Bristol Uni SU forbids women discussing male violence without male guardians present

[severnboring]

FFS. Bristol Uni SU is disciplining Raquel Rosario Sanchez, who's been targeted by transactivist bullies there for years, because she ran female-only meetings.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/13/university-feminist-society-disciplined-excluding-trans-women/

"Women Talk Back hosted women-only meetings at Bristol University to discuss male violence against females, and argued the presence of men could make attendees fearful to speak out.

The students refused entry to male-born transgender people who self-identify as women, classed as men under equality laws unless they have changed their legal sex.

Now Bristol Students’ Union has ordered the society’s president, Raquel Rosario-Sanchez, to stand down and banned her from union leadership posts for two years.

And committee members must complete an “equality, diversity and inclusion” course."

"The society was told that Bristol SU defines women as "all who self-define as women, including (if they wish) those with complex gender identities that include ‘woman’, and those who experience oppression as women"."

Totally different issue. And an extremely sensitive one.

Certainly though it does seem that debate etc on anything even slightly divisive is not allowed.

I do agree that anything heading into areas with views that will appeal to those whose views cause real danger should not be allowed in su. Debate yes. Debate with those who hold extreme views. Yes. Let's hear why they think that way and see how it stands up to challenge.

Group for neo Nazis or incels etc for like minded to get together in a 'safe space' is a no.

There's a line for me. Know others have a range of opinions.

However this issue stands on its own and pulling in unrelated very contraversial topics does not help.

A group for female students to talk about male violence should not be contraversial at all. It poses no risks.

Perhaps we can agree to disgree.

I think free speech is hugely important. The Brexit debate was scarey. I speak five languages, have lived in a couple of other EU countries, and have sat in my share of EU meetings, yet people I had previously considered friends would not allow me reservations about the future of the European Project. I disagreed with them, ergo I had to be 'othered' by being called racist. Ditto Palestine. Anything short of the Corbyn position is unacceptable. Who cares if this might, from a different perspective, look like anti semitism.

And obviously the same approach is used by the TWAW crew. Dissent is not allowed. Dissenters must be punished.

Not what Universities should be about.

Specifically the debate about women's right to single sex spaces needs to be just that, a respectful debate. Not women good, trans bad or vice versa. The University needs to emphasise the importance of free speech.

Between friends is different though. That's not a free speech issue surely!

If I'm in the pub and men want to discuss why X thing I feel very strongly about and disagree with and is personal. Eg when metoo plenty of men at work tried to pull me into 'discussions' that were actually just goading.

Then I can say i don't want to discuss this.

That's not repressing free speech. It's perfectly fine.

Also I did say that imo anything should be up for debate. And I gave my reasons for that.

I mean in unis the media etc.

What individuals discuss between themselves is totally different.

Did a little bit of digging today, amazing how much better the garden looks already.

@severnboring

FFS. Bristol Uni SU is disciplining Raquel Rosario Sanchez, who's been targeted by transactivist bullies there for years, because she ran female-only meetings.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/13/university-feminist-society-disciplined-excluding-trans-women/

"Women Talk Back hosted women-only meetings at Bristol University to discuss male violence against females, and argued the presence of men could make attendees fearful to speak out.

The students refused entry to male-born transgender people who self-identify as women, classed as men under equality laws unless they have changed their legal sex.

Now Bristol Students’ Union has ordered the society’s president, Raquel Rosario-Sanchez, to stand down and banned her from union leadership posts for two years.

And committee members must complete an “equality, diversity and inclusion” course."

"The society was told that Bristol SU defines women as "all who self-define as women, including (if they wish) those with complex gender identities that include ‘woman’, and those who experience oppression as women"."

Wow, that must qualify as a misleading title even by Mumsnet standards!