Why they do not share concerns

Scottish Human Rights Blog at Amnesty International UK assured us a couple of weeks ago that men taking everything that belongs to women is fine fine fine not a problem at all.

Women’s and human rights organisations in Scotland, including Amnesty, have written to the UN Special Rapporteur for Violence Against Women and Girls restating their support for Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

The organisations – many of whom provide services for women and girls – wrote to Ms Alsalem detailing why they do not share concerns she expressed about the Bill. 

To refresh our memories on those concerns she shared last month:

The Scottish government’s proposals to reform gender recognition laws could allow violent males to “abuse” the system, a UN expert claims.

The organisation’s special rapporteur on violence against women and girls said the legislation could increase potential safety risks.

But Amnesty and an unspecified number of other “women’s and human rights organisations” are confident enough to reply that no it could not increase potential safety risks. That’s a lot of confidence, to deny even the possibility.

In the letter they state:

“We see the paths to equality and the realisation of human rights for women and trans people as being deeply interconnected and dependant on shared efforts to dismantle systems of discrimination.”

Why? Why do they see them that way? That’s a stupid way to see them. Women and “trans people” have very different needs and demands. Bundling them is a crude and dumb mistake.

But oh well, Amnesty Scotland is down with the kids.

Comments

6 responses to “Why they do not share concerns”

  1. Freemage Avatar

    Note they didn’t name any of the women’s rights organizations–just Amnesty “All Sexes Matter” International gets mentioned.

  2. Ophelia Benson Avatar

    Well it’s an Amnesty blog so I suppose that’s why, but now you mention it why don’t I see if I can find out who the others are…

  3. Ophelia Benson Avatar

    Yes here:

    Cat Murphy, Executive Director, Engender

    Emma Hutton, CEO JustRight Scotland

    Katy Mathieson, Scottish Women’s Rights Centre

    Marsha Scott, Chief Executive, Scottish Women’s Aid

    Naomi McAuliffe, Director, Amnesty International Scotland

    Sandy Brindley, Chief Executive, Rape Crisis Scotland

  4. Sastra Avatar

    Amnesty and other organizations can be quite confident that the reports and statistics on purported-transwoman-on-female crime will not go up. That sort of data isn’t disclosed, assuming it’s allowed to be gathered in the first place.

  5. Jim Baerg Avatar

    “That sort of data isn’t disclosed, assuming it’s allowed to be gathered in the first place.”

    Rather like NRA supporters made sure there was no funding for research into gun deaths as a public health issue in the US.

  6. Ophelia Benson Avatar

    Oh good point. Very like that.