How to suss out other GC people in work

[JustcameoutGC]

I work in an organisation that is SWalled up the wazooo. I want to find other people in work who hold gender critical views, but not sure the best way to go about this. How do I do this safely? Thinking I might ask if they have any pets, like clownfish.

I’ve started wearing a WSPU “Votes for Women” lapel pin, but I’m a contractor, which is a different balance of risk and benefit to being a permanent employee.

Obviously the suffrage struggle is a perfectly legitimate historical interest to hold.

@toffeebutterpopcorn

I want one of those lanyards! Where can I get one?

I also have an annoying habit of wearing green trousers and a white top with my lovely lavender jacket. My running outfit is similar. I just can’t help myself.

@Mibbiesaye

One of my colleagues added 'Women's rights are human rights' to her email signature. That's one way of doing it!

That's an interesting idea, and could be a good way to follow up any Stonewalled training. Especially if people put variously 'Women's rights are human rights'; "Disabled people's rights are human rights"; "Nurses rights are human rights" "Muslim people's rights are human rights" "Gay rights are human rights" etc. The, if asked, say you thought we were all supposed to put something in our signature to support a particular group. This could leadto your potential amazement - "What??!! We were ALL supposed to choose "Trans rights are human rights"? Are you sure? No, they can't have meant that, that wouldn't be fair. . . "

Here we go. On your desk. People will rush to agree or to educate you. Sorts the goats from the sheep.

I have found a rather fancy beaded lanyard in the right colours. However - who is a reputable online site to buy from? I believe there have been... ‘ishoos’ with some banning pro female items/sellers but allowing paedophilic slogan T-shirts to stand.

Take some weetabix cake in.

Wtf is a weetabix cake? Is it literally a cake...made of weetabix? 🤢

@picklemewalnuts

Here we go. On your desk. People will rush to agree or to educate you. Sorts the goats from the sheep.

see not that long ago, I would have just thought you liked Harry Potter and I probably wouldn't have said anything, as HP is not my my cup of tea

@Ereshkigalangcleg

I think just tread very carefully, maybe bring up a topical news story in a faux innocent way.

I am currently doing this. I am part of a work initiative. Playing the long game.

Just talk about Harry Potter a lot?

@toffeebutterpopcorn

Wtf is a weetabix cake? Is it literally a cake...made of weetabix? 🤢

Indeed, I posted a recipe a couple of days back, it has raisins in as well. My DH, yet unbeknown, is going to be the tester. You have to soak the Weetabix first so I need to find time to follow it all through.

Don’t like raisins and weetabix plays havoc with my blood sugar. Are you trying to kill me? Violence! Literal murder! Murdurrrrrrr I say!

If it doesn't make you sick at the thought proclaim your love for wheatabix with hot milk and banana,

Sorry toffee did not mean to try and kill you by mentioning wheatabix.

I used to like Biobix but they stopped making it - lovely with prunes, nuts and (cold) milk.

@toffeebutterpopcorn

Don’t like raisins and weetabix plays havoc with my blood sugar. Are you trying to kill me? Violence! Literal murder! Murdurrrrrrr I say!

Yes there can only be one Toffee.

Mwahh

Ah I've gone really subtle. A scarf in the right colours, but flowers , also tartan scarf but dont wear it much.

www.redbubble.com/i/scarf/Mixed-Floral-Suffragette-Colours-by-STHogan/34592946.B15PI

@MellieBellie

I was on a college course last year with young women (aged 17-20) & I was expecting them to be very progressive. Turns out I was the most progressive when it came to gender, sexuality etc (I'm in my 30s). They were very accepting but quite clear around the difference between gender/sex & men/woman. This was an education/childhood course, so it was quite encouraging.

I also visit a gay forum occasionally and the posters are mostly men (I believe). I've found the majority on there have GC views. Same on a forum for black women. It was on that site that I saw my first post about GC feminism.

My boyfriend's friends have also been a surprise. They're typically blokey blokes, and when I started talking about my concerns, they all mentioned women's rights and medicalising children as their main worries. I actually felt bad for assuming that they wouldn't be interested or well informed.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we've been led to believe that only a small group of radical, mainly older feminists hold these views. This hasn't been my experience - especially in the real world. So, you may be surprised to find some unexpected support amongst your colleagues.

Id agree with this. I'm a young woman and I've started to be more open with my views (tentatively) and found a lot of unexpected allies such as male friends, my boss etc. It's reassuring for sure!

From personal experience:

Mention you're trans, wait for immediate mention of rapid onset gender dysphoria.

@WookeyHole This sounds very similar to my workplace and recent changes to disabled toilets! The changes have been made since lockdown. We now have male, female and inclusive toilet which has a little mashup of the male female and disabled symbols with another bit added, I'm guessing for non sexed/gender neutral? I wonder if we are colleagues.....

One of my friends went out and bought a newspaper (not something she normally does) when Karen White's photo was featured and made a point of arriving in the office when it was busy and slapping the paper down on the desk with a 'WTF's going on? Look at this rapist pretending to be a woman so he can get into a women's prison!'

The paper got passed around and almost all of her colleagues agreed it was appalling. If you can find something that is just totally unacceptable — rainbow dildo butt monkey, maybe — you could do the same, OP. Once people have started talking about it and realised that they're not the only person around with terven views, the spell is broken and people can discuss it. Just take a paper with a photo of rainbow dildo butt monkey and ask colleagues what they make of it.

I talk incessantly about women's issues. In every meeting. All the time.

Absolutely. I endorse the "take your Rainbow dildo butt monkey to work" approach.

Words I never thought I would type.

You probably won't even have to tell them where you stand, OP. They'll just be appalled and you can talk about paedophilia and breaking down children's and adults boundaries and get the conversation going and from there you can talk about men in women's prisons and hiding in plan sight and RSE and whatever takes your fancy.

I think every time I've started this conversation it's been a relief to somebody, even if they've only sidled up to me in private and said thank you.