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?

OP's DH can commission a solicitor's letter pointing out that, as they have confirmed that they are a mixed-sex organisation, their refusal to let him join constitutes illegal sex discrimination, as does the fact that they represent themselves as single-sex when in fact they are not.

They might just let him join, though, and add 'we are a mixed-sex organisation ' in tiny writing somewhere.

When what OP really wants is a secret ballot of members on whether they want to be single-sex or out-and-out mixed-sex.

I can't see how to get from here to there.

Is it me, or is this all going to be harder than we thought?

so if i've understood correctly, by admitting transwomen, they are mixed sex and the discrimination is against other men who have been told they can't join?
But that only applies if the WI insists it's single sex?

Correct

I get what he's proposing to do and why, but, it feels overly invasive.

Like this:
https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/male-powerlifter-enters-womens-event-breaks-record/

It's like, the point was made, but also, the problem was made worse.

@Another2Cats @SlipperyLizard Thank you both for taking the time to explain that so well.

I am still in the foothills a bit I think (which will concern my children that I can get even more peaked). I work for the NHS and have been shocked by Darlington and Sandie Peggie. Luckily my organisation has not felt too captured (pronouns still optional etc.). I have been appalled by the erosion of women's sports etc. I hate the idea of men in women's changing room, toilets etc, unless I've chosen to go into a mixed sex room. So I feel like I'm just at entry-level in my knowledge sometimes.

What are "softer hand movements"?

The mind boggles

I think it's this.

ArabellaScott 🤣

Ah, no, got it..

They're never going to let me in the WI.

I agree with this. I see the ladies from our local WI quite a bit through some volunteering I do and they are lovely, generous people giving up a lot of time to try and do nice things in the community. I imagine almost of them would not have the first clue about this situation and would just act with ‘kindness’ and what they’ve been told is right. In my area nobody is vocal about gender critical views so there’s not much understanding or awareness of the issues.

He’s right, is this the same as Edinburgh rape crisis hiring man without a GRC to do a job which was for women. He could apply because he was a special sort of man but the men who didn’t deny they are men were not eligible and therefore discriminated against?

Maybe he could apply to join a WI group that already admits men?

This. I am gender critical, but I don’t think the women’s Institute is the first thing to go after.

Why would any branch of the Women’s Institute admit men?
Do you know of any?

Irrelevant. The point is not the difference between LARPing and real life. The point here is that the SC has clarified the illegality of the WI including some men but excluding others.

If he wants to take it further (please do!) he should point out that they are illegally discriminating against him by excluding him while including some men.

You’re welcome @Heylittlesongbird we were all in the foothills once, but the good women of FWR will always be here to answer any questions you have.

I think he should pursue but not with the volunteers. Referring it to the EHRC, if there is a mechanism, feels like it would be a relatively easy win, and if successful, a mechanism that can be used elsewhere too.

Unless of course they buckle and become mixed sex, which would be a shame and does feel like a not-insubstantial risk.

I think they mean a branch that has a transwoman in it.

According to the email that the OP received, they all do, as long as the men 'live as women'.

Perhaps he could ask how he would know if he was living as a woman , as he lives pretty much as his wife does I expect he would qualify?

But their policy is to admit trans women. That’s the point.
They admit men who claim to be women, but not men who admit they’re men.
It’s illegal discrimination.

I would love to know how many men are actually in the WI already....

"open to all women who live as women"

That sounds rather like discrimination against transmen on the grounds of gender reassignment.

I'm not entirely certain I'm 'living as a woman' either - apart from being a woman who's alive. I tend to sit on one foot rather than crossing my legs, and I don't know how soft my hand movements are (is there some sort of mohs scale?).