History in the making! Watch Parliament Live at 2.30pm!

[Sunkisses]

According to @SexMattersOrg on Twitter the Govt have backed down on the MOMA (Maternity) Bill and will now use the word 'mother' not 'person' in the legislation!

Women did this! We are winning!

Tune in live here at 2.30pm to see history in the making: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/3ca1efa2-16a5-489d-a5a0-5d929bff81f6

This has actually made me cry. It had felt like this signalled end of the word woman meaning biological females.

Having spend yesterday reading the oral histories of the women who were incarcerated in the Magdalena Laundries in Ireland, I am feeling rather emotional about what it means to be a woman.

Thank you to everyone who made their feelings on this clear.

Wanting to be referred to as a woman is not just the right of trans women.

'Divorcing the word woman from female biology separates women from their sex based rights.' Debbie Hayton.

@Sunkisses

"It is factually incorrect, as has been referred to here today, that only women can become pregnant" - Baroness Brinton (Lib Dem)

Oh them pesky facts.

You know the ones that say that only biologically human women can get pregnant with human babies.

At work so can't watch but thanks to everyone for the commentary. It's making exhilarating reading!

Sal Brinton is brave/stupid making the claim in front of Professor Robert Winston that it's incorrect to say that only women can get pregnant. (I'm going for stupid.)

**

The "luxury rights" was mentioned on Glinner's video thing too.

I really rather like the idea of the HoL listening to women in the only places where our voices are able to be heard (within the guidelines). It makes me feel like they are diligent in their duties. Which is reassuring, as I have been really worried about all this.

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

She just said that transmen, NB people and intersex males can give birth - is that true?

I thought that people with DSDs are all infertile.

That depends on the DSD. They are very varied and wide ranging.

People who have DSDs are not necessarily 'intersex' - it is a bit of an old-fashioned term, although not as archaic as 'hermaphrodite' which is a very unhelpful term indeed, best confined to the biology of invertibrates (which is interesting).

Wonderful news! I sent an email earlier this week to Lord Hunt, thanking him for standing up for women, and got a great email in reply.

If any one here would like to send messages of thanks to the BRILLIANT peers who spoke today and on Monday, you can use this link: www.parliament.uk/business/lords/whos-in-the-house-of-lords/get-in-touch-with-members/

Thank you Mumsnet and all the posters on Feminism boards who kept this going.
I am so proud to be a part of this community!

‘Language is very important’

The amount of times I’ve / we’ve said that on here

This is brilliant!

Does anyone know of this is going to be on iplayer?

Thanks, Melroses. DSDs are something that I have failed to get my head around, despite a family member who has MRKH's best efforts...

What on earth good does it to pretend that men can get pregnant? Who does baroness brinton think she’s helping? Men do not have babies, transmen can have babies because they’re biologically female

She just said that transmen, NB people and intersex males can give birth - is that true?

Anyone who can give birth is female, by definition. And hence a woman, by definition.

Some "intersex" people are male, some are female. Few are truly ambiguous - and to be ambiguous they'd have to be infertile, by definition.

Appalled she's bringing people with DSDs into the debate when it's NOTHING to do with them!

What wonderful reading.

I've just tried to find it on iPlayer and can't see it

@SeaShoreGalore

This is brilliant!

Does anyone know of this is going to be on iplayer?

There is an hour of HoL questions later this evening on BBC Parliament. I don't know if this / edited highlights will be included.

Lord True gives thanks to the Opposition front bench and their constructive approach

@Ifyourefeelingsinister

Wonderful news! I sent an email earlier this week to Lord Hunt, thanking him for standing up for women, and got a great email in reply.

I’m going to start this with him

There’s three. Do you know which one?

Chesterton / Kings Heath or Wirral

Thanks

I've just shot a few heartfelt thanks off by email too.

It is such a relief to know the articles are being read and understood and reflected on, and that these sensible, articulate people are able to explain these views. Such a relief.

The few dissenting voices by comparison are increasingly sounding less sensible. It is not necessary to erase and remove sex based rights and language from women to meet the needs of trans people. And if that is the desired goal, then that needs thorough questioning and the kind of strong boundaries evidenced today.

Sal Brinton

There are risks and problems. The law should deal practically with how the world works. People who are legally male can give birth.

Changing language on birth certificates would resolve this... it is a political issue.

Or maybe the problem was creating a legal fiction in the first place and the solution isn't to start altering other people's birth certificates in the service of upholding that fiction. "Living as a man" back in 2004 was never meant to be about getting a GRC then immediately seeking IVF to become pregnant.

Hell I missed sounds great. People speaking the truth and not afraid to

"It is the Government's view that the term mother is more appropriate for a bill about maternity rights" - Lord True (Conservative minister)

@littlbrowndog - it is still on!

@SeaShoreGalore - I will put a link to a clip of the whole debate here later

Wonderful, thank you!