Joanna Cherry in parliament on IWD

[DomesticatedZombie]

She's a star and thought this speech deserved its own thread.

Kimiko just because you disagree with her doesn't make her 'deranged'! .

She sued the government and won - she is undoubtedly a very clever woman!

She is magnificent. Felt like cheering from behind my screen to hear this speech, and so welcomed the public championing of Maya Forstater and Kathleen Stock. The hounding of Stock to her resignation was to me one of the lowest points I've seen in my lifetime for women's rights and the (already extremely precarious) future of the UK higher education system. Our universities are a mess. Sexual harassment is rife and endemic; I know few female academics without a variation on this theme to speak of. The sex pay gap is far too wide. And it chews up and spits out committed, impassioned lesbian academics if it doesn't happen to like the direction of your research.

These people give their all - their professional lives - to their research and their students. It's a bitter pill to swallow when you realise the system doesn't love you back.

The only comfort is the slow turning of the tide. I can only hope Joanna Cherry is right about this, but as far as universities are concerned I'm not optimistic.

Bit of a derail, but he is Virginia Bottomley's husband. Virginia Bottomley was a health minister in Major's cabinet and was always staunchly pro- choice. What is interesting is that before they married Virginia was pregnant and then a mother, aged 19 at Essex University.

The pregnancy clearly didn't hinder either career but it's the sort of situation that can make people anti- choice (the "wasn't a problem for me" mindset) rather than being empathetic to others.

Bit of a derail, but Virginia Bottomley used to be my MP (before I was old enough to vote) and her name is an anagram of "I'm an evil Tory bigot". Which is funny even if she hasn't necessarily done anything to deserve that name.

I agree with a PP that this issue is driving women towards the right.

I am being forced to contemplate voting Tory for the first time. My MP is Jeremy Hunt (who is also Virginia Bottomley's cousin!) and I used to think he is awful, but you know... everything's relative isn't it?

'I am an evil Tory bigot' is inspired!

I also love 'Ratchet ah rat germ' for Margaret Thatcher and (although it's not a complete anagram) 'Hat 'et rat meat'.

That's because I'm very childish

@waterlego

Mine too *@CandyLeBonBon*. I’ve never been a fan but he’s just gone up in my estimations!

Same!

Soz - HAG 'et rat meat. Without the hag it loses impetus somewhat ...

Fantastic speech. Have sent to my #bekind 16 year old DD in the hope that she will watch it.
Vain hope but I can try.

@DomesticatedZombie

Kimiko just because you disagree with her doesn't make her 'deranged'! .

She sued the government and won - she is undoubtedly a very clever woman!

I think separatism is deranged. I can't take anyone who supports it seriously.

Who was the woman behind her playing with her phone? So rude.

Thankyou for starting this thread. Joanna Cherry is an inspired and inspirational speaker. So good to read the positive comments below the you tube video, one stood out for me

“If we can’t protect the many, we can’t protect the few.”

Something TRA supporters should remember.