‘Anti-women’ trans policy may split Stonewall - letter to the Times - more wishful thinking than fact?

[stumbledin]

The times has an article based on a letter thay have published which claims

"Pioneers of the gay rights movement in Britain have discussed forming a breakaway organisation from the Stonewall pressure group because they fear women and children are at risk from its transgender policy."

Full article at www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anti-women-trans-policy-may-split-stonewall-wfv2rp5cx

The letter is signed by:
• Jonathan Best, former director, Queer Up North;
• Julie Bindel, journalist and feminist campaigner;
• Gill Butler, former trustee, Stonewall;
• Beatrix Campbell, writer;
• Maureen Chadwick, TV & film writer and producer;
• Stephanie Davies-Arai, director, Transgender Trend;
• Simon Edge, former editor of Capital Gay and writer for Attitude;
• Simon Fanshawe, founder, Stonewall;
• Eileen Gallagher OBE, TV producer;
• Kath Gotts, composer;
• Claire Graham, intersex advocate;
• Jane Harris, author;
• Kate Harris, former supporter of Stonewall;
• Bev Jackson, founder, Gay Liberation Front;
• Darren Johnson, London Assembly member 2000-16;
• Jane Clare Jones, writer and philosopher;
• Ann McManus, TV and film scriptwriter;
• Ann Sinnott, former Labour councillor;
• Caroline Spry, TV and film producer;
• Kathleen Stock, philosopher;
• Helen Watts, former leader, Girlguiding UK;
• Miranda Yardley, transexual rights activist

Last of letters published at www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/labour-tax-plan-corrodes-rule-of-law-sbh2f09n2

Interesting. Would be great to see an LGB Alliance happen. Watching with interest.

Wow, that is quite the star-studded list of signatories.

Just saw it and feel more hopeful than I have in ages!

They do seem to be taking their time in hiring a replacement for Ruth (traitor) Hunt. Maybe no one wants it?

I heard from someone who is usually well-connected that there is an internal split within Stonewall, the lack of appointment of a new CEO might support that.

I find myself thinking that the Stonewall brand is beginning to be percieved as toxic. I think a combination of disenfranchising lesbians, public displays of fetish at Pride, pronouns, the umbrella which includes all of the people ever and 'selling out' to corporates are all coming home to roost.

Oh that looks good. Anyone able to paste the text? 🙏

If you look at stonewalls twitter feed, the concern around trans issues is obvious. If you have a number of supporters in public disagreement with an organisation's direction, I could imagine that a split is possible.

This is encouraging. Still a ways to go of course. But some good signatories in that list.

Share token for the article:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anti-women-trans-policy-may-split-stonewall-wfv2rp5cx?shareToken=267700628462b5455de957edb7e58c2d

Haven't got one for the letter...

I'll remain hopeful that Stonewall will topple at some point.

Thanks to those who signed.

Hugely encouraging.

Brilliant. I am so pleased that they have a co-founder speaking up, no one can claim that he's just a bigot, can they?

This is so true: In the letter, they say “the government continues to treat Stonewall as if it represents the views of progressive thinking in general, and specifically lesbian, gay [and] bisexual opinion. It does not.”

My child's headteacher thinks Stonewall is wonderful, based on its past reputation. He has well and truly been hoodwinked.

This lobby group is no longer the organisation it once was. Its school programme is sexist, homophobic and regressive. It uses any former credibility to access schools, workplaces, charities etc, causing such damage to women and children.

Brilliant and I'm glass to see Simon Fanshawe there too.

Glad

It’s a good article, and I shouldn’t be surprised at Simon Fanshaw’s bravery, but I am

Don’t see an issue with posting the letter:

GAY PEOPLE LOSING FAITH IN STONEWALL
Last October a group of LGB rights supporters asked Stonewall to “commit to fostering an atmosphere of respectful debate rather than demonising as transphobic those who wish to discuss, or dissent from, Stonewall’s transgender policies”. Since then, Stonewall has refused repeated requests to enter into any such dialogue.

The government continues to treat Stonewall as if it represented the views of progressive thinking in general, and specifically LGB opinion. It does not.

We believe it has made mistakes in its approach that undermine women’s sex-based rights and protections. The most worrying aspect of this is that all primary-school children are now challenged to review their “gender identity” and decide that they may be the opposite sex if they do not embrace outdated gender stereotypes.

The architect of this policy, Ruth Hunt, who recently resigned as Stonewall’s chief executive, has — surprisingly — been made a life peer. Her exclusion of any alternative views has divided supporters of gay and lesbian rights in a way that may be irreparable.

If Stonewall remains intransigent, there must surely now be an opening for a new organisation committed both to freedom of speech and to fact instead of fantasy.

Jonathan Best, former director, Queer Up North; Julie Bindel, journalist and feminist campaigner; Gill Butler, former trustee, Stonewall; Beatrix Campbell, writer; Maureen Chadwick, TV & film writer and producer; Stephanie Davies-Arai, director, Transgender Trend; Simon Edge, former editor of Capital Gay and writer for Attitude; Simon Fanshawe, founder, Stonewall; Eileen Gallagher OBE, TV producer; Kath Gotts, composer; Claire Graham, intersex advocate; Jane Harris, author; Kate Harris, former supporter of Stonewall; Bev Jackson, founder, Gay Liberation Front; Darren Johnson, London Assembly member 2000-16; Jane Clare Jones, writer and philosopher; Ann McManus, TV and film scriptwriter; Ann Sinnott, former Labour councillor; Caroline Spry, TV and film producer; Kathleen Stock, philosopher; Helen Watts, former leader, Girlguiding UK; Miranda Yardley, transexual rights activist

This could potentially be a game changer - if the LGB Alliance can break Stonewall's monopoly, it'll look less like the unquestioned voice of niceness and progression and more like the aggressive single-issue pressure group it really is.

Its schools programme is...homophobic
@HandsOffMyRights would you mind expanding on this? I've heard a lot of criticism of Stonewall and heard them spout some worrying ideas but I've never heard this.

Wow, that's pretty exciting. I feel a tiny spark of hope!

Fantastic. A new org for the LGB is much needed right now.

Excellent.

Magdalen Berns "There is no such thing as a lesbian with a penis." tells anyone everything you need to know about stonewall.

I honestly don't know how they thought they would get away with it. The only way to do so is to fudge and blur and dodge the question as much as possible.

Excellent news! Thank you to the signatories.

I've heard a lot of criticism of Stonewall and heard them spout some worrying ideas but I've never heard this.

I'm surprised. It's been talked about a lot. How can an ideology that pushes same gender attraction not same sex attraction be anything other than homophobic. If the ideology goes into schools, pushing gender identity as the basis of sexual orientation and that masculine interests and traits make girls really boys and feminine interest and traits make boys really girls, then homophobia is clearly baked in.

Thank you for explaining @LangCleg. That makes sense.