the WPUK meeting is Why female sport matters, and why we must protect it. Effectively the TRAs are protesting against fairness in women's sports.

Details of their protest are below. Protesters are advised not to be violent, to carry offensive banners, or to try and physically stop the meeting from going ahead. 'This is a response, not an attack.'

www.facebook.com/events/2255386031382613/

Women's place UK are a transphobic hate group that work towards the rolling back of trans rights. Their meetings are recruitment drives where they peddle transphobia and their endless justifications for transphobia.

This is happening in our town. Where we live. We need to show them that we won't let hatred towards our trans brothers, sisters and everyone else stand without a response. A fun, musical, party response.

The protest itself will not be taking place at the National Gallery. That is only the meeting place due to it being a large area next to several decent transport routes. Women's Place UK don't release the venue until several hours before the event, so we will move there as soon as we know the location.

Cis allies are encouraged to attend. Allies are needed. Trans people cannot do this alone.

Some ground rules.

1. DO NOT ENGAGE WITH ANY ATTENDEES OR WOMEN'S PLACE UK MEMBERS/SPEAKERS DIRECTLY.

Stay away if you cannot keep it together. Do not directly engage, even if you are baited. If anyone does bait you and you cannot ignore them, walk away.

2. WE ARE NOT ATTEMPTING TO STOP OR INVADE THE MEETING.

This is not the goal. This is a response, not an attack.

2. THIS IS A NON VIOLENT PROTEST.

If anyone is suspected of having any violent intentions, you will be asked to leave.

3. BRING BANNERS THAT WOULDN'T UPSET YOUR MOTHER

We want this to be a family friendly protest. Please avoid swears on your banners.

4. BRING A GUITAR

Singing is fun.

5. DO YOU DO CIRCUS THINGS? BRING CIRCUS THINGS

Every protest needs a juggler.

I've started to see a few journalists or people with a bit of a profile speak up about the meeting this morning.

The tide is turning.

Has anyone seen any media coverage of last night yet anywhere?

Rose of Dawn's latest on CeCe Telfer: A Trans Athlete Underdog Story, And More Intersectional Stupidity

CeCe states that there are absolutely no advantages to having been born otherwise. So that's clear. That's definitely one in the eye for Fond of Beetles and all her science and careful review of the evidence, eh?

Entirely coincidental that CeCe passed from being an indifferent athlete in one division to dominating in another.

Sharon’s point about about how few people know what we do really struck a chord. I really do believe that most people can and do see sense when it’s pointed out to them. Especially in sport which is just so obvious.

Has anyone seen any media coverage of last night yet anywhere?

Journalist Joani Walsh was in the front row last night so I expect a piece from her will appear somewhere.

Read this thread last night and have just had a look on twitter and feel quite moved that the meeting was such a success and at the numbers there. Surely we can't continue to be dismissed now?

Can anyone point me to the films of the speeches? I have had a look on WPUK's website and can't find them.

It usually takes WPUK a few days to upload the videos of meetings, Latin. They'll be on their website once available.

www.eventbrite.com/e/transgender-athletes-and-the-science-of-fairness-with-dr-rachel-mckinnon-tickets-64729638090?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Anyone taking their hula hoops and pierrot costumes to this one?

tbh, in the spirit of scientific enquiry, I might be tempted to attend the McKinnon lecture were it not for the ticket price.

Yes, tickets are a bit pricey aren’t they?

Rachel is promoting fairness and inclusion in sports apparently :

No one, absolutely no one, is going to pay £27 to hear McKinnon speak. Who has even heard of McKinnon outside the usual TRA circles? What on earth are they thinking of, to charge that kind of price?

Rachel is promoting fairness and inclusion in sports

In the spirit of WPUK, I look forward to RMcK releasing a video of her event. I wonder if there will be several speakers and a panel if it's end-to-end RMcK?

So Rachel is 'helping to overturn prejudice with science'. Hmm.
I am in London and could go along (though I baulk at the price!) and ask questions, but for some reason I suspect the opportunities to question will not be numerous.

Ahhh...I belong to a seat filling scheme which often lists "How to Academy" events at a nominal price. I shall keep my eyes open. Anyone keen to go with me can PM me. (Don't all rush!) Obviously though Rachel might be more popular than we expect. The chance to hear someone truly brave and stunning.

I assume I was not alone last night in noticing a good handful of TG people. No protests or noise, just listening like the rest of us. I wonder what proportion of TG people actually want to push for access to women's sport, both excluding women and girls and risking a societal backlash. I assume a minority.

Who has even heard of McKinnon outside the usual TRA circles?

Anyone who reads Cycling Weakly because they made an exception to their usual rule of limited women's coverage to give McKinnon a double page spread. As I learned last night!

I stopped reading CW several years ago because there was nothing in there for women. All the kit reviews were aimed at men, all the articles were aimed at men, apart from the occasional 'cycling gifts women will love for valentines day' article. Apparently they're crying on twitter after Victoria Hood's talk that it's all changed now, although I don't suppose for a moment it's equal coverage.

Has anyone seen any media coverage of last night yet anywhere?

As well as the guy from LBC I saw a tweet that said a BBC sports journalist was there. The tweet didn't say who though.

tbh, in the spirit of scientific enquiry, I might be tempted to attend the McKinnon lecture were it not for the ticket price.

Me too. 'No refunds' policy either. I wonder how many supporters will be prepared to fork out.

I had a look at the venue. Max capacity of the largest space is 270 (about a third of the attendance last night). Evening hire is £1200+VAT plus significant charges on top for tech support and staffing. I can't be bothered to do the maths but if it was my event at those whopping ticket prices I'd be going through the booking T&Cs with a fine toothed comb to check my exposure.

Thank you for letting us know about this. Wondering, was there a wide age range in attendance?

Have you seen Mhairi Hunter's typically dismissive response to the meeting?

twitter.com/MhairiHunter/status/1149205618395439104?s=19

It astounds me that this woman can claim to be a feminist yet is so dismissive of issues that disadvantage females.

was there a wide age range in attendance?

Yes. I saw women in their 20s to women in their 70s. A real mix.

Actually, some attendees even younger if you count the babes in arms!

Thank you @CriticalCondition

Have you seen Mhairi Hunter's typically dismissive response to the meeting?

I always assume it's because admitting there's marked differences is admittance that TWAM and from that point everything else about the ideology falls apart because that's what happens when you build something upon shaky foundations.

Sounds amazing. I remember my first feminist conference, Feminism in London, years ago and a mumsnet meet up afterwards in the pub. Was fabulous.

I always assume it's because admitting there's marked differences is admittance that TWAM and from that point everything else about the ideology falls apart because that's what happens when you build something upon shaky foundations

Exactly!

It really does seem as if women's sport is the primary entrance gate to the wider debate about TRA issues and women's sex based rights and issues.