Take the heat out of the debate, they say.
Or, Women: sit down and be quiet. That’s what they mean, isn’t it?
Woman’s Place UK is an organisation for women, by women who fight against the injustice women face because of their sexed bodies. Violence against us and sex discriminaton are both very real. Women need their own spaces and distinct services which exclude men for good reason.
And so, Woman’s Place UK headed to Manchester - home of Mayor Andy Burnham’s “IsThisOk?” campaign to stamp out violence against women - for their annual conference. What could possibly go wrong?
Chaired by the brilliant Emma Hilton, WPUK Manchester hosted four incredible female speakers: Rebecca Bull (co-founder and Director of Sex Matters), Cathy Devine (independent researcher into sport policy, Judith Green (co-founder and Director of Woman’s Place UK), and Maggy Moyo (human rights campaigner).
Under a banner of discussing the importance and future of single-sex provision in policy and law, issues such as Female Genital Mutiliation, forced abortion, rape and domestic violence were covered to highlight exactly why single-sex provision is needed.
But - oh, come on, you knew there’d be a but - all of that, all of those issues that singularly affect the female of our species, are now transphobic. Or talking about them is. Oh, and women gathering together to talk about them is the Worst Crime In The World. Fascists!!
Only it’s not, is it?
Tell that to the baying mob outside the Mechanics Institute (the birthplace of the TUC no less) who spent the evening shouting derogatory terms at the WP attendees (in very deep voices, let’s be honest). #IsThisOk, Andy Burnham, is it? That there were actual women with them is baffling. They’ll learn, in time.
The misogynists outed themselves on Twitter too, with one middle-aged balding white man, Peter Mitchell (employed by the University of Manchester), admitting he enjoyed being with the protesters who were calling the attendees “wankers”. Hey, Andy, #IsThisOk?
One of the chants from the protesters was “cis scum off the streets”. So basically, everyone who isn’t trans should stay indoors. #IsThisOk, Andy?
What about the “Fuck terfs” chants, Andy, and the “No terfs on our turf”chants? #IsThisOk? The meaning of terf* of course, now includes everyone who understands … well, just everyone. Because even those refusing to answer the ‘What is a woman?’ question knows the answer. It’s embarrassing. And it would be hilarious if it wasn’t so damaging for women and girls. (The human female ones).
You’re being very quiet, Andy, considering this was your campaign and it’s on your turf. But then, you’re a politician, aren’t you? And questions on sex and gender are only for biologists, aren’t they? Luckily, we have one.
Emma Hilton is a developmental biologist studying aspects of human genetic diseases, and has a special interest in fairness in female sports. She knows sex is real because it’s written on a baboon’s fucking arse. #ThisIsVeryMuchOk, Andy.
*Or as we now know it: Truth Exposing Radical Feminist Tired of Explaining Reality to Fuckwits.
WPUK March 2022 Manchester Speakers:
Emma Hilton: Developmental Biologist and lecturer. She has published more than twenty manuscripts on developmental biology and genetics.
Rebecca Bull: co-founder and Director of Sex Matters. A solicitor specialising in equal pay and workplace discrimination
Cathy Devine: independent researcher into sport policy at both elite and participatory levels, focussing on equality and human rights for girls and women.
Judith Green: co-founder and Director of Woman’s Place UK. She works in women’s health and is a former user of single-sex services for female survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Maggy Moyo: human rights campaigner. She is passionate about advocating for human rights including the rights of immigrants, migrants, marginalised groups and those of vulnerable women, children, the disabled and the elderly.
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