I stand with Allison Bailey

[TinselAngel]

It increasingly feels like we should treat witch hunts against individual women as attacks on women as a class.

I thought women here might appreciate a thread to show their support for Allison. I don't know her personally, but I believe in all women's right to free speech.

I stand with Alison.

Oh my god at that dickhead with a medical condition that caused him to harass women. Seems to be a contagious condition. Allison has been nothing but polite on social media. There are many many barristers that get involved in petty arguments online but she doesn’t. If they reprimand her, that is grossly unfair. She has done nothing to bring her profession into dispute.

Perhaps she thanked the TAs for not being violent and intimidating as a way of pointing out their usual MO?

Oh yes, quite probably - my post wasn't a criticism of Allison, more a comment on the general crapness of this stuff, and how intimidation of women's groups is tacitly accepted, even by the police.

I stand with Allison.

You can email the joint head of chambers, Judy Khan here: [email protected]

Brilliant, thanks Destiny. Will send a politely hopeful email later.

This from the Sunday Times article:

* T*he JustGiving charity site has suspended the page for the LGB Alliance

Anyone know their reason?

I stand with Allison.

I'll be sending her a card in support too.

Standing up for our legal rights, enshrined in statutory law - whatever was she thinking?

Cards and polite emails are both great ideas.

Alison spoke brilliantly at the Oxford WPUK meeting last week. She is a powerhouse of a woman, and I would stand by her in a hurricane.

Owen Jones instigated the attacks on her, which won't come as a surprise to anyone.

It was always going to get worse before it got better. People are feeling threatened.

I can only feel sympathy for those brave people caught in the cross fire. And would be furious if I were not able to contribute financially. My own view is that we will now see what vested interests people are determined to protect. Stonewall and its tentacles being one.

Owen Jones instigated the attacks on her

what a hypocrite that man is

I would not like to work for an organisation which does not support its lesbian employees when they are getting homophobic bullying and death threats online.

Is there a list of Stonewall Diversity Champions anywhere? Seems like it might be a good list of workplaces and universities to avoid (if for no other reason than "gender-neutral" toilets.)

I stand with Alison

I stand with Alison Bailey

I stand with Allison

Just written my card. Will post tomorrow.

I've just seen this playing out on Twitter and came here as it was sure to have made it onto this board. Leaving aside the emotive 'trans-rights' issue, for a supposed respectable LEGAL employer to play out their complaints and grievance procedures on an online forum simply defies belief. It would be interesting to investigate the legal position on this score: whether public defamation by one's own employer is now deemed permissible when the arena under discussion is trans-rights. In any other circumstances, I suspect the employee/associate could claim for constructive dismissal and sue via a tribunal: not so sure in the case of barristers who are self-employed.

But this is for sure: when it comes to trans-rights, the rules on discrimination, silencing and exclusion (the forces women have battled against since time immemorial), change. Homophobia and misogyny seem not only to be yesterday's news, but worse, are now being legitimized through the TRA rhetoric that shouts down, bullies and persecutes not only its opposition, but any degree of reasonable debate or questioning. It's tantamount to 'It is not enough to believe in Big Brother, you must love him'. It's an insidious assault on the rights and freedoms of women the like of which I have never witnessed in my lifetime. And it scares the liver out of me.

Garden Chambers are unprofessional, disloyal and cowardly, and it's heartening to see so many responses on Twitter pointing out these facts.

what a hypocrite that man is

Tbf, he’s not a hypocrite because he’s never hidden his hatred for women, especially lesbians.

Also I feel cards may be better than emails. An influx of cards and letters in support of Allison will not only send a message to Allison, but to Garden Court Chambers.

Polite email just sent to Judy Khan (email address given above - thanks Destiny).

Card to Allison, email to the boss is my plan.

mmm, when it comes to being homosexual, little owen really does have one set of rules for men and quite another for women

however my understanding is that Alison comes from a working class back ground. as someone who identifies as a defender of the working class I'd have thought that little OJ would have thought twice before attacking someone who has risen so well despite playing against the house

so, hypocrite

Good call Tinsel

I stand with Allison. Hope she’s ok. Strength and solidarity, this woman rocks.

I stand with Allison Bailey.

Apart from anything else, the rank stupidity of publicly capitulating to an online troll, in the most craven, spiritless fashion imaginable, makes them look fearful and irresolute at best - and homophobic and misogynistic at worst.

I don't understand why they commented publicly, indeed why they had to comment at all.

Weak willed, knee-jerk reactions are not what you look for in a firm of barristers.

Once again, I'm left wondering where all the grown-ups have gone.

Off to post my card now.
Allison, if you're reading this, know that you are supported here.

What kind of cards are yous sending?