Yet another “No Feminists Allowed”:
Féile an Phobail has cancelled an event it was due to hold during the festival.
Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI), which describes itself as “putting the sex based needs of women and girls first” said that “féile has chosen to silence the voices of the very group that makes up half the population”.
The event, Respect, Rights and Reality, was due to be held in August. Féile an Phobail said it had informed WRN NI that it was withdrawing their event.
“Féile an Phobail was unaware from the initial submission that this event would promote campaigns against rights for the transgender community,” it said on social media.
There it is again – that ill-advised assumption that putting the sex-based needs of girls first necessarily amounts to being against rights for the transgenner communniny.
The event run by WRN NI was due to take place on 4 August and had a range of speakers, including Fiona McAnena from the Sex Matters organisation.
Sex Matters was founded by Maya Forstater, who lost her job after saying that people cannot change their biological sex.
She was later awarded compensation by an employment tribunal which ruled that Forstater experienced “direct discrimination” related to her beliefs.
Forstater said Féile an Phobail were “discriminating” against WRN NI and Sex Matters.
Yes, sneery BBC; that’s because they are “””discriminating””” against women and feminist organizations. Fuck off with your scare-quotes.
In their statement, Féile an Phobail said it “takes pride in standing up for those who are marginalised and attacked”.
No it doesn’t. It doesn’t take pride in standing up for women. It takes pride in not standing up for women – it takes pride in shunning women and withdrawing invitations to let women speak. Féile an Phobail treats women like the enemy. Féile an Phobail sucks.
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