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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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…
“I don’t think we will be seeing hide nor hair of it again,” one nationalist backbencher said. “How can we legislate to criminalise misogyny when we can’t even agree what a woman is?" thetimes.com/uk/scotland/ar…
For Women Scotland, which brought the Supreme Court case cited by the government as the reason for the delay, claimed the SNP was making “dishonest and offensive” excuses not to act.
“This only goes to show, once again, that women are not a priority for this government,” said Marion Calder, a director at the campaign group.
He also thought Sussex Uni - who were just served with a record fine for failing to uphold free speech - should apologise because they didn't sack @Docstockk but just waited for the thugs to drive her out.
These are the Lib Dem councillors. Some of them looked rather uncomfortable but there are rather loud bullying chaps who, sadly, seem to set the agenda.
Up first for the LDs was Fiona Bennett who seemed a little confused about which side she might land on. "Everyone experiences trauma differently and responds differently, and no one has the right to dictate what should or shouldn’t make another person feel safe."
Yes, Fiona, that is right. She then said we should "commit to listening to each other" listening which involved "both c*s and trans women?" So, once again women who don't identify as women are ignored even though they are far more vulnerable than the blokes.