Lord Hunt in HoL today [Edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

[TheWordWomanIsTaken]

Standing up for women's rights and language.

Incredible speech.

I wonder if he as a labour peer is aware that Labour have changed sex definitions for Labour members. I joined up as sex "female" and this has been changed without my consent to gender identity in my details section.

I started a thread about it here

Labour and gender identity www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4173500-labour-and-gender-identity

@thirdfiddle
Baroness Sheila Noakes;
speech here:
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0ca59b7f-0018-470a-851a-ce1562544ec5?in=15:17:45&out=15:26:30

Yes they both spoke brilliantly, but- (there's always a 'but')
Why does everyone feel that they have to give a sop to the other side?
Baroness Noakes (at about 15:21:22) says:
'i am proud of my own record on LGBT issues...'

and Lord Hunt (Labour)
'... My Lords, I have supported trans rights and gay rights over many years, i fought the iniquities of section 28, I took through the legislation allowing for gay adoption in this house as a minister...'
(about 1:40 on the attached video)

Why do they feel that they have to say that?? Why can't someone tell it straight, and just say 'I am sorry that i was led, by my kindness, up a gum tree, and we now have to unravel the unholy mess we have made'??

I know. I would really like a thread where we just collect the 'I'm not a bad person/here's my credentials for not being evil' disclaimers.

It is wonderful to see Lord Hunt and the others speak so clearly and with such grasp of the issues. It's also very noticable: all they are saying is that women and sex based rights matter too . All they are requiring is equality of consideration and representation. And that's something they have to be concerned over the consequences of.

We live in insane times.

Why do they feel that they have to say that?? Why can't someone tell it straight, and just say 'I am sorry that i was led, by my kindness, up a gum tree, and we now have to unravel the unholy mess we have made'??

Yes! This is the crux of the problem. Politicians seem to think that they can't even mention women without apologising. They really have lost the plot.

And do they think Stonewall = the whole LGBT+ 'community'? If so, they need to broaden their horizons, and same with women's orgs, eg Fawcett Society is too selective about whose voices count:

mforstater.medium.com/the-fawcett-society-shutting-women-up-in-the-name-of-feminism-5d4bbc1b907

@showmethegin

Incredible speech.

I wonder if he as a labour peer is aware that Labour have changed sex definitions for Labour members. I joined up as sex "female" and this has been changed without my consent to gender identity in my details section.

I started a thread about it here

Labour and gender identity www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4173500-labour-and-gender-identity

What?! And they promised to change the NEC statement on all-women shortlists to reflect the most recent manifesto but it's still based on gender identity. All the promises about upholding women's sex-based rights seem to have been lies.

I suspect Lord Hunt won't be Labour for very much longer. Lord Moonie was hounded out for hosting the First Do No Harm event, which wasn't even public.

Lord Winston, speaking a bit later in the debate (thx to Kelly-Jay for putting on youtube):

i know, we're just women and we get all emotional about this stuff. But I was in tears listening to this.

@RozWatching Yes I was shocked when I read it, I've attached a screenshot below. It's outrageous

Why do they feel that they have to say that?? Why can't someone tell it straight, and just say 'I am sorry that i was led, by my kindness, up a gum tree, and we now have to unravel the unholy mess we have made'??

I can see a point behind it, for people who are new to the debate it shows that not everyone who refuses to support Stonewall and Self ID is a raving bigot, contrary to a lot of what they might read.

Because, I'd agree (as has been said many times on MN) that the majority of people in this country do not agree with self ID and the insistence on trans inclusive language. However, I'm not sure it's right to say that the majority of those people will be doing that due to concern over women's rights and their erasure. For a lot of people, it will just be an extension of going "Oh this is ridiculous!" at anything and everything they deem "woke".

So, I think it's good to demonstrate that there are left wing people and socially liberal who support GC viewpoints. They shouldn't HAVE to defend themselves in this way but it might help get rid of the viewpoint that anyone who doesn't say TWAW is "the straight, white, rich, conservative man" or religious extremists or the sort of person who grumbles that they "can't say anything anymore" when they're asked not to comment on their colleagues breasts.

@oldwomanwhoruns

Lord Winston, speaking a bit later in the debate (thx to Kelly-Jay for putting on youtube):

i know, we're just women and we get all emotional about this stuff. But I was in tears listening to this.

Wow, thank you for sharing this. It struck a chord with me, not only because I am GC and horrified at the erasure of women in general but in particular this context but also because I have had three miscarriages and am currently battling my way through the health system trying to find a cause

This is wonderful.

V moving testimony from Robert Winston. So wonderful to hear him standing up for women

I've been watching these speeches over the course of the morning. Some really excellent speakers and brilliant to hear many unapologetically standing up for women.

Thank you for sharing those links. I've just listened to Baroness Nicholson's speech, concluding with her protest, to quote her, against the bill's 'misgendering of women'.

Here here.

@Ifyourefeelingsinister

V moving testimony from Robert Winston. So wonderful to hear him standing up for women

Such a wonderful, thoughtful, gentle delivery. As a recurrent MC veteran I'm profoundly moved.

showmethegin I hope your battle leads you to answers & medics who show the same compassion as Lord Winston

I am treating myself to one of the videos every so often & it’s wonderful (albeit utterly ridiculous that it is iyswim). I will write to them all.

Magnificent speech!

We have picked out a 'Baker's Dozen' of speeches from across the political spectrum. The common thread is that they all spoke up for women. Linked in order of speaking:

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1364205904560848903.html

@showmethegin

Here is another, shamelessly nicked from Kelly-Jay's youtube again:
Baroness Grey Thompson

But for me, these words from her were the most gripping, and I'd say, chilling:

My Lords, I thought long and hard about joining the debate today and whether I could deal with any potential backlash that would come my way for saying that the word Woman should be in this bill. Many from different viewpoints have said that I should be careful. This is not the time to debate the wider aspects of what freedom of speech means...

Careful?? Backlash?? For talking about the word 'Woman'??

I wrote and had a response this morning, (brief but to the point). Here's the link, good to support those who take the time and trouble to defend our rights.

www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/13353/lord_hunt_of_kings_heath

[quote ConservativesForWomen]We have picked out a 'Baker's Dozen' of speeches from across the political spectrum. The common thread is that they all spoke up for women. Linked in order of speaking:

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1364205904560848903.html[/quote]
Thank you!

Thank you Lords Hunt and Wilson and Baronesses Noakes, Nicholson, Grey Thompson and others whom I've missed. Like so many other women here, your speeches have made me weep. I'm a lesbian and from the day 14 years ago, when I saw a thriving women's organisation destroyed by the demands of a single angry transwoman who demanded total capitulation, I've been trying to warn everyone about what's happening. I've spent the last decade shedding friends who agree with me in private but feel obliged to denounce me as a heretic in public. My sister won't speak to me because of my 'horrifying' views. Thank you for stepping up and saying loudly and publicly what I have been saying for more than a decade.

I'm particularly moved by Baroness Grey Thompson's involvement. I heard through Labour Party channels that after she had spoken in the debate about toilet provision and the dangers for disabled women in mixed sex loos, Baroness Grey Thompson was approached and threatened in a 'watch out for your safety, we're gonna get you' sort of way by a female member of the HoL. I hope it's apocryphal but if true I hope in time this person's name will be revealed and we'll know who thinks it's appropriate to go round threatening disabled people. Power to you all. There is an army of silenced women behind you.

Heartwarming to hear men and women speaking out in favour of the language of women.
Lovely comment Shedbuilder I'm not surprised to hear about allegations of threats against Baroness Grey Thompson - tbh, when do we ever hear about respect and listening from one side of this debate?

I heard through Labour Party channels that after she had spoken in the debate about toilet provision and the dangers for disabled women in mixed sex loos, Baroness Grey Thompson was approached and threatened in a 'watch out for your safety, we're gonna get you' sort of way by a female member of the HoL

Right side of history

Thank you @Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons And thank you for sharing that @oldwomanwhoruns

Isn't it refreshing to hear common sense and respect for women spoken about openly in the corridors of power, and isn't it depressing that it's shocking!

The last two days have really made me reconsider my prior feelings towards the HoL!!

threatened in a 'watch out for your safety, we're gonna get you' sort of way

Why is this appalling, criminal behaviour tolerated?! That person should have been very publicly removed from post. We now do government by playground/gangsta bullies with threats do we? Wtaf is going on in Westminster?