The new WI equality, diversity and inclusion policy - it’s worse and includes the thought police

[Marmaladelover]

This is the new EDI policy all WIs have to sign and agree .

The last one was bad enough , the new one discriminates against anyone who doesn’t think Transwomen are women. Please note the sentence
We expect all those who engage in the WI movement to uphold the same values.

I am furious! So what to do about it ?

Main bits I disagree with copied below

Our inclusion of transgender women in activities outside of membership is based on our belief that being a woman is about biology and lived experience

One of the objectives

• Highlight and celebrate the diverse membership of the WI, and ensure that our wider movement offers support and fellowship to all women, including transgender women and others.

Aside from WI membership, we offer other ways to engage with the WI movement, locally, regionally and nationally, including being a WI Supporter and belonging to one
of our Sisterhood groups. We expect all those who engage in the WI movement to uphold the same values.

11. Transgender inclusion
The WI is an inclusive, supportive, and progressive organisation that offers different ways to engage in our movement for members and non-members. The WI provides
educational opportunities and the platform to campaign on important issues, whilst celebrating the WI’s long history of trans inclusion, and embracing the sisterhood and
solidarity of our movement.
Transgender women are welcomed to a range of local and national activities that are open to non-members, as well as our national Supporter scheme. Based on the WI’s
history of trans inclusion, we believe that including transgender women in these activities enriches our organisation to ensure we are a place for both biological women and transgender women to celebrate who they are and influence positive change in their communities.

Ah I see! The old loss of inflection online, sorry but real no harm done I guess and yes it's all totally absurd!

There are events & courses that have always been open to men, the men in dresses can continue to attend those, what men can't do is be members of the WI, no matter how much their skirts go spinny & the WI Head Office crew & a few others are very, very miffed about that.

Instead of all this ridiculous "sisterhood with the menz" palaver, why don't they have the courage of their convictions & go to work for orgs that are intended to be entirely mixed-sex?

Like Girlguiding they are a charity. They have to change their charitable aims or fulfil them.

While I have sympathy for your child’s distress, with respect, I think the wrong solution has been chosen. Medically harming one’s body and claiming to be something one is patently not is not a recipe for a settled and healthy life. He may have found initial relief by making his ‘coming out’ announcements and feeling like he is taking action to help his distress but that is entirely dependent on the whole world playing along with the deception. And that’s not going to happen.

That aside, your rather emotive plea of needs a reaction:

Every policy, every debate, every forum thread is about whether my child gets to exist in public life or not.

As you pointed out to PP, I think you’ll find the reality is not as dramatic as you make this sound. Your son not being allowed to join the WI is not a huge disaster. Your son not being allowed to use any other women’s group or space is not a disaster. He is not doing it to seek out and spend time with people like him as we are not like him, we are women.

In general day to day life there are alternatives for him. There are mixed sex/unisex spaces and no end of social spaces that he can use freely. There are even clubs and societies precisely for people like him. I think the Beaumont Society is still in existence and if not, there are vast numbers of ‘LGBTQetc’ groups for him to join.

He does not need to remove the few female only facilities available to women by joining the WI.

Please can you articulate with actual reasoning why you think men should be in any way part of any WI activities?

I still can’t fathom the actions and attitude of the women in charge of orgs like the WI in prioritising men.

As you say, why do they have to destroy what women have? Why can’t they go and work with men elsewhere?

Is it a feeling that they have too much privilege and want to give it away?
Is it an internal hatred of themselves as women that they externalise and impose on the rest of us?

I wish I could understand.

I think there are three types

1. Women with skin in the game - trans kids or a trans husband. They have chosen - probably against their own instincts - to support this cult, because if they don't their family will be torn apart

1. Left-wing fretters who have heard the 'be kind' calls, and especially the comparisons with Section 28 in the 80s. They have had this idea that "Terfs are absolutely vile" fed to them over and over. They may have seen what happens - say they work in publishing and they can see the vitriol poured over gender critical authors. They can't say no now without admitting that everything they agreed to so enthusiastically over the last few years was a lie

1. Those who just haven't thought about it. Not on their radar at all and the more forceful characters (usually one or the other of the above types) and the captured BBC, Guardian etc have basically told them what to think.

I agree, it often comes across as too many women with too much time on their hands, that has led to a lot of self-loathing. There seems to be a need for them to find something 'worthwhile' to devote they're lives too, in order to keep the feeling of worthlessness at bay. They seem to resent other women who apparently don't appreciate or are not impressed with their efforts. There's a lot of spite behind them digging their heels in, like it's all a power play by other women and they're not about to let 'them' win.

And WI have already let at least one man into the central organisation and allowed him a lot of influence. He believes he is morally entitled to be there and so are all the other men who are like him.

It's a bit like the fable of the frog and the scorpion - what did they expect?

@AmaryllisNightAndDay

They let a lot more than one in into significant posts . I am sure the one you are thinking about had a hand in writing the EDI since he is on the National membership committee. But make no mistake , there are others to who have risen through the ranks at an astronomical rate. There have been National trustees , presidents, federation trustees and a chair of a feeder action that I am aware of that I know of The last one really got to me. He didn’t join in the meeting to seek out new trustees for the fed. He applied after the Supreme Court decision knowing his time was limited . Somehow got jettisoned into position of chair on joining the trustees.

I think it came about for several reasons

Attention seeking and a natural tendancy to put themselves forward not because they are men but because they are “look at me” men who thrive on the power and “being in charge”

Women who let them fall into this role

Making the most of apathy amongst the vast majority of members to take on roles of responsibility.

I can’t get my head around this.
How many ‘transwomen’ are there?
Why are these men being encouraged in their ‘fantasies’ (to use a polite term).

Quite a few by my reckoning . When an organisation actively invites them in by regularly appearing at Pride events with the progress flag flying , by paying for large adverts on the London marches with the same flags and big smiles, they are going to attract them aren’t they? Like bees to a honeypot.

It doesn't need many. Volunteer organisations are always going to be short of people to step up and join the committees etc. So a little group of very active determined people can exert a lot of influence. And feel extra entitled because hey look at the all effort they've put in to this organisation.

That’s awful. It certainly seems like the large delay in restricting membership was deliberately designed to allow men to pile in and get their membership now knowing they won’t be kicked out in the future.

Si if I went to join WI now they'd ask me to sign this nonsense?

Yes, I think you now have to 'align with their values' in order to be let in.

I am really struggling with the decision whether to renew membership or not in April.

I'm disgusted with the senior committee and how they've handled this. I'm appalled at their inability to prioritise women in a women's organisation. I detest their assumption that all members are upset at the policy change.

However, I know some members are going to leave over this, i.e. flouncing, because it's not kiiiind to the poor TW

So if I leave, it will be assumed I am part of that flouncing group. I'm not.
Therefore, I should stay.
BUT if I stay, I'll be part of an organisation that doesn't respect its members, and I'll be giving them my money too.

What to do?!

Unlike their previous EDI Policy, the latest one that I can see (April 2026 Version 3) appears to have been checked over by a lawyer.

Most of the policy deals with the whole range of EDI issues and is entirely uncontroversial.

Although I'm guessing that they must have written this bit about religion and belief with gritted teeth:

"We therefore welcome both women who belong to an organised religion or have religious beliefs, and women who do not. Religion and beliefs, such as gender critical beliefs, are protected characteristics." [emphasis added]

They're still trying to force trans-identifying men in as best they can though, but what the policy says now does appear to be entirely lawful.

They clearly state now (which they didn't before) that:

"...our membership is only open to women registered female at birth (biological women),"

and that trans-identifying women can also be members (again, they used to claim otherwise before):

"WI membership is open to transgender men. This is because they were registered female at birth."

They often use the term 'transwomen' but when talking about specific activities they are careful to say "transwomen and others" ie men of all sorts whether they identify as trans or not and also women who are non-members.

For example:

"...we offer different ways to engage with our movement so that we can offer support and fellowship to a wider group, including transgender women and others."

The Membership section makes it clear that trans-identifying men can only be non-members:

"WI membership is open to women registered female at birth (biological women).

Other activities offered by the WI nationally and locally are open to a wider group of members and non-members.

[...]

Aside from WI membership, we offer other ways to engage with the WI movement, locally, regionally and nationally, including being a WI Supporter and belonging to one of our Sisterhood groups. We expect all those who engage in the WI movement to uphold the same values."
.

They do try and push the trans-identifying men bit, such as saying under the section on gender reassignment that:

"Transgender women are welcomed to a range of local and national activities that are open to non-members, as well as our national Supporter scheme."

It doesn't mention there that are other men wouls also be welcomed to the same activities as well, but this was in the section on gender reassignment so they probably didn't feel the need to repeat that information here.

Overall, it seems like they are trying very hard to spin this as being trans-inclusive while carefully wording it to comply with the law.

https://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/719730/NFWI-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Policy-April-2026.pdf

Just another small point, they did say in their press release back in last December that these new sisterhood groups would be for everyone, not just women and trans-identifying men:

"In April 2026, we will be launching a national network of local WI Sisterhood groups, which will offer monthly opportunities for all people, including transgender women, to come together to socialise, learn from each other, and
share their experiences of living as women." [emphasis added]

.

However, my big problem with the whole sisterhood thing is how does this tie in with the charitable objects of the WI? I'm not sure that it really does.

Sorry, this was just a few thoughts on this. I'm not sure if I answered your question or not?

11.Transgender inclusion The WI is an inclusive, supportive, and progressive organisation that offers different ways to engage in our movement for members and non-members. The WI provides educational opportunities and the platform to campaign on important issues, whilst celebrating the WI’s long history of trans inclusion, and embracing the sisterhood and solidarity of our movement. Transgender women are welcomed to a range of local and national activities that are open to non-members, as well as our national Supporter scheme. Based on the WI’s history of trans inclusion, we believe that including transgender women in these activities enriches our organisation to ensure we are a place for both biological women and transgender women to celebrate who they are and influence positive change in their communities. WI membership is open to transgender men. This is because they were registered female at birth. When talking about transgender people, it is important to understand the difference between sex and gender. Sex is registered at birth on the basis of sex characteristics (genitalia) e.g. male or female. Gender is often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, and is assumed from the sex registered at birth. Gender identity is a person’s sense of their own gender which may or may not correspond to the sex registered at birth. Culturally, it is expected that a person’s gender identity is aligned with their sex registered at birth. For example, it is expected that a person who is registered female at birth because of their sex will consider themselves a girl and then a woman. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. Sex does not always determine gender identity. People who feel that the sex and gender, registered to them at birth does not match or sit comfortably with their own sense of gender may describe themselves as transgender, or use a similar term. Being transgender is a protected characteristic (gender reassignment) under the Equality Act 2010. Being transgender includes the permanent decision to live in their gender identity, and there is no legal requirement to have had gender reassignment surgery or other medical intervention.

https://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/719730/NFWI-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Policy-April-2026.pdf

23.Complaints and concerns If you have a complaint and/or a concern about anything covered in this policy, you should follow your WI or federation complaints policy in the first instance. WIs and federations are encouraged to adopt the NFWI Complaints Policy in whole or in part. In addition to following the internal processes for making a complaint or raising a concern, you also have the right to talk to the police about a potential criminal offence. If you have any questions about making a complaint or raising a concern, please use the contact information below

Oh it's absolute bollocks really.

I am glad I'm not a member. I don't think I should go along and be a disruptor. Not this week.

@MsGreying

"Based on the WI’s history of trans inclusion, we believe that including transgender women in these activities enriches our organisation to ensure we are a place for both biological women and transgender women to celebrate who they are and influence positive change in their communities."

Yes, just as I said, they're really trying to spin this as being trans-inclusive.

But the stated reasons for doing something (as with that example) don't really matter, it's only what the policy says about who can be an actual member and who can't and which events a non-member can attend that matters.

This is like one of those adverts that has a tiny asterisk that says in small letters "see terms and conditions attached".

So, it becomes "Yay, yay, go transwomen!*" *

**[and we also have to let all other men attend these events as well]
.

But it will be interesting to see how they manage to align these sisterhood groups with their charitable objects.

@Another2Cats Melissa Green has been at pains to point out that they received barrister advice on whether sisterhood complies with the charity objectives. I don’t think it does. Would love to know who the barrister is although there are a few to choose from Jane Russell who reprinted Fife in the Sandie Peggie case maybe? Not GLP I think now given their recent offer to the WI and their silence on that.

if they are hanging their hat on mental health and well-being ((C) of the 4 objectives) that doesn’t include my husbands admission to sisterhood who doesn’t need that support but could join.

Once the that guidance is finally published and the Charity commission get off their fence, I will be writing another letter of complaint to them.

It is left wing identity politics. In the world of identity politics, there is a hierarchy of oppressed groups of people. Yes women are more oppressed than men, but transgender people are even more oppressed than women. Trans people sit at the very top of the hierarchy of oppression.

So when there is a conflict of rights, the left have to decide who to side with, and as trans people are the most oppressed/marginalized, they get priority.

I don't think the women who are fighting for trans rights hate other women nor do i even think they have internalized misogyny. I think they have just bought into identity politics and have decided they want to fight for social justice for the most marginalized group in society.

There is 100% correlation between "trans women" and "men who feel they are women". Both are male and not any kind of woman, which means neither have any place in women's single-sex organisations, spaces, services and sports.

"In April 2026, we will be launching a national network of local WI Sisterhood groups, which will offer monthly opportunities for all people, including transgender women, to come together to socialise, learn from each other, and
share their experiences of living as women”

By that, they’re basically saying men who know they’re men, aren’t welcome, but men who believe they’re women, are.

I think it's because the best way to change a system is to infiltrate it. In my darker moments, I think it's happening all over the place as a part of 'transforming' this country into their vision of what it should be while trampling over anyone who doesn't agree with them.