Sarah Phillimore suspended from twitter

[anothermimsyborogove]

Barrister, women's right campaigner, mumsnetter @spero, and hero, Sarah Phillimore has been suspended from Twitter. Actor David Paisley and others are gloating about it.

@Floisme

Unless we move in your world, none of us can evaluate what you're saying. So yes, as far as I'm concerned it's the equivalent of a spat. Say your piece if you want to but please don't assume anyone outside of your circle is interested.

And again I don’t need your permission to post here, nor do I want your validation.

If you want to run with the crowd and not evaluate what exactly you are supporting then go ahead.
I have said I support Spero generally but I think that she shouts other women down when they raise important issues about SS and the family court system.

I don’t want you to ‘move in my world’. I am a health care professional who has been involved with a serious case of injustice and battled to get the right result for a family.

Well if you're seriously suggesting I should base my evaluations on the word of an anonymous poster on the internet then I think that says more about you than it does me.

Anyway I too have said what I think and you, despite your protestations of policing, have the floor. Good day to you.

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

What I don't understand is why the GOOD men, the sensible ones, don't act when they see fellowmen abuse women in the way that is pervasive online.

I am fast concluding that Greer was right, that we have no idea how much men hate us.

I've been talking to DH about this as, last week, he saw something online related to this issue and was really shocked.

From talking to him, I came to a number of hypotheses.

1. It seems that "decent men" don't really come across the abuse of women online particularly, because they don't consume the type of media streams where it appears. They may use Twitter, but they don't follow the accounts of women who face endless abuse. They only notice it where it crosses their digital reality, so, for example, if it happens to someone they are aware of, like Suzanne Moore.

1. The other thing is that most decent men don't really comprehend the scale of predatory/abusive male behaviour in society, because they have never been the targets of it. One of DH's co workers has just been arrested for sexual offences, and he has spoken to other people about it. He was shocked to discover that the women he's talked to all have other similiar stories that have happened to them or their family. He had no idea this type of behaviour was so prevalent in society.

Sending love, Sarah.

As for experiences of Sarah? I'll say this. If ever I needed a barrister, Sarah would be the first person I'd instruct. I think her role as a barrister has been used against her hugely in her suspension. She is prominent, smart, waspish and overall, Sarah is kind. She represents the most vulnerable people in society. We should not be fooled about who Sarah represents. She deals with facts.

I think Sarah will do far more good away from Twitter.

Just returning for what I think is an important update. On Thursday morning I received an email from Twitter saying they had reviewed my appeal, found no violation and my account was restored. I am still suspended however so have emailed again and will see what happens.

Last night I found this article

www.scotsman.com/news/politics/joanna-cherry-blocks-snp-colleague-kirsty-blackman-twitter-amid-lgbt-row-3116605

Note how it leads with my name. This is I think quite deliberate. This is to send a message about what will happen if you dare speak up in your own name. I have emailed Kirsty Blackman directly and requested she retract and not repeat what are defamatory remarks or I will take legal action. I have also written to the Editor and commented on the article.

Someone has helpfully screenshot my comment twitter.com/campervanwoman/status/1355271393122906112?s=21

I do not think objecting to this is 'drama' or indicative of my personality disorder - but if you think that I can't stop you. I think this is very serious and if left unchecked is going to damage our democracy and fundamental human rights. It is not enough to disagree with me or remove my platform - I must be publicly humiliated and crushed for daring to speak my mind. I am not a transphobe nor an anti Semite and I will argue it is seriously harmful to my reputation to make these claims.

I will need to raise money to take this to court and again - if you don't like me or thjnk this trivial, you are not compelled to help. I have given Ms Blackman until 5th Feb to respond.

Thank you for the kind messages of support - Mypans I tried to DM you but you don't accept DMs. So please accept my public thanks.

The whole thing is a nightmare! Hopefully Kirsty Blackman will realise she was defaming you and withdraws her comments.

Thanks. In their eager rush to attack Joanna Cherry they seem to have thrown caution and any sense to the wind. This is not acceptable behaviour and I can no longer ignore such explicit assertions made in a newspaper with a circulation of millions.

www.statista.com/statistics/380750/the-scotsman-monthly-reach-by-demographic-uk/

Happy to see the Scotsman has acted immediately to my request for clarification in the article itself

I do think there is a massive different between criticising someone and making defamatory statements.

There is. I don't think it's ridiculous to defend oneself against defamation.

I'm glad Twitter changed their mind. Interesting that they do in some cases.

I don't know anyone's personal circumstances because I now avoid sections of Twitter due to the endless sniping, but generally speaking I would be sad to see explicit threats and attempts to stop women posting, on here of all places.

I have namechanged for this, but am a longstanding poster on FWR and a Mumsnetter since my now 20 something kids were in nappies. I remember the first time I saw a thread about Sarah Phillimore and had that ‘oh wow, I know that name!’ moment.

I was at school with Sarah, many years ago. I haven’t had any contact with her in the years since we left, so I can only speak about the person I knew from the ages of 11 to 16 and say that she was serious, outstandingly clever, sharp-witted, independent minded, courageous and dryly funny. She was one of the most ‘true to herself’ people I’ve ever encountered, which – at the age when most teenagers are finding themselves, experimenting with different tribes, personas and colours of eyeshadow – is unusual and, I think, significant. She had a core of inner steel then which I imagine is what makes her able to do what she does now.

I suppose it must have been in 2018 or so when I discovered that she was speaking up for women, and it was a time when the world seemed to have gone mad and the Emperor’s lovely new wardrobe was being gushingly admired from all quarters. Discovering that Sarah – the intelligent, articulate, fearless person I remembered – was standing tall above the parapet gave me immense hope.

As I said, we didn’t keep in touch and since seeing her post on here have never DM’d her here to re-establish contact. I have no knowledge of or interest in whatever personal conflict is being played out here but find myself moved to speak up for the person of integrity and courage I know her to be.

Spero

Just to let you I will be talking to Glinner about all of this at 3.30pm today - I think he's recording it to release later?
grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/tomorrow-on-a-special-mess-were-in?r=7va0o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

I will be making the point that action in defamation could have some really wide and useful consequences that go beyond just restoring my reputation - but providing the court to fix a definition of what 'transphobia' really is and why I am deemed to be one.

And one lovely thing to have come out of all of this is that I am now back in touch with some one from my school days - who I admired very much but was too foolish and immature to know how to show my admiration other than being rude to her! So I think I have mumsnet to thank for all of this.

Hopefully I will be discussing next steps with my solicitor on Friday and its inevitably going to involve some digging. I will quite understand if people are utterly fed up with all the digging and have no more left to dig - if so, I walk away. But I think its worth a try.

That is so lovely @Spero - so glad you’re back in contact with an old friend.

Re digging - I’m definitely up for it - this is important for all of us - I am so worried about the world my daughters are growing up in - with fewer rights then I enjoyed.

I’m saving a fortune on school runs/minimising supermarket trips so I will repurpose that money for our future if you are up for the fight.

I'll echo what garden said.

If £1- £5 from everyone helps, it helps.

Thank you both! Hopefully speaking with solicitors and formulating plan of action by end of week. The defamation of me has been so grotesque and so widespread that I don't see what other options I have - and if we can get a proper legal definition of 'transphobia' out of this, then I think that is worth paying for.

@Backbee

Twitter is a vile cesspit. At this point in time, being suspended probably means you're speaking far too eloquently and using science to support your opinion, the horror. It's ridiculous though, and quite a scary step to be honest.

This is true. You know, the more women they ban the more misogynistic they will start to look

Yes Arya.

Go @Spero - just listening to you on Glinner

Does anyone else see "Video Unavailable. This video is private." when they follow the link in the email from Glinner? I so want to watch this latest episode

Coatandhat It seems Glinner has made the video private for the time being to deter trolls but has made the audio available.

For anyone who can't listen, the headline is that Spero is going ahead with legal action and is going to need some hefty spadework. She's going to try to set up the Crowdfunder tonight.

I still have the little reserve of cash set aside that I tried to donate to Allison Bailey's crowdfund last summer before it was taken down (what bullshit reason did they give for doing that in the end? I can't remember.) So I'll add that to Sarah Phillimore's fund as well as what I would have donated to her anyway.

Hello. After speaking to Glinner and Helen and seeing the comments, I decided it would be sensible to gauge public support for my garden before I see my solicitors so I don't waste their time.

I know I am not allowed to post links for the digging etc but hopefully you can find the garden on CrowdFunder.

Oh thanks for that Absinthe! Better to be safe for sure.

CrowdFunder or Crowd Justice?