My WI group folded this week

[Mauvish1]

The vote in my WI group was 4:1 against signing the new WI declaration, which would have obliged us to sign that we agreed with the WI upholding the law on being single sex (well yes, obviously!) but also that we agreed that TWAW and should be allowed to join, if only the pesky lawmakers hadn't clarified biological sex for the hard of understanding.

The person from the NFWI who was there to oversee our suspension told us that it was obvious from our refusing to sign that we all had friends or loved ones who were trans! This produced a roar of dissent! She also told us that if we left the WI, we would each be a lone voice to whom no-one listened. The look on everyone's face as she patronised us was a sight to behold.

Comparisons were made with brownies, and some people felt that the WI and brownies should simply open doors to men and boys - but there are plenty of other mixed sex groups to join, and very few other female-only groups.

So, another WI group bites the dust, and it's not the only one in my area.

I think I may have said this before, but some time ago, my local wi group disappeared and a new, identical group with a different name appeared in its place. It is identical in every way in the way it organises, with a great range of activities and a waiting list to join, but it is no longer on the federation list.

I have no idea why they did this - there may be many other gripes they have with the organisation. But it seems to be flourishing.

No we can’t be part of the WI.

We’ve gone with a private friends group and invitation only so that nobody has the right to join us. Keeps things nice and clear. We’re essentially a group of friends who happen to be hiring the hall to get together. Instead of subs we’ve all paid for one weeks hall hire each and we’ll work out the rest as we go.

Among the long list of things I don't understand about gender ideology is this: how come the gender extremists managed to infiltrate the WI of all places? I get how, or at least why, they wanted to infiltrate Girl Guides, or the NHS, or the NSPCC, or the big media organisations. But who on earth thought the WI was important enough to infiltrate?

The alternative explanation is that they didn't infiltrate at all, and that the leadership spontaneously decided to embrace the idea that men can be women. What a thought.

the new WI declaration, which would have obliged us to sign that we agreed with the WI upholding the law on being single sex (well yes, obviously!) but also that we agreed that TWAW
I thought that it was decided that GC and GI were both belief systems and therefore nobody should be discriminated against for having either belief. How can they insist that members believe TWAW?

Please report this.

Please also report them for discrimination on the basis that they seek to exclude people on the basis of a philosophical belief protected under the Equality Act.

Time the ‘W’I fell over then, isn’t it.
I hope that a new grass roots organisation for women will rise like a phoenix.

Good for you!

But who on earth thought the WI was important enough to infiltrate?

I'm not sure of the exact circs, but have heard that someone who is related to a senior figure in the current WI management level is trans.

I don't think there was any spontaneous embracing involved. More a case of "who you know".

I'd be interested in any further information on this.

A year or two back, the WI magazine "embraced" a TW who was married to a WI member (of the pesky "real female" kind) and who, I think, had a position of authority of some sort within the organisation. Of course this person will now no longer be able to be a member of the WI.

ETA: Found it. Maybe not on the exec or anything like that (my misremembering, apologies!) , but certainly featured on the front cover of the July/Aug 2021 issue as "proud", "inspirational" and a "trans activist" who was "welcomed to the sisterhood". So the WI was very proud to wave that flag then.

Oh yes, I remember Petra. I never knew who he was related to.

Just googled and this ⬇was one of the first links that came up! Very interesting to read it now.....

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4820740-remember-petra-wenham-the-first-transwoman-to-be-on-the-wi-mag-cover

Petra didn't 'transition' or 'crack her egg' (as I saw described in the WI 'speaker' report) until 2018, and there was a lot activist work going on from 2010. I wonder if groundwork had been laid before that. 🤔

@JustAnotherWhinger I think that's a really good idea

making anything official seems to involve a lot of palaver these days.

What’s going to stop a biological man identified as a woman and lying and signing the form saying he was born a woman? Because some trans people are so deluded they’d argue it’s true and that they have a female penis 🤷‍♀️

I mean I know the WI can’t exactly do genital checks but I’d have thought that signing a piece of paper is fairly meaningless.

I agree Juliette

I suppose it's so WI can cover themselves legally

I have now seen (after digging about after this thread) the policy. The declaration to sign IS just to say that I was born female (or in the WI words 'registered female at birth' which in my mind is TRA speak anyway, just not quite as bad as 'assigned female at birth'). But it's also that we agree to abide by all the policies, including 'supporting the sisterhood' and all the other things mentioned by others up thread.
I will not be signing and so I guess I have been to my final WI meeting, at least until there's some new women at the top that actually care about women.
I don't care if they infer it's because I am horrified TW can't join. I can't help what they decide it means in their deluded heads as they've clearly chosen to word it in such a way that they can take what they want from it whether women sign it or not, but by not signing it, I'm at least not actually SAYING I agree.

Well I ll sign my form and cross out the bits I dont agree with and see what happens…If the villagers with their pitchforks arrive at dawn I’ll let you know..

Also I could sign with a completely different signature that isn’t legally binding…

Posting this request from a journalist on the other thread for the form...
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5496673-the-new-wi-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-policy-its-worse-and-includes-the-thought-police?reply=151327938&utm_campaign=reply&utm_medium=share

I woukdn't want to be forced into signing things. Whether or not I agree with it. It's a daft move. Forcing folk to sign things or else.

As I have said on other threads I think the TWAW is really were the LGBT+ advocacy lost a lot of public support, or just indiffence. When TW were participating and disproportinately outperforming females.

Unlike gay rights other peoples opinions do not affect a persons sexuality, Trans-rights rely on other people behaving in a way and that is a step too far. Most people don't really care that much about peoples identity, but they do care when they have to change foundational understanding of their lives.

Im tempted to sign as ‘blahblahblah” and see if anyone notices

I've not read all of the comments but surely this is discrimination for them to ask you to sign something saying you believe X? In the same way as if they were expecting you to sign to say you believed in a specific religion as a requirement of membership? It's discriminatory against all those with opposing views / beliefs which are protected?

Insurance is incredibly easy. I was secretary of a dog breed club for a few years and we had to have 3rd party etc. in order to hold shows, fun days, educational settings and group walks. I was astonished by how simple it was to get and how cheap.

This is belief discrimination - your group should sue them for all you can.

Maya Forstater was asked about this ridiculous WI demand at the recent Liberal Voice for Women conference and she said it was belief discrimination. Although Maya isn't a lawyer, Akua Reindorf KC was sitting next to her and seemed to be smiling in agreement.

You can watch the question and answer starting at 01:17:40

Also get Sex Matters and Nick Wallis or other journalists involved.