MNHQ make a statement on Twitter re FWR

[GirlDownUnder]

mobile.twitter.com/MumsnetTowers/status/1182615292813467648

Mumsnet will always stand in solidarity with minority communities. We don’t tolerate transphobic comments and will delete any when they are flagged to us. But we do also believe strongly in free speech. 1/3

The discussion of gender self-id and what that might mean for very hard-won women’s rights, as well as the rapidly growing number of children exploring gender identity issues, is contentious. 2/3

We know some people would like us to simply censor this entire debate but a similar number think we censor too much. We’re committed to allowing respectful discussion of an issue that is of particular interest to parents. 3/3

The usual suspects pile on, but I think the ratios look very good.

MNHQ

As a woman from a working class background who has had to use a homeless shelter in the past and having seen all sorts of exploitation of women on the bottom rung of society by opportunistic males, the hypocrisy of woke middle class white men and women labelling my desire to protect women's sex based rights as middle class 'white feminism' really angers me.

Yes. This movement is bourgeois to its core.

Anything based on queer theory inevitably is. If you base your politics on every individual's personal sense of self, then only those individuals who possess sufficient structural privilege and power will be able to impose that personal sense of self on others.

The TRA obsession with shutting down WOMEN and female free speech is such a huge red flag that the entire trans rights issue (which I agree with) has been co-opted and is being exploited by misogynists with an anti-woman agenda.

Practically all anti-trans violence and abuse is committed by men, male there are zillions of men online making overtly transphobic comments at the idea of sleeping with a transwomen, yet almost all the ire comes down on biological women simply for having a peaceful debate.

In the same month a man murdered his trans girlfriend (DV relationship), and a bunch of woman said they didn’t want to use the same toilets as a load of men. Guess which one created the firestorm of “transphobia” accusations. Says everything.

THIS.

Thanks Mumsnet. I appreciate your commitment to offering a place for discussion. And thank you too to all the informed, clever, funny women on here. I rarely post but I have learnt much on this board.

Yes, it's very telling that it's specifically Mumsnet that is targetted. I think of all the men who are angry because their wives got support here and learned that they don't have to accept abusive behaviour. I think of the men who are angry because a lot of women here don't approve of the sex industry. And so on. They must be really happy that MN is being smeared as a hate site.

Continued: It can now be considered virtuous to hate on MN because the entire site has been labeled as transphobic.

But in this current climate, politicians don’t ever, ever want to say the wrong thing. Watch how the US Democratic President nomination unfolds. No one will stand up for women’s rights if they think it will alienate voters aged 18-30.

Which strikes me as suicidal, since that demographic barely shows up to vote. Older women do, and they've been alienated. Democrats are digging their own grave.

Thank you @MNHQ

And welcome to new posters and delurkers. If you want to find out more about the moderation policy, it's in this post which is pinned at the top of this section
www.mumsnet.com/info/trans-rights-moderation-policy

Thank you, MN.

I value this site immensely for its support for mothering, its support for women surviving domestic violence, for the depth of information and eloquent argument.

I left Twitter as it's not a safe place for women and bears less and less relation to the real world, being increasingly overtaken by misogynists and worse. So I can't show my support there, but I hope you know that you have my gratitude.

I would also pay/subscribe for this space, gladly.

Well done mumsnet, stay strong!

I can't believe this has all been stirred up by marg - a horrible pale yellow mixture of nasty chemicals that nobody I know actually eats anymore because butter is much better for you. Bleurgh.

Has helped the vegans find a nice new spread too.

Thanks for standing up for free speech and against those who wish to curtail women's right to disagree Mumsnet. You are a glorious bastion.

I find it telling that the relentless targeting of Mumsnet means we are asking questions that they don't want asked and what's more getting heard. I am sure that in no small measure the interest from the mainstream media was as a result of mumsnet refusing to be silenced.
TRAs will never engage in debate as has been shown countless times here so they are simply trying to get mumsnet labelled as an online daily mail whose opinions do not need to be engaged with.

Thank you @MNHQ for everything you do.

Till yesterday I had no idea that there were threads here to help women leave abusive partners. I found that out on Twitter in one of the many tweets standing up for MN.

I came back after a brief absence to show my support. I'm not a mum but I come here because I enjoy the discussions and it's a place where mainly women meet online and I like that. I can't stand the abuse mumsnet gets but I'm pretty sure why it gets it. Basically some men simply cannot stand women having agency and autonomy. Gathering to discuss things on or offline drives some men quite mad. And it is mainly men who attack mumsnet. I think Owen Jones has had a go?

I'm a old-school feminist and I've seen this before. But it's never been quite so vicious and, much more frightening, so violent too. Real violence I mean. Women are getting attacked and their jobs, homes and families threatened simply for standing up for women's rights. I don't recall that from the 1970s or 80s. Maybe that's a feature of many issues becoming more extreme and hateful? I don't know. Possibly.

But this is definitely an attack on women and women meeting together. It may be given a different label, a different kind of packaging, but if it feels like misogyny, looks like misogyny and sounds misogyny well it's probably misogyny.

We are being heard. There is even a pro mumsnet article in the New Statesman. Even though they can't quite admit why we are being demonised the fact that a left wing journal would even consider being supportive must worry TRAs.

As a woman from a working class background who has had to use a homeless shelter in the past and having seen all sorts of exploitation of women on the bottom rung of society by opportunistic males, the hypocrisy of woke middle class white men and women labelling my desire to protect women's sex based rights as middle class 'white feminism' really angers me.

Absolutely. I have never seen a more upper/upper middle class 'movement' in my life. Trans privilege activists never have answers to simple questions such as 'what about all the people who with the best will in the world won't be able to follow your pronoun policing?'. The lives of people who aren't well educated middle to upper class first language English speakers are an alien concept to them.

Inclusive my arse.

Nobody ever asked my nan what she felt her identity was. Nobody ever cared, and neither would the people shrieking about their identities now if she was still around. The very idea that an old working class woman might have an inner life worth exploring would utterly baffle them.

I can't believe this has all been stirred up by marg - a horrible pale yellow mixture of nasty chemicals that nobody I know actually eats anymore because butter is much better for you. Bleurgh.

Being a deeply cynical person I suspect Upfield's decision is much more about Mumsnetters' opinions on this than 'transphobia' and the latter is just an excuse.

Thank you MNHQ I’m sorry you have to be the buffer against those who would prefer us not to be here but I’m so grateful you’re prepared to stand as that buffer.

This space is unlike any other I’ve ever come across. Intelligent, compassionate, brilliant women, talking, analysing, learning and organising.

No wonder the TRAs and MRAs are terrified and pushing against us so hard.

Thank you, HQ.

Thank you, MNHQ.

Thank you MNHQ and thank you to all the wise women who post here.

Thank you Mumsnet

Just saying another thanks.

I also forgot to post my thanks earlier. Thank you and keep on keeping on!

Thank you MNHQ and all the wise posters from whom I have learnt so much.

Thank you MNHQ. I don't have any words more clever than those used above. Thank you for your commitment to debate and dialogue. For creating a genuine safe 'place' for dialogue to occur. I've got strong views on TRA. I believe that others have the right to hold views different than mine. And I also believe that sometimes we should all just keep our views to ourselves. My gran used to say 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything'.