A call to all wims to challenge registered charities who claim to be women’s services who include “transwomen”

[Hedgehogforshort]

Inspired by a post about Nottinghams Women’s Centre being trans inclusive, I think it is time we did something. Like pull the ruddy rug on them.

I don’t think it will need the extensive work of the NHS data thread.

There are hundreds of alleged women’s only services who are registered charities. They mostly have a governing document describing themselves as for women only but do not mention “transwomen” in their objects, but do in unlawful policy documents.

All charities have a beneficiary group, which they cannot stray from.

Also if they change their objectives to be “inclusive’”IMHO” the funds they hold on behalf of the original beneficiaries, must be handed back or ring fenced, which is why some of the major charities have conceded, ergo the WI and GG.

My idea is that we target our own localities and make a complaint to the charity commission, about the charity we are a potential beneficiary of.

what do you all think? Happy to coordinate this though i may need @knottyauty

meanwhile i am off to look at a few national bodies

I'm getting some helpful answers from ChatGPT, will share tomorrow.

Here's ChatGPT, in bold. I've edited it down, but still long...

You’re essentially trying to do due diligence: identify UK charities whose objects say they exist to benefit women and/or girls (sex = biological sex), and then check whether their actual practice or policies are now inconsistent with that purpose — which matters legally and regulatorily after the Supreme Court decision.

The legal position (brief, but important)
Following the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers (2024):

• “Sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex, not gender identity.
• A charity whose charitable purpose is the benefit of women or girls is therefore:
• lawfully entitled to restrict its beneficiaries to biological females, and
• not lawfully entitled to extend those benefits to biological males if doing so defeats or contradicts its stated objects.

This interacts directly with charity law, because:

• Charities must act within their charitable objects.
• Trustees have a legal duty to ensure activities further the stated purpose, not redefine it by policy drift.
• The Charity Commission can intervene where a charity:
• misapplies funds, or
• operates outside its governing document.

What actually determines whether a charity is “women-only” in law
Not branding. Not websites. Not press statements.
What matters is:
🔹 A. The charitable objects (binding)
Found in:

• the charity’s constitution / trust deed
• Charity Commission register entry (“What the charity does / Who it helps” is indicative, but objects are decisive)

Typical wording that does restrict beneficiaries:

• “women and girls”
• “females”
• “women suffering domestic abuse”
• “girls and young women”

If the object does not redefine women, it defaults to biological sex.

🔹 B. What the charity actually does
Evidence includes:

• eligibility policies
• service access statements
• staff guidance
• public FAQs (“we include trans women” etc.)

A mismatch between objects and practice is where legal exposure arises.

I suggest a three-column approach, which I can do for you step-by-step:
✅ Column 1 — Charity identity

• Name
• Charity number
• Area of work (VAWG, mentoring, legal advice, etc.)

✅ Column 2 — Objects test

• Exact wording from governing document
• Whether beneficiaries are defined as:
• “women/girls” (unqualified)
• “people of all genders”
• explicitly redefined

✅ Column 3 — Practice test

• Public policy on eligibility
• Evidence of inclusion of biological males
• Whether this appears consistent or inconsistent with objects

This creates a defensible audit trail, not a polemic.

What does wims mean?

Scope choices (you can steer this)
Before I start pulling names and documents, it would help to know how tight you want this:
Option A — High-impact national charities
Examples: domestic abuse, rape crisis, women’s legal aid, girls’ mentoring.
Option B — Funders and umbrella bodies
These often shape policy across the sector (quietly but powerfully).
Option C — Local / service-delivery charities
Smaller, but often more exposed legally.
Option D — A short “red flag” list
Charities whose objects say “women/girls” and whose policies explicitly include biological males.
We can start with one option and expand.

What I suggest we do tomorrow
We start Phase 1 only.
To make that efficient, I’ll:

• pull together an initial longlist of women/girls-only charities, likely including:
• domestic abuse / VAWG services
• rape crisis & sexual violence services
• women’s legal advice charities
• girls’ mentoring and safeguarding organisations
• include charity numbers and objects, so everything is traceable.

Then you can decide:

• which ones you want to examine first,
• whether to narrow by sector,
• or whether any can be excluded immediately.

One small but important choice for you When we resume, tell me which starting scope you prefer:

• A) Large national charities only
• B) Medium + large (including London-centric bodies)
• C) All sizes (slower but thorough)

There’s no “right” answer — it just affects volume and pace.

Short for wimmen = women.

So, @Hedgehogforshort would you like me to get ChapGPT to make a shortlist?

Ah! Thank you. x

And which shortlist?

Sorry, it possibly should be wimmin not wimmen.

Great idea
love to help

can scope out locals
SEast Faversham area spreading to Swale to the West and the rest of Kent

Or help with the big Nationals. Whatever. I’m easy

Wondering if we go for smaller charities first. They are less likely to fight against this than the nationals
worth a thought

Hedgehog, Rogue et all will follow your lead
🫡

Girlguiding should be on this list.

"Our taskforce explores opportunities for trans girls and trans women to connect with and be supported by Girlguiding, while operating within our equality and diversity policy.

Our equality and diversity policy changed on 2 December 2025, following the Supreme Court's decision on sex and gender. For more on the policy change and why we made this decision, read our statement for members.
...
Here are some of the kinds of ideas the panel will be exploring:

- Ways to include trans girls and trans women. Like exploring how we might create new spaces or groups for them.

- Changes to how Girlguiding works. Like exploring how we might make changes to the way Girlguiding is run, while still operating within our equality and diversity policy.

- Showing support of the trans+ community. Like exploring how we might hold events, run activities, or campaign."

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-volunteers/updates-for-our-members/taskforce-updates/

@RogueFemale will you marry me please?❤

in the virtual world lol

I have a terrible hangover from last night (was my DH work leaving doo from a local city Council)

just for information the senior mangers male and female were all very much GC.

And went out tonight for a valentine meal.

have read all posts and will have a clear head tomorrow so will respond then.

i don't need to own this project and am very thrilled at the attention it has drawn

thank you all you all wimms or wimmin.

it matters so much to me as my life has been dedicated to women's services and I know first hand how important they are.

Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?😁

Look out non-compliant organisations, she's coming for you! Don't mess with the Hedge!😄

@RogueFemale That is an excellent plan of action. I can feel my activist juices flowing!
@Hedgehogforshort I was involved in Knotty's NHS audit from the beginning [and still am]. We are probably going to need a method to collect and collate data away from this thread. This will likely need to protect the identity of the people doing the work and also protect the integrity of the information. If either/both of you want to DM me I can explain further.

So, just to be clear, your intention is to become a self-appointed moral guardian and attack charities - charities - for being too inclusive, right?
And you've posted this thread to invite others to do the same?

I'm not sure I can get behind this particular 'cause'...

No charities must comply with the law both the charities act 2006 and the equality act

it's very easy for these charities to be compliant if they want to include men. All they have to is change their charitable objects to say they are mixed sex which usually requires a vote from the membership of the charity whatever that membership consists of. The charity commission then have to agree that that change ensures they still meet the public benefit aspect of charity law. Then they need to make it clear that their beneficiaries are women and men.

what they can't do is say their charity is for women and girls, have their charitable objects as women and girls and then include men

basically they have to be honest and transparent

something which oddly enough many of them don't want to be. They want funding aimed at women and girls AND to include men

no

tjey Cannot have it both ways

"They want funding aimed at women and girls AND to include men trans-women"

Fixed it for you.

The only people that can be 'trans women' whatever that is are MEN.

Hope that helps.

lol everyone knows trans women are men

sad that you're still trying that one