I'm a Labour party member and met both Jeremy Miles and Vaughan Gething in the run up to the election for the new First Minister. Miles was totally TWAW, mentioned trans, gay and queer when we spoke and hammered on several times about them being the most persecuted and marginalised community. Never once mentioned women, women's rights or concerns over DV etc. I managed to speak to him privately, lesbian to gay man, and he struck me as the worst kind of gay man — completely devoid of any interest in or concern for any woman. He is the Education minister who brought in Wales' new RSE curriculum in which children as young as three are taught about gender and non-conforming kids are encouraged to identify as the opposite sex.
Vaughan Gething heard my concerns about women's rights, seemed a little confused about the gender ideology situation but willing to learn, and was aware of women's issues here in Wales. He indicated that he understood the pressures that the lesbian community is under. He referenced his wife and her thoughts and feelings several times. Talked without prompting about DV and sexual violence against women and girls, asked me questions and generally seemed to acknowledge me as an equal human being. I came away from meeting him feeling confidenct that he was less ideologically driven and less set on being oppressively progressive than Miles.
Thrilled to see Gething has won. Miles was riding on the fantasy that Mark Drakeford's TWAW stance was popular and that he'd get backing from all those who had supported Drakeford. I think the reality was that an awful lot of people nodded along to Drakeford to keep the peace while realising what a disaster he's been and saw Miles as someone who'd continue in the same Progress flag-draped vein. Fingers crossed that Welsh Labour will come back from the brink with Gething leading.