After this year's Spring Conference, where Lib Dems voted on a motion backing self-ID the @Telegraph ran an article highlighting that Lib Dem members did not agree with self-ID. Lib Dem voters feel the same as shown in various YouGov polls. 🧵
However @LibDems sources told the journalist @DominicPenna that our characterisation of the motion at conference was wrong - that the Lib Dems had sensible policies and did not back self-ID. But yesterday in the Westminster Hall debate @cajardineMP stated we backed self-ID...
Here are a couple of clips of Christine, Lib Dem Women and Equalities spokesperson, discussing our gender recognition proposals and saying the Party is committed to self-ID. She wasn't the only Lib Dem MP supportive but - as she says - she is in charge of this area of policy
Here is Lib Dem MP @VikkiSlade72 calling for self-ID and @pippaheylings joining calls for self-ID, saying getting a gender dysphoria diagnosis is "dehumanising and daunting"
We made an earlier thread pointing out the disparity between the statement given to the @Telegraph and how our policy is sold as self-ID by trans activists - including the chair of @LGBTLD
So is our policy self-ID or not? Or only for certain audiences (certainly not the @Telegraph audience it seems but definitely for reddit and in Parliament). Like our inability to state a position on Cass, eventually this will all catch up with us. We can't obfuscate forever
The @LibDems have been held over a barrel this election by LGBT+ LD ('Plus'). Firstly their treasurer brought 'Move to Next Business' motion. This meant a conf. debate on changing the quota designed to help women's representation ('women's' quota) couldn't be changed at conf. 🧵
Then when @LibDems obtained legal advice agreeing the quotas were not compliant with the Equality Act and so put forward revised guidance for the elections, Plus were furious and used the entire Party machinery to get rid of the guidance. Presidential candidates, appeal panels
They called for all diversity-quotas to be suspended if they couldn't get their way. We pointed out this could also be detrimental for ethnic monitories and those with disabilities but of course 'trans demands trump all' (TDTA) lgbtlibdems.org.uk/civicrm/petiti…
In this second post on the revisionism currently going through the @LibDems is the general acceptance that the quotas do need to change and so now clearly everyone is saying 'why didn't someone do something sooner?' Of course we first tried in 2023 after the first FWS case. 🧵
The above is a fairly typical response from the trans lobby. Already in 2023 it was clear that self-ID couldn't be used as the basis of quotas and allowing non-binary people into both the men's and women's quotas was inherently unfair. But we were told to leave for raising it.
That wasn't the only abuse we received for daring to try to make the quotas compliant with the Equality Act. Councillors and Party Officers liked and shared messages likening us to a pubic lice infestation & speculating how much insecticide it would take get rid of us.
One reason @LibDems found it hard to change the quotas is that the trans lobby have convinced them of several 'misdemeanours' of knowing what sex someone is and treating them as such (either through words or policies) or by not performatively agreeing they've changed sex. 👉🧵
Some examples or the use of these terms in the wild of the @LibDems. 'Othered' / 'othering' from Lib Dem Voice articles:
'Outed' or 'outing': being used here in articles about the quotas in Lib Dem Voice by both of the presidential candidates. This ignores the Lib Dem election regulations which states that giving info to access quotas may allow people to discern information about candidates:
What this email reveals is the contradictory task of the @LibDems trying to meet demands of LGBT 'Plus' & abide by law. Plus has told the Party for years that misgendering is the worst thing you can do. This means ppl who ID as non-binary are now not included in the 2.5 quota 🧵
Of course people who identify as non-binary do have a biological sex. If the Party & Plus could understand 2.5 is a quota on sex not gender - so they could tick a male or female box - they could still be included. Whilst Plus shout 'misgendering' this is a consequence.
Also term 'cis' is used to avoid misgendering - now means trans ppl excluded from 2.5. The email discusses those with a GRC - some with a GRC have intimated ticking a box that is opposite to their 'acquired gender' goes against statutory declaration to 'live in that gender'
Another day ending in Y so another LDV article about the quotas. Onyx says "Most of this party fundamentally disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling." Onyx provides no evidence for this. Indeed our polling shows majority of LD members support single-sex spaces & sports See 👉 🧵
Onyx goes onto say "I’ve seen the emails and messages this week from members resigning over it, and I understand their pain." Not recognising the numbers who've left or considered leaving over the Party's extreme stance on this issue. For example 1,100 signatories to this!
Also not recognising that even though LVW disagree with the Party's stance on this issue we have chosen to stay. Many of us continue to give up time to campaign, canvass and deliver for the @LibDems despite the abuse and discrimination we've faced including being told to leave.
The @LGBTLD petition to the quotas change is worth reading. Charley, the Chair, wanted the @LibDems to get rid of all diversity quotas. This means quotas that help address genuine under-representation of:
🔸Women
🔸Ethnic minorities
🔸People living with a disability.
in LDs 🧵
Again just as we had with the Forstater decision ("LDs not an employer so ruling doesn't apply" nonsense) note this line "as a non-governmental private members’ organisation, the Lib Dems are not bound by quota provisions designed for public-sector decision-making bodies." See👉
This is the EHRC guidance for political parties explaining how s.158 of the Equality Act applies to them. It is not about whether an organisation is a 'public-sector' body. As an association the @LibDems are bound by the Equality Act and the relevant provisions within.