Emma Barnett interviews Endometriosis South Coast Steph Richards and Trustee Jodie Hughes

[ChristinaXYZ]

You can listen here - it starts around the 22 minute mark.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001scsj

I have been chuckling. I just came across this post from Steph on Twitter, from after the interview:

"Did Emma Bartlett want to talk about #endo or the word "woman"?

A missed chance I suspect, to raise awareness of this truly awful disease."

Demonstrating absolute CLUELESSNESS. No one thought the interview was about endometriosis. Emma even makes that point and suggests that coming back to talk about the disease itself is something that could happen.

I sort of agree with a PP who said that getting these two on WH seems a bit ridiculous when there are so many intelligent, coherent women they could interview. But on the other hand, this was such a great opportunity to highlight some of the ridiculousness of the way in which women are being erased.

Yes, it's a phenomenon that keeps happening. And I was first alerted to by tinsel of the transwidows.

That in issues affecting women only, it seems to be men who get all the air time.

However, in this case, I think it was very beneficial.

This sort of incursion and take over is happening absolutely everywhere. And you're quite right it's fucking nuts and steph was easy pickings.

But that's the whole point. That the ideology has absolutely nothing to it, whatsoever. It's merely a men's rights ideology. And Emma's questions made that very clear in a couple of seconds flat.

And she stayed on track about that very point.

Personally, I think she finally gets it 100%. And maybe it was endometriosis that did it, because she's a sufferer and knows what she's talking about.

You could tell that when Steph started to talk about men and transmen, Emma immediately recognised that as 'tra speak'. There was no part of her that was to be potentially guilt tripped, or turned away from her point. She instantly identified it as not only whataboutery, but an attempt to push Steph's personal interest, which was clearly neither women nor endometriosis.

Also the endometriosis charity might be small fry, but Steph is a very active activist against women's rights. So the more that particular person's motives are exposed, the better.

Dear me Tinkly, I realise you don’t like her, but that’s a bit of a desperate reach. Ignore the haters Emma (as I know you will).

No she said if she couldn't have kids she would move abroad as she would be ashamed.

Imagine being childless and reading that?! Shocking

It really isn't, but keep telling yourself that if it helps your narrative.

It's mostly that I think it's a non-story. If Steph had been appointed CEO of Endometriosis UK, then that would have been a story - and fine to invite Steph on the programme, along with the trustees who made the appointment. But who cares, really, that an utterly insignificant local charity has made a silly appointment?

I agree with this, the segment seemed trivial.

Somewhere up thread someone wrote that endometriosis is a cancer. Could they provide links for this please? As far I'm aware, it isn't.

Yes, and also calling her Emma Bartlett!😳

I get what you're saying here, but don't forget that there are 'small fry' like this in every community, every group, every school yard, in every town and city. They spout their nonsense and everyone nods along because they are loud and opinionated and seen to be progressive.

Calling them out here took the wind out of their sails and if that takes the wind out of other small fry sails then I'm grateful.

Tinkly, if you care to read the rest of this thread you’ll find an article EB wrote in the Times before her second pregnancy, (there’s a share token and it’s on that archive site) where she writes about her battle against infertility and to have a second child. So ashamed she’d leave the country eh? No chance. Anyway work to do, I’ll leave you to it.

There’s a video featuring a female gynaecologist (their ambassador) talking about endo, I watched the whole 13.53 mins and it was all “people, people, people. Some people this, some people that.” She talked about menstruation, the menopause, pregnancy, painful intercourse, birth control, the pelvic floor, and still no mention of “women”. People throughout.

Utterly enraging. Because of course she knows perfectly that only women experience menstruation, menopause, pregnancy etc. But she's decided to pretend that men can experience these things too - I can only assume because she wants an easy life. She's been told that this is the way it's done these days and is going along with it because it requires too much effort and/or bravery to insist on speaking the truth.

It is worth realising that the small fry hobby organisations can build up enough of a reputation, especially in a niche area, to be invited onto other community initiatives, such as new women's health hubs, and can spread their niche ideology into bigger institutions.

Organisations/councils/community initiatives are always looking for people/organisations to engage and it is convenient if these people know how the system works.

Do you have a source for this? I've had a quick google and can't find anything other than many features about EB being upfront about infertility, endo and IVF in the hope of encouraging others struggling with the same problems.

She said it on one of her shows, and this was after she had had her 2nd child. She was prepared to do it. Sorry if that skews your view.

Well, I read that as a damning statement on how she thinks women who don't have children are treated, so I don't think it comes across as something a childless/childfree woman would be insulted by?!

Tell you what Tinkly, you find me the article/woman’s Hour episode and timings where EB says “if she couldn't have kids she would move abroad as she would be ashamed” as oppose to “plan B I’ll take the chance to travel” and then I’ll believe you.

I think that the point that having an official role within what is ostensibly a women's health organisation opens a lot of doors is an important one. It sounds as if the founder/Chair may have already seen it as a vehicle for promoting her particular beliefs about endometriosis and her loyalty to the gender bollox.

As well as providing some personal validation for Steph, it will also help Steph have access to various women's health networks and NHS fora. Other charities are often more tied up in service delivery or supporting their client group and don't have time for endless multidisciplinary or multi agency meetings. Before you know it the niche views of Endometriosis South Coast would be mainstreamed.

I understand the argument that this is a tiny charity, but that doesn't mean that they couldn't do a lot of damage - especially since so many of us women have been socialised into being nice and inclusive (and, it seems to deny reality). It might also be more difficult to be seen to attack a larger, established charity, or something like a Rape Crisis Centre. I think Emma did a brilliant job and it will have made a lot more people think about the underlying issues and principles.

'where she writes about her battle against infertility and to have a second child. So ashamed she’d leave the country eh?'

I haven't read the Times article, but I have heard her discuss this in a podcast. To me, it sounded like if she couldn't have had children, it would have been such a shock and a trauma that she would have wanted to completely upend her life and deliberately follow a completely different path to the one she thought she was on.

Did she actually use the word 'ashamed'? That's really sad if so, and says a lot about the people around her

Such a weird thing to get your knickers in a twist about? If your path is not having children it frees you up as you are not stuck in one place providing stability or haunt to have a secure income. . A lovely work friend accepted she wasn’t going to have children so she ditched her high paying corporate professional job and became a herbalist in the south of France.

How do you know that's what she felt?

I’d be extremely surprised if that was actually her view. Seems to be exactly the opposite of everything she stands for.

I read it as she would be so 'ashamed' not to have kids she would leave the country. Its a slap to childless women implying they should be ashamed to be childless.

She said it, that's how.

Feel free to search.

It would be good to see exactly what EB said rather than an interpretation of what she said.

There is a lot of shame around childlessness for various reasons and that is something that childless women have to come to terms with. For most of us there is also the process of grieving and then hopefully finding something meaningful and fulfilling to do with our lives. If EB did talk about "shame" I can only imagine she wouldn't have been saying that women should feel ashamed but rather that many women do feel it (often because of expectations, around motherhood, placed upon women by society).

Would be interested to hear the podcast though.