I live in Rosie Duffields constituency. Just had local election door knock from labour party

[BadgerWadger]

He asked what my main concerns were. I said my main issue was that i stood with Rosie and felt that Labour, as a party, from the top down, did not offer her enough support. And my main concern was womens safe spaces.

Man said, well, this is local elections and not about that, and that issue is more complicated than you think. What are your concerns, locally?

I said the local council is involved in issues to do with womens safe spaces. Like the womens refuges, the womans changing room at the local pool, etc. All spaces where biological men should not have access and that womens safe spaces was my main concern.

There followed a debate. And his stance is that its not that simple, i am being brainwashed by the right wing media, and that Rosie is in fact, (drumroll please...), mainly being supported by American right wing anti abortion groups.

Arrrrrghhhhhh. So that is where my local labour door knockers are at. Saying Rosies main core of support is American right wing anti abortion groups and i am being fooled by them. Silly, foolish, female me.

When these people - often men - say "vote for us or the anti-abortionists will get in" (op's example was a slight variation, but same theme) they are unwittingly acknowledging a couple of things.

1. That there is a class of human who might need an abortion.

2. That this right to abortion is precarious and could be taken away again. If it was not a precarious right, there'd be nothing gained by them bringing it up.

3. I'd argue that understanding 2) implies knowing that the potential-abortion-needing class has much less power in society. Otherwise this right would not be precarious.

4. And I'd argue that threatening the removal of the right to abortion if you don't vote for them implies a knowledge, perhaps subconscious, of this system of opression against the potential-abortion-needing class. Because that's exactly what they're exploiting by making the threat.

So having established he knows what a woman is, and what opression under a patriarchy is about, I'd want to ask why, Mr Righteously Left Wing Man, do YOU care so little about women's right to abortion, that you are prepared to risk it by backing a policy which dismantles everyday safeguarding for women and children?

I raised this issue with Labour canvassers back in 2019 (different constituency). Raised the TW is women's prisons and women getting raped in prison. He looked baffled for a few minutes then, when he realised what I was saying, quietly and reasonably, he started screaming and screaming and screaming. He literally screamed in my face on my doorstep then backed away heading to the next house still screaming over and over again 'TWAW'.

These people aren't sane, they really aren't.

IANAL, but I believe it's slander if verbal and libel if written.

Im mid 40s. The chap who was speaking was older than me, the chap who stood in silence was probably in his 20s. But then im rubbish at guessing ages.

Its the first time I've ever felt the desire/need to publicly speak up on the issue. My close friends kind of know my stance, but ive never felt brave enough to raise it. Im astounded that he tried to argue the case with me, he could have easily left it as "I'll pass those comments on" and kept his opions to himself.

With hindsight there are a million clever things i could have said, should have raised. Whatever.

I found RD website and there was a contact us button so i filled in the form, explaining what happened. So hopefully her office will know. Im not on twitter so cant tweet her.

Thanks everyone for reassuring me that what he said was all levels of wrong.

Briefing against your MP behind their back while supposedly campaigning for the same party? Too bloody right you should report him, and copy in Rosie.

Well done for challenging him and reporting

With hindsight there are a million clever things i could have said, should have raised. Whatever.

Oh gawd hope you didn't think my comment above was criticising your response! I was meaning to just think through why these particular misogynists piss me off so much.

My verbal response to this kind of unexpected encounter, when put on the spot, is always hampered by fear. I always have to follow up in writing.

Well done!

It’s disturbing - not surprising you were shaking.

What is wrong with the CLP? Do the local candidates support her?

I had a run-in with a canvasser for the Greens - I asked her what a woman was. She blushed to the roots of her hair & said “is it about the trans issue?”. I said “no it’s about women. Women’s rights & women’s existence, and your policies”.

She told me that the candidate (early 20s, male) could come & explain it to me.

Two women in our 60s standing there & a 20-something man would need to explain what a woman is to us.

I’m afraid at that point I started laughing derisively.

I had those exact same comments last year from Labour on the doorstep.
Their tactics:
1 its complicated
2 this is a local election
3 has this actually impacted you personally
Then at the end of our discussion I got "Perhaps you should try to be more compassionate?" I have some transgender surgery photos on my phone for next time they knock!

Brava OP! Well done for speaking up. Kudos to all the other posters who have done so too.

I'm tempted to suggest you make a complaint to the Labour Party (Governance and Legal Unit) but that's hard unless you get the guy's name. He'll be a volunteer, maybe not a candidate, loosely controlled by the local party. Perhaps a letter to the local constituency secretary might be more useful, so you don't need to target a named individual, but can point out how insulting their doorstep points are to any woman who knows her stuff. Rosie's local CLP have recently decided she is to stand again, so she does have majority support. They should be interested to know what you have to say: [email protected]

You’d have to me crazy to vote for that lot.

his stance is that its not that simple, i am being brainwashed by the right wing media, and that Rosie is in fact, (drumroll please...), mainly being supported by American right wing anti abortion groups.

I know you've filled in an online form, but she may not see this.

Email her!

This is outrageous. I'm so angry

She told me that the candidate (early 20s, male) could come & explain it to me.

Two women in our 60s standing there & a 20-something man would need to explain what a woman is to us.

I’m afraid at that point I started laughing derisively.

Priceless! 😂

And this shower are the alternative to the Tories…..ye gods and baby fishes 🫣

I had a Labour candidate knock today. I said 'I won't be voting Labour any time soon'. He asked why, I said 'because I know what a woman is, and your party doesn't seem to'. He immediately got aggressive and said 'Oh, and the Tories do?' I hadn't said I was voting for them either. Prick.

Well done OP!

In the run-up to the last election, the LibDem canvasser knocked on my door (different constituency). I politely explained that I'd actually recently resigned as a party member because of their stance on women's rights and asked whether this would be addressed so that I could vote for them again. After a few blank seconds he said: "do you mean the Rosie Duffield thing?" I said: "yes, if you like, the Rosie Duffield thing" and he quite literally ran away!

Rosie is apparently doorstep kryptonite

I raised this issue with Labour canvassers back in 2019 (different constituency). Raised the TW is women's prisons and women getting raped in prison. He looked baffled for a few minutes then, when he realised what I was saying, quietly and reasonably, he started screaming and screaming and screaming. He literally screamed in my face on my doorstep then backed away heading to the next house still screaming over and over again 'TWAW'.

That's hilarious. It isn't really, but I'd have to laugh at him. The cognitive dissonance of these people is off the scale.

You might want to check out the views of the Canterbury Conservative Leader Ben Fitter-Harding, who has condemned Rosie’s “transphobia”.

I had one round the door.

He was well meaning enough, fairly young I think but really didnt know much of what I was talking about. Said I wasnt the first person to raise it with him that day but then said he was 'shocked and appalled' that a rapist was in a womens prison - I cut him short and said, 'hes not the only one and its not even (that much) about him being a rapist. I told him about crime stats for child sexual assault and rape being recorded as being committed by women, he looked like he didnt believe that and said 'well we'll certainlly look into that'.

I said I was politically homeless now, never been a Tory voter and wont be but until Labour are fully understanding and protecting against this I cant vote for them and this is a mega tory area so they cant afford to lose voters like me

If I hadnt been feeling unwell I could have said more.

Maybe we should put a list of points together, that we can print off and keep near the door, just in case canvassers turn up?

Poor Rosie! Having men with that attitude going around possibly losing votes for her.
With friends ( canvassers ) like that, who needs enemies?!

TheBiologyStupid · Today 17:29

IANAL, but I believe it's slander if verbal and libel if written.

Yes, that's correct; both can be defamatory.

BadgerWadger · Today 17:38

Good on you for complaining. They will know who it is, as they know which people are assigned to which set of streets.

Please keep us informed and show us the -fobbing off- letter of apology!

Good for you. How patronizing was he!

'more complicated than you think' ????
talk about mansplaining

I had that from a man "it’s complicated" and I said, no it’s really not.