Another worrying take on what the future might hold for Women.

[TheywontletmehavethenameIwant]

Women have bad odds with Dodds | Jean Hatchet | The Critic Magazine

"The man who said he was listening to those women, no longer has to, and he knows it. He took a really important role for the women critical of him and split it straight down the middle with his Prime Ministerial axe. He then tossed it out to be caught by two women who were already going to have their hands full with their other roles. Keir Starmer not only chose not to appoint a woman who knows what a woman is — the obvious choice being Rosie Duffield — he chose a woman, in Anneliese Dodds, who has made it very explicit that she thinks men can be women. He slapped all our faces. If you can’t feel the sting, I don’t know what drugs you are on, but I’d like some."

The knot in my stomach is back.

This is why I didn't vote Labour. Starmer can put two fingers up to us all now with his huge majority. Annaliese Dodds, what an absolute insult that appointment was and Rosie Duffield ignored.

Don't worry. We're in good hands. All those women who put loyalty to the Labour party ahead of women's rights will come along to let us know everything is under control. Sexy Starmer is going to listen to what they have to say.

This is a serious problem, on top of the primary points made by Hatchet. By having the role split (ambiguously) between 2 people, nobody is actually accountable. Also, by adding the brief to other roles, each Minister has an easy way to deflect questions - considering it much more important to talk about education, or development.

We always really knew which way this would go after the election. My only hope is that the Cass report and Wes Streeting’s response to it can make the cabinet give these issues the genuine consideration they deserve

Yep, welcome to what you voted for.

I thought it had been made clear that Labour are never to be questioned, challenged, or held to account?

This is the Right Side of History, and it's no place for difficult women.

It comes to something when we have to put our faith in a man. At least Tory women had a variety of views, this lot are straight out of central casting.
Waiting to be pleasantly surprised.

Never has the saying "be careful what you wish for" be more true. If you voted Labour, this is what you wished for. Now you just have to suck it up while the rest of us go on fighting for women.

What the ever loving hell are these female politicians on? It is the worst betrayal of their sex that I can think of. They are the essence of handmaidenism. They have no self respect and no self esteem.

I spent the 60s and 70s fighting for the big equality issues that faced us in those decades: what was it all for? To see us erased in favour of a tiny proportion of people with severe psychological issues, a larger proportion with a disturbing fetish and young people caught up in social contagion and the grooming from people with dubious agendas.

And no, I didn't vote Reform because there were too many unsavoury sexist males on their books and I couldn't vote Conservative because of their record on the economy. I first voted in 1964 and have never not-voted since. But this time I spoilt my ballot because, for me, there was no other choice. I am not proud of that but I will not support a Labour government that doesn't know what a woman is with a weak PM who swings in the wind on the issue.

Apologies for the rant.

No need to apologise @flyingbuttress43 it was a good rant. I spoilt mine too.

Well said Jean.

flyingbuttress43

I agree with everything you say, I didn't vote for Labour either, I voted Tory as a protest vote and in the hopes it might limit Labours majority, but it didn't because we went Labour for the first time in a while. 😕

I've only just read this and like how angry Jean Hatchet is.

And I hope those who aren't that aware of the tensions in and with the Labour Party read it.

But also part of me thinks, surely no women who are either Labour or support Labour wouldn't have expected anything different.

Would a man who has been as arrogant as Starmer appoint Rosie Duffield?

In your dreams.

Had I started this thread I would have titled is with JH's conclusion (which search engines would pick up!)

================================================ Women of the left, Labour played us. We need a new game.

Surely none of them really thought it would be any better?

I'm not sure I'd want Rosie to be Minister for Women anyway. It's not like she'd have sole discretion over policy, and as a Minister voting against the Government is a resigning matter, so she'd not be able to oppose policy in Health or Education's remit for example. It's unlikely to happen, but I'd much rather she was on the Women and Equalities Select Committee, or even chair if Kemi's not chosen.

I voted Labour despite being very aware of the divisions in the party and the likelihood that people like Annalise Dodds would be placed in positions of power. I voted Labour because my worst nightmare would be a coalition where Labour had to negotiate with the Lib Dems and Greens to form a government. I also believed Wes Streeting when he said Labour would continue the ban on puberty blockers. I think Kier Starmer is a ruthless politician and he is unlikely to allow the scandal of gender affirming care to taint the Labour government. I know Labour is much more dodgy on women's rights and self ID but I now have a Labour MP who I will be writing to with my point of view regularly. It's not all great but it's also not a disaster.

a tiny proportion of people with severe psychological issues, a larger proportion with a disturbing fetish and young people caught up in social contagion and the grooming from people with dubious agendas.

@flyingbuttress43 this is my assessment too.

I'm really not interested in remonstrating with people who used their democratic right to vote differently from me. I don't see the point. I found it a painfully difficult decision and, if I'd been in another constituency, I might well have ended up voting Labour again myself.

But there is a but...
Before the election I repeatedly came across the view - and not only on this site - that this was a battle we could have once Labour was safely elected.

I would like to ask, how?
If Labour didn't listen to us when they needed our votes, why would they listen now?

Once the GRA reforms and conversion therapy ban are featured in the King's Speech, what then?

Of course they won't listen now.

As you point out they didn't care before they won't now.

I was told by a moderator on another site only this morning by PM:

There's also substantial research in this area suggesting that treating transgendered people as their gender - treating trans women as women, trans men as men - improves their outcomes significantly. We have trans posters on this site, and we have a duty to ensure that this forum is inclusive for them.

Because TWAW. And female athletes, footballers etc, should just suck it up. So there you go. Women, just budge up! 🙄

Same here, Flying. It’s a long time since I could whole-heartedly long for a Labour victory.

I just hope Starmer remembers two out of three people voted against him. His huge majority is fragile. And too many people are now aware of what’s happening for him to openly reverse all the gains women have made.

I didn't vote for it. As did not 60% of the turnout.