I think I’m being targeted because I said Adult Human Female publicly.

[GrandKarber]

I’ve name changed but I’ve been here a LONG time.

I posted in a political discussion about the definition of women and the use of cis-gender. I don’t consider myself transphobic, I was absolutely clear that I defend the rights of everyone to live and identify how they want, including protecting female only spaces, and that I define a woman as an adult human female. In 2 posts.

I’ve been banned from the page, trolled, my business has been targetted via its overarching company (I have a franchise) and I’m spooked. We live above the shop, and my kids are here and they know where I am.

What prompted me to post was the comments about Jess Phillips being a coward. She is trying to do all this publicly, in a world where it’s even more dangerous to be a woman. I’m so angry and feel so helpless about it all. I’m not easily cowed, but these utter bullies don’t fight a fair fight. They’re not arguing about a philosophical position, they’re attempting to ERADICATE anyone that disagrees with their fucking ridiculous world view. And I feel like there isn’t anything I can do without risking my family. That’s it, really.

Yup. It is why so many women say nothing and stay anonymous. These people are unhinged.

I hadn’t realised it was so bad. And that they are so fucking vindictive.

If you have any trouble from the franchising organisation, refer them to the Forstater judgement and alert them the risk of them discriminating against you regarding the protected characteristic of belief.

No problem from the franchise. But they did helpfully pass on my contact details, which ordinarily wouldn’t be a problem.

When Stonewall first introduced #nodebate this is what they meant.

Intimidate, bully, harass anyone who does not toe the TQ party line because when it comes to truth, logic, safeguarding or science, they have nothing.

If they cannot silence us then everything falls apart for them and they either have to go back to supporting same sex attracted people or fold.

It's sinister and scary and those that have spoken out are extremely brave.

Bloody hell, Op, I am sorry.

I’m so cross with myself too. They know where I live.

I am so sorry. It is terrifying.

Isn't that contrary to the GDPR?

The Information Commissioner's Office website is here https://ico.org.uk/

They posed as a customer.

I think that all counts as harassment, have you spoken to the police?

Contact FSU? In a different time just a few short years ago I would have said report any targetting to the police but...

If you want to speak up about an issue that matters to you, you should be free to do so without fear of being penalised. We have helped over 2,000 people who found themselves in trouble merely for expressing a controversial opinion or for exercising their lawful right to free speech, whether at college or university, in the workplace or on social media.

I'm very sorry to hear that, OP, it is dystopian and scary. I'm trying to think of something useful to say, the only thing I can think if is to start documenting everything carefully, in case you need evidence in the future. There are lots of well-informed and resourceful MNers so hopefully you'll get good support and advice here.
Nightmare. Sending strength and

Report it to Police as harassment. Save everything, screenshot everything, keep reporting. Keep following it up. So sorry you're going through this, it's unbelievable how much shit women have to take for just understanding basic biology.

This is what i mean - there is nothing I can do.

I hate it. I hate the feeling that I’ve been silenced. I’ve shut down almost all my social media stuff and anonymised as far as possible the business side of social media. I’ve been up all night for the past few days worrying and trying to mitigate any risks. They contacted my head office and said can you tell me where the nearest branch is, because they knew ny town, and bingo, there I am.
And it’s not hard then to see my business activity, my kids’ schools, etc.

I haven’t spoken formally to the police but I had a chat with a mate who is GC and with a major force in the DV section and she said there’s nothing to get hold of yet. The scant details I have are untraceable. And there have been no outright threats. It’s “just” rattling chains in the dark.

Report the harassment to the police. Get it logged.

Take their advice

Report it to Police anyway. Whatever it is has made you scared for your safety so it can't be just nothing. Send screenshots. You'll get a reference number and you'll have a record that's it been logged. You need some sort of start before it escalates.

OP - they won’t do anything to you. They spook to silence you from speaking out again. They know the mainstream media won’t report their threats eg rape threats / death threats but they know they’d ruin there ‘am I safe here/ trans ppl are so oppressed’ cover for their agenda if they carried out any actual acts of violence. They’re just messing with your head try not to worry x

Talk to Free Speech Union in case it escalates as others have said.

It is terrible you have to go through this. Remember though many of these types are cowards. They want to bully you, but they can't go too far without revealing themselves and in 2023 they can't escalate easily anonymously without getting pushback.

Fear is what they rely on.

If they do take it further you can retaliate by widening the frame of reference. Remember they targeted you for defending a female MP in a time when female MPs are under serious threat.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/24/three-female-mps-given-bodyguards-after-concerns-over-safety#

The people targeting you could be serial harassers of female politicians, part of a wave of misogyny.

Also, write to your MP, Rosie Duffield and eg Miriam Cates/Kemi Badenoch. The more we log this stuff, the more we enable our lawmakers to raise it and protect us

Some sensible advice here. I feel so enraged on your behalf. All I can offer is solidarity on this forum. 💐

I was thinking this too, I know it feels immediate and threatening to you now but maybe the worst is over - you've been threatened, you feel exposed, but hopefully it's just empty threats from cowardly bullies. Keep documenting things, do what knowledgeable MNers advise you to do, but also keep your head up, you've done nothing wrong.
No way out but through, but you've lots of support here.

Just to be sure, I presume that when you are talking about being banned etc, it's from some other social media and not here?

Can you keep a diary of events from now on and, when you have the energy, backdate it to include what's already happened so that you have the full story in one place? Keep the paper trail too.

Sending strength.

I hear you. But don’t worry. There are millions and millions and millions of us that agree with you.