Response from Amnesty about their view on women's/trans rights

[Wildlingyoumakemyheartsing]

I wrote to Amnesty because they responded to the Times article, saying that the UK was going downhill on LGBTQ+ rights. I am sure this is generic response, so I apologise if it has already been discussed previously, but I have attached it underneath.

'Thank you for your email.

You can read our response to the reports that the Government intends to scrap plans to bring gender recognition laws in line with human rights standards here; www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-plans-drop-gender-recognition-reforms-would-see-uk-plummet-lgbt-equality-rankings. We find it extremely worrying.



Amnesty International is committed to campaigning for the rights of transgender people to live freely, authentically, and openly, and to have their gender legally recognised without having to go through a dehumanising, long and costly procedure. We live in a society that is more likely to discriminate and commit violence against transgender people, so we are proud to stand with them here in the UK and everywhere around the world. We dispute any assertion that self-identification will be used by men in order to access spaces where women are vulnerable to abuse or harassment. There is absolutely no evidence that this would happen. In countries where self-identification is already the process (Argentina, Ireland) the policy has had absolutely no impact on anyone other than trans people, making their lives easier. The reality is that men who abuse women already have plenty of existing opportunities to do so. Also, please note that access to single sex services is regulated by the Equality Act, not the Gender Recognition Act. The Equality Act is not up for reform.



We do not agree that our position will have a detrimental effect on women’s rights. This campaign and our response to the consultation are based on Amnesty’s research on legal gender recognition in multiple countries and on existing human rights standards. It also draws from our long-standing work on violence against women and its root causes. We have been discussing our stance with partners including women’s rights organisations in Scotland as well as England and Wales. We feel the current conversation, in particular on social media with regards to self-identification, is misguided and does a disservice to the great work of refuges and other spaces for survivors in terms of assessing risk and keeping people safe. Services and refuges for women have always served the small number of trans women who needed them; and used the same checks and safeguards to keep both trans women and cisgender women safe.



Restricting the rights of transgender people will not advance or protect women’s rights.



There were numerous responses to the Scottish consultation on the GRA recorded by rape crisis centres and other similar services. Responses from organisations to the Scottish consultation are available here: www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/law/17867/gender-recognition-review/review-of-gender-recognition-act-2004-list-of-orga



Here are some examples:



Women's Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee & Angus - www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00539505.pdf



“We are aware that there is discourse which suggests that a system of self-declaration would be a threat to women’s safe spaces. This is not our viewpoint. We want to emphasise that we already welcome self-identifying trans women into our safe spaces, that their inclusion does not in any way determine the safety of that space and that to suggest otherwise would be a disservice not only to our trans service users, but to the trans women working within our sector creating those safe spaces every day.”





Survivors Network - www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00539458.pdf



“As an organisation that predominantly provides women-only services, we already work to a self-definition model. This works well for us and creates a space that is safe and welcoming for all women, cis and trans, which is very important to us. We welcome a move towards gender recognition laws that reflect our approach in recognising and validating trans people's identities.



Our organisation supports survivors of sexual violence and as a result safe and supportive spaces are vital. We don't consider that to be at odds with inclusion of trans women. Our understanding of gender-based oppression is not rooted in biology as such but in understanding womanhood as diverse and varied, with trans women's experiences holding an additional layer of bigotry and hatred in the form of transphobia as well as sexism. […] We hear a lot of fear-mongering about changes to the GRA making women-only spaces unsafe for cis women or that there will be men trying to get into these spaces. We want to make it clear that we, in our provision of women-only spaces and services, already work to the self-definition model proposed for the GRA.



We recognise trans women as women and also recognise the disproportionate levels of violence they experience due to their trans identities. This has in no way impacted negatively on our services or our service users.”





Forth Valley Rape Crisis - www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00539308.pdf



“We currently support a model of self-declaration for those accessing our services and acknowledge that this will not change the way in which we work alongside survivors and those affected by sexual violence. If we do not allow space for survivors to self-declare their experience of their gender, we are not a survivor-led organisation and do not offer support which is relevant to those accessing it. We believe what survivors tell us about their experiences and know that they are best placed to tell us how this has affected them.



Forth Valley Rape Crisis already include and work with trans people on the basis of their self-declared gender identity and hope that the gender recognition law will be brought in line with our practice. We are hopeful the legislation will be reformed and believe that the rights and safety of trans people will be greatly improved and as a result.”



We invite you to read more about work on why we work on gender identity issues:

www.amnesty.org.uk/lgbt-gay-human-rights-sexual-orientation-gender-identity



www.amnesty.org.uk/we-support-reforming-gender-recognition-act



Kind Regards,

Charlie



Supporter Communications Team





Amnesty International UK,

The Human Rights Action Centre,

17-25 New Inn Yard,

London

EC2A 3EA'

[FantaOra]

Chiara Capraro, Amnesty International’s Women’s Rights Programme Director

Also signed the shitty pink news letter to the Sun OldCrone

🤢.

[DuDuDuLangaLangaBingBong]

Chiara is drumming up support for dismantling women’s rights on Twitter.

Weird, considering her whole fucking job is supposed to be about protecting female humans.

I don’t usually use the special word feminists utilise to describe women who collude with men in the oppression of women but it seems pretty fitting for Ms Capraro.

[contactusdeletus]

Right, fuck that. I've been giving to Amnesty for years now, but I'm not going to continue throwing my support behind an organisation that has no respect for my sex-based rights as a woman. An organisation which refuses to believe those rights are even under threat, despite clear evidence to the contrary.

How do I cancel my monthly donations to them?

[FantaOra]

Just contact your bank

[similarminimer]

Just cancelled a 30 year direct debit to Amnesty. So depressing. It's not even that I want them to be GC, I just want them to admit the tensions. I don't want male bodied people in women's prisons. I see that is problematic for many good people and there is a clash, but don't make out I'm a fool or a bigot for worrying about it.

[FantaOra]

How does the dozy Chiara think keeping Belcher et al out of the ladies hurt all women? It hurts me to see Belcher et al in there so we are already down one from all women. Can't they form sentences in plain English or are they all just cliche bots? Pathetic.

[stella47]

This article's from Feb 19
www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/06/amnesty-international-has-toxic-working-culture-report-finds

Amnesty International has a “toxic” working environment, with widespread bullying, public humiliation, discrimination and other abuses of power, a report has found.

A review into workplace culture, commissioned after two staff members killed themselves last year, found a dangerous “us versus them” dynamic, and a severe lack of trust in senior management, which threatened Amnesty’s credibility as a human rights champion.

Includes

• multiple reports of managers belittling staff in meetings, deliberately excluding certain staff from reporting
  
• the “lion’s share” of wellbeing issues were not isolated to exposure to trauma or suffering. Instead, the adversarial culture, failures in management and pressures of workload were among the most significant contributors to wellbeing issues.
  

• Staff reported multiple accounts of discrimination on the basis of race and gender and which women, staff of colour and LGBTQI employees were targeted or treated unfairly.
  

“Given Amnesty’s status and mission – to protect and promote human rights – the number of accounts the assessment team received of ‘bullying’,‘racism’, and ‘sexism’ is disconcerting,” it said. The reviewers provided Amnesty’s secretary general with a private report on allegations of abuse of power, discrimination and unfair treatment, which merit further investigation."

[ShinyFootball]

I thought that amnesty would have support for women and girls who are refugees etc to have single sex toilets. So I had a look...

'“Imagine living in a refugee camp where you are too scared to go the toilet, or being subjected to sexual harassment on a daily basis in your host community because of your gender or identity. This is the terrifying reality for hundreds of thousands of women and girls and LGBTI refugees around the world, and the shameful inaction of wealthy governments is prolonging it,” said Catherine Murphy, Acting Director of the Gender, Sexuality and Identity Programme at Amnesty International.'

www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/refugees-are-in-urgent-need-of-protection-from-sexual-and-gender-based-violence/

'Women also reported having to use the same bathroom and shower facilities as men. One woman told Amnesty that in a reception centre in Germany some refugee men would watch women as they went to the bathroom. Some women took extreme measures such as not eating or drinking to avoid having to go to the toilet where they felt unsafe.'

www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/women-refugees-face-assault-exploitation-and-sexual-harassment-journeying-through

???????

So which is it amnesty? Penis people under self id in our out?

Fuxake.

[ShinyFootball]

Women and girls are scared and harassed due to their 'gender or identity'???

Seriously?

This is AMNESTY FFS.

[Thisismytimetoshine]

The repeated shite that Ireland has no issues as a result of self ID is starting to fucking annoy me.

[OhHolyJesus]

So the women's rights director at amnesty UK says ''The reality is that men who abuse women already have plenty of existing opportunities to do so.'

Reminds me of what Ruth Hunt said in a BBC interview - something like Men will
Always rape Women

Yes, errr shouldn't we try to do something about it, you're nearly there on the single sex spaces...c'mon keep thinking...

Surbiton Network are recruiting for an under 13s counsellor for victims of CSA. The ad said they were applying an EA2010 exemption and you had to....identify as a woman.

It also said they would only be accepting applications from "those who identify as female" or similar.

I have shared with the Baroness as this wording discriminates against women who don't identify as women. I might write to the Daily Mail next.

[OhHolyJesus]

*Survivors Network - it's in Brighton not Surbiton!

[SerenityNowwwww]

Amnesty, Liberty, un’women’ - gotta be a link.

[TorkTorkBam]

@SerenityNowwwww

Amnesty, Liberty, un’women’ - gotta be a link.

Men with sexual desires is the link.

Some fell upon an utterly brilliant marketing strategy by linking T to LGB despite them being almost opposites. Others followed because it worked. The marketing drive worked so people went along with be kind and just want to pee in peace. Then high on the success the loonie ends got more power and started saying transwomen are actual women, then you get the McKinnons and the Karen Whites etc. being obviously ridiculous.

Eventually, now, significant numbers of people start going "You what? No".

[Kit19]

under the radar was always the plan according to that report from the law firm (cant remember which one it was now) which outlined their successful stratgey to get T linked with LGB

[TheSingingKettle49]

Some fell upon an utterly brilliant marketing strategy by linking T to LGB despite them being almost opposites. Others followed because it worked. The marketing drive worked so people went along with be kind and just want to pee in peace.

I think part of it is that men don’t want transwomen in their toilets any more than women do because they think that if a man will dress up in women’s clothes, which is so against society’s norms, then what else will they do? I mean how many men have you ever seen say I’m ok with transwomen in men’s spaces, they have a right to be there and I would stand up for them if there was any trouble?

[nettie434]

I used to donate to Amnesty for years but have never regretted stopping. There was a shocking report on workplace bullying in the organisation last year and they were criticised for their links with Moazzem Begg and Cage, made against the advice of Gita Sahgal, the respected head of their Gender Unit. What could be the message for women there?

They have completely extended their areas of work beyond the rights of political prisoners. Feminism Chat readers will be astonished to read that they are now advocating in favour of decriminalising prostitution. Why not rename themselves the Association of Beardy Bullies? As far as I am concerned, I would expect them to advocate for the rights of Chelsea Manning or other transgender political prisoners but they don't really seem to bother about political prisoners any more.

[SerenityNowwwww]

And people I know who have kinks to them think the sun shines out of their - orifice. Will hear no wrong.

[VickyEadieofThigh]

The reality is that men who abuse women already have plenty of existing opportunities to do so

So - what are you doing about that, Amnesty? because all I heard in that reply was "and we can't be arsed to do anything to protect women and girls, so let's do a Stonewall and turn all our attention to the menz."

[Enderthedragon]

The reality is that men who abuse women already have plenty of existing opportunities to do so

So - what are you doing about that, Amnesty?

I know, this really was the worst line of the whole letter for me - they might as well have added 'but of course there is nowt we can do about that - rapers gonna rape - so what we really need to do is concentrate on the poor men who want further access to women's spaces'.

Argh!

[Kit19]

honestly Nettie im not remotely surprised about the decrimilisation of prostitution. "sex work is just work" is a tenant of libfem as far as I can - lots of middle class girls are always tweeting about SWERFS and how sex work is a positive choice for women (not that they themselves would ever have to be prostitutes you understand what with the choices available to them)

[TorkTorkBam]

Junta will torture people, that's what they do.

No point trying to put barriers in their way, they'll do torture anyway.

No point highlighting where it happens. It won't stop them torturing.

Might as well close yourselves down Amnesty given there's nothing you can do about bad guys.

[TheProdigalKittensReturn]

Note that they have talked to a supposed women's org led by a transwoman and the transwoman told them that there's no impact on women's rights, so that's fine then.

This is why we should not accept the linguistic fudge that transwomen are women. This is why it matters. Because if you accept that then you give transwomen the right to speak on behalf of women and if the people listening or reading don't know that it's a transwoman speaking then they may assume that they are getting the female perspective. They are not.

No parasan.

[nettie434]

Yes, sex work is just work, like any other seems to be standard thinking, Kit19. I wouldn't mind so much if every woman involved in sex work was a Cynthia Payne or Belle de Jour but agency and self determination hardly apply to trafficked women who have their passports taken away and no means of escape.

The thing I don't understand is that I see no evidence there has been such a decline in the number of political prisoners that they need to diversify into other areas of work. It's ridiculous.