Government announces preferred candidate for EHRC chair

[teawamutu]

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson.

I don't know anything about her, is this good news or Harperson plus?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-preferred-candidate-for-chair-of-equality-and-human-rights-commission

This Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson?

www.wbg.org.uk/article/filia-meets-mary-ann-stephenson/

Yes, believe so. Talking to FILIA seems a positive start!

My thoughts too.

Pleased to see she signed this letter condemning violence against women from transactivists:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/24/violence-against-women-transgender-debate

And this letter: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/14/observer-letters-theresa-may-siren-words-fool-no-one#let-a-woman-speak

Harriet Harman had been suggested - that would have been dreadful.

I would be wary.

She is clearly a very committed woman who has had a number of jobs with various women's groups.

But as a former Director of Fawcett is clearly not a radical.

No more that speaking at FiLia whose claim to be a women's liberation conference is as convincing as visiting Disney Land to understand nature!

And there is no doubt Women's Budget Group is a very respected group, but I think it was that before she became part of it. But they continue to be very critical of how Labour economic policies impact on women. https://www.wbg.org.uk/newsroom/latest-news/

And hate to say it, but if she is the Government's preferred option it will be because they think she will not be as challenging as Baroness Falkneer.

And with her links to the VAWG sector think she will be at best on the be a lets be fair to both sides.

Brief bio here https://justfair.org.uk/amo-team/mary-ann-stephenson/

OTOH r/transgenderUK think she's a massive terf, and at least some of the right people are furious.

In fact having posted about the work of the Women's Budget Group, who are very concerned about collecting data on "gender" equality has made me wonder if they have a position or have commented on accurate data.

ie are they just using "gender" because so many people do without thinking about it in relation to trans identity. Or whether like Sex Matters have concerns about how recording "gender" can distort accurate figures about sex equality.

Another positive finding, she donated £25 to Allison Bailey's legal fund: https://allisonbailey.co.uk/comments/#:~:text=Mary-Ann%20Stephenson

Oh I do hope this is good news. I was so worried about Harman

OTOH r/transgenderUK think she's a massive terf, and at least some of the right people are furious.

As the only thing she has made a public statement about was about trans being violent, would be interested to see the evidence that she is a massive "terf".

Signing a letter against violence by trans activists, primarily from socialist feminism doesn't make a "terf", but interesting that this is seen as meaning you are a serious concerned terf!

I am not trying to be negative about her but to not get over excited.

The TIMs are very angry so sounds like a good choice
https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/comments/1l42tcc/dr_maryann_stephenson_is_the_governments/

And after everything we've been through the last few years, I think you're right.

She clearly understands that sex is real (hence=massive terf to the TRA brigade), but has played along with 'inclusive' approaches when the ONS, for example, was still fully captured.

Her Labour credentials are strong, and she's not as controversial as Falkner.

Hopefully she's too intelligent to have been persuaded into believing genderwoo, and can do the 'being kind and considerate and inclusive' thing while actually putting safeguards in place for women.

Looks better'n Harman.

I think the other reason they might want her is she is an experienced "public servant" (and probably Labour).

You get to be that "safe pair of hands" by never making strong statements.

Again just trying to stick to facts not wishes, I cant find any comment from her about sex based rights, or what the word sex should mean, although would observe the Supreme Court ruling.

Trans rights fuming will be because she is associated with women's groups.

Shows just how skewed their view of the world is.

Though if TRAs carry on like that they may turn her into one!

Remember very few people are travelling away from reality at the moment. The general direction of travel is towards sex realism once you find out what's going on. If she was pretty sex realist before, she's going to be full on sex realist after getting abuse from the men with moobs for a few weeks. I'm also glad it's not Harriet Harman who has been a massive disappointment.

And yes if Labour had tried to push HH on us, that would have been a nightmare.

Although the Fawcett link is interesting.

Maybe that's all Fawcett is nowadays. Not a group with any real purpose but a testing ground to spot potential "team players" for government jobs, or fronts for government jobs.

Definitely better than HH!

Her tenure at Fawcett long preceded its capture by trans activists. I think we can have confidence that she’ll be a worthy successor to Kishwer Falkner.

Spot on.
It's not Harman which is positive. It was always going to be someone with establishment credentials and if the trans taliban are unhappy with her appointment it suggests that she's someone with a good grasp of politics and women's rights?
A few more weeks of the men with moobs carrying on with their pissing on everyone campaigns and she'll be a full on terf.

Reddit has found them don’t worry

What a nice turn of phrase that Roz Kaveney has

Well whoever it is I hope that should this petition suceed to debate stage they shred the "rationale" behind it.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/725324

I am cautiously optimistic about this. How likely is it that she will get the position?