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.

"We were disappointed today to see Labour's manifesto containing pledges which kowtow to TERFs and transphobes.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Lib Dems are firmly in favour of self-ID, trans rights, and non-binary recognition. We must end transphobia and discrimination."

twitter.com/YoungLiberalsUK/status/1197566076877463553?s=19

I gave up at the concept of a gay man dating a transman because transmen are men. If that's the calibre of logic employed at the centre of the LDs' policy making, they're a lost cause.

Labour is committed to reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to introduce self-declaration for transgender people

labour.org.uk/manifesto/tackle-poverty-and-inequality/

Not sure how this is kowtowing to 'T**fs and transphobes'. They're starting to look indistinguishable from the lib dems on this.

Why no opt in? Why force these women to go through a divorce process at all and to be in a legal same sex marriage for any period of time?

Because the partners of trans people I've spoken to and heard want it this way, and I'm more inclined to listen to them than someone on Mumsnet

They don't need to take advantage of it, then.

But the rights of those who do not wish to have their marriage and their orientation transed against their will are not yours to give away.

Thanks to everyone who has defended trans widows and spousal consent so eloquently. It makes me feel like we've made a difference by sharing our stories and that Mumsnetters have our backs

I got a letter from the LDs today asking for donations. This despite repeatedly telling them to take me off their mailing list. The prepaid envelope is going back minus a donation but plus some choice words outlining why I no longer support or vote for them.

Put something heavy in it, so they have to pay the excess! 😂

And the magic letters GDPR

I haven’t read the whole thread, so apologies if this has already been mentioned.

If there’s a party that’s otherwise a good fit for you (e.g. the Lib Dems) how about joining it and trying to effect change from within? If you all did this, maybe you could have an impact.

If the LDs are so supportive of the idea that TM are M, then are they updating the GRA so that TM can claim primogeniture and enter the priesthood? I believe they are currently exemptions in the Act. Is that the case?

And on the more general topic of the thread, now Facts has confirmed that the LibDems have no concerns with transitioning children then there is nothing that will induce me to vote for them.

That's great to hear in that in their individual circumstances Joanna Belcher is supporting Helen Belcher. I'm not sure whether it should inform LibDem policy in general?

It was interesting to read a specific part of Joanna's statement in the linked article:
I was supporting my other half, while trying to hold myself and our family together, but it wasn’t my choice ( trying to hold myself together ..I'd be interested to learn more about what this meant for Joanna, as it doesn't sound an easy process)

I knew this had to happen, that a second female parent was way better for our kids than a dead male parent.
This is an exact mirror for 'better a daughter than a dead son' Mermaids statement for arguing for the transing of children.

Was suicide held over Joanna as a threat? Whilst I wouldn't want to suggest it was specific to this case, threats of suicide loom large in coercive control situations.

Joanna - if you ever happen across this thread, I'd be interested in hearing more of your story, as I can't find it anywhere else before this news story.

(Also, waves at Tinsel, as we met briefly at Filia, and your voice is, as always strong and important to hear too)

pombear have you seen the video of Joanna and Helen on this page?

helenbelcher.uk/en/

It's not the video at the top of the page - scroll down to the one where you see the two of them on a bench in the middle of a town.

Joanna says several times about how hard it was and she also mentions how she had to 'walk on eggshells' before Helen's transition, because Helen 'had a very short fuse'. Joanna says she's happy now, so I hope she is.

mobile.twitter.com/Jamesdbaker1

He's struggling with the responses it appears - another LibDem candidate

"As liberals we champion everyone’s right to live the life they want."

Except women's right to live the life they want (free from males), of course.

Over the last two years really, and strongly linked to the trans debate, it has become abundantly clear to me that not only are liberals massive hypocrites, but they are staggeringly illiberal towards anyone who does not submit to any of their views. In fact, they are more totalitarian than right wingers.

ps not to mention that originally liberalism was something rather different and only recently the term has been pushed outside of the US to mean what one understands as 'liberal' in social media (which is heavily US biased).

So he called the single sex reference in the Labour manifesto a 'dogwhistle nod and a wink to T*rfs' and now is furiously back peddling because he 'didn't realise it was now considered derogatory'.

Good to see a bit of a climb down, but in response to his excuses - my arse.

I haven't read this whole thread and I'm not a UK voter but has this petition been mentioned or linked yet?

www.ipetitions.com/petition/lib-dem-sex-based-rights-declaration?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=&loc=view-petition

The comments are utterly magnificent! A call to LB to change policy, women refusing to vote for them. A wake up call! Apologies if it's already been posted.

Bumping this, as my post above it seems has not been posted elsewhere and is pretty significant. Maybe it deserves it's own thread.

Fair Play for Women:

"Shameful backpedalling from Lib Dem Candidate @jamesdbaker1 after finding out that "Terf" was defined by a High Court judge today as "a derogatory term used by those who seek to de-platform those who hold different views". t.co/cU9nO19D0t "

twitter.com/fairplaywomen/status/1197587546882093056?s=19

Oh dear. @libdems @jamesdbaker1 has blocked us t.co/QtLDmfHAdS

Thanks Lamahaha. I hope the Lib Dems get the message although their misogyny is explicit so I don’t know if they will.

Young Liberals doubling down and making the usual claims of bullying:

"Anti-trans tweeters have found this and are doing their usual thing.

Unfortunately for them, we won’t be cowed in our fight against transphobia in Britain. Self-ID, ending the spousal veto, and recognising non-binary genders are essential steps to a more tolerant Britain."

twitter.com/YoungLiberalsUK/status/1197627486395338753?s=19

@Lamahaha @Cattenberg

The petition was shared on another thread, I shared it with my ppc and got a terse reply. There has apparently been a communication to candidates to not engage with it.
I think it's too much to ask people to join at this stage, but the reason I am not quitting the party is so they retain GC voices inside the ranks. It is taking patience and not everyone will agree with this approach, but I currently feel more useful inside than out.

He’s protected his tweets now - really engaging with the voters 🤦‍♀️

Joanna says several times about how hard it was and she also mentions how she had to 'walk on eggshells' before Helen's transition, because Helen 'had a very short fuse'. Joanna says she's happy now, so I hope she is.

I'm not going to watch the video, but from the description it sounds like a salutary tale of how those of us who left these relationships could have ended up if we'd stayed.

Imagine being so focussed on the wants and needs of your trans partner and their "community", that you end up standing on a stage, arguing for other women in your situation to have their rights taken away?

It's mind boggling.

Another Lib Dem. This party is so lost.

"Exactly this. Trans rights are human rights yet the Labour manifesto cannot bring itself to say so.

The term 'sex-based rights' is code for excluding trans people from public spaces, usually without evidence and with no regard to how much abuse and violence trans people face."

twitter.com/chris_nelson/status/1197620697616527361?s=19

"Trans people are many times more likely to be victims of crime & abuse than people who are not trans.

Trans women forced into men's spaces are at higher risk of sexual assault. Trans men forced into women's spaces face abuse too. I back policies based on evidence, not prejudice!"

twitter.com/chris_nelson/status/1197622097415221248?s=19

"For avoidance of doubt, I'm a big supporter of women's spaces including refuges but statistically trans women are no greater risk than non-trans women. Refuges already risk assess to identify women who abuse other women. Excluding should only be based on genuine risk factors."

twitter.com/chris_nelson/status/1197623021256744966?s=19

Trans men forced into women's spaces face abuse too.

Being in men's spaces puts trans men at risk, which is why even the most vocal aren't arguing that they should be put in men's prisons if convicted of a crime. Because we all know how dangerous that would be.