Lib Dems actively deterring GC women

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

Today I emailed the Lib Dems expressing an interest in joining their party.

I stated no one should receive discrimination or abuse for their transgender status but explained that I am GC and I asked if there was room for GC women in the party.

I received the following response:
Thank you for getting in touch. Whilst we appreciate your interest in joining, you should be aware that the Liberal Democrats are a trans inclusive party, and we have made it clear that we fully behind trans communities. As liberals we champion everyone’s right to live the life they want. By the sounds of your email it appears that your values are not aligned with ours so we are probably not the right the party for you.

I am flabbergasted. I didn't expect that I would have to believe that humans can change biological sex in order to be a member of the Lib Dems.

I am so disappointed. I was going to vote for them in the GE (passionate Remainer) but I cannot if this is their response.

There is no one to vote for. I am lost.

tbh if they had a panic meeting and started making less anti woman noises at this point it will only be holding their noses and saying it to try and get votes back.

By their deeds shall you know them. Paying attention to what any party says at this point is like rushing up to the child catcher's van for a lolly.

I can't imagine they've changed their policy but I read something on another thread yesterday that made me think.
In order to win this, we need to change people's minds, we need to be the reasonable persuasive ones (rather than the other side just shouting bigot). There are a lot of minds to change in all the parties and in policy makers, sports bodies etc.

NotAnother I just fired off an email to BBC about Davey and my emails, then realised it was last night! Oops

I hope people are just becoming more aware. It doesn't seem right for liberals to exclude people on the basis of their beliefs!

I just shared this information with a few people, including the link to the Times article. I got some very unpleasant replies. It seems that people just don't want to know.

endoftheline sorry you've had that reaction from people. In what way were they being unpleasant in their replies?

More or less that I was ignorant/ making it up.
Oh well.
I did meet up with a friend later who was completely on side, so that restored my faith in myself somewhat.
I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I need to toughen up a bit so I don't get upset by negative reactions.

I've been working on this with my core of friends for the last 2 years. At first they were yeah whatever, but the penny is slowly dropping with them. They just couldn't comprehend it and thought I was exaggerating...

Whoever's pushing this behind the scenes has zero interest in the rights of transexuals and 100% investment in keeping the left vote split and impotent

I don’t believe this for a second. I don’t believe this is being masterminded by the (presumably) right, as a way of keeping the left vote split.
I’m getting increasingly frustrated at this narrative of the left just passively sitting there while the evil genius masterminds on the right wage physiological warfare.
This is happening because the left are misogynistic as fuck, they are responsible for their own actions, and I for one am putting the blame squarely at their feet where it belongs.

The reply from my LibDem candidate stated some obvious things that are true and some other things that are untrue but he might not be aware of how Self ID is dangerous and can be abused. He managed not to answer my question so I'm done. I have resolved to spoil my ballot. I think given the circumstances the Suffragettes would understand.

I am in the UK's most marginal constituency (held by SNP with 2 votes over Lib Dem)

Anyone know who is standing in North East Fife? I have written to the SNP (no reply) but want to tackle the LD candidate.

Thanks

This is happening because the left are misogynistic as fuck, they are responsible for their own actions, and I for one am putting the blame squarely at their feet where it belongs.

Yes, with you on this.

And sadly so are the right @erishkagal. When i was a Green someone came up with a slogan along the lines of "Neither left nor right but Green" i think we need something like that now but for women. This is much bigger than any section of the political spectrum, as is climate change.

Obviously the right are. What the post was talking about is a refusal to believe the left are.

But yes I like your suggestion for the slogan.

Like "neither left nor right but female" kind of thing? I could carry a placard with that on it.

Yeah, why not?! What Virginia Woolf said about having no country is echoing down the years. This issue has exposed just how useless and irrelevant the traditional Left/Right divide is for women - both treat us like some mythical creature rather than half the human race.

Recent tweet by journalist Sonia Poulton:

'Lib Dems press office so incensed that I am pressing - despite the absurd responses - the issue of Aimee Challenor’s party involvement that the PR has threatened to speak to Sky about me. Even though I am not employed by them. Something to worry about ‘Dems? Report coming soon.'

Oooh!

The more women fight this, the more the TRA lobby is exposed as a bunch of misogynistic bullies. Good work, sisters.

As a committed Remainer, I was poised to not just tactically vote LibDem, but actively campaign in my local area – I’d actually just volunteered my help to the local coordinator. But then my partner pointed out what that said on radio four and I am now spitting teeth. The irony is that the first people I go to to complain about this… are my trans friends who feel similarly. Whoops!, I forgot. I’m supposed to be transphobic aren’t I?

Anyway, fwiw, this is what I said to the LDs:

“My partner and I have just joined and were looking forward to helping on the campaign trail. However, it appears that the Liberal Democrats cannot support women’s rights and are so astonishingly naive that they don’t even understand the issues.

If you can’t support women, then I can’t support you. How do I unjoin the Liberal Democrats please? I would like my membership back too because this was not announced as policy at the time that I joined or I wouldn’t have done so.

I am well aware that to even consider the possibility that the right of biological males to self identify as female and have instant access and rights to female only spaces, irrespective of their bodies or appearance might impede the rights of biological women is to be instantly labelled a transphobe.

I would just like to challenge that by noting that many of my trans friends actually agree with my views and feel that self ID makes a mockery of what they’ve gone through – but they’re not allowed to talk about it any more than I am because we’re all being censored by a few unfortunately militant trans-activists who insist on representing the whole of the community when they don’t. It looks like the Liberal Democrats have been hoodwinked as well. I think you need to do your research and really think about the implications of what you are saying for half of the voting population.

I look forward to a refund of my membership fees forthwith”

I'm so fucking heartbroken.

There are all so lousy.

I just tried to remove my vote Liberal Democrat frame on FB but couldn't! Any tips much appreciated.

I'm going to message them tonight.

I've emailed my MP. I've told them my decision; that I am going to vote LD tactically because I refuse to vote a Tory in, but that after they are elected I will fight them tooth and nail on the LD policy to write gender identity into law. I've also told them not to state that they were elected because everyone here loves LD policy (which is what they did last time) - I voted tactically, so do a lot of people here and they shouldn't forget it.

It's a dirty compromise and I don't like it. Real life requires it sometimes. I cannot vote for this Conservative party or for a candidate that would allow a Tory in.

We have a Tory incumbent but the Lib Dems are in with a real shot here. Their candidate is a transwoman. I am keen to have a conversation with her about the protection of women and girls...

Women's Equality Party are 'TWAW'

I've emailed my MP. I've told them my decision; that I am going to vote LD tactically because I refuse to vote a Tory in

So they have your vote. That's all they will care about.

If people care so much about this issue then they should vote Conservative. The only party who have said they will look at it and have concerns.