Am I wrong to bring women’s rights into a council election

[Fancyfencepost]

Just had a visit from the local councillor asking for my vote. I said that I couldn’t vote for any party who didn’t support women. The response, “ this is about the council, not that, about bin collections and road repairs.” Think I might have thrown him a wee bit but surely he could have had a better answer?

It's also about changing rooms in sports centres, toilets, changing rooms and policies in schools. So the prospective Councillor is an idiot

They will also be responsible for local toilets, refuges, etc. If they knock on my door I will be asking them the same thing

I brought it up with my councillor. She's a great councillor but she's a LibDem. I brought up her party's policies on womens rights re gender and she looked totally deflated.

Also support for women's facilities such as refuges that they fund or provide premises to.
Street lighting for our safety, too.

He is, indeed, an idiot.

They would oversee local public facilities as well, though. Libraries, swimming pools, schools in the borough. Do they fund refuges and similar services? And, make rules that make women and children more vulnerable to actions by those inclined to take advantage of loopholes in or suspension of safeguarding in any of those facilities.

They approve funding for various projects. This can be skewed to disadvantage women or again towards projects which disadvantage women.

He doesn't give a fig about any of that, I presume. Doesn't affect him.

Thanks minsmum it is an existing councillor who I’ve voted for in the past and I was starting to doubt myself. All I said was I need a party that supported women, at which point he said this is a council election, and started going on about the state of the roads!

Ca t wait for them to knock at mine

Thanks all, it is the first time I’ve had the nerve to ask.

Yes, even elements of their planning policy. Is it a Local Development Plan? Women (and girls) are half the population. Boys (as children) will also be affected by any lack of care surrounding all these issues.

I was asked if I was voting Green in our local elections. I told the canvasser the I wasn't and explained why. She looked furious.

Thinking about it, am I less important than a pot hole or a bin collection? I wish I’d been quicker.

I’ve emailed my local candidates for the upcoming election, using the “Respect my Sex if you want my X” template, but adjusted it slightly making it more relevant by referencing my local facilities and schools.

I’ve had two excellent replies so far from Conservatives and Independent. No response as yet from Labour.

No, you are not wrong this absolutely matters to local issues. From the website if if you don't respect my sex you won't get my x.
women-uniting.co.uk/respectmysex/

Sorry that didn't work
Local elections are due on 5th May 2022. And local authorities are also adopting policies that deny the importance of sex. They are ignoring science and undermining language. They are spending thousands of pounds on training that misrepresents the law. In schools, single-sex facilities such as toilets and changing rooms are being replaced with ‘gender-neutral’ ones – which means mixed-sex. Boys who identify as girls are being allowed into girls’ sporting competitions. In public libraries, adult material such as ‘drag queen story time’ is being presented to children. In municipal sports facilities, women’s changing rooms are being opened up to members of the opposite sex on the basis of self-identification.

From now, until the 5th May, we need to send politicians a message. We will tell political parties, and the candidates and campaigners who knock on our doors, that sex matters. Women matter. Single-sex spaces matter. Female-only sporting events matter. Child safeguarding matters.
It tells you have to take action. I think Cambridge women are collecting the responses from local councillors.

Thanks, will go through the questions to ask so I’m more prepared for next time.

Also highly relevant to care, including old people's homes and at-home carers. There is very little said about dignity and safety in those situations and whether an elderly women or man should be able to be confident in the sex of their carer.

I used the Sex Matters letter to message all 5 of my local candidates. There are three independents and two Labour. I’ve had replies from two of the independents and one of the Labour candidates…all supporting women and with the Labour candidate directing me to the Labour Women’s Declaration.

Would it be bad form to post the reply here if anyone wanted to see it?

I asked my Labour councillor and he said that's not my area of expertise. He too is an idiot and won't get my vote

Irrelevant what he thinks you should care about. If you are saying, ‘What do you think about X’, and he won’t answer, you are more than entitled not to vote for him.

Many of the people who have caused the most damage in this area have done so by getting into minor positions of power.

It’s okay to ask, and okay to say no.

OP I'm going to steal your comment
Am I not more important than a bin ?
In fact I think I'll make a little list and leave it by the front door.

@PaleBlueMoonlight

Also highly relevant to care, including old people's homes and at-home carers. There is very little said about dignity and safety in those situations and whether an elderly women or man should be able to be confident in the sex of their carer.

Yes that should be on the list too.

@Fancyfencepost

Thinking about it, am I less important than a pot hole or a bin collection? I wish I’d been quicker.

Beautifully put! I always raise the issue of women's rights with political canvassers. It's as relevant locally as nationally. But I've never had such a good question. Now I can't wait to ask the next person who asks for my vote Am I less important than a pot hole or a bin collection?

I might take that answer from an independent candidate. Anyone standing under the banner of one of the political parties must be able to explain on behalf of those parties; they are representing them.

@Fancyfencepost

Thanks all, it is the first time I’ve had the nerve to ask.

Well done for asking. This is what makes the difference.

Thanks for this. We never seem to get canvassed so don't get a chance to talk to candidates. I've used the template to email one of them, but the other two don't appear to have email contact details.