Hello any new people to these Mumsnet FWR fields...

[pombear]

You may have got here via twitter threads on today's employment tribunal.

Or you've seen a couple of women's talks or events, women's voices, women's art, yet again, be attacked and closed down by trans rights activists who want (mainly) women to stop talking about things they don't agree with. Those women might not be even actually 'talking'. they just happened to retweet opinions that other's don't like.

Maybe you're just horrified that a 'parenting site' could host 'bigots' and 'phobes' and you've just come for a look around to see how awful women can be?

A couple of things:

a) the discussion about concern for women's rights has been going on on this board for many years. Some people will use acronyms you might not be familiar with. Some people may say things that seem a bit 'wtf' to you - many of them have been involved in debate for many years and have had many discussions about the same themes you may be keen to explore. They might be a bit tired!

b) this is not a 'hive mind'. There are people here with a range of views. The great thing about this site is we're able to talk about that range of views, and discuss them (within the, at times, unfathomable rules). Take a look. Read some threads. Though, If you're looking for a 'safe space' in today's speak, this isn't it. Lots of opinions are voiced, from all aspects, some that you might not like.

Maybe take a look at this type of thread for nuanced and intelligent debate:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3738164-Fracks-reference-post

Or this one, for a great overview of the issues:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3145470-Break-it-down-for-me

c) This point might be difficult for those of you who have been told from other sources that this is an 'anti-trans site'. Women's rights do not = 'anti-trans'.

I know, right? It's a bit controversial!

If you give yourself time to read the linked threads above, or just wander around these boards, you may understand why this statement is true.

Take some time to hear many women's concerns about single-sex spaces, women's privacy and dignity, support for the need for single-sex women's prisons, women's refuges, and the concern for the health of young children who have gender dysphoria.

There are a couple of threads right now about women being 'de-platformed' and removed from talks, flights, etc.

Why not take a minute to actually go and look at what those women are actually saying. Many of us might not agree with everything they say - we're all different. We've been able to disagree on this site.

What world would you like to inhabit?

One that is allowed to discuss these issues.

Or one that is told that to discuss the reality of sex is either an illogical fallacy, a conspiracy theory cooked up in the '70s, a 'young belief', or wrong unless you're schooled by mainly older males who now present and identify as women.

From my experience, this board welcomes many perspectives. If people disagree, that's not a 'pile-on' , that's just something we used to call 'lots of people disagree with your opinion'.

TRAs, and MRAs before them, have been trying to shut this board down for a long time and haven't succeeded yet! And if they do we'll just find a new place to gather.

I’ve been on MN for ages but only recently discovered this corner - greatly appreciate this thread and hope to hang about here for quite some time.

Excellent post *pombear"

Welcome, newbies.

pombear

Welcome, looking forward to hearing from you.

We also have lots of recipes on hand for those times when the sealions are hungry. I learned how to make lemon curd last time.

The inability of mumsnet to be engaged on the totality of women's rights is one of the reasons it gets a bad name as it appears to be severly restricted to an obsessive focus, almost as a way of ignoring everything else

Surely a forum with threads focuses on the current issues; and this is a current issue as if the tribunal goes against Maya, then all women's rights at work effectively end.

If you can be sacked for knowing that a woman is different to a man, then it is free reign in the workplace.

If you want to start thread about other stuff, surely you are free to do so?

The thing that is restricting the discussion is the erosion of the rights of women and girls because some men say so.

I am allowed to focus on one topic, along with working full time across the country aren't I? Or not?

Hello everyone, I've done a bit of posting over the last few weeks but am still very wet behind the ears. Have a lot of thoughts, but am still listening and learning.

since it's a bit early for anything else.

< waves >

Morning newbies. I think genderism is at least as much about class as it is about "gender". Am increasingly testy about the way Mumsnet, a parenting website, censors critiques of genderism rooted in child safeguarding. I get an arse on fairly easily.

Morning
I joined Mn specifically to connect with FWR due to the the current situation around self ID around 6 months ago,although I've been aware of the proposed changes since the attack on Maria Maclachlan.

I've been lurking until recently as there was nothing else I could add to what had already been said by the brilliant and articulate women here.

Thanks for the welcome @pombear,it's good to be here.
waves

peers are grumbling about their County aspirations not being worth hoping for because trans women are dominating

Is that really happening? I mean - I don't doubt that it is, but I suppose I was hoping that that sort of erasure of girls and women was rare, and mostly in the USA ...

So gutted to hear that it's starting to become an "ordinary" or "normal" experience for girls to be losing out to transwomen/girls in ordinary activities ...

Hi all

Been lurking for a while now so thanks for the push to get involved.

Mum of 2 and been a feminist (to a greater and lesser degree) for the last couple of decades. Saw a Germaine Greer talk aged about 16, read The Whole Woman and was never quite the same again. Since having my daughter 2 years ago, I'm more feminist than ever.

Peaked a good while ago (tbh, I've had real issues with the over the top performance of femininity that trans seems to entail for years) but then the likes of Magdalen Berns and Posie Parker took it up a notch. Now I seem to spend my days in a constant state of utter horror at how the world is treating women (not just trans but VAWG, porn, lack of representation and the rest). Also politically homeless. Been considered a leftie liberal forever - now I don't know where the hell I belong.

We didn't leave the left, they left us and gave us a good kick on the way out the door for good measure.

Don't get me wrong, I'm never going to stop being left wing and I'm not letting go of the associated groups etc without a fight, but I'm bloody angry at the way what's supposed to be "my" political side of the fence is treating women.

Welcome newcomers. This is the place to come if you want to experience a social media site that is dominated by women.

I second the recommendation to read the Trans Widows threads, they give a perspective that is rarely seen in the media.

Hello everyone, I'm one of the newbies. I only got round to registering and posting on Monday after the horrific pile on on Kathleen Stock on Twitter, but have been reading this board on and off for more than one year.
Even though trans issues have a relatively limited impact on myself personally (as of yet), what got me thinking and reading is how everything around this movement seems absolutely out of proportion, and especially among people (e.g. academics) who should know better.
Example: Retired female academic I'm my field posts something on Twitter to the effect that "sex is real", outrage ensues on Twitter, young woke academics start to refer to her as "the TERF in [name of discipline here ]", pledge to never invite her to any conferences, offer "support" to trans and nb colleagues who might be traumatized by the very fact that this woman exists and is in our discipline, etc.
Meanwhile, male academic receives several * convictions * for sexual assault, very mild outrage ensues on Twitter, everything is forgotten after one day.
To me the whole issue acts like a sort of shibboleth in a way I cannot fully comprehend yet, but certainly has very sinister implications...

I’m new.

I have been on mn before but not really feminism. I have been increasingly concerned with some of the things I have seen.

I joined, even though I am not a parent because of the erosion of women’s right by the Trans community. I don’t know that I would call myself a feminist, but I do know that what is going on is an affront to free speech and Biological reality. I won’t post on this board because my chances of doing so without an immediate ban, for “wrong speak” are close to zero. I have already had a Twitter Suspension for questioning a certain Transwoman Cricketer.

However I am with you all, and do make regular comments on The Times.

to @aridapricot - good to see you here.

How Kathleen Stock manages, I don't know. My experience left me exhausted and wrung out for months. A colleague thought I'd been diagnosed with cancer ... (I thought I'd done a good job of hiding what I was going through).

If I was in the vicinity I'd invite her out for a drink, honestly. Dying to know!

Hello new comers, it’s lovely to hear from you

Good thread Pombear