"Conversation with the Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht"

[AmaryllisNightAndDay]

In Edinburgh, yesterday, organised by For Women Scotland. With Susan Dalgety and Lucy Hunter Blackburn (contributors and editors) onstage and several contributors to the book spoke up too. Brilliant, sold-out event. Great questions and fascinating answers.

Bring on the Edinburgh Book Festival Fringe!

I thought the woman who wouldn't wheest was Marion Miller, who lied about what she'd been charged with, crowdfunded 50k for a court case that never happened, vanished with the cash and has since been charged with fraud? Or do we not talk about the woman who coined the hashtag anymore? Bit embarrassing tbh

@FreedomDogs I was unaware who Marion Millar was before I read this, although I have a copy of this book. Can you provide a bit of substance to back up your claims - that is always more convincing. If charged there must be something mentioned? I can find this thread from 2021 so was the case ever heard, the charge found.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womensrights/4265724-Why-did-gofund-me-close-Marion-Millers-page-saying-it-it-violated-terms-of-service

Even if what you state is correct what has this got to do with the achievement of the many people who wrote and brought this book to best seller status. (I am assuming its got nothing to do with that, just comments about the anonymous person mentioned in the Intro.

If it has got anything to do with the book then tell us more. But evidence of claims is appreciated and will be asked for.

Are the Marions are getting mixed up here? I thought Marion Calder, who is part of For Women Scotland, coined the ‘women won’t wheesht’ hashtag

Well no you won't find any further information about the lying, absconding and fraud charges on mumsnet because everyone went very very quiet about it after it became clear something dodgy was going on. Google is your friend, however, it's extremely easy to find further info by typing her name and a few key words (maybe try "charges " "crowdfund" and "fraud") into the search bar.

That sound you hear is history frantically being rewritten.

Why is it that TRAs come onto threads, make various (unproven) accusations then, when asked for evidence, tell people to Google it themselves?

Back to the thread sounds like a brilliant event @AmaryllisNightAndDay and the book is amazing. You reminded me that I haven't yet reviewed it online - must do so

The book is amazing. Well worth buying and pleasing to see it prominently displayed in a local Waterstones.
Good to hear that the discussion was enjoyable.

The only thing I can find about Marion Millar is this newspaper article. Nothing about fraud charges. The rest are all MN threads, tweets and blogs. https://news.stv.tv/scotland/crown-office-drops-hate-crime-charge-against-feminist-marion-millar

Marion Calder works for For Women Scotland and is one of the original Women who wouldn't Wheest. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Marion+Calder%2C

I could point out how unreasonable it is to not supply evidence and when asked for, to back up some bold claims. You did not single link.

However I am curious so I have Googled and can see that there have been two sets of charges against Marion Millar.

One where charged were dropped (about transphobia/homophobia) back in 2021. One for which an arrest was made in 2023 (this does not mention crowdfunding problems but instead talks about the accountancy practice and involved another person also charged - his name being the Macintyre I assume he is the other half of Millar and Macintyre Accountants, dissolved in 2022). The outcome of this case is not known. There is very little information about it. It was not in business for long (set up in Dec 2020). There is mention of £50k owe td a Dundee firm. I assume that this is some business failure thing? Nothing to suggest otherwise.

I also found this very helpful thread on Mumsnet - good to catch up https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4679023-marion-millar-in-police-fraud-probe-as-dundee-firm-claims-it-lost-ps50k?page=4

So I now assume that you have no evidence. Possibly 'read about' this on some social media somewhere? You assume that the arrest in 2023 is about the charges in 2021 or at least the crowdfunder for that. 2+2 = ???

Still happy for you to point out what I have missed. Direct me to your source.

Can I just congratulate the entire Women that wouldn't Wheest crew on a sell out event and a great book. All of them.

Susan Dalgety is coming to Virago Women's Workshop on the 3rd September, 7pm. We absolutely can't wait!! There are only a few tickets left - you can find the event on Event Brite.

tell you what, since you are making the claim the usual protocol is that you provide at least the links.

I don't know who any of these people are, so it would be a help.
Thanks

Neither of the Marions coined the women won't wheesht phrase. The anonymous person who wrote the first chapter in the book did.

Since FreedomDogs is wrong about this I'll take anything he/she says with a pinch of salt.

I was about to say the same. The fact that the woman who coined the phrase is too frightened of transactivists to give her name and take public credit tells you everything you need to know about these people. The fact that they routinely lie and smear innocent people is the least of it, frankly.

It's the typical anti-women misogyny that we see on here at times. Throw around a few allegations with zero evidence and hope that women will buy into the nonsense. It's tedious but most women on here have the measure of these posters.

Oh gosh, thank heavens to Betsy for FreedomDogs coming along and reporting all the bad wickedness of The Women Who Won't Wheest!!

Derailing but I love that phrase "thank heavens to Betsy" 😁

Love MumsNet - I go out for the evening and by the time I get back you lovely women have already supplied the facts and corrected the misinformation. There wasn't a woman who wouldn't wheesht, "Women Wont Wheesht" is a well-chanted slogan and the woman who coined it remains anonymous / unknown.

It was a great session, my only complaint is the discussion could have been longer! (And I don't think that often) All the contributors could have said more.

Enjoy the Virago event. Susan Dalgety is a very good speaker.

might be a good idea to read the actual book, perhaps? Before spouting pish. It's currently available on Amazon and in various bookshops. HTH.

Another excellent hashtag is #hatefulhaberdashery but I'm afraid I'm not sure who coined that one. Poor old Ribbony Fearty probably doesn't like that one either.

Every Waterstones I've been in has had this book displayed, often quite prominently, even a tiny outlet (that might have been a pop up) had a copy on a shelf. Didn't it make the Times best sellers list? Great to know there's still a lot of interest in them, wish I could have seen it.

Accountancy problems? I hope MM hasn't got herself mixed up with Sturgeon's troubles and at least she's not abusing kids.

Great book. Wish I could make more events like this.

It wasn't me who called you officer,but thank god you're here.

It's a great book, I'm glad a super evening was had. Nice one, wims.

"I thought..." If ye did, fine Sassenach, you've been badly misinformed.

"Women Won't Wheesht" is a reaction to "Wheesht for Indy", a comment made by very many people of very various politics at various times in recent Scottish political history. In the current and relevant case, it was a reaction to the suggestion that women shut the fuck up about institutional misogyny and support the SNP so Scotland could get its independence and then everything else could be put back on the table. As it turned out, women could not afford to shut up for this cause or any other, and we didn't.

The original comment kind of crashed and burned when it became clear that the SNP weren't actually supporting Scottish independence, but also kind of endured when random independence supporters continued to - boy howdy, how'd ya figure? - support independence, and as parties like ISP and Alba arrived and did support it.

So yeah, "Wheesht for Indy!" = Scottish version of the globally popular "after the revolution!" And "women won't wheesht!" = no, we will not shut up about women's rights. No one owns a traditional Scottish expression; how could they?? If this bothers you so much, why does it bother you?