An update to the WI Announcement thread. My DH just got a reply to his application to join them.

[Another2Cats]

This is not a thread about a thread, but recently there was a thread about the Womens Institute announcement that they would not be implementing the SC ruling anytime soon.

I was reading the thread at the time and, entirely jokingly, I suggested to my DH that he should apply to join the WI and see what they say.

So he did just that (he totally gets the GC point of view) and I posted about this at the time:

Another2Cats · 08/05/2025 19:45

I just got my DH to send an email to them:

Hello,

My name is Xxxx (very obviously masculine name). I just read your transgender policy and understand that you accept men.

I am a man and would like to join the local WI group in [xxxx city] (the nearest branch for me is in yyyy [suburb of xxxx city]).

Should I just turn up next Wednesday evening and sign up?

I'm really waiting with bated breath to see what sort of response there is.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5330297-womens-institute-announcement?reply=144143149
.

Well, it turns out that they sent a response this lunchtime.

This is their reply (although with contact details redacted):

Good morning,

Thank you for your enquiry. Our policy states that “WI membership is open to all women who live as women, including transgender women.” If you fit within this statement, you will be more than welcome to attend. I am afraid the WI is not open to men.

Kind regards,

[Redacted]

[Name Redacted]
Federation Secretary
[Two cities - well, a city and a town - redacted] Federation of WIs CIO
[Address redacted]
[Telephone number redacted]
Office hours: Tues, Weds, Thurs 9am – 1pm

Please note the new email address – [Redacted]
.

I don't know, is this something that DH should take up with the EHRC now that he has it in writing?

"Does your DH actually want to join the WI?"

Yes.

"Could this be a stumbling point?"

No, he has a genuine interest in a couple of activities that are regularly run (that I have no interest in at all) by a nearby WI group. He was aware that they did these activities but he was also aware that, as a man, he could not join.

Good!

I can understand why men would be genuinely interested in joining the WI.

I also think it’s unfair to exclude some boys from Brownies or Guides if they are mixed sex organisations.

"Isn't it usually the case in these things that you have to follow procedure"
Yes, you're quite right, and that's what we're doing.
I can see that I was trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs. Apologies.
Crack on!💪

Egg pun there, perhaps? 🐣

Fascinating to watch this one evolve, the Cats…

I feel I need to contact my old WI for a response on whether men will be in attendance as I’m seeking a women only organisation

I have just emailed the WI asking for clarification and making it clear that if it becomes a mixed sex membership I will be leaving.

I have been very unhappy about the 'inclusive' embrace of trans women but as a new member was wary of rocking the boat (and it hasn't been an issue at my local branch......yet) but I feel a bit bolder since the SC decision.

Well done @PencilPleat

I can see that wanting to join helps the cause, but is it relevant? Women's groups have been targeted for years by TRAs trying to infiltrate, not because they want to be there, but because they wanted to impose their 'right'.
I'm still getting over listening to the La Leche podcast on the Inciteful Sisters, telling the story of a man in a frock coming into a mother's breastfeeding support group and sitting in the corner with an erection.

Oh gosh OP, that is very interesting.

He should NOT ask them what living as a woman means, however.

He needs to pointedly ask if they are aware this is sex discrimination and that he will have to consult his lawyer if they don't want to correct their error.

While you’re at it, can you also ask them about their anti-bullying policy?
You seem to be doing far better than getting somewhere than I ever did

The vice chair who I spoke to at the time regarding it said they never actually asked why people leave the WI.

Having followed a few posts on here about why people leave the WI a lot of the time is to do with bullying

Anyhow, well done, looking forward to an update

In 2020 I called my leader and it was the blurb about being kind and perhaps not the organisation for someone with such views 🙄

Men who pretend to be women had more rights to women's spaces than women.

What will be made of this collective stupidity in future?

This feels very wrong, even if he's just doing it to make a point.

More wrong than the WI allowing in men who claim they are women?

Equally wrong.

Not equal in the slightest.

More power to you OP. Keep us posted.

If it's wrong for Mr Cats to try to join then they can simply say they are single sex and women only.

If they're not single sex then it's wrong to allow some men to join but exclude this man who just wants to join the asparagus growing/blacksmithing group or whatever it is he's interested in.

They need to pick a lane, cos sitting in the middle and flapping about being kind while being absolute arseholes to women is not going to wash any longer.

Quite - and as a mixed sex organisation I would expect many of the TRAs to lose interest. Because it was only fulfilling while they weren't supposed to be there wasn't it? Maybe they will need to have some meetings/sessions that are women only and then others that are inclusive?

That's interesting. Why do you feel that?

Also, why do you feel that it is just being done to prove a point? I won't say what activity it is as it may identify the particular federation, but my DH would love to spend more time pursuing this activity (I have absolutely no interest in it at all - the WI are welcome to him as far as I am concerned!).

Somebody else raised a similar point earlier in the thread and this was my reply:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womensrights/5333650-an-update-to-the-wi-announcement-thread-my-dh-just-got-a-reply-to-his-application-to-join-them?reply=144259710

Again, as with the other pp, that's interesting. Would you care to expand on why you think that?

What, exactly, “feels wrong”? Why would “just making a point” make it any less wrong? What point do you think he’s making?

Unfortunately, many people need to make these gestures to ‘make a point’ and to illustrate how ludicrous the situation is.

For example, women recently swam in a ‘men only’ pool in Hampstead, after the council continued to allow trans women (ie men) in the ‘women only ‘ pool.

Yes, that’s pretty much what I got. It was a single sentence somewhere near or on the membership card. Vice chair when questioned was absolutely sure they had a good policy. I sent them a copy of the one we had in the school I worked in which was pages and pages and suggested it was about time they updated the WI one. Never heard anything more, did spend a good time delving around their portal for committee members at one point when I had a logon. Not surprised to find nought. And I expect it’s still the same today.