Global Butterflies

[KnickerlessParsons]

It's been a long time coming, but I've been summonsed invited to a workplace education session run by Global Butterflies which will explain

• what "trans" and "non binary" mean
• what "gender identity" and "non-binary" mean
• what makes a behaviour transphobic
• what we're not allowed to say
• how to communicate with trans and non-binary people, and when to use their pronouns

So, what do we know about Global Butterflies? Their website doesn't give me much hope for a balanced presentation. :(
globalbutterflies.com/

There is an awful lot of covid going around - maybe you’re too unwell to attend but they could send you the slides?

Sorry I didn’t answer your question but that sounds insufferable and dystopian - especially ‘what we are not allowed to say’ - allowed? Ffs.

Could you contact management and ask them for advance information so that you can have a clear idea what the training is about. Start preparing your 'I'm a bit confused, could you define exactly what non-binary is, please?'-type questions. Find a co-conspirator and enjoy tying them up in knots.

Doesn't it just.

I paraphrased - what the bullet actually says is Highlight what are transphobic behaviours (inc. demonstration videos) and what to never say.

That doesn't make it sound much better though.

I've replied with a "tentative" - not sure if I'll be able to keep my feelings to myself to the extent that I don't get myself sacked if I do attend.

I dread this day. I need my job but I would spend the whole session doing Elizabeth Moss’s ‘angry’ face in the Handmaid’s Tale struggling not to explode at the utter farce and travesty of it all.

which will explain
what "trans" and "non binary" mean

Bet you my Blue Peter badge they don't.
Not properly. If they say there are sexes and genders that align or don't align please could you ask them to set out the aligning pairs?

Global Butterflies are the go to provider for law firms on this stuff. They were involved in creating the guide to gender neutral drafting used by the Government Legal Department and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel which drafts primary legislation. The guide makes it clear that government legal services accept the arguments of gender ideology. As Global Butterflies says in the intro, "because the next generation of the workforce no longer see gender as binary".

www.interlawdiversityforum.org/guide-to-gender-neutral-drafting

The sex matters website has information on this problem, sex-matters.org/your-rights-at-work/.

sex-matters.org/take-action/send-trans-book/
you can also send your managers a copy of this book.

I did it anonymously

It will be typically entrenched. Rachel will tell the story of transition. The bit that really pissed me off was when Rachel decided to start transition Rachel couldn't get a job so reverted back to male to get a job.

It was all about Rachel who has had the privilege of lots of surgery. Rachel's girlfriend is also a transwoman and they call themselves lesbians.

Rachel is ex army which I found funny but wasn't keen on my question about most of the women I know fitting the definition of non binary and my follow up question to the answer was dismissed.
Full of the usual we just want to pee and misrepresentation of the law here.
I went out of interest but and it made more determined to ensure women were listened to at work.
Go, listen take notes and go back afterwards to management with that was interesting but....

There’ll be some statistics and all the usual no evidence of harm stuff. You’ll probably get to see the genderbread person.

You’ll have the pleasure of listening to Rachel tell you how much plastic surgery Rachel had to have (270 hours of electrolysis). Rachel will then slag off JKR and say the BBC and the Guardian are terribly transphobic, that Ben Cohen is a good reporter and that the good law project is great.

Rachel will also tell you that Rachel will use whatever toilets that Rachel wants to use.

My experience was that it was basically a monologue with slides. There was no opportunity for discussion and I doubt that any attempts would have been well-received. I went along because I was interested to see what my workplace was promoting.

Can you be aggressively pro-trans?

I.e. "It's disgraceful that there isn't separate provision for trans people to go to the toilet in dignity, privacy and safety! I support your campaign for third spaces for trans people"

Or just ask "What if I don't want to use toilets that are used by male-bodied people who don't sit to pee but stand up for physical reasons?"

I've read our policy for trans staff members today and while I can ask questions, there is nothing saying that my right to toilet provision with other females has been removed, because a man has declared a gender identity of female.

I don’t take any notice of people who split infinitives.

The name Global Butterflies is so nauseatingly twee it makes me want to gnaw my own hand off with the cringe.

I'd love to know what their definitions of gender, gender identity and non-binary are.

Do you think you'd be able to ask questions if questions are allowed? I can understand that you might not want to draw attention in that way.

Do you think you'd be able to ask your management when the disability training is, to learn how to improve interactions with disabled colleagues and clients? And when there will be similar training for other aspects covered by the equality act, like race or religion?

You’ll have the pleasure of listening to Rachel tell you how much plastic surgery Rachel had to have (270 hours of electrolysis)

Why - did they think there is some link between gender identity and the physical body? I hope they educated themselves since then.

I would go.

I wouldn't say anything, but I'd openly take pics of every slide.

I would think you'd be told not to take photos as the content is copyrighted. Unfortunately.

Our company has issued us a video course produced by GB - I expect it's similar content. You might notice how many of the "aggressors" in their video of role-plays are women and how many are men. It's very loaded.

You should go and like all good training courses they will likely ask for feedback so you can add all your points.

Isn't it! It put me off before I fully realised what thr training was about.

Do you think you'd be able to ask your management when the disability training is, to learn how to improve interactions with disabled colleagues and clients? And when there will be similar training for other aspects covered by the equality act, like race or religion?

We've also been scheduled in for a disability awareness session, a session on how to support neurodiverse people and one on supporting "people" going through the menopause or who have dementia (interesting that those two have been lumped together!).

I declined that last one as being "of a certain age" I have been through the menopause and have supported relatives through dementia and could probably deliver the training better myself. Will be interesting to see if my decline is commented on.

I'd aim to go and keep my mouth shut, but my eyes wide open.

I think the time for faux innocent 'I'm confused' questions is several years past now, if it ever existed. I'd do the presenter the honour of being sincere, if I really had to say anything.

By the sound of it, it is the unquestionable 'personal story' narrative turned magically into policy by being unquestionable.

270 hours of electrolysis sounds like more money than I earn in a year tbh. But everyone needs a hobby.

I'd say the non binary bit is kind of tagged on and there wasn't much depth. Im guessing it was tagged on to make GB sound more up to date.

Previous thread here www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4571251-given-that-global-butterflies-is-in-the-news-bbc-breaching-impartiality-this-article-about-who-they-are-and-their-stated-mission-is-a-must-read?reply=117960166