Are things moving in the right direction?

[Manchesteruser]

With the announcement of the Olympics ban, the WI announcement, the Darlington nurses etc things may be going in the right direction...

But then we have the Sandie Peggie outcome yet to be fully sorted, the Leonardo case, the Hampstead pools and the bloody Green party...

Do people things might be moving in the direction of common sense?

Yes things are absolutely going in the right direction. 10 years ago the things people are saying now were unsayable - even on Mumsnet your post would be deleted and you'd be banned. Now we are allowed to say the unsayable and the cat is well and truly out of the bag.

I don't doubt there will be some hiccups along the way and more women will be hurt by gender ideology before the rot is fully rooted out. But we're never going back to #nodebate and that's a big win imo.

As others have said, we do see realist comments stand every once in a while. The sensible official decisions are mirrored in something happening among us little people too.

But it's still gobsmacking how fast everyone fell for this tripe at every level, and how s-l-o-w-l-y it's being pulled around and how much work it takes.

I know that's always the way when any bit of sexism is dismantled, but somehow it always manages to shock me.

There are still a lot of people fighting back against reason - the BBC article on this thread for example is a depressing read…
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5507990-darlington-plea-for-single-sex-spaces-to-protect-womens-privacy-dignity-and-safety

On the one hand gender ideology has to fizzle out because it's based on an absurdity. We have the undeniable fact that no human has ever changed sex, there is no plausible mechanism by which any human could change sex, and the Born In The Wrong Body narrative has no evidence to support it having any basis in reality. But on the other side there are multiple agencies, some of them powerful, who have a vested interest in removing the rights and protections that women have won remarkably recently and only in some societies, and will push even the most absurd ideology if it helps this aim.

Overall, I think things are moving in the right direction. I do hope so. I'm furious at having had so much of my time wasted by having to push this fucking batshit crazy nonsense out of my face from multiple directions.

We need to fight this one tooth and nail. At least we are prepared this time.

I started to think so, but the number of people I know or are meeting locally who have recently become trans or whose children - school age or student age - that have recently declared themselves trans is skyrocketing, along with local support via official initiatives or in general -- pubs, shops, events, fundraising for pride, performances, etc

I’m cautiously optimistic. But I’m very aware of the deep roots this mind-rotting infestation has. Years of getting transactivists into positions of influence. A male supremacist ideology cleverly harnessing women’s willingness to be kind.

A whole generation has now been taught to see rowdy girls and sensitive boys as being born in the wrong body. It’s hard to counteract childhood brainwashing.

I’m optimistic but it’s like dragging ourselves through a torrent of treacle isn’t it? Every little bit of progress is subject to pushback. The anger from the Tras is not surprising. They kicked their legs and said “wah! wah! not fair!!!” like toddlers straight after the SC judgement but they’ve regrouped somewhat.

But we are too strong. And public opinion is with us despite what Tras might claim. And now “no debate” has been seen through there’s no stopping us.

I think that there are difference in the provinces, towns and rural areas not so near red brick universities and the like.

I am in such a place where i have yet to come across a be kind type who can hold a line. And it is now in most peoples awareness due mostly to the SC ruling and sport.

I think that there are far more people who think this ideology is nonsense than that which the polls reflect.

I really think they go there at their peril. If they re-write the equality act then we will get more Isla Brysons and hospital ward "female" rapists, not to mention the countless common pervs like Rose of Darlington. And they'll have the force of the law behind them! Surely even the labour government wouldn't be so stupid as to be the ones to enact legislation that unambiguously allows things like that to happen. The population knows it isn't right, it's beyond time for the government to catch up.

I don't think, as things stand right now, that Labour is planning on revising the protected characteristics part of the Act. Doing so with respect to sex and gender reassignment would not be easy - the Supreme Court has pointed out many ways in which making gender identity quasi-biological-sex for some purposes and not others is unworkable. It's not something that you could just sneak in. All evidence points to efforts around activating Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, which requires public bodies to consider socio‑economic inequality when making decisions. This is not a new amendment - it's a provision already in the Act that previous governments chose not to bring into force.

It's not impossible that they will introduce explicitly protrans language into whatever legislation and regulation they bring forth, but it will have to be consistent with the supreme court's ruling, and I would be surprised if they include any as it would make the proposed legislation a much harder sell.

I doubt that the 'it wasn't that bad' narrative will be able to survive the medical malpractice scandal once that comes out.

I think this is the last spasm before the death of it. I have hope from:

Allison Bailey, Sandie Peggie, the Darlington nurses and all the other legal cases - thank you brave women

The death of the Tavistock and the pushback against medical treatment for “trans children”

Potential ban on social media for under 16s

FWS ruling

The weirdos, perverts and predators who call themselves trans - they are doing an excellent job of making our case for us (although, heartbreakingly, still at the expense of women’s and children’s safety)

Friends in high places - Rosie, Jo, Sharron…

The women of Mumsnet, WRN, SEEN etc. who are holding the line. We are so much better organised than 20 years ago

I read about potential changes to the EA and the problem is that with regards to socio-economic equality, it is so difficult to define and implement that it would be unworkable. Not that it would stop the Starmer government from giving it a bloody good try.

For me, the worst aspect of this awful nonsense has been that it could never have got so far without the women who have enabled it for a variety of reasons.

though it could equally be said if men had started laughing it off straight away it wouldn’t have gained credibility?

I despise the businesses who supported it , not because they gave a shit but just for sales and share price.

Gilead would never have worked without Serena Joys and Aunt Lydia's :/

There’s been some on here trying to stop women speaking up too.

Think things are moving...

https://www.itv.com/news/london/2026-06-01/health-secretary-i-would-no-longer-say-trans-women-are-women

And

The guardian of all places.. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/01/ehrc-ruling-trans-peoples-access-to-toilets-protecting-single-sex-spaces

The tanker has slowed but I dont think it's gone into reverse yet. People are still fighting cases through the courts and children are still being brainwashed. The chair of SEEN will still, I think, be in court this month for saying only women menstruate - a case which is interesting for many reasons, not least the lawyers involved. Please no-one mention bundles.

I’ve seen false dawns before and been disappointed, but I do finally think there is some clear progress. As pp have said, the new health sec and the guardian article haven’t come about because of a personal change of faith, but because they can see which way the wind is blowing.

Keeping with the weather analogy, I’m sure there will still be storm clouds as the TRAs throw their thunderbolts, but the climate has changed. The discussion is outdoors and the public knows - and has always known - that it isn’t possible to change sex.

As a side note, the increase in reform voters among union members is an interesting development.

Yes! Women could have realistically expected a backlash from men, millenia of women's oppression was never going to be ended quickly, we just didn't imagine quite how toxic and well disguised the backlash against women's Liberation would be. "trans" ideology is an object lesson in just how hard most men will fight against actual equality for women, how extreme the male pushback would be and how ludicrously trusting women can be in not seeing through this whole con. But now we know i guess.

The Fire Service are digging their heels in.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26157133.fire-brigades-union-releases-statement-ehrc-code-impact-trans-workers/