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/

I was just going to ask about the NB side @FemaleAndLearning. I assume they get a further range of speakers in? Rachel and Emma seem v binary. Also I assume it's a different Emma who does the bit on being a trans person going through the menopause at work.

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

It's the "keeping my mouth shut* bit that I'm concerned about. I'm not sure I could.

I was the same. I'd already had a run in with HR so thought I'm not going to ask what a woman is which is why I went for the non binary question, plus I could tell it was an add on and Rachel wasn't really interested in it. If you get chance to ask questions go for it!

Would you feel brave enough to investigate with your L & D department prior to the session (if it's a big enough org to have such a dept who've organised this, or with whoever has) to flag with them that

• they need to consider within Equality Act, etc, the need to recognise a plurality of beliefs?
• That not all people subscribe to the same beliefs around gender.
• That your concerns are supporting the organisation to ensure they don't put themselves at risk of discriminating against those who don't hold the belief in gender identity?

Rachel's bio is concerning in itself: Rachel later moved into the legal sector after retraining as a lawyer. She passed The Law Society Solicitors Final Exams in the 90s. During this time she was diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria, and later while she was working at The College of Law, she transitioned her gender expression from male to female;

Given 'gender expression' is being described by many in the trans rights activist movement as external expression (ie clothes, make up, behaviours) it's very concerning that the organisations we work for are being led to believe they need to train us all into sorting people by the gendered stereotypes of dress and behaviour - that so many of us have been fighting against in the workplace for years.

Two words: Fuck that.

Is it mandatory? If not I'd be a no thank you.

Go along.
Be super nice and enthusiastic and maybe a bit thick(?)
And ask some questions. 👹

I doubt they would send two speakers unless it is online. No, I think the menopause bit could be covered by Rachel, about the right age. It is so insulting. We had a menopause guest to speak at work from Henpicked (looks like they have changed their name) menopausefriendly.co.uk/about-us/and she mentioned transwomen in the intro, however didn't mention them the rest of the talk so I think it was tick boxing. It is all a money making thing.

I attended a Global Butterflies talk - was actually keen to go. It was the expected genderist stuff, including the genderbread person. This was a while ago now, and two things have stayed with me. One was that they encouraged young people to look for signs of genderism in a potential workplace, and turn the job down if they didn't see them (stuff like gender neutral toilets). The other was that the speakers, two transwomen, were obviously motivated by a craving for acceptance. They'd been laughed at a lot. Sometimes, reception staff at the companies they've gone to speak at giggled at them behind their backs. It felt to me like the rest of it - pushing the ideology onto everyone - ultimately comes from that.

In our case it was a big session, voluntary, remote rather than face to face, and with no one forced speak up. Of course, there was no dissent.

I'd forgotten about the receptionist thing. They were big on making sure receptionists were fully trained!

Good luck OP

It sounds horrendous.

I'm curious. I'm know if i was still in an office environment and had been forced to listen to Rachel. I wouldn't have lasted the session without telling them they were taking out of their arse especially at the point, 're going back to male to get a job.literally putting on man woman like it's an outfit for the day. I might even have cried genuine tears and told them that they were being so unkind. so impolite, so not understanding of what is a woman. I'd turn it back on them.

But the uncontainable rage that resides in me is why I no longer work in offices!! So if I was a rational wanted to keep my job person...

I'd want past dress make-up etc for him to explain exactly how he was a women.

I told enough trainers through the year what they are teaching was in fact incorrect and i don't see why this bunch should be any different.

if I was you OP. Fone on record, extra way of recording. take decent literature to back up your version. Make sure you have clips available to show to fellow attendees in the breaks of what TRA thugs are doing to women at protests.

If JKR comes up you want to see the specific tweet where she said transphobic shit. Don't let him off the hook. This is a big claim to make against someone, and we have yet to see the proof.shirt

good luck.

Ooh I like your style. Much better than mine. More likely to keep your job this way!

I'm going to have to learn that off by heart, or write it on my cuff so I can crib it during the meeting 😁

@KnickerlessParsons you could always make sure you've written it out as a statement, well you want to make sure you're not misunderstood don't you. Then you don't have to learn it give them a copy and keep a copy to read out to him. Say you wouldn't want to be misunderstood.

Plus a s it's a new realisation your still having trouble coming to terms with it and the terminolgy yourself, what with these things being so fluid and fast paced these days

And to add you could say you came to this realisation one Tuesday in 1984, but until now you'd never had a name for your condition. It is such a relief to discover you are comforted and protected by the inclusive loving embrace of the trans umbrella.

We are going to have to get to the point where we rigorously challenge this stuff every time - if it's not already too late.

I'm not aiming this at the OP personally but this stuff is so widespread that I do wonder if the battle is lost.

Yet when you talk to people it's clear that many agree that it's all nuts but everyone is scared to say so.

I thought detransitioners would bring an end to it. I thought that sports would bring an end to it. But no, the ludicrous indoctrination carries on apace.

I've been in this battle for a decade now and it has got worse, not better. We started seriously pushing back 5 or 6 years ago and as a result the genderists have redoubled their efforts.

I think we are fucked, tbh. When did anyone really care about women anyway.

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Rachel

South
It is awful. When they came to my workplace (pre Covid) I already had an informal complaint against me for wearing a woman definition lanyard so I had to tread carefully. So instead asking what they thought I would what makes you a woman which is why I asked the non binary question.

I thought I attend in my least feminine outfit (not difficult - l live in jeans and jumpers, have short hair and don't wear makeup) and "how do I know/find out what gender I am?" And ask if they could explain what being a man or a woman feels like, so I know which gender to choose.

OP. You know you just have to embrace this opportunity. For those who will never experience the sheer bonkerness of one of these sessions. For those that think be kind has no impact on anything else. For those that think trans means a transwomen has had their penis removed. For those too scared to speak up. For those who have no clue what they are about to lose.

You are one woman. But you represent 1000s.

No pressure😁😘

Love that! Would be very effective IF they actually attempted to answer your questions. They prob will just 'diagnose' you as NB though.