Full transcript of the shocking comments from Mridul Wadhwa yesterday.
Including repeating the notion that a movement built by volunteer women needs to "wash and clean" itself of the past female activism./ forwomen.scot/wp-content/upl…
Wadhwa also repeated the appalling proposition that rape victims need to "learn not to be transphobic".
The job of a rape support service is to support victims. Anyone with knowledge of trauma will know that raped women frequently cannot bear to be near males - even loved ones./
Naturally part of healing is to re-equip them for the world. But in a safe space, telling them they must accept clearly male people as women is mental cruelty.
Wadhwa's agenda could not be clearer and it is not the support of these women./
Then the disgraceful suggestion that the demo last week was joined by "fascists". We have comprehensively debunked this lie which was set in motion by people like Robertson and Hunter.
A desperate smear that Wadhwa should know will be used to justify harm. And doesn't care.
A couple of other concerning comments. Wadhwa recommends finding out what staff members think in order to change their opinion (not listen to their concerns). If they remain "prejudiced", Wadhwa seems to agree they would be impossible to work with so seek legal advice on sacking.
Wadhwa talks of trauma impacts on staff working with victims. However, even here some people are more equal than others: it is clear MW is claiming to need more consideration "for those of us who have protected characteristics" & wants "recognition of the additional challenges"
Here, Wadhwa talks about speaking to victim of rape concerned she may encounter a male. Wadhwa frames this as the "radical" inclusion of the "marginalised" (bio male) and the "relative privilege" of the female rape victim.
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We have been left with little choice as the Gov has refused to quash school & prison guidance. Papers have been served & the Gov has 21 days to respond. thetimes.com/uk/scotland/ar…
Trina Budge said the Scottish government had responded to the group’s legal victory with only “resistance and denial” and that two cabinet ministers the group had spoken to had refused “point blank” to withdraw unlawful documents. thetimes.com/uk/scotland/ar…
“Male murderers are still locked up in women’s prisons and children have returned to school after the summer holidays into a quagmire of confusion, with many councils still following government instructions to let some teenage boys change with the girls.”
🧵FRANKLY, yesterday’s woman, the former FM who left office in a miasma of her own (and her hubby’s) making is getting far too much attention. But there is some revisionism that is just too egregious to ignore. Especially as she has a platform denied to us.
If Sturgeon really thinks Oct 22 was the point the debate became “toxic” & hope of “common ground” disappeared, we wonder if she was drunk or in a coma for half a decade? Otherwise how to account for such wilful blindness? thetimes.com/article/291601…
Clearly, the shirt hit a nerve, “it seems blindingly obvious that a stunt like that was never going to elevate the debate or illuminate the issues at the heart of it.” But Sturgeon wasn’t interested in debate. Her zealotry made Thatcher’s commitment to the Poll Tax look measured.
The most concerning thing about the nonsense spouted about bone marrow transplants & chromosomal conditions yesterday was wondering how this would land with the panel.
Rare conditions are, sadly, too often weaponised (I fear "our" side is also guilty), so a 🧵
First of all, fun fact! Male DNA may be observable in women who have borne male children. This may persist for decades.
Similarly, following a transplant on male subjects, the Y chromosome may be absent in *some* cells, this does not alter genetic sex as determined by the original sex chromosomes.
Even if Dr Upton had a full stem cell transplant, he wouldn't change sex!
Absolutely extraordinary scenes today in @ScotParl in which it emerged that MSPs and staff are confused about how to use the lavatory - something many nursery children manage without such tortuous introspection.
Let's dive in! 🧵
There are many issues which may be considered "urgent" in Scotland today, but Patrick Harvie wanted a debate on toilets & the bonkers "open letter" from the fox-batterer and confused chums.
Remember, #HarvieHatesWomen.
@CGrahameMSP heroically tries to make the rational case for providing provisions for everyone according to law, protecting all the PCs, and not discriminating. Sounds good?
(Pat's colleague, @MaggieChapman was at the meeting when they signed off the decision - he could ask her?)
So, what to say about the inane interview from Sacha Deshmukh of @AmnestyUK on @BBCWomansHour?
Firstly, of course, this was an embarrassment for the @bbc, for @itsanitarani, and for the "human rights" charity none of whom, seemingly, were on top of basic facts.
Sacha confidently asserted that everyone else was reading the judgment - ALL 30 PAGES - wrong. He seemed mighty pleased that it was 30 pages (he mentioned it 3 times).
The problem? It is 88 pages, suggesting Sacha either read 1/3 of it or was misdirected by a minion.
Either way, we can be pretty confident that Sacha has not actually engaged with the text at all. More concerning for @BBCWomansHour, their presenter was not across the simplest detail.
🧵Statement: We cannot see why the Supreme Court ruling should have made any difference to the introduction of the long delayed Misogyny Bill, unless, of course, the Bill also sought to redefine women and to include trans identified men (already protected under HCA).
We are pleased @scotgov has finally decided to protect women & girls under hate crime legislation as Lord Bracadale originally suggested back in 2018. A proposal which we and @mbmpolicy backed in our submissions to the committee. forwomen.scot/wp-content/upl…
We remain frustrated - & angry - it has taken so long to get to this point. In 2003 Robin Harper MSP lodged an amendment to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 to make provision for offences aggravated by disability, sexual orientation, age & gender. forwomen.scot/24/11/2020/his…