Amnesty International Statement on FiLiA

[OhHolyJesus]

"Amnesty International UK did not organise any protests at the FiLiA conference in Portsmouth which took place on 16 and 17 October 2021.
We have a long history of campaigning against violence against women and this continues to be a vital part of our work.

We are equally committed to campaigning for the rights of transgender people to live freely, authentically, and openly, and to have their gender legally recognised without having to go through a dehumanising, long and costly procedure.

Amnesty International has clear guidelines on how we campaign. We will only support protests by any individuals, groups or communities which are in line with Amnesty’s core values, including not using or advocating violence, hatred or discrimination while protesting; and that the protests themselves should be consistent with international human rights law and standards.

We were approached by the organisers of a Fly the Flag event in Portsmouth at the weekend, who requested that we supply materials which reflect Amnesty International UK’s campaigning positions on the LGBTQ human rights.

Two sets of placards were sent. One set of signs stated the slogan “I AM WHO I SAY I AM: Amnesty International”. The second set of signs stated the slogan “LOVE IS A HUMAN RIGHT: Amnesty International”. The organiser of the Fly the Flag event stated that their protest would be respectful and celebratory and that she would seek dialogue with delegates to the conference. We were happy to support the Fly the Flag event in this way.
However, the event was not an official Amnesty International UK event and a sign that was displayed describing this as an official Amnesty International UK protest event was incorrect.

We have investigated events from the weekend. There were several separate groups holding events and protests outside the Guildhall in Portsmouth. Our understanding remains the case that the Fly the Flag Event was respectful and appropriate and was not connected with the threatening and aggressive language and images that were present in other parts of Guildhall Square that weekend. Photographs of the threatening and aggressive language and images displayed by other protestors present at the Guildhall have been shared with us and we are shocked by it.

We recognise that the FiLiA conference was attended by a number of women who have been the victims of violence and harassment. Amnesty International UK believes there should have been absolutely no place for the use of any threatening or aggressive language or imagery towards any of the attendees of that conference, or indeed towards any women."

www.amnesty.org.uk/statement-section-following-portsmouth-conference-october-2021

Yes, it is strange. If they objected to the views on gender that might be expressed it's hard to see how that particular sign is very relevant. The only reading seems to be, you are a bigot for not having sex with transwomen, but to send that how out of touch would you have to be?

I suspect they didn't know. I suspect that Steph told them that they were going to protest a gathering of transphobes, and amnesty didn't enquire further.

At this point it’s difficult to believe that employees of amnesty haven’t noticed the arguments being by people like Kathleen Stock . They might not agree with them, but I don’t think an organisation like Amnesty can claim to be oblivious, given that they have taken the decision to be actively involved.

I'm not sure I agree ItsAllGoingToBeFine. Amnesty have openly taken a side against women and women's rights. I'd bet they knew about FILIA and decided to support those trying to silence women.
The fact that the conference covered rape, DV, abuse would simply have added to their excitement at silencing women. The seedy inappropriate nature of the placards confirms this.

Actually, sorry, I’m just remembering the mess they got into over whether they should describe Alexei Navalny as a prisoner of conscience.

Of course they don’t have the organisational capacity to think this through.

Amnesty have been campaigning against women's rights for a while now. From its sex trade policy, to calling for women to lose political representation, to protesting FiLiA. It's a far cry from the great organisation it once was.

Amnesty International UK believes there should have been absolutely no place for the use of any threatening or aggressive language or imagery towards any of the attendees of that conference, or indeed towards any women."

But it's fine to taunt those same women with "I AM WHO I SAY I AM" placards. So sensitive, after Sarah Everard believed a man who said he was arresting her for breaking covid regulations, and there's already been at least one attempt at a copycat kidnapping.

And children: you mustn't be suspicious of a man saying your parents sent him to pick you up. No, no -- HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS.

Jesus wept.

Amnesty is actively working to break down women's and children's justified cautiousness towards potential predators.

How do they justify this?

Oh yes, of course. Because "LOVE IS A HUMAN RIGHT". Let's trigger every woman who's been raped or beaten up by a man whining that he loves her. Remember: it's his human right.

The workforce at the top of most of the big, serious income charities is about as peculiar, insular and incestuous as those at the top of the big political parties. There is a lot of busy work on high paid salaries more than a serious grassroots connection and grip on the reality of the work on the ground, the thinking is the classic extreme end liberal elite and people who land jobs are people who think right and like everyone else in that group so there's again a huge distance between the group all reinforcing each other and the average person in the street. There's a lot of networking with other similar people in similar jobs doing lots of busy paperwork and bids and marketing all of whom think alike, and periodically the top bods all swap jobs.

Hence the head of stonewall becomes the head of x charity and the head of x charity becomes chair of y charity.... musical chairs.

It's ivory towers.

@merrymouse

I suspect they didn't know. I suspect that Steph told them that they were going to protest a gathering of transphobes, and amnesty didn't enquire further.

At this point it’s difficult to believe that employees of amnesty haven’t noticed the arguments being by people like Kathleen Stock . They might not agree with them, but I don’t think an organisation like Amnesty can claim to be oblivious, given that they have taken the decision to be actively involved.

I’m not convinced anyone can claim to not know at this point.

People would have to never read or watch or listen to the news ever, never use social media ever, never read about things that affect them and their families, like schools or healthcare, and never discuss what’s going on with the world if friends or family bring it up.

I can’t believe the vast majority can’t be at least aware of the conflict between gender ideology and women’s rights by this point, let alone amnesty.

I think amnesty have totally lost the plot in the last few years.

The ?draft thing in Ireland that positioned sex as a human right.

Quite similar to love is a human right just noticed that.

Loads and loads of complaints to amnesty who put out a statement a fair while later if my memory is ok. Saying no no not our policy. The gap between complaints and statement caused them reputational damage imo.

Now this. The fly the flag thing is a crap excuse.

It was a feminist conference that's been going on for years. The basis of the protest was that FILIA haven't publically supported gra reform I think it said.

It's a feminist conference FFS. Gra is of no relevance. It's about women and girls and all the shit they face around the world.

They were protested because they haven't said something on a different topic? I mean for fucks sake that's ridiculous.

Are they protesting all other events that don't make a statement on this? Or just women, Feminists? I think we know the answer...

As for human rights. Another word misused overused, and the meaning weakened.

No love is not a human right.
Nor is sex.

Has everyone forgotten the declaration of Human rights?!

www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

Note this article :

'Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.'

@merrymouse

Actually, sorry, I’m just remembering the mess they got into over whether they should describe Alexei Navalny as a prisoner of conscience.

Of course they don’t have the organisational capacity to think this through.

I didn't know about this and just googled.

What were they thinking?! People have a right to political opposition, just so long as we approve of their views!

Yes they really fucked up with that.

Shocking behaviour.

"I think amnesty have totally lost the plot in the last few years."

Well Stonewall did, what could prevent amnesty from going down the same road? Nothing really. OK, morals, spine, integrity could; but they're all missing.

I came across a great quote recently -

“Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”
— Eric Hoffer

Stonewall and Amnesty were set up for great causes. We have lived through them inspiring great movements. With time they became businesses with lots of salaries to pay. BIG salaries for those at the top. And a set of revolving doors as CEOs move between the charities so that there's effectively a bit of a clique going on there. Have they degenerated into rackets? Well, when they no longer seem to serve the original cause, you have to wonder. A lot of these big businesses charities are running on the goodwill generated by past deeds. But as people wake up to what they are doing now, they start to falter. People cancel standing orders, volunteers drop away. Businesses go out of business when customers stop buying their product. I think that may well be what these business-fied charities are starting to realise. And I think some of them, the ones who no longer work for their original great cause, deserve to do so.

They were protested because they haven't said something on a different topic? Absolutely this. Not only is it crazy that there was a protest. But quite another that Amnesty would support/lend their name/front up the protest ‘about not saying something’ and not the conference about women’s rights around the world.

I want to support the rights of Women and Girls internationally, especially with the horrific news coming out of Afghanistan (trigger warning - volleyball). Is there an organisation with integrity I can set up a regular donation to?

@PamDenick

I want to support the rights of Women and Girls internationally, especially with the horrific news coming out of Afghanistan (trigger warning - volleyball). Is there an organisation with integrity I can set up a regular donation to?

FiLia might be such an organisation.

I started a £5 monthly donation (£5.61 sith Gift Aid) only this weekend.

Good idea. I admit I had no idea who FiLia was until the Amnesty / trans protect. I’ve been out of the picture for quite a while. Having stopped my membership of Amnesty I would like another organisation too, and perhaps a woman’s one such as FiLia is more of benefit now that they are clearly not supported by Amnesty.

FiLiA is fantastic if you are wanting an organisation that addresses a wide array of topics affecting women's rights. Their podcasts and blogs are great. All on their website: filia.org.uk

Thanks. Will try and set up my DD very soon (direct debit! Not daughter!!) xxx

@NCBlossom

They were protested because they haven't said something on a different topic? Absolutely this. Not only is it crazy that there was a protest. But quite another that Amnesty would support/lend their name/front up the protest ‘about not saying something’ and not the conference about women’s rights around the world.

But - this is a meeting of people talking about their political rights.

Let's imagine, just for the sake of argument, they were people who were totally misunderstanding reality or maybe even weren't very nice.

Should Amnesty International, the group that made it's name around allowing political dissent, even then be involved in stopping them from having a meeting?

Astonishing that Amnesty can argue that there is no evidence of any threat to women or women's rights from trans inclusion whilst simultaneously condemning threatening behaviour towards women from TRAs at this event. Have they declared an amnesty on critical thinking in their organisation?

@Crankyoldboiler

Astonishing that Amnesty can argue that there is no evidence of any threat to women or women's rights from trans inclusion whilst simultaneously condemning threatening behaviour towards women from TRAs at this event. Have they declared an amnesty on critical thinking in their organisation?

I think what they mean by this is that women don’t need specific rights.

Filia have issued a statement on their conference and the protest with Amnesty involvement:

filia.org.uk/latest-news/2021/10/26/filia-statement-on-amnesty-international-uk?fbclid=IwAR0dxA2P3EzyRFIQj4W3bbpeGH9HFYBhKZ2YMOmbno8YlfP5b9-en1k-2Yk

Lisa Marie and the whole FiLiA team are fearless, amazing women. That statement is dynamite but also so respectful and gracious in the face of abuse and threats of violence. Power to you, brava team FiLiA 💪🏼💚🤍💜

I've reprinted FiLia's statement below, found at FiLiA Statement on Amnesty International UK

Our feminist conference this past October 16-17th in Portsmouth attracted over 1,100 people interested in the women’s liberation movement. Our overwhelmingly female attendees were keen to learn about a range of issues such as male violence against women, the abuse of black women in employment, disability issues, religious fundamentalism, the political participation of migrant women, maternity matters, the importance of lesbian spaces and environmentalism.

Some of our panels focused on sex-based rights and featured a range of feminist speakers from all around the world. These panels emphasised the negative impact that the authoritarian imposition of “gender identity” policies (or sex self-identification) is having on single-sex services, femicide data, children’s development and the rights of women in prison.

Poignantly, during our FiLiA 2021 Conference, we held a Feminist Vigil at the Town Hall Square to commemorate the lives of women and girls killed by men. We shared our mourning, our anger and our outrage at the seemingly never-ending stream of abuse and violence women are subjected to. Women from Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, the UK and Pakistan (among others) spoke movingly in remembrance of their sisters whose lives have been violently taken by men.

At the entrance of our Portsmouth Guildhall venue, women and their children were greeted by sexually abusive signs held by protestors claiming, in part, to represent Amnesty International UK. Transactivist protesters chanted “Trans women are women”, “Blow jobs are real jobs” and “No TERFs in Pompey Turf.” They held signs that read “Suck my dick, you transphobic cunts” and wrote with chalk “Transphobes can suck on my pink strap” on the Guildhall entrance.

At the Femicide Vigil, women and children had to stand on those messages while we mourned our sisters.

Protesters also held signs stating: “I AM WHO I SAY I AM: Amnesty International” and “LOVE IS A HUMAN RIGHT: Amnesty International”.

A week after our FiLiA Conference in Portsmouth, Amnesty International issued a statement distancing themselves from the protest but admitted to providing materials to the organisers. They conceded that “threatening and aggressive language” was used against the women and children attending our FiLiA 2021 conference and claimed to be shocked by this.

We are pleased that Amnesty International draws a line on sexually abusive and threatening intimidation by protesters who organise under their name and felt compelled to issue a public statement about it. However, we reject the organisations attempts to distance themselves from the toxic climate of abuse and intimidation feminists have been forced to endure and Amnesty International has helped create.

The statement “I AM WHO I SAY I AM” is a supremacist mantra. Around the UK and worldwide, transactivists have used this slogan to unceremoniously dismiss the legitimate concerns of feminists who defend their sex-based rights. The statement “I AM WHO I SAY I AM” is incompatible with a democratic society in which everybody’s human rights are balanced and respected. The statement “I AM WHO I SAY I AM” is an insult to the women and girls whose voices, lives and experiences are systemically invisibilised in a patriarchal society.

While transactivist campaigners, including Amnesty International, have every right to demand changes in public policy, they do not get to unilaterally impose their desires on the rest of the population as if their wishes represented the law. In the UK, everybody has rights based on sex (including the right to single-sex services and spaces) so the intonation “I AM WHO I SAY I AM” encourages transactivists to violate women’s personal boundaries and legal protections.

We call on Amnesty International to withdraw this totalitarian mantra from their official materials and to publicly acknowledge that, when it comes to women’s rights and trans rights, there are competing human rights that must be balanced wisely and democratically.

We are publicly requesting a meeting between our organisations so we can discuss this matter further.

We also invite the leadership of Amnesty International UK to attend our FiLiA 2022 Conference in Cardiff so they can personally engage in dialogue with the global range of feminist speakers who make our annual women’s liberation gathering possible.

Thanks for posting that secular. A good stand.