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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Rape Crisis NI will be joining trans allies to protest Let Women Speak event in Belfast on Sunday 16 April 2023 1pm

150 replies

IwantToRetire · 15/04/2023 01:35

My Mum co-founded the first Rape Crisis Centre in Northern Ireland. I told her about the below(*), she was shaking with rage and felt physically ill. I got a quote from her for @RapeCrisis_NI,

‘You are not feminists, what you’re doing goes against the ethos of any actual rape crisis in the world, which is about women being there for women and children. There will be true rape crisis counsellors at the #LetWomenSpeak event who have worked in this country for over 30 years supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse whilst you handmaidens betray women.’

(*) See https://twitter.com/NoraUtd/status/1646874371129069569
.

If you read the twitter thread you will see this in one of the responses

The original one that closed due to funding cuts was for women only. The new one that opened years later in 2020 seems to have changed the criteria to all. The previous one lost funding for being too specialist…. Wonder if this was a theme?
.

The BBC have written a news story about the LWS Belfast event and planned protests and that The Women's Rights Network was able to show the film Adult Human Female in Belfast.

BBC report here with maybe a bit of a slant?! ie they aren't counter protests as LWS events are protest but freedom of speech for women events https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65187388

OP posts:
StephanieSuperpowers · 15/04/2023 12:51

I don't know. Maybe, if your service is aimed at helping women who've been raped, its a bit inappropriate to go to an event where the aim is to shout at women, some of whom will have been raped?

MrsOvertonsWindow · 15/04/2023 12:52

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 12:48

Perhaps Rape Crisis centres should be left alone so they can help victims of rape, instead of harassing them and wasting their time because they support LGBT people?

Shut up women. You may not question those seeking to silence free speech 😑

Manichean · 15/04/2023 12:54

What is this misogynistic 'handmaidens' nonsense?

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 12:55

May I ask why women who aren't gender critical and/or are trans-supportive are called "handmaidens"? I've seen this a lot lately.

IMO it sounds a little misogynist.

EmotionalSupportHyena · 15/04/2023 12:57

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 12:55

May I ask why women who aren't gender critical and/or are trans-supportive are called "handmaidens"? I've seen this a lot lately.

IMO it sounds a little misogynist.

You must be very new to feminism then!

It’s a biblical reference.

IcakethereforeIam · 15/04/2023 12:59

Being gender critical and being trans supportive aren't mutually exclusive. Just like being trans supportive and respecting women and women's rights shouldn't be.

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 13:35

"Atwood’s Handmaids Tale and Last Testaments.

The Handmaids were raped and forced to give birth and then give up their children. The word “serve” in the little handbook you’ve quoted is as a slave, not as a willing servant."

With this info, calling women (who don't agree with gender critical activism) handmaids just makes it even more misogynist IMO.

ResisterRex · 15/04/2023 13:44

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 13:35

"Atwood’s Handmaids Tale and Last Testaments.

The Handmaids were raped and forced to give birth and then give up their children. The word “serve” in the little handbook you’ve quoted is as a slave, not as a willing servant."

With this info, calling women (who don't agree with gender critical activism) handmaids just makes it even more misogynist IMO.

Crack on and make a new thread about that then.

OutsideitsAmerica · 15/04/2023 13:44

Someone read a brilliant poem at the last Glasgow LWS event - they’d come over from Belfast and am sure they will make their voices heard in Belfast at this event. Why would another woman try and silence them? It’s appalling 😡

Manichean · 15/04/2023 13:44

The 'handmaiden' slur sounds even worse with the source explained. I have been a feminist for more than half a century and my feminism did not include this kind of hate for other women.

turbonerd · 15/04/2023 13:46

Who knew that Merlin LITERALLY has lost the Marbles?

Merlin, pet, if the people who work at a rape crisis centre is unable to distinguish between the sexes, it really is not able to function well at all.

If traumatised women and men cannot access single sex provision the rape crisis centre might aswell identify as s burger King and sell fish’n chips to dandelions. That is how much is does not make sense to acknowledge biological reality.

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 15/04/2023 13:47

Manichean · 15/04/2023 13:44

The 'handmaiden' slur sounds even worse with the source explained. I have been a feminist for more than half a century and my feminism did not include this kind of hate for other women.

Did you read the whole thread that was linked. Or just marbles quote

worth a read, was interesting

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 15/04/2023 13:48

Although obviously its a bit of a derail

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 15/04/2023 13:52

And Ive just realised that no one on the thread said it….so maybe people with a problem with it should say so on the tit

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 15/04/2023 13:53

Oops wrong button

twitter….

FrancescaContini · 15/04/2023 13:55

TinselAngel · 15/04/2023 10:14

I can't get my head around a rape crisis service protesting against women.

Nor can I.

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 15/04/2023 13:55

that BBC article is a mess

it conflates the Adult Human Female film with Standing for women.

Although I'm pleased to see this reported regarding the Let Women Speak event

The original location was changed after organisers said they were threatened.

how many threats have feminists issued that led to events having to be changed?

how many events have trans rights activists issued that led to the same?

at this point you don't even need to look at what people believe, just how they behave

GospelAccordingToMum · 15/04/2023 13:59

So Rape Crisis NI are basically saying ‘let women (including rape and sexual abuse survivors) speak…unless we disagree with what they’re saying (then they need to shut up, Nazi Terf scum!’)

Wow. Really gives me confidence in this organisation’s ability to support women and girls.

Shame on these people.

Helleofabore · 15/04/2023 14:09

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 12:48

Perhaps Rape Crisis centres should be left alone so they can help victims of rape, instead of harassing them and wasting their time because they support LGBT people?

Gosh! So a rape crisis centre has to chose between supporting women…. you know the people who set the centres up for their needs… or LGBT people then? Because they cannot support both at the same time? And those women who have been working to support the women who need them… they should SHUT THE FUCK UP because a poster says that women shouldn’t protest a rape crisis centre for not supporting women as a priority.

Do tell us though, which LGBT specific rape crisis centres have LGBT groups set up that women are protesting about? none?

Maybe you keep forgetting the history of rape crisis centres in your continued rush to shame women who disagree with you.

Villagetoraiseachild · 15/04/2023 14:18

It says something that a rape crisis centre has to be privately funded in order to genuinely meet biological womens needs.

Wondering if anyone is doing research on how many RCCs and refuges are no longer for biological women only in the UK and beyond.

FirstFallopians · 15/04/2023 14:22

Has anyone heard how it’s going in Belfast?

I’m a bit scared to check Twitter to be honest.

CountZacular · 15/04/2023 14:24

they should SHUT THE FUCK UP because a poster says that women shouldn’t protest a rape crisis centre for not supporting women as a priority.

I’m really confused by that poster, because unless I’ve completely misunderstood it’s the Rape Crisis actively taking resources and time from supporting rape victims to try and silence women rather than women actually protesting against the Rape Crisis. Why isn’t that poster directly that anger directly at Rape Crisis NI for putting counter protesters against women ahead of rape victims?

EmotionalSupportHyena · 15/04/2023 14:24

MerlinsLostMarbles · 15/04/2023 13:35

"Atwood’s Handmaids Tale and Last Testaments.

The Handmaids were raped and forced to give birth and then give up their children. The word “serve” in the little handbook you’ve quoted is as a slave, not as a willing servant."

With this info, calling women (who don't agree with gender critical activism) handmaids just makes it even more misogynist IMO.

The bible proceeds Atwood, you big daft sausage. Read the WHOLE thread.

colouringindoors · 15/04/2023 14:26

This is so disgusting, I'm almost speechless. I can only hope that this even tshows up the TRAs for who they really are. But given media coverage elsewhere I'm not hugely optimistic 😪

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