I objected to gender ideology at work and now need support

[Hotfeetcoldfeet]

First post but been reading the feminist board for a while. I don’t have any GC support IRL and thought this would be a good place to find some hopefully.

I work in the public sector and have recently seen snippets of Diversity and Inclusion material which will soon be published and widely distributed to staff. I’ve raised concerns to the senior leader who has produced this material as it seems to uncritically put forward a gender ideology view, via language used (eg cis gender women) and resources positing gender ideology.

I’ve contacted them and said that I think that the material presents gender ideology uncritically, as fact, rather than presenting it as an opinion /belief. I’ve said that my GC views are protected by the Equalities Act and should be presented alongside gender ideology, in order to give balance. I’ve said I’m happy to share my GC views with them. Ultimately, I’m worried about gender ideology being accepted by staff in my workplace as fact. Pronouns in email signatures are creeping in and the person to whom I’ve objected has their pronouns stated. They’ve said they’ll raise my issue higher up the chain, which I’m seeing as positive.

I’m probably catastrophising but I’m worrying about putting my head above the parapet, as it’s not something I usually do. I would value any wise words you can give me, and also if there are any resources or anything anyone can think of that might help my case, I’d be hugely grateful. I’ll be reading about the issues in a more targeted way now, in order to be prepared if I get the chance to discuss my GC views further.

Thanks so much in advance

Wishing you well. Sorry I don't know anything useful, but I think you've been brave and I thank you for it.

thank you so much. I felt brave and very angry when I emailed them, but now just feel anxious!

Well done for speaking out Hotfeetcoldfeet
I'd get in touch with Sex Matters (Maya Forstater's organisation) in advance and take advice? One of their aims is to enable people to speak up:
sex-matters.org/

Remember you haven’t actually done anything wrong. They can’t legally discriminate against you for your beliefs. So keep your head up. Don’t discuss it further until they respond, and get as much as you can in writing.

Well done. I really admire what you’ve done.
it is a good idea to contact Sex Matters.

If I had a company I’d want written material within the company held to the highest standards. The content should be nuanced and balanced and the language exact rather than based in ideological terms.

Good luck, Hotfeetcoldfeet ^^

In addition to getting in touch with Sex Matters I'd join Free Speech Union £5 per month and they will give legal advice. They were helpful to Jenny Swale and Gillian Phillips. I understand the civil service unions are useless.

I thought the post on here a few weeks ago was very telling: organisations or individuals competing for contracts, funding or whatever getting extra points for diversity, but that 'diversity' can be simply achieved with no effort to actually reach out to other less represented groups or communities or doing things like making buildings more accessible to disabled people, but instead by doing the Stonewall tickbox pronouns/mixed sex toilets/removing words about women instead. And hey presto, 'diversity' is achieved, more points weighting to us, can we have that contract/commission/funding now?

Very brave to speak out so kudos. Is it possible to cast about to find others who share your concerns? They are probably there but like most of us fearful. Knowing you have already made your GC views known may give them the needed confidence to add their concerns or at least give you moral support.

Well done. Are you a teacher? (The use of senior leader made me think you were). I know the anxiety you're feeling and it's horrible, but you've absolutely done the right thing. I'm a teacher and I raised all this with the previous Head. Now totally new SLT and I'm working up the nerve to do it all again.

If you are a teacher. maybe look up the Safe Schools Alliance and Transgender Trend regarding The Cass Report, and social transitioning being encouraged by schools.

Fabulous ideas, thank you so much. It’s so good to have support from others with similar views and makes me feel bolder already, like I can do this rather than wishing I’d not said anything! I’m considering how I can seek out supporters within my organisation as I think that would be really helpful, and I’ll definitely contact Sex Matters….I didn’t realise that helping others speak out was one of their aims, so that’s really helpful and I’ll look into the Free Speech Union too. I’m in Criminal Justice not teaching btw.

Very well done for speaking up and out. I am sending you 🌻

Well done for standing up for the rights of others not to have to use compelled speech and to be able to consider ideas freely. You are supporting other people to do this, many of whom may be anxious about going against the zeitgeist.

Now, try to relax. You have raised an issue. It is perfectly reasonable, logical and in line with the thought process of many many people. Don't consider yourself a bad guy here. Try to be business as usual.

If there should be any comeback - your position is now legally supported and you are in good company.

Also celebrate your courage. In a culture in which many won't stand up for the rights of others to speak freely - you did. That is something extraordinary.

Well done, op. It shouldn't take courage to state the flippin' obvious but it does, and you have shown courage, so well done.

Sex Matters is a good shout. If you have a ReSisters branch nearby you could contact them for irl support.

Well done HotFeetColdFeet.
As an incurable speaker-outer I can promise you that at some point various people will come up and whisper in your ear "thank you for saying that".
Whispering thank you across the ether now.

I’m going to be one of those people right now.

Thank you for doing that!

By speaking up, you will have a positive impact on the women around you and those that follow after you. We need as many people as possible to speak up about this. Thank you.

Well done 👏
I've done it too. Got summoned by our EDI Head for a chat and was nervous (before Maya's judgement) but she was on-side and roped me into a consultation working group to ensure balance.

👏 well done, it takes courage to speak alternative views. I’m learning to speak my mind, esp on MN, there is a lot of backlash but the more you do it the easier it is to ignore the ignorant ppl.

This was an excellent outcome of speaking out!

You're not in the CPS by any chance? I've seen some of their material so I could well understand your concern if you worked there.

The fact you don't put your head above the parapet will give your words more value.

You are right, and you have the law on your side.

I’m feeling so brave now that I’m going to ask to do a presentation to our region on GC views and feminism as part of our D&I programme…whilst the national team decide what to do with what I’ve raised. Being backed on here has made me feel excited rather than scared so thanks so much!!!

WOW OP

Good for you.

Have you heard of Debbie Hayton? A transwomen who is GC. Find her on twitter and then look up some of her writing.

Honestly OP, I wouldn’t rush to do this. Lots of people on here will say it’s great and push you to do this: very easy to do from behind a screen when there is no comeback on them.

Raising the issues to your management is a good idea, but I think jumping straight in to a massive presentation really puts you out there.. it’s easy to get caught up in the atmosphere of this board but you have to protect yourself first.

Well done!

Are you confident that the person putting together this material will actually raise it with more senior staff, or will it conveniently slip their mind?