Yesterday, I argued that this Maternity Allowances Bill is a step forward for women’s rights (even if too narrowly focused on women in Westminster). But the words ‘she’, ‘her’ or ‘women’ don’t appear once in the bill... (1/4)
One person suggested it was fine - a bit like saying ‘chairperson’. But giving birth is not like chairing a meeting. These language rows are not technical issues - we have to consider the political context. These new language codes are forcing us to engage in doublespeak... (2/4)
Language matters. I’m a woman, not a cis-woman. How will doctors & nurses talk about mastitis accurately while using language like chest feeding? How will official documents like the census be accurate while mangling gender identity and biological sex?... (3/4)
This bill was supposed to be about gains for women in relation to maternity leave and - most important - women’s freedom. I urged the minister to not betray us now by using confusing and obfuscating language in this bill... (4/4)

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More from @Fox_Claire

9 Nov 20
Tonight, I tried to remind the majority of Lords declaring they will do whatever is necessary to remove part 5 from the #InternalMarketBill, that this was an affront to democracy... (1/5)
I pointed out that the majority in the unelected Lords seem happy to give preference to binding sovereignty of an international treaty over honouring democratic sovereighty at home... (2/5)
Guess what, a debate which was presented to be about international law was really a struggle at the heart of Brexit... (3/5)
Read 5 tweets
1 Aug 20
On peerages: a short thread. Thank you all so much for many wonderfully generous messages of support. It seems positive that the historic significance of Brexit has been recognised via so many of those offered peerages. It feels as much a recognition of voters as individuals 1/
I'm thrilled that many people I admire are joining #TheLords, especially some feisty women: @GiselaStuart @CatharineHoey @MorrisseyHelena. The irony is: having more democrats in the unelected #HoL at least might make the cause of democratic accountability harder to side-line 2/
For those reminding me that I've always argued to abolish the Lords: well spotted. I stand by that. But as w @TheGreenParty peers, I'll argue that in #HoL while it exists. I have some recent experience as an MEP of participating in an undemocratic body, which I disagree with 3/
Read 5 tweets
8 Jul 20
THREAD @DontDivideUsNow & EDUCATION: Last week a bunch of us issued a statement entitled Don't Divide Us. The response was overwhelming. One big concern that many brought up, is that schools seem to be reorganising curriculum & teacher CDP around divisive identity politics 1/
Parents/ carers involved in home schooling due to lockdown, have been sent letters/resources with instructions on how to teach issue of ‘race’ & are understandably concerned at the over-reach by schools. This has caused worries that changes are happening with no public debate. 2/
Teachers, governors & other stakeholders in education of schoolchildren have also contacted @DontDivideUsNow , expressing serious reservations. They note: even internal school discussions are being stifled by an assertion that any resistance is evidence of unconscious bias 3/
Read 4 tweets
18 Jun 20
Just a short thread on students following Rhodes statue's fall and grim harassment of Hitchens: don't blame student activists; they are kicking an open door. It's acquiescence of university authorities which should worry people 1/
Very many students - maybe most - (and this is not a code for white - but of all ethnicities) - do not go along with these trends. They fear speaking out - anyone who dares challenge is renounced, not just by peers, often by their own tutors who theorise/preach white privilege 2/
Students are just young people & sometimes their idealism is muddled and misplaced. But important to respect what is admirable in wanting to change world for better. Their sense of certainty and arrogance is part of being young. But young develop ideas when creatively interact 3/
Read 6 tweets
5 Apr 20
Much to mull over from @matthewsyed on dangers of blame game and online experts & lessons from Sweden: "A lack of dissent is one reason disasters in totalitarian regimes, historically at least, have tended to exert a greater death toll... 1/5
"I can’t help thinking that some scientists have learnt that in a time of hysteria you can gain a huge profile by using inflammatory language. Call it the Piers Morganisation of public discourse, a world of manufactured confidence and synthetic outrage". Bravo @matthewsyed 2/5
"A world where the digital weighting placed on the extreme and dogmatic offers a distorted picture not just of reality, but of evidence itself...
"We need a rational debate now about charting a wise exit from the lockdown," 3/5
Read 5 tweets
19 Sep 19
Thread on controversy re #NazaninZaghariRatcliffe debate at @Europarl_EN : Do you think the EU should have a foreign policy as though a nation state? In the context of talk of an EU army & Empire? Me neither. 1/7
Do you think the tragic plight of #NazaninZaghariRatcliffe should be cynically used by those who want to strengthen unaccountable EU intervention on world stage at expense of democratically elected national governments? Me neither. 2/7
Do you think the tragic plight of #NazaninZaghariRatcliffe should be cynically used by arch-Remainers / #fbpe people more interested in bashing Brexit than the plight of those brutally locked up in Iran? Me neither. 3/7
Read 7 tweets

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