Got a good reply for a prospective parliament candidate

[GoodMPreply]

We are a LD held area and I asked the prospective Conservative MP about retaining women’s sex based rights and this is her reply....

Thanks for the email. This is something I’d like to have a proper chat about, as it is hard to sum up everything in an email. So I will do my best but I’m always happy to discuss in more detail. I think this is an issue that we should be able to have open and honest debate about, without women being vilified for expressing their concerns about the impact of gender self identification on women - unfortunately open debate is often shut down which is not helpful. I am a feminist, and I believe very strongly in women’s rights.

Whilst I support that people should be able to live their lives as they choose, and therefore I support the idea that you can choose to live your life as a different gender from the one which you were biologically born. I am not comfortable at the point that it impacts on the way other people may choose to live their lives. That impact is particularly an issue for women. I agree that women should be able to, for example, request female clinicians, take part in female only sports, be in female only prisons, and that is a position that I will start from in any discussion or debate on this topic.

I understand that trans women have challenges that will be difficult in their own lives, and I think we should support people of all genders. But at this point in time, in the debate, my view is that if you are biologically born a woman then you will have challenges and experiences in life which need to be addressed, and I will be standing up for the rights of those women.

I hope that is clear, I am always happy to chat further about any issues. If I am elected as the MP for [area], I will be the first ever female MP for this area, and that is a role that I take very seriously as we do not have enough female representation in parliament.

I have to say I am super impressed!!!! Never thought I would vote Conservative but I really feel I have been left no choice. If she’d said “fuck off love TWAW” then it would have been the MRLP for me!

I actually feel really pleased I have someone to vote for now (LD for 20 years).

NC as if she’s on here it’s very outing!

Very good email, the use if gender and "all genders" is disappointing given that she seemed to be informed of some of the issues but I would forgive it as the email shows so much support and interest.

Nothing would entice me to vote Tory but it's good that you have someone you want to vote for.

Urgh I'm very jealous. I've emailed my sitting Tory PPC and the Green who dropped a leaflet through my door but had no response. It's a safe Tory seat so I'm guessing the Tory MP doesn't think he needs to chase votes and the Green knows he's no chance of getting in so looked at the email and thought "fuck opening that can of worms".

Looks like I will be spoiling my ballot. No loony party candidate to vote for, sadly!

I dislike Tory policies but like that candidate’s response.

I emailed my LD candidate a couple of weeks ago and have had no response.

I emailed my Tory MP when the awful EHRC trans guidelines for schools were leaked. He replied immediately about the safeguarding implications but after he forwarded my letter to the DfE I just got a word salad response from the usual woke civil servant that ignored every single point - both from him and me.
I'm not sure that any of them are capable of standing up for women and children's safety

I can’t help feeling the tories aren’t quite so woke as the other parties....but will they come out and SAY it?

Got a response from my Tory MP, main text below:

Many thanks for contacting me regarding this extremely important issue.

I believe women should be presented with the same opportunities as everyone else – and the Conservative Party has historically backed this view. We are the only party to elect two female leaders, both who have become Prime Minister. The profile of transgender equality has rightly been raised in the past few years as many transgender people still encounter prejudice and discrimination. This, however, has not been to the detriment to women. The equal rights of women and of transgender individuals are being strongly promoted.

I understand your concerns about proposed Self-ID laws by Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party. It is my belief that women have a right to single-sex services such as toilets, changing facilities and prisons. This proposed Self-ID plan could, as you rightly point out, compromise the safety of women if it were to be used incorrectly by men with bad intentions.

Under the previous Conservative government, single sex services for vulnerable people, such as refuges, have undergone robust risk assessment procedures that allow them to turn away anyone who poses a threat to vulnerable women. This is something that the Conservative Party would continue to work on in government to protect women further.

There are already existing laws to protect women, such as the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which contains a wide range of offences designed to protect people of all ages from sexual abuse and exploitation. Criminal laws are in place to stop anyone of any gender behaving in a threatening manner in a toilet or changing room, or harassing or attacking people.

Whilst I believe that the correct gendered facilities should be open to transgender and non-binary people, I also believe in protecting women in vulnerable situations and making sure their safety is a priority.

I hope this helps you understand the views of myself and the Conservative Party surrounding these proposed Self-ID laws.

It's a bit "on the fence" in some areas but it's good enough for me for now. He'll get re-elected anyway, it's a very safe seat and a pro-leave area (sadly!) but I get the impression he certainly hasn't drunk the Kool Aid so it's a good starting point. He's a front bencher too so perhaps has some sway? I'm pretty sure I will be voting Tory for the first time ever, and then trying to get in to see him face to face to give him more information.

Can't believe I'm looking at voting Tory, really couldn't have predicted that a few years ago.

YourOpinion - I would read this as majorly on the fence. Politicians just really don't get it that women have a right to single-sex services, no ifs no buts. Whether a male person has bad or benign intentions is neither here nor there. Do you want to look at a naked male in a changing room or not? That's what this is about.

All this talk of 'risk assessment' just deflects from the main issue: women have a right to say 'no' to the company of males. We shouldn't have to wait until we are assaulted or harassed before we can complain. And the reference to the Sexual Offences Act is just patronising ... "there are laws against sexual assault, you know ...?" ... male privilege in action.

This Tory candidate sounds like he still has a long way to go ...

I know, day, but I'll take what I can get for now and work on him later. He's going to get in regardless so it's vote for him or spoil my ballot, as I can't in good conscience vote Labour, Lib Dems or Green.

That's better than I got from a Labour candidate I spoke to this morning. I asked him if he believed women could have penises and he said yes. And believed than you could have both self ID and safe spaces for women without that being in any way irreconcilable. Idiot.

I think this is an issue that we should be able to have open and honest debate about, without women being vilified for expressing their concerns about the impact of gender self identification on women - unfortunately open debate is often shut down which is not helpful. I am a feminist, and I believe very strongly in women’s rights

That’s a very impressive reply. Good on her. Will it influence your vote?

Argh, the misogyny, it's all so enraging! Why would a woman have a penis? Why? What's the logic here? You are dealing with a male who for whatever reason wants to be seen as a woman. And because of this subjective desire, women - who are not really people anyway - have to just roll over, or what? I could not vote for such a person, never.

But agree, YourOpinion, at least you have something to work with here. Maybe he'll listen more attentively if you tell him that's the only reason you voted for him.

Well, I just doorstepped the Tory leaflet guy on my own doorstep. I think the poor chap was aiming to stuff letterboxes and not debate policies, least of all self ID.

But he was astonishingly well informed. The conflict with women's rights, child safeguarding concerns, Mermaids. He even referred to police records of dubious hate 'incidents'.

I questioned the Tory stance on self ID given that they initiated the GRA reform but that it's gone quiet since the consultation and the election manifesto made no mention of it.

His explanation was that there was indeed a conflict of rights which needed to be resolved. That the Tories under Teresa May were looking for woke points (not his words) but had since realised there was more to the issue than they thought. He said it was 'on pause' and that was perhaps a good thing, to let the temperature drop before discussing further. He said Twitter was not a good place for a debate.

I was left with the impression that, at the level of my local Tory party, the problems with self ID are well known.

I was seriously impressed. He seemed so on it I honestly wonder if he's been doing some reading here. So have namechanged for this.

I think the timing of the @mayaforstater and @huzzatheowl (are these the right names?) cases have done us a huge favour as it's highlighted the seriousness of these matters in papers that I'm guessing Tories generally read. It may have made some of them interested enough to do a bit of their own fact checking.
I've had dreadful answers to my questions on these topics from Labour and the Greens (who I normally vote for). So I'm voting Tory. Like GoodMPreply I never saw myself in this situation before!

@BovaryX yes definitely. Voting Tory for the first time ever.....

I think that's right midcentury. The lucky timing of those two cases has really brought the issue into the mainstream. Challenging the lawfulness of actions taken by bodies operating Stonewall 'law' changes the atmosphere. If the courts are having to determine this stuff then there are by definition conflicting rights to resolve and it is legitmate to discuss those publicly.

I did get the impression he wasn't just rattling off some quick references to what he'd read recently. I mentioned the Newsnight piece on detransitioning last night so hope he'll go and find that.

Wouldn't make me vote conservative for many other reasons but a very measured response non the less just value everything that isn't Tory more

I'm dismayed that it seems to be the Tories responding properly to this. If Johnson gets in again, the country is fubarred.

as it's highlighted the seriousness of these matters in papers that I'm guessing Tories generally read. It may have made some of them interested enough to do a bit of their own fact checking

Midcentury

I absolutely think that’s true. The Telegraph has done some great coverage of both Harry and Maya. There have been highly critical opinion pieces focusing on the Orwellian threat to freedom of speech and the impact on women’s rights. There’s been pretty much an article per day on the Telegraph so if its readership didn’t know before, it does now

This is the absolute number one issue for me at the moment. It’s the only thing I’m voting on. Everything else can be worked on but if self id gets in it will never go away.

Emailed the local Labour candidate as he’s the only potential threat to the Tories here. No reply. Think I went straight in the file marked loony side issues. Shame as he’s good.

This is the absolute number one issue for me at the moment. It’s the only thing I’m voting on. Everything else can be worked on but if self id gets in it will never go away.

Exactly the same with me.

This is the absolute number one issue for me at the moment. It’s the only thing I’m voting on. Everything else can be worked on but if self id gets in it will never go away

I absolutely agree with that. I think it’s very interesting that both these court cases have really amplified this issue to media which didn’t seem aware of it before. I think it’s interesting that voters like yourself are switching your vote because of it. I agree it’s pivotal. If it becomes law, unraveling it will be impossible.

Our local Lib Dem candidate asked me to send articles for her to read up on and said she would read them (while reminding me that "trans people are VERY vulnerable") and get back to me. That was two weeks ago and she didn't even bother reading my last reply explaining why women are also vulnerable, so I'm assuming she's fully on the LD wagon and she doesn't want my vote. That is a clear informed response from your candidate, am impressed with her public stance in today's climate...

This is the absolute number one issue for me at the moment. It’s the only thing I’m voting on. Everything else can be worked on but if self id gets in it will never go away

I totally agree. If women lose our rights, then we’ll never get them back. As you say, every thing else can be worked on. To me, women’s rights to safety and dignity is the most important thing. I never ever thought I’d have one ounce of respect for the Tory’s but this is a huge issue.