Anti-women Response from Caroline Lucas re: equality act

[greenpartyshame]

Caroline Lucas is my MP, sadly (I did not used to think that). I wrote to her requesting that she support the clarification that 'sex' in the equality act refers to biological sex. Her response is disgusting and shameful and I will be telling her so. Anyone who votes for that party now is casting a vote against women. I'll post her full response.

Yes. I think that about nails where I am.

Oh for an actually centre left party, rather than a bunch of nutjobs who quite like the image of identifying as one.

I feel the same way. I've always rated Lucas as a force for good. There's no one else like her. I've always voted green as a protest vote in a tory safe seat, but not since her party's been turned inside out by this issue.

I had hoped she was lying low on this topic, to let the issue burn itself out and try to preserve what's left of her party, but it seems she's firmly in the other camp. A tiny part of me holds hope she's just been bogged down in her priority areas of environmental issues and simply, but unwisely, just taken advice from others in towing the party line on this, for the sake of holding it together.

She needs peaking, she'd be awesome to have onside.

She's always been mad tbf, Brighton hasn't exactly been helped by her party in Central or local gov!

@nilsmousehammer Well said 👏

I'm still hanging on by a thread, trying (along with a lot of other GP Women) to turn the ship around.
It's very demoralising to know that CL doesn't care about Women ( the real sort)

For years, Caroline has trodden her own path. I was hoping, following her decision to stand down, that she would get a backbone and start to talk some sense on the gender debate. I am dumbfounded and feel massively let down that when she finally came down off that uncomfortable fence, she landed firmly on the wrong side.
I am still full of admiration for many, or even most, of the things that she has done in her long and impressive political life, but this is a deal breaker for me. Nothing about women, just a gratuitous cis- thrown in.

There is a big, sensible, sisterhood in the Green Party, but we won't be welcoming Caroline into it any time soon.

The Guardian's coverage is driving me slightly nuts (¡Que sorpresa!): https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/08/caroline-lucas-britain-politics-green-mp-brighton-pavilion

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/13/caroline-lucas-is-a-symbol-of-a-better-politics

I got another reply from Caroline today:

Thank you for your further message - I have carefully read the further points you raise.

I don’t agree with the way you have characterised my position. Trans rights is often called a ‘wedge’ issue and is all too often exploited as such. I therefore try hard to push back against it being used to create division, especially between long excluded and disadvantaged groups who have more to gain by standing together. As a long term and committed women’s rights campaigner, I recognise that Trans people and women both face serious harassment and persecution. Trans people are not at the root of the patriarchy or the associated violence against women and girls, and I will continue to champion universal human rights as well as to call out those people in positions of power who are are stoking up culture wars.

Whilst we have a difference of opinion on this, please be assured that I will continue to give your emails my full attention and to do my utmost to remain open minded and informed by the evidence.

Best wishes, Caroline

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

This is what I sent back:

I again disagree with you. Women can stand in solidarity with trans people, as they can with any other oppressed group. That does not mean that women do not need specific protections and that there should be no specific protections for specific oppressed groups. Women do not have anything to gain by the category of woman being expanded to include males, as the assault on women's sports, the housing of males in women's prisons and the removal of single-sex trauma supports evidences. To allow these things to take place, and to suggest that women who object are the problem, is an act of patriarchal violence.

One does not have to believe that trans people are at the root of patriarchy or the associated violence against women an girls to believe that those women and girls deserve protections. The patriarchy makes assumptions about women and relegates them to second-class positions on account of their biology. When oppression is being enacted on the basis of biology, protections also should be.

You say you will be informed by the evidence. I am not clever enough to summarise the evidence well but would suggest you read Material Girl by Kathleen Stock who does it very well. You could choose to consider how she was abused in her own community for believing that biological sex is sometimes the highest context marker and for subjecting gender ideology to the same rigorous grilling which all other ideologies expect. You could consider whether it is fair to her to spin the issue as simply about a culture war. As a sexual abuse survivor, the only evidence I can specifically offer is to tell you that I feel unsafe in healthcare settings now because if I ask for a woman for intimate services, I may be offered a man and called a bigot if I object. I am scared to be an inpatient again because we have no single sex wards. I have no hidden agenda. I am not exploiting any issues. I simply want to feel safe and to know that the powers that be support my right to dignity and to recovery.

Another brilliant response, @greenpartyshame. Your persistence is commendable, too!

@greenpartyshame , that is a wise, eloquent and compassionate rebuttal to her email.

I admire your courage and dedication, and would be proud to call you my sister.

Yes, agree. 👏

It's motivated me actually to write to her myself. She's been the voice of reason to me over many issues, and I have always voted green as in a tory safe seat area. But not for the last few years due to this issue.

I have nothing to add other than your response is magnificent. It is eloquent and gets the message across so very well. Thank you@greenpartyshame

Well done, greenpartyshame, that's a really measured and considerate response.

Excellent reponse

Brilliant. It should make her think, you've neatly countered her position.