‘They've got an absolute army of women behind them’

[zanahoria]

This study argues that a new women's cooperative constellation has been established in Scotland around the issue of the Scottish Government's proposed reforms of the Gender Recognition Act. This constellation includes women politicians, researchers, journalists, writers, and activists from all sides of mainstream political opinion in Scotland. The constellation works together to support its politician members, share information and form a supportive community. The constellation acts together to show support for those in the public eye, such as politicians or members being publicly attacked, to make them aware they have ‘an army of women behind them

www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/scot.2022.0394

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/14/army-women-mobilised-fight-nicola-sturgeons-transgender-reforms1/

One said she had not initially realised that the position being put forward was that "trans women are literally women".

Indeed. You've got to hand it to a patriarchal society that can say such idiocy and people feel compelled to accept it.

The study is based on 18 interviews and while I believe the issue is beginning to reach the public, the claim of an army of women ( I wish!) is from one of those interviewed and may require further evidence in the form of polls and surveys. I am trying to anticipate the TRA reaction. I am pretty GC myself but the institutional capture is so pervasive, that an actual army of women will still have to fight a very long battle to return to sanity.

Mainstream feminist organisations are by and large against GC. There is no turn around until these organisations find their back bone.

Hopefully pointing out how women are threatened for speaking out, and how other women are reliant on toeing the party line for their funding, will go some way to exposing the pressure women under to shoot them selves in the foot.

Interviewees insisted their identities were kept secret due to fears of a backlash, with some reporting that trans activists had attempted to get them sacked for speaking out previously.

However, established feminist groups in Scotland, such as Engender, Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid, have backed reform. The groups are reliant on the Scottish Government for their funding.

The article isn't exactly subtle.

This was also in the Telegraph this week, and relates perhaps (??) to the mobilisation of groups? Maybe, but it seems to be a related development:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/13/new-trans-laws-scotland-could-open-loophole-rest-uk/

A controversial relaxation of trans laws in Scotland may be unconstitutionall_ because it will allow other UK citizens to "self-declare" their own gender by crossing the border, campaigners have warned.
Fair Play for Women said the SNP plans would open up a clear "loophole" which would allow people from England, Wales and Northern Ireland to obtain a legal change in gender under the Scottish system before demanding a new birth certificate in their home countries.
Nicola Williams, the group's director, said that in a recent meeting with Shona Robison, the SNP minister tasked with pushing the plans through Holyrood, officials gave incorrect informationn_ when attempting to dismiss her concerns.
She accused SNP ministers of “acting well beyond their devolved powers”, adding: "Alarm bells should be ringing at Westminster."

Sarah Pederson wrote the book about mumsnet's politisation, didn't she?

Good article.

We are completely unpolled and unmeasured. The politicians have not got a handle on who and where we are at all. Which is not great as, we are legion.

I think, ultimately, any movement (no matter how well funded) that relies on women not talking to each other to succeed is doomed to eventually fail.

Previous thread on this, with Sarah Pedersen commenting: 'they've got an absolute army behind them' - women's cooperative constellation in Scotland www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4478528-theyve-got-an-absolute-army-behind-them-womens-cooperative-constellation-in-Scotland

@namitynamechange

I think, ultimately, any movement (no matter how well funded) that relies on women not talking to each other to succeed is doomed to eventually fail.

Well quite.

There's a lot to do over the coming months, so get in touch with any local groups near you.

If you're in Scotland and on Twitter, contact the Scottish network of feminists to find your local group.
twitter.com/Scot_Feminists

Sign up to For Women Scotland's newsletter if you haven't already.

If you're in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and use Twitter, then get in touch with the Women's Rights Network to find a local group. I think they also have groups in Scotland.

mobile.twitter.com/WomensRightsNet

This issue affects the rest of the UK and not just Scotland. We will have to work together.

You can also email the women's rights network on [email protected]

They can put you in touch with a local group