JKR in The Times. Labour have dismissed women like me

[impossibletoday]

https://www.thetimes.com/article/860b9b92-9b0d-4321-ba97-6a18b367bdf4?shareToken=fc3cf82fe46fc9169528ed540751fc27

My favourite quote of hers

This really has been a perfect example of how NOT to formulate & implement policy.

Yes! In addition a policy that is built around blatant lies is never going to work. We were all just supposed to ignore the basic facts of science and biology and accept it without questioning. When you think about it I'm still horrified it has got as far as it has and become so entrenched in our laws and society. How any sane human being could declare "her penis" I will never understand!

Thanks for this!

Jane Clare Jones is spot on. We had a referendum about leaving the EU. We were consulted - and lied to, sure, and had false promises bandied about, but at least our voices, our opinions, were wanted on whether we should Remain or Leave. We were consulted and we voted because it was a big thing that affected all of us.

The dismantling of women’s rights has been done without consulting, respecting, or considering women. And we’ve had the likes of feminist-to-her-fingertips Nicola Sturgeon dismissing women’s concerns as ‘not valid’. Well, you don’t get to rewrite the definition of an entire sex class and develop sweeping new policies around that without asking first. How naive to expect no pushback, and how slippery to paint dissenting women as baddies oppressing a vulnerable minority.

Nobody ever asks for women’s permission because it seems women are expected to be emotional support humans who gratefully accept whatever crumbs, if any, are thrown our way. Not any more.

Matthew Saed's comment in the Times:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/0a41a299-70bd-453e-920c-d68ca22d0fcf?shareToken=bd6a01f8d5994228a5e37c7ce28c53ff

Well, now a bloke's saying essentially the same thing as JKR perhaps Starmer will listen.

This isn't a criticism of Matthew Syed. I'm glad he's speaking up. I hope more people do.

This exchange in the comments made me laugh:

dilys syed
3 HOURS AGO
"Back of the net"
ReplyRecommended (45)Share

• Matthew Syed STAFF
• 3 HOURS AGO
• "Thanks mum! "
• ReplyRecommend (66)

i do wonder what are Victoria Starmer red lines? She is Jewish and a biological woman not a comfortable combination to be when your husband hasn’t shown himself to be supportive about both your realities

If my DH was into gender woo (or appeared to be), I'd have divorced him by now.

Me too! I do wonder how she can stand it unless she is power mad too and will sacrifice her principles and beliefs to see him get into Downing Street

I think KS will be rattled a bit today.

I heard on the radio last night that KS is now asking to meet with JKR to discuss Labour’s support for women.

She’s got the issue finally being taken seriously (not dismissed as a few middle age Karen’s clutching their pearls) and fully onto the election map with analysis of it coming from political journalists . Quite a different approach. Yet another reason to be grateful to JKR.

Yes, a "proper" commentator has come along.

Of course, as with almost all of his articles, he managed to annoy me at least once.
But, while I share those feelings, mine extend deeper. I worry that a future Labour government will genuflect before any campaign with sufficient momentum. was today's moment. I completely understand the argument he goes on to make, but it just, as is often the case with him (and many of his male colleagues at The Time) got my back up.... "like this is an annoying issue and I agree with JKR, but really, it's just one issue. There are potentially so many other, even MORe important issues"

I keep thinking that the statement labour put out, that they've put out before and we've all sort of rolled our eyes at, could have been used more or less as is, BUT WITH KS's name attached to it and it would have been different. Even better if it had included an actual acknowledgement that his original comments were wrong and uninformed.

That would be amazing!

100% this.

I think a meeting could be interesting if KS would go into it ready to listen. But he might be going into any potential meeting with the idea of managing the public narrative or keeping JKR happy so she’ll stay quiet. Honestly, the man is such a political cypher that I could see it going either way and not be surprised. He just has never behaved in a way that makes me want to trust him on women’s rights.

He’s like a lot of modern Prime Ministers, they seem to want the job just for the sake of having the job and they have no moral vision or grand plan for the country that they can articulate. They’re MPs and they want a promotion and PM is the top job so why not go for it - politics feels more and more like middle management these days.

Alastair Campbell was asked on TwX for his comment on the JKR Times piece. Not bothered to read it apparently (sorry can't link).

How can he be so dismissive? Does he really not think it's worthy of discussion?

I thought Syed's piece was OK, and the broader point about Starmer's flip-flopping is worth making. I didn't reading it as diminishing JKR in any way.

Campbell is too busy cosplaying 'man of the people' during Euro 24 🙄

When the Tories proposed amending the Equality Act, which was only a couple of weeks ago, Labour were gleeful in their dismissal of the whole issue. Now they're talking about a meeting with JKR? Something feels off, although that might just be a sign of how little I trust them these days.

If I were JKR, I'd only agree on condition that Rosie Duffield and representatives from the Labour Women's Declaration were there too.

JKR has been a staunch labour supporter, she's donated. She's the world's leading, best loved children's author. She's a mother and she's political.

She's got tremendous clout.

And, best of all, she's absolutely determined to air her views publicly. We know the gender critical attitude is persuasive, because it's right. And as a clever, creative writer she puts it across perfectly.

If I was Starmer, I'd be bricking it.

If this issue can, as we all predicted, make him look like an absolute sexist twat, it's going to be brought up every five seconds.

And there's no one better to bring it up than JK Rolling.

I bet he's desperate to get her on side. And I bet she's equally determined to totally hold the line.

If I were JKR, I'd only agree on condition that Rosie Duffield and representatives from the Labour Women's Declaration were there too.

And Justine Roberts brandishing the mumsnet manifesto.

It would be nothing short of miraculous if they actually started to bloody well listen to what women were saying.

I’m sure you’re right about her determination. JKR will have sat through her fair share of patronising meetings - her alone in a room full of suits - and she’s been hugely successful at holding her own in those circumstances so I’m sure she can continue to do so. It’s whether or not any assurances given to her by Starmer pre-election will be held to post-election that’s a worry.

Having the Mumsnet Manifesto brought into the discussion would be great too 👍

I am going to enjoy imagining that meeting.

This on Twix has just made me laugh:
JKRowling;
'Labour giving the same energy as a man who's been shagging a woman from work but thinks his wife should be cool about it because he's always put the bins out.'
https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1804846509856334110