Women’s rights and gender issues at the Labour Party Conference 2026?

[TheGardenPond]

I have been reading the news about the conference and not seen any mentions of the above. Someone I know is at the conference; I asked her this morning what has been discussed about it. She said trans women were not included from the Labour Women’s group sessions and there was one protestor but that was it. Does anybody know any more about women’s issues at the conference?

Right now I am feeling quite impressed if they simply followed the law and didn’t get into any hoo-ha about it.

Sorry, not included IN the women’s sessions. I can’t edit my OP.

There was a lengthy thread about this. it was rather derailed by a couple of transactivists desperate to stop women from seeing the damp squib that was the protest. It all revolved round one Trans Identified Man enraged that he was unable to attend. He and a few mates turned up with a couple of flags, he handed out leaflets all about himself and then predictably demanded that if he wasn't allowed to attend, there should be no further conferences for women 😂

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5560214-sexist-unions-boycott-labour-womens-conference?page=1

Interestingly Bridget Phillipson finally discovered her confidence to publicly state that TWAM and that women were entitled to single sex spaces. Interview below

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/27/daily-t-the-sunday-showdown-camilla-tominey-and-bridget-phi/

The other thread was a hot mess the last time I looked.

I think the significant thing wasn't the protest but the boycott of the Women's Conference by Unison, Aslef, Usdaw and the Musician's Union. I don't know whether that was a largely performative gesture to keep their hardline activists happy or whether it marks the beginning of a real push by Trade Unions to change the Equality Act. If it turns out to be the second then I can imagine things getting stormy very quickly.

It's interesting that most of the protest in the end didn't come from the 'trans' iding men but the organisations that are supposed to exist to protect workers rights, which used to include women.
The insignificant damp squib of a protest outside shows the boycott is all a political performance by the Unions, they don't care about 'trans' rights, it's just a power play to exert pressure on the Labour Party.

Of the subject of the conference, Yvette Cooper talking about maternity - woman-ing all over the shop, she-ing, her-ing, and even the word mother! Not a hint of "birthing person" or "women and others who give birth" etc.

Not when there's a big audience watching eh?

Now absolutely agog at Lisa "I think they should be accomated in the prison of their choosing" Nandy on that stage bleating "womens rights are human rights", and mentioned women being hounded out of public life!! The fucking cheek 😲

It said a lot to me that the unions didn't put anything into protesting this or visibility or any effort behind making a message visible.

There is a very big difference between being cowed into not daring to say much or be seen supporting something you'll then get a kicking for - basically the response to bullies - and actually passionately believing and representing something. Activist groups are phenomenal at the bullying but have never figured out that this doesn't win hearts, minds or actual belief in anything.

Thank you for the link to the other thread- not sure how I missed that.

The unions are increasingly run by, and for, a small cabal of hard line activists.

These women are reverse ferreting aren't they? All hoping we won't notice but again it's that golden bridge. And perhaps a sign that the dead hand of transactivism is slowly being prized away from some parts of the government.

It's perhaps because the outcome for children and young people is so catastrophic that even left wing trans captured parents are having to acknowledge that their adult children's problems have not been resolved by transitioning? Their future adult lives are no doubt looking increasingly bleak.

I think, and am sure this has been posted elsewhere, there was a good response to the Labour Women Declaration meeting.

And another one.

If anyone has the links to hand please do post otherwise will try and come back later.

Have come back already not because I have found the ones I was looking for, but surprised, well not really, about this event being held!

Sisters Resist! Feminists Taking on the Trolls
https://www.lwn.org.uk/sisters_resist_lab26

Labour’s women’s rights fault line opens up at conference
Behind the unity on Labour’s wider political direction, battles over sex and gender continue to divide the movement
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labours-womens-rights-faultline-opens-conference

For anyone interested what the Morning Star thought about the Women's Conference.

Thanks for the link

“As a trade union movement, we will change the law.”

Exactly which 'trade' are they representing with this 'trans' stupidity. They're no longer trade unions, but social justice organisations and nothing more than lobbyists for the Blob.