TD (Irish MP) asks if GRA means that men can access women's spaces

[Mermoose]

On 24th February, Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth asked the following questions in the Dáil:

To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man who self-identifies as a woman is entitled to access any and all female-only spaces and services; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man is entitled to have their transgender belief that they identify as a woman outweigh the right of a woman or girl to object to their presence in a female only space; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the Gender Recognition Act 2015 means that a man who self-identifies as a woman is perceived by this legislation to be safe to access female only spaces irrespective of the physiological differences between male and female bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

I've emailed Deputy Smyth thanking her for asking these questions, and pointing out how the proposed hate speech legislation will further stifle vital conversation on this issue. I'm also going to contact my local FF representatives with a copy of the email I sent her. I have never voted FF in my life but recently there isn't a single left wing party I have any respect for.

Just read those letters. Fantastic.

Flipping brilliant letters from brave women actually living in Ireland. This and Niamh Smyth do give me some hope.

Brilliant letters on the IT. I wrote to Niamh Smyth back in Sept but got no real response. I might forward the email along with my thanks for raising the questions. I think Roisin Ingle gets this stuff. She wrote about periods in the last few months and retweeted Suzanne Moore. She's testing the waters.

That's the most articulate set of letters I've read in a very long time.

Thanks for posting this. These are the sort of questions that should be asked of every legislator. With elections coming up in the Senedd (Wales) we will be asking every candidate who is standing what their views are on women's rights in relation to the trans movement. The time really has come to sort out the fence sitters, the TRA supporters and the candidates who are prepared to support women, especially with policy capture by Stonewall not so much creeping but romping through the Equality Act. Voters, especially women have a right to know.

@3timeslucky

All these Repeallers (and I'm of that generation) are clapping themselves on the back, but are too young to remember the British feminists waiting at the other end of the boat to being frightened women to clinics

I am always struck by the shortness of their memories (or the fact they're too young to know) about the support Irish women got from the UK for decades. Or maybe those British women are just no longer useful and so can be dismissed.

I find it hard to understand the xenophobic zeal of these self-styled spokeswomen. There were so many nationalities active in the Repeal movement. The anti-British sentiment is like a step back in time and makes my skin crawl. Maybe they're too young to remember what it was like to live with the fall-out of sectarian division.

So many levels of ignorance.

Yet Amnasty Ireland are not ashamed to be subsidised by their UK office? They were invisible during the Hunger Strike ,mar shampla, and now they are wrapped in the tricolour. Pass the sick bag .

Not sure why MN deleted my post. Possibly the word 'bxys' set them off. Unless it was Camogix. We are going to need a new language soon

I dont want boys playing camogie with my daughters.

What if you are informed that that child you say is a boy had the title of girl? Aren't there plans afoot in the Oireachtas to allow children to set their lives on a course which they are not mature enough to weight up the potential consequences. More state involvement in how children were set up to be abused again. Ireland would need a huge tribunal fund set aside. Maybe a permanent 'tribunal into state abuses and the state allowing abuse' tax.

Ireland is he envy of the world those TD's are saying. They must mean men's rights activists from other countries are envious how easily Irish women and children were screwed over by an 85% male Dáil). Even as O'Gorman is burying the evidence of decades of abuse against women and children.

This generation of TD's and self-important arrogant NGO's are so different from the one's before them, aren't they?

One of my wokest TWAW has a daughter that plays camoige at county level. I’ll be very interested in what she says when some hairy arsed failed hurler turns up to play with the women, knocking another woman off the team.

Well the IT is back to its usual self this morning. A letter about the impact of the pandemic on Women signed by TENI. When I saw them refer to women and pregnant people I realised it was not written by people who represent me.

Annasgirl, I know that letter was awful but in a way I'm glad this is beinig highlighted in mainstream media. My parents (early 70s) get the IT delivered every morning. I'd say a few are reading the signatories going "what sort of goddamn stupid makey up name is Eirenne? How does it work exactly that this pandemic is harder on trans women than women like my daughter (me)?"

@purplepizzabunny, yes I hope so. Although I sometimes think normal people (as in those who live life outside of activism) gloss over some of this - in the same way as I do when I see someone writing to the IT about bird sanctuaries or protecting some obscure snail. But I live in hope. I also think most people assume that none of what we are saying is true because it is so absurd (even my very activist. woke, feminist sister refused to believe me on Limerick Prison!).

[quote Annasgirl]@purplepizzabunny, yes I hope so. Although I sometimes think normal people (as in those who live life outside of activism) gloss over some of this - in the same way as I do when I see someone writing to the IT about bird sanctuaries or protecting some obscure snail. But I live in hope. I also think most people assume that none of what we are saying is true because it is so absurd (even my very activist. woke, feminist sister refused to believe me on Limerick Prison!).[/quote]
Same here Annasgirl. I had to show people articles before I was believed. That photo of Barbie tend to make people go WTF.

[quote Annasgirl]@purplepizzabunny, yes I hope so. Although I sometimes think normal people (as in those who live life outside of activism) gloss over some of this - in the same way as I do when I see someone writing to the IT about bird sanctuaries or protecting some obscure snail. But I live in hope. I also think most people assume that none of what we are saying is true because it is so absurd (even my very activist. woke, feminist sister refused to believe me on Limerick Prison!).[/quote]
Yeah, and it doesn't help that the Irish media overall seem unwilling to shine a light on this, so it's all very 'nothing to see here'.

I remember reading about Barbie Kardashian months ago (it was probably in the IT), who was described as a woman throughout. I remember it because I thought at the time it was so unusual for a woman to be that violent and sexually aggressive that it stuck in my mind.

It was only later that I realised who they were talking about .

I've carefully raised the topic with a few friends and family. Nobody was aware that we had self id. Nobody was aware that we have transwomen in a women's prison. And nobody i've talked to thinks that that single sex spaces and services should be accessible based on how somebody feels about their gender rather than their sex, or that kids should be given puberty blockers/cross sex hormones, or that anybody born male can compete fairly and safely in sports with girls/women. The likes of Emer can write all the articles she wants telling us what we should or should not think, but the more publicity there is the more previously oblivious women (and men) will start asking questions.

Two opposing letters in today's IT. On the website the excellent one by Helen Postma is placed second. I am always curious about how these things are decided.

Separately, Fintan O'Toole has a written very strongly about male violence "Misogynistic violence is organised crime. It is organised, not by a gang, but by an idea: male entitlement."

Yes, I commented on the FOT article - sadly, most of the comments are from MRA's telling us women to shut up and "what about the men" - why oh why is it always centred on men? Even violence against women can't just be about women. It has to include "what about the men".

Also read the above mentioned letters. The first one, in praise of the article against GC women was signed by a man in TCD and a woman who lives in the UK

@Barmbraic

Two opposing letters in today's IT. On the website the excellent one by Helen Postma is placed second. I am always curious about how these things are decided.

Separately, Fintan O'Toole has a written very strongly about male violence "Misogynistic violence is organised crime. It is organised, not by a gang, but by an idea: male entitlement."

It was actually well placed there. Rational retort to the guff in the first one.

Ok, it didn't go into Irish women are no better than they should be if they want rights like the British women do. That would be unpatriotic.

But Brian from TCD and Elizabeth from Liverpool, we won't be giving any headspace the primacy of your ideology over women rights or meekly be thankful for what rights you think Irish women should be 'allowed'. Or let our children be set up by a new church and old state again.

There's something really off about a lecturer in philosophy taking issue with the idea of cross-border sharing of ideas. I'm guessing that he teaches about schools of philosophical thought that have their origins outside of Ireland. I guess it is just plebians like ourselves who need to restrict ourselves?

I'm laughing at him deciding to have a woman in the UK co-sign his letter. She must be the right kind of English woman

I got an email back thanking me for my interest in this important topic or something like that.

Me too but she would make sure it went to the td. Sent one as well to my local td

That's the same as I got. Dunno if it's worth mailing any of my local ones but I know I should.