Sex Matters mail shot of Helen Joyce book Trans

MadameKali · 05/10/2021 07:04

I'm about to follow up my copy with an email to my MP. Given the shitshow that was the Labour conference and he's very much a party man, I'll be very interested to hear his response.

ChattyLion · 05/10/2021 07:21

Brilliant strategy by Sex Matters. We have to start with informing MPs of the issues to get better legislation around women’s and children’s rights.
Have SM suggested how they think we should best follow up to support them? Writing to our MPs asking them to read it? Surgery appointment to discuss? Constituents’ women’s book group inviting the MP as a guest to hear comments?

Rule of thumb used to be that MPs take account of written communications (email or letter) and phone calls and see those as a barometer of local opinion, but less so petition signatures and tweets … anyone in politics on here know if that is still the case?

WarriorN · 05/10/2021 07:26

Wonderful!

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 05/10/2021 07:33

I followed mine up with an email and got a very positive response from his sidekick. He is a Tory, but his stance has definitely shifted in the last 4 or 5 years (from 'let's just all be kind!' to 'WTAF?')

Wrongsideofhistorymyarse · 05/10/2021 08:19

I had a copy sent to our CEO. I hope he reads it

Original poster

HummingBeeBox · 05/10/2021 08:20

Yes I think based on the comments underneath the Twitter post they are encouraging people to follow up with an email which is what I will be doing.

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ChattyLion · 05/10/2021 11:36

Thanks I will do that too then Hummingbird
I’ll let Sex Matters know what the reply is as I guess they’ll want to know how it’s been received.

Original poster

HummingBeeBox · 05/10/2021 23:58

@ChattyLion ah yes that's a great idea too, thanks.

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vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 06/10/2021 00:13

excellent

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/10/2021 05:41

@HummingBeeBox

Just seen that Sex Matters have sent a copy of Trans to every Westminster MP, every MSP in Holyrood, every MS in Cardiff.

I love this.

How many do we think will
a) read it?
b) be brave enough to say they agree?

TBH I probably wouldn't read an unsolicited book sent by an organisation with a clear agenda.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/10/2021 05:48

I mean, I've read Trans and thought it was great. And I agree with Sex Matters' position. But putting myself in the position of the recipient, I think it would feel like a presumptuous and possibly manipulative imposition. Reading a book is a significant time investment for a busy person.

Original poster

HummingBeeBox · 06/10/2021 07:56

@ClumpingBambooIsALie yes possibly, but hopefully as she has appeared with the Conservatives recently it will give them cause to read it, and Labour to read it so they can prepare a clearer counter argument (of which there isn't one). Even if they don't read it maybe it will make them realise they are fighting a losing battle.

It all helps chip away, even if they leave it lying round the house and someone else reads it, or they send it to the charity shop. You never know.

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Original poster

HummingBeeBox · 06/10/2021 07:57

@ClumpingBambooIsALie agree about the time investment. It may push them to think as they don't have time to read it, they may look her up, listen to her. She's incredibly articulate in podcasts so wouldn't hurt for them to just do that.

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RoyalCorgi · 06/10/2021 08:00

Reading a book is a significant time investment for a busy person.

I find this slightly depressing. I'm busy, but I make time to read. Whenever the newspapers do their round-up of books Important People are reading during the year, they always include politicians, which suggests that some of them at least are reading. I want the people running the country to be well-read.

Original poster

HummingBeeBox · 06/10/2021 08:01

@RoyalCorgi I would hope they would at least have a go at it.

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Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/10/2021 08:06

I would think some will read it and some won't. It's a Sunday Times bestseller with great reviews.

Masdintle · 06/10/2021 08:10

Perhaps they'll give it to their staff to read and provide a synopsis. Unfortunately all the ministers' staff I've met are rather woke and pronoun-bedecked. And croaky. What is it with everyone croaking these days? So hard to listen to if your hearing isn't perfect, especially in a video call

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/10/2021 08:32

@RoyalCorgi

Reading a book is a significant time investment for a busy person.

I find this slightly depressing. I'm busy, but I make time to read. Whenever the newspapers do their round-up of books Important People are reading during the year, they always include politicians, which suggests that some of them at least are reading. I want the people running the country to be well-read.

Sure, but five hours spent reading book A that's been sent to you by someone who wants to persuade you of something is five hours that could equally have been spent reading book B that you chose yourself.

I do get what they're trying to do, and see that it can be a useful way of opening up the topic, but I think most copies won't be more than flicked through by the recipients. Not that it's not worth doing, I just want to be realistic about it and the ways it might backfire.

lanadelgrey · 06/10/2021 09:20

Not recent but about five years ago I did know that Lab MPs had a database where they recorded subject matter of relevant correspondence ie stuff that MPs could deal with rather than bins and parking fines. It was input to give an idea of what were common issues/discussion points and to see patterns.
I was thinking that even if most MPs or their offices don’t read unsolicited books there may still be a net gain via donations to charity shops/the local fete

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/10/2021 09:25

I don't think it will backfire. I think it sends an important message, whether people read them or not. This isn't some green ink pamphlet, it's a respected journalist and a Sunday Times bestseller.

Warmduscher · 06/10/2021 09:31

Reading a book is a significant time investment for a busy person.

So I’m guessing all those books on bookshelves in video interviews with MPs on the news are all there for show?

Shedbuilder · 06/10/2021 09:33

@HummingBeeBox

Just seen that Sex Matters have sent a copy of Trans to every Westminster MP, every MSP in Holyrood, every MS in Cardiff.

I love this.

How many do we think will
a) read it?
b) be brave enough to say they agree?

This means that my MP got two copies, because my partner and I sent him one in the first few days and urged him to read it so that we could have an informed and productive conversation with him. He played the 'no time to read' number and we said this was a massive and complicated issue and if he didn't get his head around it now it would come back to bite him big-time later. I hope the Lammy fiasco and other Labour conference-related issues will have encouraged him to read it.

Warmduscher · 06/10/2021 09:34

My MP is quoted here. I doubt he’d read it. He certainly wouldn’t answer my question about whether he agrees biological males should be placed in women’s prisons, even though I asked him twice.

Sex Matters mail shot of Helen Joyce book Trans

ChattyLion · 06/10/2021 09:41

It’s not ‘manipulative’ to lobby your MP with factual information from a point of view thats seldom heard. It’s just politics and sending information is a very respectable standard political practice at that.
Either that, or every constituents or charities or companies who raises their issues with their MPs are just ‘being manipulative’? Parliamentary politics and constituency politics only works through MPs hearing from all sides. It’s a political failure if they don’t.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/10/2021 10:01

Yeah maybe "manipulative" is the wrong word. Demanding, perhaps. Politicians can't be expected to devote the time it would take read a full-length book from every campaign group that wants to convince them of something. They have a lot of other stuff to do as well.