Irish women will be heard (trending)

[GrainneMhaol]

Hi everyone. #WeWillBeHeard is trending on twitter in Ireland. It is in reponse to Amnesty International, the National Women's Council of Ireland and other major NGO's calling for people who "defend biology" or who are gender critical to be disenfranchised.

Their words: "..Let us say unequivocally that the statements of newly launched organisations that seek to defend biology or fight gender identity and expression do not represent the wider LGBTI+ community nor feminists in Ireland... We call on media, and politicians to no longer provide legitimate representation for those that share bigoted beliefs."

This is a thread with pictures and the hastag which is trending

twitter.com/TCDFFT/status/1331208440971137024?s=19

A response letter from The Countess didn't fight for this thecountessdidntfightforthis.com/we-will-be-heard/

And an archived copy of the original ridiculous letter they are replying to (usual tropes about being far right etc) archive.is/glPXl#selection-1561.0-1561.202

I wonder if any organizations were asked to sign but declined? No way of knowing I guess.

I see Dr. Em has made the point about forced teaming of the NWCI by TENI. Good to have this articulated but little hope that any Irish organizations are giving a flat NO.

twitter.com/PankhurstEM/status/1332236680330350592?s=19

Dr Em's excellent

I'm well impressed that Roisin hasn't recounted yet, I had a feeling that she had already seen the writing on the walll about the TRA movement when she interviewed John Boyne earlier in the year www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/john-boyne-i-am-not-a-provocateur-i-don-t-seek-to-hurt-people-1.4309925
I can only imagine the scolding shes getting in DMs, texts etc

Its amazing how people standing up and refusing to be bullied has such an impact on other people. There was a thread on boards about JK Rowlling over the summer which was mostly a discussion about being gender critical and most people were unaware of it all or apathetic about it all until Maya's case, I think that woke so many people up to what was happening. I'm sure Suzanne leaving has woken more people up and Roisin retweeting her is definitely having an effect on Irish twitter users, the more sunlight the more you see a lot of men lecturing women on what feminism is and women playing "if you don't know I'm not going to tell you" and refusing to answer what Suzanne has said that is so terrible.

Its a perfect storm isn't it with this happening and hopefully Keiras case showing up the flaws in what the Tavistock has been doing to Irish children

Jennifer O'Connell has tweeted in support of people being allowed think differently, while she says she didn't love the article, Róisín is allowed voice her opinion. Good. But surprised at JOC but who knows where it will go. I would imagine Róisín made sure she had the people who mattered to her in her corner, still not easy I'm sure. The ridiculous attitude of many responders should hopefully help her stay steadfast rather than make her budge..

JOC turned off replies. Even though she is pro-trans and saying she didn't love Suzanne's piece, she too knows that - from her own side - nothing but total capitulation will be enough for the mob. She's seen how it went for Roisin and knows they would be happy with nothing less than her condemning and dissociating herself from Roisin.

She wrote that very sympathetic piece in the Irish Times about "trans kids". I'd say that even though every word published was supportive, she still saw the young people and their families up close and may have acquired an inkling that the push for transition and affirmation might not be the right or only help they might need.

She also turned off replies as I assume didn't want to attract more comments about RI and yes I commented on her article at that time, she seems more of the 'their lives are pretty tough and don't effect me' but I'm still glad she posted saying it's OK to think differently which activists don't seem or want to get.

Absolutely, what JOC said is basically what I'd like to reply to all the "so disappointed" crew on Roisín's tweet – basically Roisín has a different opinion you and she's allowed to have it. The assumption that everyone needs to be brought round to the same opinion is so boring.

I wrote a piece on the letter www.socialistdemocracy.org/RecentArticles/RecentIrishSocialistTDsAndNGOsJoinForcesToDisenfranchiseWomenAndMaterialists.html

Thanks, GrainneMhaol. Great referencing and archiving for when "they didn't mean it like THAT" comes out again.

twitter.com/micknugent/status/1332659242315227141?s=19
Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland calls out Amnesty's signing of the letter. Now that a man's saying it will Ireland sit up and take notice?

Yes I saw his tweet. Great to see more people speak up. I wonder if some of the signatories are regretting signing it? It was so off the wall.

Well done Gráinne and great name!! Someone called Francis has been tweeting COG and really putting it up to him, and Iseult is chiming in, a very strong thread and I'm glad he's being put under pressure.

I did school work experience in Amnesty in Dublin as a 16 year old. I was asked to sort through pictures of torture victims. It was totally inappropriate to ask a girl who was there for a week to look at those very violent images.

Totally inappropriate and so insensitive.

I checked labeled, ie identifiable, sperm counts in a med lab...

Grainne I got to your article from a link on Tw*tter.
Well written piece...

I especially liked:

"It is a misrepresentation to say these women/groups are against gender expression or identity as they do above. These women are not interested in removing the right to personal expression or belief from people who identify as transgender. Their concerns are about poor law and policy, and the attempts to force us all to adhere to beliefs which conflict with material reality."

Applause +++++

I am not remotely interested in removing the rights of any group of humans; but the fact is that, while humans are all equal, we are not the same.

It is my duty to protect the "right to personal expression or belief from people who identify as transgender" right up to the point where that conflicts with my own rights as a biological woman, and the rights of my DDs.

Seatime I'm absolutely gobsmacked. Absolutely shocking irresponsibility.

It's just reminded me of some coverage of workplace bullying at Amnesty International a while back so I went and had a bit of a google.

The report found that: “39 per cent of Amnesty International staff reported that they developed mental or physical health issues as the direct result of working at Amnesty”. The report concluded, “organisational culture and management failures are the root cause of most staff wellbeing issues.”

unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2019/february/radical-change-needed-at-amnesty-international-after-new-report-reveals-toxic-work-culture/

Amnesty's house of cards being to fall perhaps...

Such a pity though to see a once great organisation go this way.

Thank you for you responses. It was shocking to be abused at a human rights organisation as a kid!

Meanwhile, what organisation is there to stand up for human rights now they've abandoned their principles?

A letter

Good letter.
I wonder who that guy is.

I both feel intense admiration for Iseult White and a whole lotta sympathy. She seems like an absolutely lovely, sensible woman and Amnesty Ireland have just speed-peaked her. It must feel like being thrown into the deep end of a freezing cold swimming pool.

I think most people get peaked gradually, don't they? There's a bit of an acclimatisation period, isn't there. She didn't get that at all.

this is Iseult's latest thread.

powerful powerful stuff.

twitter.com/iseult/status/1333047869817950210?s=21

On one of those Twitter threads is a screenshot of a response from amnesty Ireland which says

There is no such thing as a biologically male/female person.

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