What does 2024 hold?

[LookFor]

I can’t envision the UK post General Election - no outcome fills me with particular glee. I’m worried about what the SNP have in store for gender non-conforming children and women’s rights. Will they get ousted or are we stuck with them forever?

On the popular culture front, I’m looking forward to seeing what Chris Sweeney does for the adaptation of ‘What it feels like for a Girl’ by Paris Lees (in a looking-through-my-fingers way - he’s a brilliant Director) I’ve got a feeling it will create a lot of heat as will Dr Who.

I’m hoping Eddie Izzard will give up on politics although I fear he may be a Question Time fave. I’m hoping Ellie Gommersal will disappear off every Scottish News Producer’s speed dial when they want to discuss women’s issues in Scotland.

I feel a lot has happened in 2023 but every victory for women’s rights seems to be met with another appalling travesty of the law. I’ve been on MN for 15+ years and I’m selfishly grateful my kids have navigated school with critical thinking skills in tact. I hope society doesn’t hamper my DD by further denuding her protections as a female.

And of course I pathetically hope for world peace but can’t articulate any words to discuss that right now. If I was the fundamentalist Christian, Right Wing bigot others might think I am, I might offer up a prayer. But I’m not.

How’s everyone else feeling about going into next year? Any predictions, hopes, recipes??!

Oh and finally a big up for ForWomen Scotland and all they’ve done this year. And the Let Women Speak roadshow that I enjoyed attending in Glasgow - and all the countless, courageous women’s groups/individuals who have raised me out of the pits of despair on many an occasion.

Keep on keeping on!

Yes, that would be a major safeguarding issue!

I'd be in favour of banning sex specific school uniforms/hairstyle requirements. And maybe something to limit the number of branded items too. There's a step that will make both feminists and gender advocates happy. (Though not those gender advocates who /want/ clothes to be different in order that they can signal gender.)

Reading that Janice Turner article just reminds me of the constant battling that’s gone on. I hope we don’t have to battle so hard next year but I’ve got the feeling we will - and I’m here for it!

I’ve lost count of the petitions signed, consultation forms filled in - the hours and hours of reading dry policy documents to ensure I’m properly understanding and not just being swept along. It’s been hard not to cave at the injustice sometimes and retreat from it all. But I can never back down from it as it permeates everything. I’m doing this for my DD as much as myself. And all the while never losing compassion and perspective.

Good luck IamSarah - you can rest assured we’ll be behind you. If I find it exhausting in a rearguard action kind of way, I can’t imagine what it’s like fighting this on the frontline. But you never know when you yourself will find yourself on the frontline, having to battle for your children, for your job, for your sport.

As I say, 2024 is General Election year - there’s going to be a lot of manoeuvring - a lot of fake promises and posturing. How much substance there is behind it all will probably take a while to reveal itself. I think I will be having more frank discussions with people in the run up to the election. More discussions with colleagues and neighbours. And I know that organisations like Sex Matters have made this infinitely more possible - or at least will make me feel supported to have these conversations.

Anyway, bring it on 2024. Peace and strength to everyone on this board and have a lovely Christmas 🤶

Oh and I hope I manage to avoid being arrested by the Met Police for airing my opinions on a hugely supportive, useful, diverse, educational, entertaining, thought-provoking, expansive, revelatory, informative internet forum. Thank you MN for being here.

All around my twat I will wear the green willow
And all around my twat for a twelve-month and a day 🎶

For 2024, my feminist wishlist includes:

• the publication of the Cass report
• court cases found in favour of iamsarah, and Jo Phoenix. On the other side of the world, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Giggle's court challenge.
• A brilliant Filia
• Decent GE manifestos addressing the NHS, housing crisis, male violence and climate change.
• The death of self-ID as a political project.

There's going to be a lot of reframing of self-ID in different terms in the hope that we won't realize what's going on.

Proposing a clear policy and having a public debate on it was a disaster for the trans lobby.

Their lobbying will go back into backrooms and opaque terminology.

My hopes for 2024 -

• the Scottish Government get a haud of themselves (every party is shite)
• that the I am Sarah case wins and organisations across the UK get the moral courage to actually use the single sex exemptions allowed to them under the EQA2010
• that the Mermaids investigation finally comes to a conclusion
• that the Scottish Greens are finally, finally given the heave ho and told to fuck off

This is how I currently feel....