FiLiA banned from Plaid Cymru Conference this weekend

[BaronMunchausen]

At the last minute. It seems that the women of FiLiA would endanger other conference delegates, as the reason given is "the need for our delegates from all backgrounds to feel as though the party conference is a safe space for them to express their identity comfortably". It seems the party lives in a topsy-turvy world where women are a threat to the safety of men. It clearly hasn't made much progress in detoxifying its culture of misogyny.

Is Wales not covered by the Forstater judgment? The Equality Act certainly applies there.

Nation Cymru continue at being the only decent news service in Wales. Filia should sue. It could change the story in Wales. :

Feminist group seeks legal advice after being barred from Plaid Cymru conference
https://nation.cymru/news/feminist-group-seeks-legal-advice-after-being-barred-from-plaid-cymru-conference/

Also continuing good coverage of the 100% male Senedd Self ID bill :

Vaughan Gething faces constitutional battle over Senedd gender balance Bill
https://nation.cymru/news/vaughan-gething-faces-constitutional-battle-over-senedd-gender-balance-bill/

Seems it is likely the former Plaid leader that was involved in what happened. Wood's reaction to the article above:

Leanne Wood @LeanneWood
·
^This should read “a trans exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) group”… x.com/nationcymru/st…^

That was pretty shocking from Leanne Wood.

I hope Filia sue, I'll happily contribute.

Just checked out that tweet from Leanne. Boy, did she get her arse handed to her on a plate. Just goes to show how dense Plaid are being. They just keep adding evidence to help FiLiA's case against them for unlawful discrimination.

I suppose Leanne will just represent the righteous anger as hateful bigots harassing her. Good on the tweeters who have highlighted what FiLiA is really about. How out of touch and fundamentally sexist are Plaid if they think an organisation that sees being a woman or a girl as based on biology -not clothing, makeup or self declaration - and work with some of the most vulnerable and oppressed female people in the world, deserve to be banned from contact with delegates? Smug, useful idiots. They need their heads examining, not just their values.

Yes,a lot of the insanity here seems to have gone under the radar.

The words 'prejudice' and 'harassment' and 'discrimination' on Plaid Cymru's part are going to come up a lot in the court case. And yes. I'm increasingly thinking those left doing all this now are just plain bonkers. We're not talking about rational, capable people. The left need to do some soul searching on how their politics at the top seem to be attracting and promoting those this unbalanced and unable.

fromorbit · Today 00:15

Seems it is likely the former Plaid leader that was involved in what happened. Wood's reaction to the article above:

Quite the ratio, 113,700 views, 239 likes.

Leanne Wood's involvement has added fuel to the fire makes me hope this whole thing will get more light.

I'm not sure how relevant Leanne Wood is now. She hasn't been leader of Plaid since 2018 and she lost her seat in the Senedd in 2021.

Has Rhun ap Iorwerth said anything about this?

Rhun is replying to a few trivial tweets from men. Mainly trivial ones. No reply or reaction to the hundreds from women. The Party just seems to be sticking its fingers in its ears and pretending nothing's up. Apart from the Nation Cymru online article none of the Welsh media have commented on it either. Surely it's newsworthy?

Does anyone know how to analyse X/twitter stats? To me it looked like virtually all the traffic related to the conference, apart from the corporate tweets, was about banning FiLiA and not listening to women. How can journalists or politicians pretend it didn't happen?

Plaid women are organising a fight back on twitter. If you are in the party check out this twitter post.

Chwaer Buddug.
https://twitter.com/CBuddug/status/1772339611756376276
Enough is Enough! Digon yw digon! After @PlaidCymru banning @FiLiAcharity this weekend some of us are ready to organise! We want fairness and balance in our Party / the Party we'd like to support. Join us? DM me, suequinnaziz @wru4me or @EvadneDr #PlaidWomenFightBack

Banning Filia backfired.

There are so many lifelong Plaid Cymu supporters who are furious about this. Women and men - how do we find each other?

Is there a way of contacting chwaer Buddug if you're not on twitter?

I'm so angry. I only joined PC because Helen Mary Jones told me that the party was a broad church and there was a possibility to change things from the inside. Then she got kicked out, I'm not even sure what happened. Now this.

Looks like there's a new twitter account run by women who've had enough. Hopefully they will also have an email address. It's @ ChwioryddPlaid (Plaid Sisters - no space after the @).

I think the hope that women had of being able to influence political movements from the inside has now been destruction tested. It never has the slightest impact.

Looking at the Greens, Labour and Libdems, I tend to agree.

Well there seems to have been a shift in UK Labour policy, even if lots of us are still sceptical about it. There's also been a huge change in policy and how 'trans' is conceptualised within the Tory party since May was in power. She was parroting inane Stonewall mantras, remember. I don't think those shifts are entirely down to what's been happening externally. LWD's impact on Welsh Labour seems to be lagging behind, it's true, but I'm sure it would be even worse without them.

The Tories are also failing to fulfil what they promised, but at least seem more open to a plurality of voices and less likely to censor women. Not sure that's enough mind you.

Someone (reliable not random) just messaged me to say there's an email address for Chwiorydd Plaid @rhywlodes. Obvious really, it's a gmail.com address and it starts with ChwioryddPlaid.

Thank you/diolch @EnfysPreseli

https://merchedcymru.wales/2024/03/26/plaid-cymru-shows-its-true-colours/

Great article where Merched Cymru's Ali Morris takes Plaid_Cymru to task after its ban on women's rights charity Filia.

Remember Filia has form for using the law to protect women's rights. They successfully used the law against their venue in Glasgow to allow their conference to ahead in 2023 after they attempted to cancel.
https://news.stv.tv/west-central/feminist-conference-supported-by-joanna-cherry-to-go-ahead-as-lawyers-overturn-decision-to-cancel-in-glasgow

This could be a game changer in Wales.

If anyone has any information about what is being organised re

Plaid women are organising a fight back

then would you mind letting me know via DM?

I've emailed 2 plaid councillors who I know are onside, they have both replied saying they know nothing about it!

I also emailed what I think is the correct address as quoted above and no reply.

I have this evening emailed Merched Cymru - although last time I emailed them about a similar issue they said they would get back to me then didn't.

If there are Plaid Cymru members wanting to get organised in towns and villages throughout Wales but not being able to because of a lack of network/knowledge/response, then it does feel very frustrating!

There’s a group of rebel Plaid women on X/Twitter just formed under the name Chwiorydd Plaid. Think that may be what you’re looking for?

Thanks @WelshSerafina , I'm in touch with them now!

Could not have said it better.

Wales is starting to look like a little tinpot dictatorship.