Women's rights general conversations - Thread 9

[Kucinghitam]

Continuation of Thread 8.

There is so much excellent information and so many active discussions on FWR that I wondered if it would be useful to have a thread to sort of "cross-fertilise" between them - airing little thoughts or vignettes that wouldn't themselves merit their own thread, to highlight other posts/threads of particular interest or to point to notable developments on fast-moving threads so that casual observers know where to look.

(For example, "the X thread has meandered onto a fascinating discussion of Y" or "Poster P's amazing analysis on thread Z might have relevance to the scenario in thread W" or "Has anybody noticed this recurring theme that keeps coming up??" or even "Random bloke asked me to smile while I was choosing onions in the supermarket, grr"- that sort of thing).

Just found this on YouTube, it's not a new concept but even in California

Bless the sensible, honest and compassionate woman whose interview he shows at the end.

And also good to see so many people supporting her in the comments.

www.thetimes.com/article/93b360bb-e144-484f-9132-8d6608a0d83e?shareToken=c5e57435190d056e2b13dae48e285f45

Macmillan Cancer Support twofer - cancer and gender affirming care, yay!

https://archive.ph/rsU4D

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/28/cancer-leaflet-nhs-patients-removing-body-parts/

Which makes me worry about the nurses who may be caring for possibly dying people. Do they guarantee same sex care if requested?

Rather liked this Modest Proposal from John Gray:

After only two months in power, the Starmer government is making real advances in embedding progressive values in the life of the nation. One of its first initiatives has been to halt the Tories’ Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which, under the guise of protecting free inquiry and expression, would have empowered the dissemination of reactionary ideologies in universities. According to press reports, the government is also considering reversing the Tory policy that prohibited police monitoring and recording of alleged hate incidents that are not criminal offences. In future, the fact that speech may not be illegal will no longer be an excuse for excluding it from the attention of the law.

Archaic conceptions of free speech that tolerate assaults on self-evident liberal principles are being rapidly abandoned. But there is one area that has not yet been brought within the reach of regulation. Comedy is potentially the most disruptive of artistic genres, and here the Starmer government has been dilatory. Banning hate speech in theatrical performances – as implied by Humza Yousaf’s Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, which came into effect in April of this year but sadly seems not to have been enforced – is plainly necessary, but not enough. As with so many problems facing the government, the remedy is to expand the scope of law. Given its power to inflict psychological harm and its potential as a channel for hateful views, comedy must become a licensed profession.

https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2024/09/modest-proposal-regulating-comedy-john-gray

Stumbled across this while trawling the Telegraph. Some good news for the states

https://archive.ph/h5cgP

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2024/10/01/christian-teacher-virginia-first-amendment-trans-pronouns/

A free speech issue, so not the right or wrongness of transitioning gender confused kids. I don't know if the organisations supporting the teacher might be considered 'evil', probably that Venn diagram again, but I think this ruling should provide something of a shield to anyone in that state who doesn't wish to indulge this nonsense. Reading this article it seems the teacher had tried to meet the child halfway.

Yes, he tried to compromise. But GII demands total obedience.

It'd be nice to think this would strike a chord in the US. It is very "all-American values", after all. But things are just so polarised there. But good to see, of course.

The “evil” bit reminded me of this, which reappeared on Twitter yesterday. Not quite the same circumstances but the same idea that the wider picture is not a left/ right issue.

https://x.com/redmags60/status/1840740573486911799?s=61

Great, state censored comedy! Stalin, Hitler and Franco would approve wholeheartedly.

Three cheers for Judge Robert McBurney in Georgia, who has overturned the state's abortion ban: https://x.com/MuellerSheWrote/status/1840838823141388623?t=2yoowhzupNUQ7DjrXM37g&s=19

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1840838823141388623.html

Wow, that's such a powerful statement. I'll give him more than three cheers!

Have any other States done this? Can/will the federal government put pressure on them?

Thanks for the link and, especially, the thread reader. Remarkable comments from the Judge! I can't help worrying that there will be a sequel. The ball is in the anti-abortionists court now. In Georgia at least.

Excellent news. And a rational judgement.

Wow! That's made me all emotional. It's a belter of a statement!

Wow, that is an incredible statement. Finally some sense in the USA?

Not only, but also: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/02/melania-trump-memoir-defends-abortion-rights

Not surprised by her stance, a bit surprised by the fact that she has come straight out with it. I bet Trump is pro - for the convenience if nothing else - but wants to keep the funding coming and doesn't care if women he isn't personally shagging can get abortions if they need to.

I just saw that 3,000 people (including myself and my husband) stated that their identified religion is 'believer in biology' in Scotland's 2022 census.

For a wee, underground protest, 3,000 people is bloody brilliant.

Proud to be part of the #three thousand

https://x.com/SarahPedersen2/status/1841782781849796777

Well done FWS and the 3000.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/03/man-who-sent-girl-to-iraq-for-fgm-jailed-in-legal-first-for-england-and-wales?CMP=twt_b-gdnnews

Evil man.

I hope someone mutilates his genitalia. I am not joking.

It's another issue, like many, where you think, are the West (the 'good guys') really doing enough?