Packed workshops today on especially controversial motions, deftly chaired, with plenty of probing questions & points made. #GPC22
Straw polls on D07 Queerphobia Guidance fell convincingly - amended or unamended. A poorly worded motion which not even amendments could rescue.
Workshop on G01 Developing an Intersectional Approach to Diversity (Ban members who signed @WDI_UK) fell overwhelmingly. #GPC22
Here's the thing - shock amendment was floated (still to be checked if in order) that would have added to blacklist of banned orgs which GP members could support at their peril 👉 @fairplaywomen@SexMattersOrg@ForwomenScot@ALLIANCELGB@SafeSchools_UK & "Standing for Women" FELL
Let's see to it were these motions to reach plenary, straw polls would be replicated or bettered on full vote.
I expressed genuine alarm at move to extend blacklist on already highly controversial Late Motion. #GPC22
Well done all who attended tonight to voice their concerns.
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Sex-Based Rights vs Cancel Culture
I am challenging an unlawful discriminatory and oppressive campaign that would have me removed as the Green Party of England and Wales Spokesperson for Policing and Domestic Safety. crowdjustice.com/case/sex-based… 1/24
I have done nothing wrong. I have stood by the principles and values of the Party for twenty years; nine years as a national Spokesperson, two of which as Deputy Leader. 2/24
Since 2018, I have been subjected to unrelenting abuse, harassment and detriment because I dared to express my gender critical views and seek rational consensus about matters of sex and gender identity. 3/24
Lords currently debating #Amendment214 "Sex-specific incarceration for violent and sexual offenders". Lord Blencathra spoke of mixed sex policy of @MoJGovUK & "erasure" of women as sex class. Baroness Brinton argued amendment "redundant" & not based in facts on ground. #PCSCBill
Lord Morrow arguing that amendment seeks to preserve basic dignity of women without which risk of breaching their Art.3 right. Baroness Meyer arguing against Brinton that a small number is a number and law should protect all & birth sex must always be recorded. #Amendment214
Lord Pannick arguing #Amendment214 would undermine GRC of trans inmates. Baroness Fox @Fox_Claire says wherever one stands on general issue of transgender rights, we are only talking here of convicted sex offenders in context of prison policy where "obviously a clash of rights".
“When I ask Trans activists if it's wrong when males *falsely* Self ID as female, gain access to female spaces, assault and rape already vulnerable women, they say, well rape is wrong. So ... why not put in safeguards?” (Twitter, 20/09/21)
This is an important question for everybody with a stake in fairness and safety, all of us. Trans people are also failed by manipulators who would abuse policies put in place for them, whether amongst their midst or not; but so long as people do lie then safeguards [needed].
Negative campaigns come and go, right? I'm responding again, round two of something started as a Young Greens motion supported by "93%" (21 members) & ended up with member trying to get extra ammunition from GMC, who have now weighed in for me: electshahrar.co.uk/shahrar-ali-su…
Also available as pdf shahrar-ali.squarespace.com/s/Shahrar-Ali-… Summary here: Recently a Party member wrote to the GMC in an attempt to undermine the position I took in a statement of 19 July 2021, about maintaining professional boundaries in patient care settings.
I distinguished between the expression of general solidarity with LGBTIQ+ community through wearing of a rainbow lanyard, say, and sharing of personal data about one’s own sexuality in a patient-care setting (also to express solidarity).
Heartbreaking to hear @RosieDuffield1 speak with such authority, dignity & insight into:
a) being target of online vitriol & abuse #cancelculture
b) failure of @UKLabour to allow debate on women's spaces
c) inability of @Keir_Starmer to meet with her.
This must change! #r4today
Mental straightjacket of no debate probably as damaging, corrosive & oppressive to political culture, especially when pushed by spineless party leaders like @Keir_Starmer@EdwardJDavey, as it is detrimental to protection of women's sex-based rights & safeguarding of children.
OK sensitive topic but needs an airing. Here's part of form used by libraries as registration for 2021 Summer reading challenge *for kids aged 4-11*. Great initiative but why oh why were kids being asked "How would you describe yourself?" (optional) & excluding sex data?
Had good debate with librarian (identity withheld for protection) who also found it questionable, esp to be asking kids this young, to think about themselves quite so self-consciously as a gendered appearance or none. They even recounted how one of their own kids disliked it.
To be explicit about my own concerns now. Yes I do think it is wrong to omit objective sex classification data & flies in face of gold standard data collection exercises such as Census 2021 & almost certainly school data (which this data would need to talk to).