In which Amnesty jumps the shark

[WrongKindOfFeminist]

A report on 'anti gender actors' from Amnesty appears to be a puzzling work of jumbled nonsense and overwrought fiction.

Either they completely fail to grasp what 'gender critical' means, or they are deliberately trying desperately to bundle it in with Xtian rightwing US organisations. Maybe both.

Trans activists have been accusing UK feminists of being rightwing Xtian US fundamentalist funded for years. Sometimes it's funny, more often it's just fucking tedious.

Anyway.

'An organised anti-rights movement targeting the rights of women and LGBT+ people is growing in the UK. Over 60% of the organisations mapped have emerged since 2017, the vast majority gender critical organisations'

What the everloving fuck do they think they mean, here?

Feminists 'target' the rights of women? In terms of - feminists have fought long and hard for the rights of women? Yes, well done, Amnesty.

Then they whang on a lot about abortion and well funded US rightwing organisations, including religious groups, etc.

And then ...

'In fact, gender critical organisations only account for 2.5% of total expenditure but have been remarkably successful in realising their agenda through strategic litigation and campaigning.'

Will you ever actually use your brains, Amnesty?

The list at the end should give them a wee clue. Dozens of feminist organisations, almost all listed as 'informal', yet lumped in bizarrely with massive US anti abortion groups.

Idiots.

www.amnesty.org.uk/knowledge-hub/all-resources/report-a-growing-threat-the-anti-rights-movement-in-the-uk-july-2026/

Exactly. They will rue the day they included a rape crisis centre in their list of "anti-rights" organisation, exposing just how little regard they have for vulnerable women. It really was the last straw.

Is this conservative?

I don't think it is. It's authoritarian.

This is what prompted my original post.

https://media.amnesty.org.uk/documents/LGBTQI2B20teaching20resource20FINAL.pdf

Page 12

"Discrimination happens when a person takes any actions that harm those they are prejudiced against. Prejudice describes ingrained thoughts and feelings towards others. Prejudice is not unlawful, but acting on that prejudice is."

This (incorrectly) states that the unlawful discrimination must be a deliberate act of harm and creates a paternalistic victim hierarchy that isn't interested in analysing material drivers of inequality (too threatening) but maintains the status quo.

In contrast actual Equality Law applies to all and has been used to argue that e.g. employers cannot set different retirement ages for men and women. I haven't checked but assume that the case wasn't won on the basis of 'ingrained thoughts and feelings against men'.

Yes, fair enough, my description is of a regressive and authoritarian position.

Thanks, that's a very clear explanation of what was swashing around in the back of my head.

Yes. Previously, their remit was clear - defend universal human rights.

It's shifted, to 'defend people who identify as marginalised'.

Perhaps related, Catherine Liu:

'When did identity politics replace class struggle?'

Good.

I’m surprised Mumsnet wasn’t on the Amnesty list. Ladies, and honorary male posters, we really need to try harder.

Thanks to all of you for putting up links and keeping archives/receipts.

My youngest, an adult, called me anti trans only two days ago. But could not come up with one coherent reason for so labelling me! The worst thing they could charge me with is my refusal to use female pronouns for men.

Good point.

Anti-rights?

I hope they included themselves in their list.

I can’t imagine anyone ever saying that a rape crisis centre that is solely for women is a bad thing. Or indeed anti-rights. And yet..

I thought they were about human rights for all. What a shame they have chosen to insult and cast aspersions in their campaign to apparently keep a very small, yet very vocal, minority happy.

In my opinion, no-one has a problem with the rights for this community. The problem lies with the assumption that their rights trump the rights of everyone else. Particularly women.

I hope those that this organisation have chosen to support so wholeheartedly have deep pockets.

Part of me really does want Amnesty destroyed over this. It would send a very clear message that you can't mess with women who campaign for women's rights. So far the letters to Amnesty seem to be mainly saying 'apologise and set your house in order'. I think that's far too kind, and even if Amnesty isn't sued for libel, they should compensate the organisations they libelled for the extra work and abuse they've suffered.

I agree @Lovelyview

I can’t understand their need to proclaim rights for all when they are seemingly ignoring the rights of some and appearing to attack the rights of others.

And worse, being aware that naming organisations will put them firmly in the sights of those who think only their rights matter - and all that entails.

Astounding.

I agree @Lovelyview I would love to see them in court trying to defend this nonsense publicly!! I suspect that most of the orgs they have defamed are too small/short of funds/have better things to do with their valuable time.

They may well be too small or have other things to do with limited town, but funding may not be a problem.

JKR has mentioned a fund of hers which supports women’s groups taking appropriate action. She also tweeted that gay men’s groups should apply to her personally.

Naomi's going to be busy

They have become what they were set up to fight against.

Amnesty have become what they were set up to fight against.

Amnesty have become what they were set up to fight against.

They can't become irrelevant because there are jobs on the line, jumping on the latest bandwagon means jobs security. It stopped being about the cause as soon as the professionals became involved, it became all about the business plan after that.

They can't become irrelevant because there are jobs on the line, jumping on the latest bandwagon means jobs security.

See also Stonewall. The Labour Party. The Green Party.

Scot Gov. WAG (or whichever recent rendition). Lib Dems. Oh, heck, most political parties and governments.

Pride.

NHS.

The police.

Our ambulance services.

The care sector.

Children's mental health services.

Rape crisis centres.

Lesbian and gay associations.

Academia.

Scientific research.

Our schools.

Our churches.

Safeguarding children.

Girl Guides.

The WI.

And RSPB nature walks for women.

Destroys. everything. it. touches.

@BridgetYourFortyDaysAreUp

Indeed.

Taking rights and opinions and rights to have opinions wherever they be.

Am I surprised this organisation was captured too? No. Not really.

Am I disappointed? Absolutely.

At this point I really want to go live on another planet and start over. Without the men.

Women's sports.

Parkrun.

Shopping in town and using the changing rooms.

Going to the pub and using the toilets.

Going to the bloody museum and using the toilets.

Mainstream media. The BBC. Especially the BBC.

Woman's Hour.

And it has spread misogyny throughout AI, which every public service will be using in the next five years.

I'll stop now. That's enough.

ps Apologies for the derail. Meeting on Teams today full of mansplainy men. Who I have to be accommodating to because they are important clients.

...and breathe..,

Yes, it would be a man who said that

The Washington Post has an article. Quite a fairly written one too!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/07/22/jk-rowling-among-critics-amnesty-international-uk-gender-report/

The comments, as far as I read, are pretty divided.

Looking forward to reading that. Found an archived version of the article too:

archive.today/TrsXE

Thanks for the archived version!

Eh? Dr Blackbird’s DH is quite right - it being said by a man doesn’t invalidate that