Fire Brigades Union statement on sex and gender in workplace facilities

[Imnobody4]

From twitter.
Janet Murray
https://x.com/i/status/2061485848114135315

^The Fire Brigades Union stands ‘firmly in solidarity with trans, non-binary and gender diverse members.’
But not, apparently, with women who wish to undress - or use the toilet - without males present.
This union appears to be unaware that being forced to share facilities with male colleagues may cause ‘fear’ for women.
Or that they also have the right to ‘respect and dignity’ at work. And for their employers to follow the law.
Extraordinary.^
If you click on the link you'll see what they've put out. Sorry can't copy it direct as their account is protected!

Here is a scorching letter from Baronness Nicholson in response.
https://x.com/i/status/2062120242453639268

Very concerning that they seem to be unaware of H&S regs.

Oh I do love it when the Baroness Writes a Letter!

And for some light relief on the subject:

https://x.com/zoenope/status/2061757471299907942?s=46

A letter from the Baroness is a thing of joy.

I still want a book of her collected epistles on this subject.

Also, top marks for 'who the blazes do you think you are' , given the recipient.

The fire brigade have been misogynists and a total boys club for a very long time. Doesn’t surprise me.

Good letter, well put points, as usual. I do think, however, that if she is going to continue to publish open letters, she should get herself a good proofreader.
(yes, I have pedant tendencies)

Me too!!

That’s hilarious. The FBU are going to hate that - and coming from a woman as well!

Me too. She is so good at it, humorous, informed but with deadly accuracy and a steel fist!

Y mum used to be Head of HR for one force, or whatever you call them. In the 80s and early 80s. She was ops head, could never be director as that had to be a uniform post of certain seniority. Regardless of experience in HR. Amd of course they were all men. So she had to do both jobs, effectively, for the lower pay. Eventually she cracked and took them to tribunal, which they decided to defend, forgetting that she had run all their previous tribunals for over a decade. Very expensive mistake for them. Very.

And very stressful for us as a family as she was very depressed for quite some time.

Still, the early retirement, pension enhancement and fat payoff did help with that in the end.

Not surprised that they haven't changed bit.

That's them told. Idiots.

"Did you think to run your nonsense past a lawyer? (If you did, hesitate to pay). " 😂

These are workplace toilets and changing rooms that FBU are talking about so do they think their male officers are so transphobic that they will attack their trans colleagues in the changing rooms.

Oh, where's the laugh emoji when we need it? Baroness Nicolson 😂😂😂

Has she considered publishing her CG letters? I'd pay money for the collection!

Another who would buy a consolidated volume of her letters. "Hesitiate to pay" is perfect.

Superb as always. Well done Baroness

This is wonderful, and so very clever!
The bit at the end where the fire brigade chap talks about the fun that can be had with a few slices of bacon and a bit of rope is ferocious satire on the Fire Brigade's history of racism, sexism, homophobia and anything else that they found entertaining.

Mixed sex toilet design gives them a job. Luckily this woman was with her partner who could raise the alarm.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-stuck-inside-locked-public-35746932

Absolutely - I would pay good money for this!! The FBU has a long history of misogyny that goes way further back than the LGBTQIA++++ capture.

Yes. Given the documented fact that many women firefighters are at risk from some male colleagues, the FBU would hesitate before displaying their predatory demands. Evidently not:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-63749444

Last year I did try and discuss safety design aspects with the them like door gaps and Visual Audio alarms. As soon as I mentioned single sex design being safer the conversation stopped.

I think it’s really important to quickly assess who’s left in the building and be able to ‘sweep’ toilets easily. As a teacher in a fire drill, I could do this in seconds in the boys and girls toilets. Doors that are left in the open position and have floor to door gaps are best.

In single sex toilets there’s a big audio visual alarm in the washroom area that people can see and hear from the space above the door. There’s one to buy and service. In private cubicles or toilet rooms each one should have this. But they sometimes don’t. Deaf people have gone to the toilet, then re-entered offices not knowing where everyone has gone. One poor bloke was then met by firemen who carried him out the building.

If the area in front of the toilet is mixed sex, the toilet cubicle or room has to be private. Mixed sex toilet open onto corridors so there’s also the question as to whether they have to be fire doors. This is interesting because of school toilet configurations. There were lots of questions I would have liked answers to.

Wow! I think that is the strongest language I gave seen her use. She was pulling no punches with that letter.

I love that instead of “Hugh, Pew, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub” it is “He, She, AGP, Furry, Non Binary and Nonce”

Enby would have scanned better, but very good.

I think we are starting to see that "I understand where you're coming from but, respectfully, I disagree" has been left behind in the dust, as women screech away onto the highway, glancing at the rear view mirror, watching "be kind" rapidly drop away in the trail of exhaust from our Ford Econoline.