My labour counsellor looked confused when I talked about women's rights

[Mumofgirlswholiketoplaywithmud]

I had a labour counsellor knock on my door today and I explained how I had always voted Labour and had been a labour party member, but that I was concerned about their stance on women's sex-based rights. He did look at me a bit like I had lost my mind, and said that he wasn't sure that there was any labour position in that area, but then preceded to tell me about all the lovely other policies he was planning. I feel stuck. I would have previously been a mix of labour, with additional votes (if you get more than one choice) going to Greens and lib Dems, but now I feel like a vote for my local councillors is tacitly supporting the central party stance. What are people doing? I feel lost

If I could just vote for lord Hunt then that would be great , but the house of lords doesn't seem to work like that!

I suggest you send a follow-up email referring to past questions published by A Woman's Place.

womansplaceuk.org/wpuk-manifesto-write-to-your-mp-am-msp/

I think it's good you asked the question. Perhaps even though you got a funny look he went away and did some research so he could properly answer next time. Perhaps he didn't, but if more people start questioning then it will be an area that gets more attention you'd hope.

Personally however strongly I feel about a particular issue, I will still vote for the party that overall is the best fit to my views, even if I disagree over something I really care about. I think it's better to do this than not vote at all.

You might find Safe Schools Alliance's thread addressing London's Mayoral candidates useful for helping you formulate your thoughts and email.

twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1379857711735713799?s=19

If a Labour canvasser ever comes to my door I'll ask them if they know what a woman is.
If they answer correctly I'll say over half of Labour politicians including Kier Starmer can not answer that (the other half are staying silent) and tell them to jog on.

I mean seriously, despite being exactly like you, left wing, Labour/Green/LibDem, this one single issue has completely lost my support for any of them. It's such a shame that I even think maybe Tory is the best option on this

I think it sounds as though his education is a little lacking. You could follow up with an email outlining the points he should address.

The problem is that all the centre left or left wing parties are crap on this. The conservatives are hardly champions of women's rights either. I suggest you follow up with an email explaining your concerns, then on election Day vote for whoever most aligns with your views, accepting they will probably not match your views on sex based rights.

What happens if, like me, you in live in a Labour stronghold? When election time comes, my vote, if I give another party a go, will not make any difference.

@YouNoob

What happens if, like me, you in live in a Labour stronghold? When election time comes, my vote, if I give another party a go, will not make any difference.

Unfortunately that's the FPTP system we all have to put up with. Just remember at the last GE Bolsover lost to the conservatives for the first time ever since 1970. It was shocking. So nothing is permanent.

The one I got is always telling me it’s misinformation and that I’m getting alarmist perspectives and should be kind to a long suffering minority, etc.
I am so disappointed. He even wrote to me that gender identity is a protected characteristic which really shows his colours. Rainbow flag galore

I guess, at least I can tell him why he didn't get my vote, if I go down that route.

BTW, would it be illegal for someone to leaflet households around different parties views on women's rights? Asking for a friend.

I had similar with my Green candidate. I outlined some of my concerns (changing rooms and children, women's sport, general erosion of women's rights and the lack of discussion of anyone other than women losing out) and she looked tired and upset and said she agreed with me completely on those points and wasn't aware there was a central Green position which went against this and would look into it.

She pointed out that the Greens were doing lots locally and asked me to decide who to vote for based on local issues, and I agreed to look at her policies and track record. I am pretty lazy and vote based on party leadership rather than local councillors if I'm honest.

However, I fail to see why anyone who would normally be a a Labour or Green voter can even begin to think about voring Tory, especially this absolute incompetent near fascist shit show of corruption Tory party over Labour or Green solely because of this issue.

I consider it important but the combination of every other issue, all of which the Tory Party fall so far short of others, cannot be overturned by this single issue for me.

I genuinely wonder how much of the tory machine is focused on trying to turn Labour and Green voters by whipping up anger over this issue. If I were an evil bloodsucking Tory this would be an obvious tactic to me, and I'm not that strategic!

YouNoob Tell your friend ;D leafletting in the UK is not illegal. Bit of a mission though.

I genuinely wonder how much of the tory machine is focused on trying to turn Labour and Green voters by whipping up anger over this issue

The Woke do not need to be "whipped up" by the right wing. They whip themselves up perfectly well already. I wish there were meals I could whip up so readily but the wokerati crowd simply do it so much quicker.

None of the candidates here knock on the door
they stick the leaflet through the door and then scarper
nothing to do with me chasing a few down the road demanding they took them back some years ago

My local Labour councillor/candidate agrees with us - he's brill and will definitely get my vote, he didn't shy away from the questions like so many on the party's front benches do.

[quote PotholeHellhole]I suggest you send a follow-up email referring to past questions published by A Woman's Place.

womansplaceuk.org/wpuk-manifesto-write-to-your-mp-am-msp/[/quote]
Thank you, that's a helpful list. I think that he genuinely thinks that it is a non-issue, and that I must be really odd to even think about it.

@MapGirlExtraordinaire I think that my candidate was similar to yours "focus on the local issues" etc.

It sucks that this has become the left-wing stance.

@HavelockVetinari

My local Labour councillor/candidate agrees with us - he's brill and will definitely get my vote, he didn't shy away from the questions like so many on the party's front benches do.

That's great! There is hope!

My daughter recently had a zoom call with her local labour councillor who seemed really perplexed about the issues my daughter raised. She spent a good 20 minutes listening to my daughter's concerns.

She asked if she could get in touch with my daughter for a further discussion. Beggars believe that the councillor knew so little tbh but at least she was interested.

@YouNoob

What happens if, like me, you in live in a Labour stronghold? When election time comes, my vote, if I give another party a go, will not make any difference.

If they see themselves begin to lose support, though, even in such places, it will make an impression. It shows they are not sending a message people want.

@MapGirlExtraordinaire

I had similar with my Green candidate. I outlined some of my concerns (changing rooms and children, women's sport, general erosion of women's rights and the lack of discussion of anyone other than women losing out) and she looked tired and upset and said she agreed with me completely on those points and wasn't aware there was a central Green position which went against this and would look into it.

She pointed out that the Greens were doing lots locally and asked me to decide who to vote for based on local issues, and I agreed to look at her policies and track record. I am pretty lazy and vote based on party leadership rather than local councillors if I'm honest.

However, I fail to see why anyone who would normally be a a Labour or Green voter can even begin to think about voring Tory, especially this absolute incompetent near fascist shit show of corruption Tory party over Labour or Green solely because of this issue.

I consider it important but the combination of every other issue, all of which the Tory Party fall so far short of others, cannot be overturned by this single issue for me.

I genuinely wonder how much of the tory machine is focused on trying to turn Labour and Green voters by whipping up anger over this issue. If I were an evil bloodsucking Tory this would be an obvious tactic to me, and I'm not that strategic!

But they aren't actually fascists, are they? So there's that.

But this particular issue isn't a one-off problem on the left. It's connected to a larger and more dangerous set of problems around how they see things, including a real condensation towards workers, an uncritical embrace of identity politics, and at best a blase attitude toward the basic values that make liberal democracy possible.

And then ultimately it isn't like they are challenging global capitalism in any really meaningful way, they are as committed to it as the Tories.

@YouNoob

What happens if, like me, you in live in a Labour stronghold? When election time comes, my vote, if I give another party a go, will not make any difference.

It's tough and people often bring this up. But I still couldn't, in any good conscience, vote for a party simply because they have a foothold in the constituency if I don't align with their policies and values.

For me that's the SNP. But opinions are changing. And I want to be someone who can say "I didn't vote for these cunts."

It's worth it in the long run.

I always argue that you should vote, even if in a safe constituency, and sometimes for the least worst option, because your criticism of whoever is chosen is legitimised. There is also a very small chance they may listen more on local non-partisan issues if their majority is reduced.

Thing is, women's rights is a local issue as well.

The local council may decide to make all toilets in council-run or owned buildings mixed sex. Ditto changing rooms in gyms and pools. I mean, they may say they're 'gender neutral' but 'gender neutral' = mixed sex.

Or they may decide to award support/grants to a women's service, and not base it on sex but on gender expression/identity, or demand that (for example) an existing service declares itself open to 'all women including trans women and non binary' or some such bollocks.

These are practical issues that any local councillor or candidate should have a view on.

@YouNoob

What happens if, like me, you in live in a Labour stronghold? When election time comes, my vote, if I give another party a go, will not make any difference.

You'll help the party for whom you vote to regain their deposit.

Parties have to pay a fee to stand a candidate for election, which they get back if they get x% of the vote. For very marginal parties, this can be a real problem.

@tiktok

Thing is, women's rights is a local issue as well.

The local council may decide to make all toilets in council-run or owned buildings mixed sex. Ditto changing rooms in gyms and pools. I mean, they may say they're 'gender neutral' but 'gender neutral' = mixed sex.

Or they may decide to award support/grants to a women's service, and not base it on sex but on gender expression/identity, or demand that (for example) an existing service declares itself open to 'all women including trans women and non binary' or some such bollocks.

These are practical issues that any local councillor or candidate should have a view on.

this is what I have pointed out to my local green councillors, but they (or at least the two who have replied) tell me it hasn't come up in the issues they deal with. I've just told them to give it some thought because it will, sooner or later