#SexInTheSenedd (Election special!)

[MerchedCymru]

So this week, in the lead up to polling day in the Senedd election (May 6th) Merched Cymru have launched our social media Election Campaign.

Every day we're posting (in Welsh and English) about the upcoming Senedd elections using the cheeky hashtag #SexInTheSenedd / #SecsYnYSenedd. This is literally going far and wide with positive feedback, and we are encouraging women across Wales to let their local representatives know their feelings about the erosion of our rights,

Depressingly over the last week MC women have been excluded from hustings for asking entirely reasonable questions about the Equality Act. This is concerning (and astonishing tbh) especially as the events were centred on women.

Its time to hold our elected representatives to account, and as the saying goes, 'If you won't respect my Sex don't expect my X'!

Have a look at our posts on FB and Twitter, and if you're in Wales let your candidates know what you think....

www.facebook.com/MerchedCymru
twitter @MerchedCymru

I've only ever properly met 2 members of Yes Cymru and they both seem like normal human beings, but I have noticed (from social media, and from posts on here, more than word of mouth, I have to say) the prevalence of the intolerant-young-man type. I spent a lot of time in Breton political circles when living over there, and noticed something similar in the young men. Plaid has always been left leaning, so I felt quite at home there (and I was younger, and easier to please, and hadn't got enough 'feminist experience'), but the Breton guys made me feel really uncomfortable, as they tended much more to the right, though they may not have admitted it.
There's something really male and totaliatarian about it.

I would love to know what Kitten thinks too.

A combination of the youth laughing at generations above as has ever been this( 90s emos thinking 80s punk parents are lame, and so on for millennia- and indeed vice versa) and the lobby movement of the generation that the youth mock getting "on board" with their views and joining in. Basically standard patriarchy taking advantage of youths self righteous arrogance to their own advantage and a culture of those youths never having to learn they are young/ wrong/ self obsessed. That's where I went wrong. I started of as a liberal feminist bisexual. But I grew up. Couldn't keep my eyes closed. I can understand that it's easier to pretend that you aren't oppressed, and act as a defender of the real oppressed! (I mean,as women isn't that the basic mo?) It's a more comfortable outlook. Both the women who feel (falsely) empowered by supporting the "real" oppressed, and for those that seek control, oppression, the dissolution of woman, and the constant fluffing of ego. They all get comfort from the lies

I also feel still that I'm in a cult of sorts. I can't admit my true feelings. Sometimes I break rank and point out disparity and am quickly mobbed. I'd have no friends left if I wasn't the first to agree to disagree and I am- always the first to concede and say "let's agree to disagree ". I prefer to go out with my mam and her friends. Some are on the trans train, but none hate me and the others who aren't. That's not true with my "friends".

Kitten , nearly all the local members of my plaid group are men, and I've had the excuse of lockdown to not go to any meetings. I know what you mean about not being able to admit your true feelings. I don't know if you live in a small community but I know that doesn't help.

It is really hard to feel like everyone elses instincts are opposite to yours. It makes me feel really uneasy actually.

Convincing analysis Kitten. There's a photo of Price 'leading the troops', fist raised, in front of a group of adoring young men. Not sure where I saw it but it seemed very male and almost cultish.

That's a difficult one Doris - I used to live in a small village and felt totally stuck in every way. Lovely people but no room to try out new ideas or step outside the accepted norm. Getting out was wonderful - although I did miss that sense of belonging for a while.

The young men (20s and 30s) that I know who are Yes Cymru activists seem so similar that they could be the same person: single, beards, football fanatic, biking enthusiasts, lots of posting on social media (Indy bombing) with lots of insults (‘saes bastards’, ‘thick gammon brains’ etc).

All those common traits don’t really bother me, they just come across as idiots tbh, but before lockdown these young men were taking part in marches after football matches with flares and flags. They are pretty intimidating and I would be scared of them if I saw them out at night like that.

I think a lot of people during lockdown have become supporters because they have not seen that side of the movement, just the nice billboards and stickers and something to argue about. Some don’t like the Tories and believe an independent Wales would eradicate right wing parties.

I would be interested in looking at the possibilities of independence if Plaid could demonstrate how they can protect every vulnerable group, offer jobs to everyone and let private business flourish better than we can within the union. However, Price uses a surrogate mother to expand his family whilst is happy to allow anyone to be classed as a woman. That to me sounds like he just doesn’t give a shit about women. So it’s a no from me.

Merched Cymru, thank you for sticking up for women. I didn’t have the guts to question my Labour MS this week when he knocked my door. I know his view on this, so didn’t want to argue with him in front of my children.

Btw, I’m not bashing people who support independence, that’s their choice, but no one seems to be calling out the behaviour of some of the more extreme activists.

Wonderful @MerchedCymru well done, lovely clear posters

"Convincing analysis Kitten. There's a photo of Price 'leading the troops', fist raised, in front of a group of adoring young men. Not sure where I saw it but it seemed very male and almost cultish"

Men are more active in politics than women in general. I think it's a confidence/status thing. You usually have more men than women turning up to canvas and I think women find canvassing harder. I think we also get a worse reception. Older men get more respect on the doorstep.

Merched Cymru are publishing analyses of party manifestos in Wales, with a focus on women's rights. Here's the first one - Welsh Labour.

merchedcymru.wales/2021-manifesto-welsh-labour/

They want to reform the GRA and bring in self-ID. Plus ban conversion therapy which is likely to make it even harder for clinicians to deal with the wider mental health issues affecting gender non-conforming kids. Affirmation is a direct route to medicalisation.

This wilful blindness makes me so angry!

Yes Cymru are a serious disappointment. Sadly Plaid are not much better. Here's Merched Cymru's analysis of their manifesto. Don't think it'll cheer you up much Kitten!
merchedcymru.wales/2021-manifesto-plaid-cymru/

@kittenkipping

I'm Young enough to have spent the last few years active yes Cymru and very pro to independence. But as I've grown up the movement leaves me behind. There's no where for me to go. Trans women shouldn't be deliberately mis gendered and I'm certainly in the camp of grey areas. But, the denial of science? They aren't biological women. They can't play in our sport. We can't keep on down the path of ignorance of biology. I'm at a loss as to why my generation who are ALL ABOUT acceptance of mental health disorders, don't accept gender dysphoria as just that- it's hard and we need to be understanding and supportive- but WTF?! Pretending it's not a mental health issue and is in fact, FACT, is, forgive the pun, mental.

There is certainly no room for transphobia in the movement. We have been approached by right wing groups who would be happy to be on board with some elements of our campaign, but our position papers make clear that we support issues that will be considered by such groups as progressive and liberal. Any group that starts spouting comments about ''political correctness' is not going to be on the same page as MC. Fighting for womens rights does not mean that we are vilify the trans community, but we do not accept principles such as self ID, allowing access for natal males to womens spaces, or indeed rewriting any definition of what a woman is.

Have you seen Robert Wintermute's thoughts in relation to the Yogyakarta Principles? It perfectly sums up where this journey started and what might be phrased as the 'unintended consequences' that we now find ourselves up against.
sex-matters.org/posts/updates/yogyakarta-principles/

Slightly off topic, but ammunition like this can be useful.

MC continue to post about the main parties manifesto in the Senedd Elections. Thanks to posters who have slipped in Labour and Plaid above...

Here's the latest analysis from Merched Cymru re the conservative manifesto.

merchedcymru.wales/2021-manifesto-welsh-conservatives/

As we are seeing so often, various political parties appear to have a worryingly casual approach to protected characteristics within the Equality Act. Fair play to Welsh Conservatives for including Sex, but unfortunately they have not used the correct terminology for Pregnancy and Maternity.

Once more, even where the word 'woman' is used, MC has concerns as to how the word is defined. Are they referring to biological women, or the hotch potch resulting from self ID. It seems that we cannot be complacent as to whether these manifestos are supporting women's rights or simply glossing over issues which will continue to undermine our efforts.

A full report on candidates responses to MCs questions will be posted tomorrow. Its apparent that some candidates are aware of competing rights, others appear to completely dismiss any impact of their manifesto on womens rights.

#SexInTheSenedd #SecsYnYSenedd #Senedd2021

I’ve been lurking on here for a very long time and now you’re talking on my home terf turf I think I’ll introduce myself. Elections on Thursday and I feel I may spoil my ballot for the first time in my life. I have left YC and PC over this. This gang of otherwise uninteresting 20-something keyboard warriors on Twitter attacking anyone who disagrees with the TWAW rhetoric are making the future of left wing politics in Wales look very bleak indeed.

It feels good to admit my true feelings among friends.

It is very bleak indeed. The treatment of Helen Mary Jones was deplorable and we have written to Adam Price no reply, (quelle surprise). Please follow MC on FB and contribute to the discussions if you are able to, and on Twitter. You'll soon start to recognise the contributers on there and create some allegances. It's good to come together.

You aren't alone Dogmom. The Merched Cymru FB page is full of angry disenfranchised women discussing exactly that.

It does feel good to have company - but it also feels so depressing.

www.facebook.com/MerchedCymru
twitter @MerchedCymru

@MerchedCymru @Olderbadger1 ...never before in my life have I felt so comforted and supported by the company of women .
I've always preferred to avoid confrontation but I'm starting to feel my anger now - I'm even getting a bit shouty . I wonder what I could achieve if I really let rip .
, for all of us .

Yay Caged a couple more beers and I'll join you! Massed shouting from the hillsides...

For a bit of added drama I may spoil my ballot paper with a red thumb print (lipstick or felt-tip pen) .
Someone may ask the returning officer 'what's the significance of this then ?' and be told 'oh , it's a protest by a woman concerned about the loss of women's and girls' sex based rights and the threat to their privacy , dignity and safety . Let's phone the ONS and tell them' .

Loving the theatrics @Cagedbirdsinging!

I can't bring myself to spoil my paper, if this area went to the right it would be a car crash, so as incensed as I am, I'm going to play by the rules, this time!

I've seen some posts on FB where women have spoiled their papers by writing against the name /party of what would usually be their choice

Sex based rights matter /
Woman: Adult Human Female/
#sexnotgender
or some recognisable phrase. Candidates see the spoiled papers so it may make some inroads

If things don't improve next election I'll be tearing down signage for the voting station, disguised as a ninja and swearing badly. Not a good look for woman of a certain age, but there you go!

On the contrary Still, that image will cheer me through the day! Ninja sweary mums are us!

Here's the Sex in the Senedd report on candidate's replies to Merched Cymru's questions. Summary: they don't give a toss about women's rights.
merchedcymru.wales/2021/05/04/sex-in-the-senedd-what-the-candidates-said-or-didnt-say/?fbclid=IwAR1xD3Jj493G5q2tp1-wWfSmTqGODCmtRUqcEs7bkFzqpDT1-ca24bMbJdg

Who on earth can I vote for ?

Just found this thread -mae'n braf iawn i cwrdd â gymaint o menywod Cymreig but not under these circumstances by any means.

I'm preparing to spoil my vote in a red sharpie but want to write something that will be noted. Is that even a thing? My area is a strong labour seat.