Thread by @ForthFeminists

Hi there, we're back with @LucyHunterB talking about the Scottish Parliament & women. What the GRR Bill has taught us

#FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Going to look back over the last year & want to start a conversation. #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Audience participation! Hands up if anyone attended proceedings in person (some). Hands up if watched online (lots). Hands up if you spoke to MSPs (lots)

Almost all hands up in the end #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB MSPs here had an opportunity to reach out to a new audience. Scale of response to consultations. People turning up at rallies etc. Women were watching. MSPs did not behave like anyone was watching #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Seemed oblivious that they need to convince anyone. No attempt to engage with a wider audience. Women felt frozen out of process #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB What did we learn? Parliament's working culture: MSPs with young children begging to ask to know when they were going to be able to go to sort out childcare. Getting laughter. Disable MSPs saying their carers were waiting #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Carers are vastly underpaid women. The government backbench jeered. Very unpleasant #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Actions speak louder than words. Anyone who jeered parents or those asking about their carers should never be believed that they care about women #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Plenty of women who feel they can go into the Scottish parliament who feel they can go in and be heard and their voices will be replayed back but for others they are not made welcome #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Those who are paid to interact with the Scottish parliament are made welcome. Women are structurally disadvantaged, women more likely to be engaged through voluntary campaigning than through paid work #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Professional cultural around holyrood indirectly discriminates against women #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB We heard repeatedly women's views dismissed, distorted and misrepresented. "women have an issue with maleness" but we were repeatedly told we had an issue with trans. #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB We couldn't cut through to the governing coalition, the labour party or the lib dems that our safety or fairness matter. Or that our ability to set boundaries or say no matters #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB Something has changed in the last month but we have a mountain to climb. The ability for us to set boundaries and say no. We couldn't get into the room with the bill committee. #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB ^or most of the conservatives #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB To discover a persons sex matters when it is a risk to the FM's reputation matters is beyond commenting #FVFWomensFestival

@LucyHunterB People attending parliament for the first time expected more dignity, better questions. #FVFWomensFestival

Someone from the audience: Was a political naif, didn't discuss politics when young, receiving an education and edification. Expectation of parliament was high #FVFWomensFestival

5 minutes after arriving was stripped off in a broom cupboard had t-shirt removed and put t-shirt in bag. Expected seriousness of purpose and gravitas. #FVFWomensFestival

Expected a definition of terms! Astounded by how little evidence I heard. Heard self-interest and no credibility. A crashing disappointment. Mealy mouth mantra. Nothing to inspire me to believe they have our interest at heart #FVFWomensFestival

Now @LucyHunterB again: you reorganised your lives to come and thank you. Thank you for everyone who have supported us. TALK TO EACH OTHER #FVFWomensFestival