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- Get In Touch | Women's Rights Network | UK
The Women's Rights Network campaigns to retain the hard-won rights of women. You can contact us via the following methods... GET IN TOUCH! Social Media Email Press Office Enquiries - press@womensrights.network General Enquiries - contact@womensrights.network New Members If you would like to join WRN please complete this form . Please note that membership is not instantly approved as there is a vetting process that is followed.
- WRN EHRC Guidelines | Women Rights Network
WRN EHRC GUIDELINES THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS NETWORK WELCOMES NEW HUMAN RIGHTS GUIDANCE WHICH PROTECTS SINGLE-SEX SPACES For immediate release April 4, 2022 Single-sex services are essential for the safety, privacy and dignity of women and the Women’s Rights Network welcomes today’s announcement from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). This important step respects our sex and makes it clear that “sex” (as understood in the Equality Act 2010) refers to biological sex — which is observed and recorded on a person’s birth certificate. WRN spokeswoman Heather Binning says, “Sex is not assigned. It is determined at the moment of conception. It is binary. It does not change and it shapes the lives of every woman and girl. Sex is how we are discriminated against. That was the case when the Act was drafted and remains the case to this day. “Words matter, in law and in practice. But the conflation of sex and gender has done a huge disservice to women, girls and also to the LGBT community. Sex is determined by our chromosomes.” This important difference is why WRN has joined forces with Sex Matters and Women Uniting to urge politicians to respect women’s sex-based rights if they want our vote. Heather says, “We have been inundated with requests to join and the Twitter hashtag #RespectMySex has now been trending nationally for four days.” Politicians can no longer delude themselves that this is not an issue on the doorstep.” The latest EHRC guidance calls for service providers to have clear policies, accessible to everyone, to ensure that we all know whether a service or space is single-sex or mixed-sex. Although a person’s legal sex can be changed with a gender recognition certificate, the EHRC states that this is not relevant for determining access to single-sex services such as women’s refuges, female-only health facilities and women’s prisons. “This straightforward guidance from the EHRC will help service providers to address the questions which are currently stumping so many politicians when they are asked about the difference between sex and gender identity,” Heather says. The EHRC makes it clear that the Equality Act allows service providers and employers to provide separate facilities for women and men (or to offer them for one sex only) wherever this is a “proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim” – such as maintaining dignity and privacy. This guidance — which makes it clear that single-sex services can be clearly signposted as accessible on the basis of biological sex — updates the 2010 Statutory Code of Practice. Unlike the updated guidance, the Code did not include an explicit recognition of the need for clear policies, or of the need to balance the rights of different service users. In contrast, the new guidance says everyone’s rights must be considered, and provides examples of everyday situations in which a policy based on biological sex — and thus excludes all trans people from using the sex-specific spaces or services which do not align with their biological sex — is lawful. These include: Rape counselling for women A women’s refuge A women’s fitness class Communal changing rooms at a gym Male and female toilets at a community centre This clarity also removes the suggestion that providers should decide on a case-by-case basis whether to allow entry to an opposite-sex person according to their gendered presentation, such as clothing. The removal of this recommendation will help service providers avoid inadvertent indirect discrimination against other service users on the basis of sex. It recognises that people want clearly delineated single-sex services for a range of reasons, including privacy, dignity, safety, religion and trauma, and that these are legitimate needs. Heather says, “We have no doubt the EHRC will be accused of transphobia because it rejects Stonewall’s demands for ‘acceptance without exception’ and their attempts to replace sex with gender identity.” Notes for editors: The Women’s Rights Network [WRN] is a rapidly growing grass-roots movement which is coordinating national, regional and local actions to defend women’s sex-based rights and single-sex spaces. The Network was launched in July 2021 and now has thousands of members across dozens of local groups. The Respect My Sex umbrella group is campaigning both nationally, and in key council elections, to encourage people to ask candidates and campaigners specific questions about women’s sex-based rights. It will encourage all candidates and all parties to get real about the reality of biological sex, and the need to protect science, free speech, and women’s sex-based rights. If you would like to receive new releases from us, please email us , using the subject ‘Subscribe’. View EHRC Guidelines .
- Breastfeeding Statement | Women Rights Network
NO TO MALE "BREASTFEEDING" A statement addressing attempts to normalise male 'breastfeeding' Recent claims from the Medical Director of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust that 'human milk' produced following 'induced lactation' as 'ideal for infants' is scientifically unproven and constitutes a dangerous escalation in the 'gender' and 'inclusion' narrative. WRN strongly condemns the latest attempts to normalise the notion that males can sustainably produce the nutritional requirements of an infant. They cannot do so and should not be encouraged to try. Breastfeeding is a complex biological process. A mother's milk adapts to the changing needs of her baby, providing essential nutrients and antibodies tailored to support the infant's growth and development. Colostrum is particularly important in preparing a baby’s gut for life outside the womb. Males do not possess the necessary physiological mechanisms to replicate this process. Breastfeeding operates on a supply-and-demand basis. A baby's suckling stimulates milk production in the mother. Allowing a male to put a baby to his nipple can disrupt this delicate balance, affecting the mother's milk supply and compromising the infant's nutritional intake. There exists a disturbing trend among male trans activists who openly use breastfeeding and breast milk fetishism for sexual gratification. This is the most dangerous aspect of a culture that seeks to affirm and validate identities rather than maintaining a sharp focus on the risks to the health and welfare of the baby and the mother. Greater effort should go towards providing support for women who want to breastfeed. It is the responsibility of all media outlets to do due diligence and report only the facts on this topic, and to use clear language that does not obscure the sex of those being reported. There is insufficient evidence to support male breastfeeding and no research on the effects on the infant. NHS Trusts have a duty of care to ensure that all published information and reference sources on induced lactation are based on rigorous scientific evidence and priority must be placed on the well-being of the baby. We appeal to Victoria Atkins MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to intervene, and insist that the NHS provides ethical, factual guidance based on evidence from accepted research. Heather Binning Founder, Women’s Rights Network
- S1 Introduction | Women's Rights Network | UK
Have you been told that using preferred pronouns is a courtesy? Have you been told that using words such as ‘cis’ adds clarity? Have you been told that using phrases such as ‘pregnant people’ is inclusive? None of it is true. I explain here why it’s neither simple, nor a courtesy nor inclusive. What is it? It’s INCORRECT. It’s CONFUSING. It’s DISCRIMINATORY. INTRODUCTION Section 1 - Intro | Section 2 - Children | Section 3 - Adults | Section 4 - Discrimination Don't gobblefunk around with words! Have you been told that using preferred pronouns is a courtesy? Have you been told that using words such as ‘cis’ adds clarity? Have you been told that using phrases such as ‘pregnant people’ is inclusive? None of it is true. NONE OF IT IS TRUE. I explain here why it’s neither simple, nor a courtesy nor inclusive. What is it? It’s INCORRECT. It’s CONFUSING. It’s DISCRIMINATORY. What do we use to communicate? I’m laying the groundwork here. Before we can better understand what communication disability entails and what discrimination looks like in that context, we need to understand how we usually communicate and what elements make that up. Language is a rule-governed behaviour. It involves listening, speaking, reading, writing and signing. It has five domains: Semantics (vocabulary) Phonology (sounds) Syntax (sentence structure) Morphology (smallest meaningful part of a word) Pragmatics including discourse (social use of language, understanding points of view including in conversations) Speech is formed by moving the articulatory muscles to create the shapes needed to form the sounds that make up the words. Cognition is all the mental processes that lead to thoughts, knowledge, and awareness. We also use our senses when we communicate such as sight, hearing and touch. And some people speak more than one language. Whilst voice or phonation forms part of communication, I’ve chosen not to cover it in detail in this summary. Suffice it to say, if you have a voice disorder, what you say may not be readily heard, which can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Now, let’s get into some nitty-gritty. What is a pronoun? Pronouns replace nouns in a sentence. We have different ‘persons’ pronouns in the singular and plural so we know who we’re talking about and how many. Pronouns exist in different ‘cases’. We learn them between 31 and 40 months old. He has a coat. Is the coat his? Yes, it is his coat. She has a pen. Is the pen hers? Yes, it is her pen. We learn reflexive pronouns around 47 months old (1) He chose the coat himself. She bought the pen herself. Furthermore, in English, we do not have linguistic genders for inanimate (non-living) nouns, e.g. table, moon, or cup. Nor do we have linguistic genders for animate (living) nouns such as nurse, plumber, or writer, which could be either sex. So we DO make changes to the pronouns we use based on the SEX of the living person we are talking about. The person we are talking about is an ‘animate referent’. We also do this for some lexical items such as girl-boy, sister-brother, mother-father, all of which correspond to she-he, her-him, hers-his, herself-himself. If a noun differentiates whether the living referent is male or female, we can also do this, e.g. actress-actor, princess-prince, waitress-waiter. So pronouns for living things (people) are SEXED in English. Jane has a pen. Does she have a pen? Yes, she has a pen. She bought it herself. It is hers. It belongs to her. John has a coat. Does he have a coat? Yes, he has a coat. He chose it himself. It is his. It belongs to him. When we look at a person, the vast majority of the time, from infancy on, we recognise the person’s biological sex (2) and we use the corresponding pronoun. References: (1) Vollmer, E., 2020. Pronoun Acquisition | Child Development | TherapyWorks https://therapyworks.com/blog/language-development/speech-strategies/pronoun-acquisition/ (2) Kayl, A. J. 2012. Do Toddlers Exhibit Same-Sex Preferences for Adult Facial Stimuli? UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 1676. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/4332657 The ‘singular they’ rabbit hole. *‘They’ is grammatically plural. If it were grammatically singular, you would be saying “they is”. You’re not. And no-one ever has (outside of a few instances of dialect). This use of ‘they’ is as a social implicature. It forms part of Grice’s Maxims and the flouting or violating of them, which are common and even useful. It is an example of the social-pragmatic use of language. One of many examples and reasons for this is because you do not know the sex of the individual concerned (or you want to hide it). “Who was that at the door?” -> “I don’t know but they posted a leaflet through the letterbox.” “Who broke the window?” -> “I don’t know I didn’t see them.” “Someone left their bag on the coach.” The use of ‘they’ when you do not know the sex of the individual is similar to asking, “who is it?” pragmatically. We don’t refer to humans as neuter ‘it’ unless we’re missing some information. You’re not imagining a bollard or a tractor, you’re imagining a person when someone asks, “Who is it?” The ‘it’ doesn’t suddenly contradict the ‘who’ and make you think of a thing rather than a person. You’re in 3rd person singular ‘he’ or ‘she’ territory, not actually ‘it’. Some people claim that ‘they’ is an epicene (3). But I assert that there is no grammatical third person singular epicene pronoun in English. You have ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘it’. That’s it. ‘He’ failed as an epicene, perhaps in part to feminism and ‘he or she’ is clumsy at times and ‘one’ works in formal, written language, but less so in informal written language and the spoken word. But perhaps I’m being a grammar prescriptivist. (Now go back and spot all my grammar errors and tell me about them). Whilst I loathe the term “singular they” or “epicene they”, we (‘one’?) must agree that “they” has been used to refer to an individual for quite some time. It’s gone something like this: The animate referent’s sex is unknown: use ‘they’ -> The animate referent’s sex is known and the listener is already aware: use ‘they’ +/- ‘he’ or ‘she’ The animate referent’s sex is overridden by the social construct of ‘gender’ and asserts that ‘they’ must be the default until we know the individual’s preferred pronoun Let’s leave ‘degendering’ for another blog. For people without communication disability, 1. can be understood and used relatively easily (as evidenced by its widespread use), whereas 2. is more difficult as there is mixed use of ‘they’ with ‘he’ or ‘she’ in a sentence or paragraph, and 3. poses even greater problems as it creates confusion rather than ensuring clarity. This brings me onto how I understand ‘they’, so that we can then understand why we need to be wary of its misapplication now and in future. “Singular they” or “epicene they” are terms best understood as social-pragmatic. As such, ‘they’ does not follow the regular rules of English grammar, hence prescriptivist types get a bit annoyed. As I said earlier, we say “they are” and not “they is”. I don’t agree with listing ‘they’ in pronoun tables as anything other than plural because the tables are grammar tables not social-pragmatic use of English tables. Nor can we state ‘epicene’ in pronoun tables because English has never successfully had a 3rd person singular epicene pronoun. It's entirely possible that you don’t have a communication disability but it’s already difficult enough to get one’s head around the linguistic complexities of it all. Imagine if you do have a communication disability. To what extent should you be expected to engage in changing your language? References: (3) Paterson, L. L. 2011. The use and prescription of epicene pronouns: a corpus-based approach to generic he and singular they in British English. Loughborough University. Thesis. https://hdl.handle.net/2134/9118 You might find the following deep dive into language, its disorders and discrimination useful. It is relevant in every area of life. People with communication disabilities are in every area of life. They are you and me, our children, our parents, all our relatives, our colleagues, our friends, our peers, our neighbours. Use this in schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, councils, businesses, courts, anywhere and everywhere. Spread the word. Here’s what you’re about to read: I explain language and its use (and pronouns and ‘they’ in detail) and what makes up how we usually communicate. If you’re already expert in all of that stuff, I ask you to read it anyway and if you spot any inadvertent errors, do let me know. I describe communication disabilities in children I then look at adults with communication disabilities I share information on how it is discriminatory to impose language demands. I share my opinion throughout and the difference between objectivity and subjectivity should be clear to the careful reader. There are lots of references and links to other resources. Please use what you find relevant to your situation. You can read it all or skip to the bits that you specifically need. All links and references are included to help you understand or help you help others understand and take appropriate actions. You can use this information to hone your debating or persuasion skills and bring about change where it’s needed. I am not responsible for the content of those links and references and I have no idea what every author’s or participant’s stance on gender ideology is. Where I have made errors of fact, I’m happy to correct them. Where you disagree with me, I’m open to changing my mind when the facts change.
- Toilet Complaint Procedure | Women Rights Network
TOILET COMPLAINT PROCEDURES HOW TO REPORT YOUR WORKPLACE TOILETS TO THE HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE Reporting safety concerns if your employer has adopted a toilets policy that permits access based on self-identified gender Step 1: Find out your employer’s policy on who can access which toilets The relevant provisions will be contained within HR policies. These might have titles similar to: Gender Identity policy, Gender Reassignment policy, or Transitioning at Work policy. The policy may be on your employer's intranet, or you may need to ask your HR department. Ask as neutrally as possible - there might be some reluctance to share these documents. Step 2: Understand your protections as a whistleblower You should read the official government information on whistleblowing , your contract of employment and any internal whistleblowing policy. This guide is not a legal document and is not written with the intention of providing legal advice. Step 3: Submit a concern to the Health and Safety Executive The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a prescribed body which can receive disclosures about “the health and safety of individuals at work, or the health and safety of the public arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work”. You can submit your concerns using an online form on the HSE website, available here . Read the webpage and click ‘Start now’. The form consists mainly of short, simple questions such as the location of the issue and your contact information. You can ask to remain anonymous from your employer. Towards the end of the form there is a free text box asking “What is your issue?”. Annexe A of this guide (below) provides example text that you can amend and enter into the form. The text box allows 3000 characters. The HSE says that it aims to email you within 15 working days (3 weeks) to give you the outcome. Step 4: If your concern is rejected, you can appeal To appeal, email the HSE at appeals@hse.gov.uk . You must do this within 10 days of the HSE telling you the outcome. More details are available here . Step 5: If you are not satisfied, you can complain This guidance explains what you should do if you want to make a complaint because you’re unhappy with the way that HSE has dealt with you or your situation. Download the full document .
- Women's Cycling | Women's Rights Network | UK
We play sport with our bodies, and therefore, in the interests of fairness, we must keep sporting categories separated on the basis of sex, and not gender identity. WOMEN' CYCLING HEATHER BINNING ON THE BBC On 26th May 2023 Heather Binning appeared on BBC - The Context in response to the encouraging news from British Cycling, who have produced a new policy that will outlaw men and boys from entering competitive events meant for women and girls. The policy will be enacted at the end of the year. While WRN welcome this, we are disappointed that non-competitive events have been excluded, and women who join a recreational women’s event (such as the Breeze program ) could find themselves riding with men. Come on British Cycling! This is a great first step towards sanity, but now you need to support all the women and girls who want to ride in female-only groups. Sadly, the international cycling community still include men in women’s events, and those men are continuing to steal prizes meant for women and girls. We made a video about this a year ago . Read our latest blog: Cycling – given an inch and they’ve taken a mile.
- WRN NHS Data Report | Women's Rights Network | UK
The WRN NHS Data Report raises serious concerns about the NHS’s failure to maintain reliable records of patient sex. The report lays out the serious risks to patient safety and safeguarding presented by the NHS’s current approach to recording patient sex and gender identity WRN NHS Data Report Incoherent and Unsafe: How the NHS’s failure to reliably record sex puts patients at risk Sex and gender identity are so dangerously muddled in NHS data systems that doctors cannot trust patient records to show the correct sex of the person they are treating — and despite repeated warnings, this report found this data muddle is getting worse, not better. As a result, there is a very real risk that someone will, literally, be killed by ‘kindness’ because our sex not only shapes our anatomy, it guides diagnosis, influences our risk of disease and determines what is considered ‘normal’ on blood tests. This damning report details the corruption of sex data in NHS patient records and how this adds pressure to already stretched NHS staff and undermines the value of data collected for research, health surveillance and the planning and provision of healthcare. Download NHS Data Report Download Executive Summary Shockingly, this scandal has now been hiding in plain sight for more than 15 years, with an NHS working group warning in 2009 of the dangers of conflating sex and gender.[1] The report shows that the situation has deteriorated since then, with new NHS patient data systems continuing to focus on recording gender identity rather than sex. When we are at our most vulnerable, an earlier report by WRN[2] which exposed the huge number of rapes and sexual assaults which take place within the NHS underlined the importance of providing single sex accommodation. Baroness Emma Nicholson has also highlighted the case of a female patient who was raped, and then repeatedly told by the NHS Trust responsible that no rape could have happened because the alleged attacker claimed he was a woman. The report highlights the NHS’s failure to preserve data integrity, assess the safety of the planned changes, and comply with data protection principles and legal obligations under the Equality Act. This report sets out the unintended, problematic and potentially fatal consequences of changes that were implemented with good intentions but a complete dereliction of due diligence. Checks and balances embedded in NHS policies which require decision-makers to assess the impact of any proposed changes, have been inadequate or absent. “We knew from our members that there were issues with the way sex and gender identity were being captured on NHS records, but we were shocked to discover the extent of the problem. “The irony is that those most likely to come to harm are patients who identify as transgender — the very people these policies and practices were supposed to benefit. “However, this affects all patients, female and male, because this data mess means the NHS can no longer meet its commitment to provide single-sex wards.” Heather Binning, Executive Director of Women’s Rights Network WRN collaborated with SEEN in Health and CAN-SG for this report, and we are united in calling on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to take immediate action to ensure the integrity and safety of NHS patient records. [1] NHS Clinical User Interface Programme Team, 2009, https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/+/http:/www.isb.nhs.uk/use/baselines/sexdesign.pdf [2] https://www.womensrights.network/hospital-report
- WRN Statements | Women's Rights Network | UK
Have a browse through the various statements produced by the Women's Rights Network on issues that affect women and girls - on breastfeeding and more. WOMEN'S RIGHTS NETWORK STATEMENTS AND LETTERS Statement from Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland WRN NI Confident the High Court will back women's rights WRN Response to CEDAW General Recommendation No 41 on Dismantling Gender Stereotypes and the Unequal Power Relations that Sustain them WRN Response to CEDAW General Recommendation No 41 on Dismantling Gender Stereotypes and the Unequal Power Relations that Sustain them. WRN Responds to NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service Specification Consultation WRN Responds to the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service Specification consultation Press Release: WRN NI Responds to ECNI FWS Consultation Press release: WRN NI Responds to ECNI FWS Consultation, Demanding ECNI Uphold the Law and Protect Women’s Rights WRN NI Submission on RSE in Northern Ireland The Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) submission to the Committee for Education on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Northern Ireland. Press release Submission WRN NI Statement on BBC Correction on The State of Us Podcast WRN NI Response to Equality Commission of Northern Ireland (ECNI) statement on definition of woman in law The Women's Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) responds to the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland (ECNI) statement on the definition of a woman in law here. WRN NI Submission to Executive Office Committee - Response to Committee Questions The Women's Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) responds to questions raised at the evidence session. Statement on Supreme Court Ruling - For Women Scotland vs Scottish Government WRN NI letter to Chief Commissioner of Equality Commission of Northern Ireland WRN NI have written to the Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland to ask for intervention on the correct application of the law around single sex spaces. WRN NI Submision to Executive Office Committee The Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) gave evidence to The Executive Office Committee on the Inquiry into Gaps in Equality Legislation. WRN NI Submission: Press Release: Opening Statement: Akua Reindorf KC legal advice regarding Manchester City Council Manchester City Council (MCC) passed a motion/resolution with the title, ‘Trans Rights Are Human Rights’, declaring that ‘trans men are men, trans women are women, non-binary people are non-binary and trans rights are human rights’. Akua Reindorf KC concludes that MCC did not comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in applying this motion to Council policies and services and is therefore at risk of acting unlawfully. Her advice is available to download below, along with other relevant documents. See our blog post for full details: A Captured Council WRN Response to UNSRVAW Response from WRN UK, to call for input to the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls to the HRC Forms of sex-based violence against women and girls: new frontiers and emerging issues. TUC - Motion calling for de-criminalisation of the sex trade WRN statement on motions calling for the de-criminalisation of the sex trade: WRN letter to Annette Mansell-Green Chair, Women’s TUC Committee 26 January 2025: Read about Prostitution and Its Impact on Women in a blog post by Nordic Model Now. Call to Action: Write to the TUC email info@tuc.org.uk and get these awful motions off the table! WRN wrote a thread on this on X which is copied below for those not on X. WRN has been alerted by several of our members to two draft motions intended to go to the TUC Women’s Conference in March, calling for the complete decriminalisation of the sex trade. Although the exact wording is not yet public, we understand that this means that ALL aspects of the industry would be legalised – pimping, brothels, advertising, trafficking. No age limits are specified. The two unions calling for this motion to go through are the @GMB_union and @ASLEFunion. The GMB is of course the union described by a former regional president as “riddled with misogyny”. ASLEF is the union in which only 6.5% of train drivers are women. It seems no coincidence that these are the unions to call for legalisation of sexual exploitation of women. Prostitution is exploitation of women by men. It is men using (usually young) women as objects, for their own pleasure, demanding that whatever they want be provided, regardless of how unpleasant, degrading or harmful that is for the woman. Please see our blog Prostitution and it’s impact on women. In the context of public concern about the systematic exploitation of young girls by rape gangs, and of the horrific story of Gisele Pelicot, raped by large numbers of her neighbours, it is astonishing that these unions are making this call and, to add to the insult, to the Women’s Committee. This motion is in direct opposition to their stated aims of ending ‘gender based violence.’ For an insight into the reality of the legalised sex trade have a look at some of the customer reviews from German punters collated by @EllyArrow. These are extremely disturbing and you’ll need a strong stomach to read them all. We know from experience of failed projects like the ‘Managed zone for prostitution’ in Leeds that decriminalising prostitution leads to all women and girls being more unsafe. WRN considers that these draft motions conflict fundamentally with the TUC’s core values, its position on male violence against women, on modern slavery and on sexual harassment. Decriminalising prostitution does nothing to help women escape poverty and exploitation which ought to be the fundamental goals of the trade union movement. Julie Bindel @bindelj, a lifelong campaigner on the left against prostitution, spells out the dangers of decriminalisation in this article and, oh look, it’s the GMB again, back in 2002 pushing the notion that so called ‘sex work’ is just like any other employment. If our TU brethren won’t listen to the voices of women perhaps they’ll listen to a former Detective Superintendent, Alan Caton, who investigated the murders of five women in Ipswich. We are writing to the Women’s Committee to ask for the draft motions to be held inadmissible on this basis, our members are doing the same and we call on all union members to do everything possible to oppose them. Please email info@tuc.org.uk to let them know how women feel about this betrayal. These motions are about men’s wants, not women’s safety. They must be struck out. Finally, we’d like @The_TUC, @ASLEFunion and @GMB_union, to consider this from Rachel Moran @RachelRMoran, a sex trade survivor and campaigner, who said: Care Inspectorate Scotland WRN letter to Care Inspectorate Scotland setting out concerns about the ‘Guidance for children and young people’s services on the inclusion of transgender including non-binary young people’ published by the Care Inspectorate in May 2023. Male Breastfeeding A statement from WRN addressing attempts to normalise male 'breastfeeding': Read our blog post on Reflux Mum and the Fetish Feeder. Letter to UNSRVAW The WRN is proud to have co-signed this letter to the UN Special Rapporteur for Violence Against Women regarding the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill: WRN EHRC Guidelines WRN welcomes new human rights guidance which protects single-sex spaces. Read our press release: View the EHRC Guidelines. No Males in Female Jails WRN statement on girls being placed in mixed sex facilities: Read about the unannounced inspection of HM Young Offender Institution Wetherby in our blog post. WRN IPSO Submission The WRN has taken part in a consultation by the press regulator IPSO to update its guidance on reporting of transgender issues Gender Identity Ideology. Learn more about the WRN’s position and what to do if you think a media outlet has got its coverage wrong. If you are a working journalist and have a media inquiry, please email our Press Team. You can read our submission here: IPSO Update Most newspapers and magazines in the UK are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and follow its Editors’ Code and guidance for editors and journalists. New guidance on reporting transgender issues is about to be published. The current guidance was written in 2016 and is not fit for purpose — as headlines such as ‘Woman exposes penis…” and reporters being directed to call rapists women have shown. Last year, Dr Amy Binns and Sophie Arnold — lecturers in journalism at the University of Central Lancashire — published a paper looking at court reporting specifically. This detailed problems with the current guidelines and proposed remedies. The paper was withdrawn from the university’s website after complaints that it was ‘transphobic’, but you can read it in full here. The WRN was one of a number of groups the UCLan researchers invited to make a submission, which you can read in full here. We were subsequently contacted by IPSO — which regulates most of the newspapers and magazines in the UK — to take part in its consultation to update its guidance on transgender reporting to editors and journalists. You can read our submission by downloading the document above. IPSO’s guidance is due now. Headline and Image: Tom Morton, The News, 27 Sept 2022 What can you do if you think the media has got something wrong? Sex Matters has set up a Bad Media Watch to log bad reporting and also has useful links on how to complain Print Media: Write a letter to the editor setting out your complaint. If the publication is a member of IPSO, complain to the regulator stating referencing the relevant clause of The Editors’ Code of Practice (Accuracy, Reporting suicide etc.) The Editors’ Codebook – The Handbook to the Editors’ Code of Practice Broadcast Media: BBC: Editorial guidelines BBC: Complaints Ofcom: Broadcasting code Ofcom: Broadcast complaints Headline and Image:Daily Mail 3 Feb 2023 Family Justice Council Guidance: WRN Statement WRN Statement on the Family Justice Council Guidance on responding to a child’s unexplained reluctance reluctance, resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent and allegations of alienating behaviour (December 2024) https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Family-Justice-Council-Guidance-on-responding-to-allegations-of-alienating-behaviour-2024-1-1.pdf
- Coming Soon! | Women's Rights Network | UK
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN Women and girls in Afghanistan are suffering terrible physical and emotional hardships since the Taliban regained control. Incessant oppressive edicts prohibit women from education, public life, cultural and social enrichment and continuously shrink opportunities for freedom of expression. So this Christmas, instead of our usual campaign, we are focussing on this - take a look at how you can get involved and support women and girls in Afghanistan. VISIT CAMPAIGN I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS Women continue to ask for our sex-based rights as specified in the Equality Act 2010 through the provision of single sex facilities, services and categories to maintain dignity, privacy, safety and fairness . We want single-sex toilets . We want women to be able to compete in sex-based sports categories . We want women’s prisons and hospital wards to exclude males . #AllIWantForChristmas DREW AUGUSTINE'S ADVENT CALENDAR We are delighted to announce the Drew Augustine Advent Calendar of Flash Fiction which is raising money for WRN. Each day during December a door will open to reveal a short story, poem or song. These have been kindly donated by talented writers from the Women’s Rights Network , the EDI Jester’s Warrior Teacher programme, and Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT ). Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as the chocolate in your regular advent calendar. Access to the stories is free but we hope that, in the spirit of giving, readers might consider making a small contribution to the Women’s Rights Network or a charity/cause of their choice. FLASH FICTION ADVENT CALENDAR VISIT CALENDAR WRN CHRISTMAS LEAFLETS Order our Christmas leaflets for your stalls or leafletting activities and don't forget our new WRN Christmas Cards . BUY ONLINE WRN 2024 CHRISTMAS CARDS Order this year's Christmas cards today - they're very popular and flying off the shelves! With grateful thanks for this wonderful design from Witchy Artz. BUY ONLINE! LAST CHRISTMAS... LOAD MORE
- Care Inspectorate Scotland | Women Rights Network
CARE INSPECTORATE SCOTLAND A serious risk to the wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people The Care Inspectorate Scotland, a scrutiny body which supports the improvement of care services by ensuring they meet high standards, have issued "Guidance on the inclusion of transgender including non-binary young and young people". Their vision is that everyone experiences safe, high-quality, care that meets their needs, rights and choices. However the Guidance published does not meet any of the objectives of the vision. We believe it presents a serious risk to the wellbeing of vulnerable children and young people and have requested its immediate withdrawal. We identified the following: Concerns about LGBT Youth Scotland Lack of safeguarding Breaches of the Health & Social Care Standards Read our letter to find out more of what we had to say. Download CYP Guidance Document.
- WRN Podcast | Women's Rights Network | UK
We play sport with our bodies, and therefore, in the interests of fairness, we must keep sporting categories separated on the basis of sex, and not gender identity. Check out our Podcast. THE WRN PODCAST SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST Welcome to The Women's Rights Network Podcast - check out our podcast episodes below. You can listen and download here or wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts. Don't forget to give us a top rating and subscribe! LISTEN TO US ON... The content on the Women's Rights Network Podcast page is provided for informational and educational purposes only. The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed in the podcasts, including discussions, interviews, and commentary, are those of the individual hosts, guests, or contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or endorsements of the Women's Rights Network. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the podcast content, the Women's Rights Network makes no representations or warranties regarding the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the information presented. The content is subject to change without notice. The Women's Rights Network is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided in the podcasts. Listeners are encouraged to verify information independently and consult with qualified professionals for specific advice or guidance. By accessing and listening to the podcasts, you agree that the Women's Rights Network shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of or reliance on the content provided on the Podcast page.
- Lobby Day Registration | Women's Rights Network | UK
On Tuesday 10th March, we will be going to the UK Parliament to lobby MPs to call on the Health Secretary to intervene and stop the puberty blocker trial. LOBBY DAY - 10 MARCH 26 Take Action: Join the Lobby Day On Tuesday 10th March the Women's Rights Network, Sex Matters and LGB Alliance will be going to the UK Parliament to lobby MPs to call on the Health Secretary to intervene and stop the puberty blocker trial. More information about the event and what will happen on the day is available here . Registration has now closed. Whilst you won't receive information and briefings if you did not sign up via this site before registration closed, you can still attend Parliament on 10th March and lobby your MP. Not Sure About Their Name? If you are not sure of your MP's name you can do a quick search here, on the UK Parliament website: Find My MP Please send an email to your MP as soon as possible using the suggested wording below this form . Please copy action@womensrights.network in to your email. Email Your MP! Suggested wording for your email to your MP. Please copy action@womensrights.network in to your email. RE: Meeting Request: The Puberty Blocker Trial Dear [MP name], Request for a meeting on Tuesday 10th March 2026 I write as your constituent to ask you to meet with me to discuss my concerns about the Government approved PATHWAYS Puberty Blocker Trial, which will block the puberty of more than two hundred distressed children. The Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP has rightly said that we need to act with caution and care when it comes to support for this vulnerable group of young people who believe they are meant to be the other sex. I believe that proceeding with this puberty blocker trial is inconsistent with those principles. Puberty blockers have known and plausible harms, and decades of research conducted by leading academic institutions have failed to produce reliable evidence of any medical benefit. I have grave concerns that this is a medical scandal in the making. Earlier this month, a detransitioner in the United States was awarded $2 million in damages - a vulnerable young woman who was given puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and had her breasts removed at 16. This was the first case of its kind and many more will follow here in the UK. I will be in Parliament in the afternoon of Tuesday 10th March as part of a Women’s Rights Network, Sex Matters and LGB Alliance Lobby Day. Would you please meet me on this date to discuss my concerns? I understand there is a Westminster Hall debate on this topic on Monday 9th March. I would be very grateful if you would consider attending that debate and would welcome the opportunity to discuss your views with you the following day. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, [Name], [Address] [Postcode]


