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.

Don't let some supercilious twonks push you out of an organisation that was set up by and for women!

Fight for it!

I think this is my next step - contact HQ and ask them to clarify whether I am welcome (holding my legally protected sex-realist views).

I'm very conflicted about signing a document which appears to endorse something I utterly reject but the reality is that I will be the one who loses out if I leave. I live in a bit of a rural backwater, my WI is lovely but not 'progressive' and has very little to do with the larger machine. I'm going to see what they say when I ask whether they're really expecting members to affirm that TWAW, given that the policy seems to be funnelling people in that direction.

I'm sure if I 'flounce' I will be counted as one who disagreed with the new eligibility criteria.

Yes, I am concerned about this too. If the membership numbers are down after April, those in charge will automatically assume it's because people left in support of TW. They won't consider anything else.
They won't think about all the other reasons women might have left, many not to do with any aspect of this issue at all (caring responsibilities, etc)

I do agree with those urging us to stay, fight and object! ✊
I'm not wholly opposed to doing that...it is just difficult to accept that half of our money will be going to the national committee who does not prioritise women in a women's organisation.

But I am wondering if I should be in the tent pissing out, yes.

I really sympathise. If I were a member I'd feel exactly the same. My instinct would be to sign, as it's the whole policy you'd be affirming of which the trans bit is just a small part, and then concentrate on contributing to your lovely little WI. As you say, we have the law on our side and all this affirmative guff is the leadership having a tantrum because they've been thwarted.

If men can lie about being women then women can lie about believing them.

Meanwhile the brains of Reddit are discussing whether one of their 'ally' mums should have joined the WI or not....

https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/s/EYQbPEUMQF

Calling her a “scab”, I see. Stay classy lads.

So retro, I wonder if the person posting that even knows where it comes from. 😂

THIS.

Every WI branch member I have met eyerolls when you mention national policies.

Anti trans?!?!
It's the bloody WOMENS institute

Why leave? Tell them to stuff their pledge up their arse and refuse to sign it. I'd like to see how they fare in court.

Actually I did the maths based on the last census

180 000 WI members

93% 45years +
60% retired

Therefore
60% 65years +
33% 45-65
7% 18-45

Trans ID per latest census:

16-24: 1 %
25-34: 0.77%
35-44: 0.64%
45-54: 0.47%
55-64: 0.33%
65-74: 0.25%
Above 75: 0.22%

Hence potential number of trans women in WI is 580

Wow. I mostly just lurk, but I had to acknowledge your fantastic post. I was going to single out the first paragraph, but the whole thing is excellent. You can really feel the years of built-up frustration behind it.

So does that mean we have until now and April to stop this madness?

Can I ask what happens if you don't sign it?

It is a fantastic post and I"d missed it, thanks for sharing

.

There isn't any madness to stop. It's stopped! The WI have taken legal advice, been told "no men" and are dragging themselves kicking and screaming towards complying with the law.

If you're a WI member, you have until April to decide if you want to remain a member because that's when the new membership year starts. Some women are flouncing because they don't like the new policy. Bye then!

Edited to add: Ah sorry, by "madness" did you mean specifically this policy? I don't think we can stop that.

I'm not sure we have to sign it ourselves? Maybe @Marmaladelover knows more about that?

I think it's more that if you pay up as a member, you're deemed to have accepted the policy.

My local committee has just announced they're all intending to stay despite being extremely unhappy with the new policy. Ooh, thanks ladies! Thanks for forcing yourselves to stay even though there are no menz there!
/sarcasm

Trans ID per latest census:

16-24: 1 %
25-34: 0.77%
35-44: 0.64%
45-54: 0.47%
55-64: 0.33%
65-74: 0.25%
Above 75: 0.22%

Those figures are no longer trusted. They have been withdrawn.

'All women including transgender women and others'.

This appears in the WI statement in OP's first post.

Any idea what or who the 'others' could be in this context? I'm stumped.

The boring MK1 cunty kind, as opposed to the MK2 stunning and brave penisy kind.

Yes, must be the famous and obviously rare nontranswomen we read about.

We don’t sign anything if rejoining - just pay our subs to our branch. But presumably we’re deemed to have accepted it by paying. Not that I’ve seen it circulated officially ( might have missed it somewhere).

my county federation newsletter this month included a line thanking all of us who had already responded to their questionnaire re the sisterhoods, saying all views are welcome to help them understand how they can support us, but then had a paragraph about how it was important in this time of change to look out for each other. My response to the questionnaire, which was possibly a little ranty on the subject of who exactly were women, also included a bit about how my reluctance to tell them who I was, was indicative of how debate had not been possible, and how voices had been shut down. I am watching to see how they respond and also share the feedback, as I doubt I’m the only person who said they didn’t want any funds or time going on sisterhoods.

The email from our group’s secretary says whether you’re a new member or a renewing member, you must print off the document and sign. The email from HQ says:

All members (both new and renewing members) are required to complete the form when they join or renew their membership from April 2026 onwards. This is just for this membership year because of the changes to the national policy, and in future years only new members will need to complete this form.