Labour won't back Tory pledge to protect single-sex spaces

[Abeona]

Apparently women already have enough protection. Try telling that to the women who were left to deal with man in the women's loos in my local M&S the other day. He wouldn't leave until one of them phoned the police. There needs to be an absolutely clear 'no men in women's single-sex spaces' law. Any grey area leaves predatory men space to manouevre.

http://archive.today/1YofY

@BackToLurk in 30 years of nursing I’ve never nursed a trans patient. Don’t agree with trans women being in the next bed to a biological woman but sorry this is not the main issue affecting the NHS.

I don't believe the Conservatives will do it. They lie and lie and lie.

This ‘nothing will change they’re all the same’ is so disappointing. I mean there’s no money left. Whose fault is that ? Okay, I’ll give the tories a 3rd chance to sort things out. It’s so laughable.

So you want it to happen?

And will give mandate to the party who have stated they won’t change the EqA, the opposite to that

Have you checked out what Labour propose on this? Dr led diagnosis, GP could be an option

GP GRC is pretty much Self ID

Does that sound good to you?

I can say what TRAs hope happen

No it's not the main issue. But it is an issue that cuts across multiple sectors education, adult social care, prisons, health. As I said, I think approaching this through clarification of the Equality Act with an amendment to specify sex means biological sex isn't a massive ask. It concerns me that the LP can't even do that.

It also bothers me that so many senior male politicians and commentators are so dismissive of this. That's very revealing & tends to reflect my experience of male political figures within the party

I do think the timing from the government is cynical, and I thought the same when the Telegraph (if I remember correctly?) flagged up the possibility a few months ago. I can't see it winning them many new votes.

But the speed and the disdain with which Labour have dismissed this - not even waiting for a statement from their own Shadow Minister for Women - is dismaying for those of us still holding out for their manifesto before deciding whether we dare trust them.

I will still wait for the manifesto, but increasingly I'm reminded of my 22 year-old self, knowing I was involved with an arsehole but waiting for him to dump me because I didn't have the nerve.

I don’t get the ‘cynical’ line tbh

Women push on something. Some politicians hear it others say no one is talking about it

The Tories are doing to lose. They know this . At this point, if they really gave a shit about women's rights -(which they gave failed to prove whilst in power for 14 long years) they would had smashed it this morning. instead they had Kemi warble on in some incoherent manner failing to come up with a coherent plan. It was embarrassing to listen to.
They have lost my vote.

As if they had your vote if changing the EqA made you switch to Labour’s gender nonsense

They are far more aligned to TRAs

All spaces should be safe. A very obvious subset of spaces should be single sex.

So come on, Rosa — let me show you Wales, where I live. 25 years of lovely Labour rule. NHS in tatters. Waiting lists as long as England. Once famous for the standard of its education: attainment now among the lowest in northern Europe. Persistent areas of deprivation. Health and education both devolved to the Welsh government, so you can't blame Westminster. Mark Drakeford, our recently departed first minister, was a man with a net worth of several million.

I wouldn't have described it as cynical if we'd seen them trying to get it through Parliament and failing. To see them not even trying to legislate (I accept I don't know what's happened behind the scenes) and then holding it out as a reward for voting them in again, and even - cos I assume it was planned - floating the idea in the press beforehand - that's what I call cynical.

But I do appreciate the Tory party making it a talking point. And I do think Labour might one day come to rue not only the speed but also the glee with which they've batted it away.

No it's not the main issue, but it is still an issue.

I nurse inpatient and community mental health and I have experienced this issue. My trust is unreceptive and unsupportive of concerns reported by nursing staff.

It doesn't have to be the main issue. It is an issue though.

Everyone will have their own criteria for what constitutes "the main issue" in the NHS anyway. for some it will be nurses and doctors pay; for some it will be lack of care in the community meaning bed blocking by elderly patients; for some it will be the crisis of obesity that is fueling ill health; for others it will be waiting lists for operations........and so on.

Whether or not you think they care is irrelevant. The issue is a live one and one that is not going to go away. In fact, it will just intensify as the years pass.

Someone in the Times comments last week said that she had complained to a M&S assistant about the state of the mirror in a changing room - it bore "evidence" of a man having been "enjoying himself" in there, presumably listening to conversations in the next cubicle. The assistant said " Oh no, not AGAIN" and apologised. Utterly revolting and objectionable.

M&S and John Lewis allow men into formerly women's changing rooms, according to "where they feel most comfortable". Stuff any women who feel threatened. This policy puts a burden not just on customers, who can walk out if they wish, but mainly on staff who have to deal with dodgy and possibly aggressive men, as well as angry women.

Complain to M&S management, folks!

'frothing'

I haven’t seen anyone from Labour talking about making it easier for disabled people to access disability benefits, or providing better funded benefits for those that need them in general. Or make it easier to work out what they might be entitled to. Shame on them.

Just imagine if Labour had responded today with something along the lines of: 'We take this issue very seriously and fully understand women's concerns. We would like to reassure women that we totally support their right to single sex spaces based on biological sex. Our disagreement with the current government is purely about the best way to achieve this. Our manifesto will explain further.'

Surely individual changing rooms are the way forward. Safe spaces for everyone

This just kicks the can down the road. Society needs to figure out how to handle people who don't identify as their actual sex. Rebuilding every changing room in the country would take huge amounts of time and money, and does nothing to address all the other situations where these clashes of rights occur -- sports, toilets, prisons, hospital wards etc.

Well yes. Same here. But I’m not somebody parroting that the tories know what a woman is.

You’re parroting that line

Which is one way to deflect from the impact of gender ideology on women and children

Come on @Rosaluxemberg , explain why 25 years of Labour government in Wales hasn't improved life here for so many in the population.