The general election for feminists

[ArabellaScott]

A resource thread for materials, questions, points to make in the run-up to the election:

Sex Matters have a list of things to raise:

'Our election asks

1. Ensure clear language, rules and data wherever sex matters
2. Implement the Cass Report and stop transitioning children in schools
3. Drop dangerous plans to criminalise so-called “conversion therapy”
4. Make the Equality Act clear
5. Guarantee women’s right to female-only spaces
6. Say no to legal gender self-ID
7. Record sex accurately in healthcare and the criminal justice system
8. Fix the sex data muddle with modern data systems
9. Protect women’s sports
10. Make regulators do their job and protect everyone’s rights.'

https://sex-matters.org/posts/updates/ge2024-stand-up-for-single-sex-services/

You can ask candidates if they support the women's declarations:

Labour

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/

Conservatives

https://www.conservativesforwomen.org/

Greens

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/green-feminists-women-and-girls-declaration

Lib Dems

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lib-dem-sex-based-rights-declaration

SNP

https://x.com/womenspledge

Merched Cymru

https://t.co/aaDTpxjV3N

Write to your current representatives here:

https://www.writetothem.com/

Thanks for starting this thread @ArabellaScott - looks useful

Thanks for the useful starter pack Arabella.

Labour don’t run candidates for election in N Ireland so I’ll be writing to our various candidates to see what the lay of the land is. Our political parties are very much like those in Scotland and Wales; filled with people who rotate between NGOs, Quangos and local government posts. Likely not an original or unsanctioned thinker among them 🙄

Yes thank you Op.

Sorry all .. but to me this is not as important as literally EVERYTHING ELSE !!

NHS
Courts
Public transport
Economy
Public services in general

I Am vehemently GC and see this as an extremely important issue BUT if we have inadequate breast screening, , nurses available to do cervical smears .. intact ALL WOMEN HEALTH CARE .. then what is the point ?

I want a government that pours money into public service so that all the women caring for others on diddly squat are compensated.... long before some bloke calling himself 'female' gets a look in ..

Even if you think other things are more important, there is NO HARM in writing to candidates asking these questions. You can vote for whoever you please, but make all candidates aware that these are things you take into consideration.

What we want is for the mainstream position to take back control in all parties, so this stops being an election issue.

I expect both. Others can ignore the massive medical scandal of the century unfolding in front of our eyes and the rampant misogyny currently aimed at women if they choose. As an intelligent women I'm quite capable of holding more than one political idea in my head and will not be guilt tripped into ignoring the current off the scale threats to women and girls (and children) because the Labour party got on the wrong side of history on this one.

The Sex Matters demands seem perfectly realistic - if Labour want my vote back then they now know what to do.

Thank you for the thread, Arabella.

North yep, we worry about those things too.

But if Labour don't do what you want (and I fear they won't), how will you vote? I could never vote Tory, but the Lib Dem candidate for council elections stood on my doorstep with his mouth flapping noiselessly like a dying fish when I asked him if he thought men could be women. I will vote Labour for our NHS and our schools, but I will be emailing my MP (Labour anyway) to make sure my voice is heard on gender matters.

Thank you, I did want to cover NI but didn't have any info. Please feel free to add any!

Everyone is free to vote however they fucking want, or not vote, or spoil their vote, or stand, whatever.

We're all capable of deciding what matters to us and what we care about.

I'm just sharing information and aiming to keep it non partisan as possible.

Good grief, if even a discussion about what questions to ask our election candidates - all of them - picks up a scolding, then it's going to be a rocky 6 weeks.

Thanks again op.

It's a great opportunity to contact representatives of all parties and engage them on issues, ask questions, etc.

Possibly a good time for ribbons and chalk, too. Let them know you care!

Thanks so much Arabella this will be helpful stuff

Party of Women:

https://www.partyofwomen.org/

Women's Equality Party:

https://www.womensequality.org.uk/

Thank you Arabella

For Women Scotland's demands:

Thanks OP

Important thread. Vote how you want, BUT it is vital we make voices heard on the existence of Sex during the election period. Now is a real moment to speak up and gather strength for future battles.

It is way more impactful to put pressure on politicians by asking questions and going on demonstrations now than voting or not voting.

Remember women inside all the parties are counting on outsiders to help expand their voice. The battle for manifestos and their position on women is going to be underway.

If our future government screws this up it impacts everything else. Pretending biology is not real is a complete waste of time. Which is why we need to take a stand.

Look what happened to the SNP. They had other issues and problems, but pretending that women did not exist has derailed them.

Remember too there are hostile voices beyond the UK watching us. If we pretend that sex doesn't exist it empowers Putin, religious fanatics and anyone else that want to drag us backward. Trump might be elected President and the fact Biden thinks women do not deserve sports or safety is going to be a significant reason why he will be in trouble.

Terf island has a chance to speak up. Take action the world is watching.

I think we should also be pushing for repealing the GRA and disallowing any changes to documentation re actual sex.
making the rules for claiming benefits more humane .

Thank you! I wanted to ask these kind of questions but wasn't sure how to phrase, plus we are rural so unlikely to get doorsteppers. Time to send some letters!!

My Tory MP is a slimy shit and will say anything to get our votes. Was fully behind Brexit so chances are he lies about most things.

Imo if you've a current Labour MP now is the time to really make a noise about this.