… Read the restA law firm has ended its membership of a diversity scheme run by Stonewall citing concerns over its recent actions, saying it can no longer support the LGBTQ+ charity.
Moon Beever, based in Gray’s Inn and specialising in insolvency work, was one of 77 firms signed up to Stonewall’s Diversity Champions scheme.
But Frances Coulson, the firm’s Senior Partner, told RollOnFriday that Moon Beever had relinquished its membership.
“After some disquiet about recent actions of Stonewall we have decided to exit the Stonewall Diversity Programme”, she said.
“This in no way detracts from our commitment to diversity and equality, but in common with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Government Departments we no longer feel
All entries by this author
After some disquiet
Jun 4th, 2021 12:39 pm | By Ophelia BensonOnly a few cheaters
Jun 4th, 2021 12:10 pm | By Ophelia BensonCeCe Telfer is hoping to qualify for the United States Olympic trials, which begin June 18 in Eugene, Ore. The asphalt road is her primary training facility.
In 2019, Telfer became the first openly transgender woman to win an N.C.A.A. title; she was a fifth-year senior at Franklin Pierce University, a Division II school in Rindge, N.H. Now she is among a handful of transgender women seeking to reach the Tokyo Games, which begin in late July.
In other words in 2019 Telfer stole an N.C.A.A. title from a woman, and now he hopes to steal a place at the Tokyo Games from a woman.
… Read the restRecent clashes over transgender athletes have made it more important
In times of civil unrest and violence
Jun 4th, 2021 11:34 am | By Ophelia BensonOn the one hand Marion Millar is charged with a crime for disbelief in trans ideology on Twitter, on the other hand Trump is banned from Facebook for two years. Which of the two is really a threat to anyone?
… Read the restFacebook has extended former President Donald Trump’s suspension for two years and says it will only reinstate him “if the risk to public safety has receded.”
The decision comes after Facebook’s Oversight Board told the company it was wrong to impose an indefinite ban on Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Facebook says it is setting new rules for public figures in times of civil unrest and violence, “to be applied in exceptional cases such
HE no longer feels safe
Jun 4th, 2021 10:37 am | By Ophelia BensonDo we believe him?
https://twitter.com/DavidPaisley/status/1400824366045224961I can’t say I do.… Read the rest
Mask slips
Jun 4th, 2021 10:04 am | By Ophelia BensonNo misogyny in trans activism though. Oh no no no, what would ever give anyone that idea.
Why would Mermaids' CEO retweet this? @ForwomenScot @ChtyCommission pic.twitter.com/xK5533a6tF
— Neverfallingforit (@Neverfallingfo1) June 4, 2021
Ah yes how dare women be middle aged. Bitches. They should all drop dead at 25 because what possible use are they after that? Stupid old ugly dullards.… Read the rest
Everything about this is wrong
Jun 4th, 2021 9:43 am | By Ophelia BensonSome (necessarily cautious) reactions.
As this case is active I am posting this news report without comment other than to confirm I’m aware of the case & taking an interest as someone who is passionate about #CivilLiberties & #WomensRights. #WomenWontWheesht https://t.co/5vSSqHQ3yZ
— Joanna Cherry KC (@joannaccherry) June 4, 2021
If this is the case, can we all show @millar_marion extra support today. This is off the scale. Please share. Thanks https://t.co/MJZURFegee
— James Dreyfus (@DreyfusJames) June 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/LabWomenDec/status/1400513139553280003
… Read the rest.@policescotland didn’t charge people who have used this platform to call me racial slurs, threaten me with violence, or dox me. But now they’re charging Marion Millar, for…? What kind of justice is there for women using social media
Immediate suspension and exclusion
Jun 4th, 2021 5:57 am | By Ophelia BensonBrunel University has suspended the threats guy.
University statement on threats posted on social media pic.twitter.com/VinX4SQ3Eq
— Brunel University London (@Bruneluni) June 4, 2021
Murderous threats are the kind of thing that should be referred to police.… Read the rest
Internal memo, CC all
Jun 3rd, 2021 5:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonWild Woman Writing Club had a fine old rant and I’m just going to quote it instead of posting all the tweets.
https://twitter.com/wwwritingclub/status/1400563906708398098… Read the restto shoot women’s rights campaigners, and several more organisations have bailed out of the sinking Stonewall ship, and several more countries have rejected self-ID, and a think tank is calling women’s rights campaigners “feminazis,” and TRAs are still calling WRCs antisemites, and a ‘pro bono’ project is attempting to get a lesbian & gay group’s charitable status revoked. So much happening, with such speed. Change is gathering pace. It makes you wonder.
Why are so many people so seemingly desperate to make women shut up about the simple fact of human sexual dimorphism, and the simple fact
They must remove all gendered language
Jun 3rd, 2021 4:57 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’m already climbing the walls with rage over Scotland’s assault on women, and now there’s yet another load of poison from Stonewall.
Stonewall has advised organisations to replace the term mother with “parent who has given birth” to help boost their ranking on an equality leaderboard, The Telegraph can reveal.
That’s not “equality.” Pretending mothers don’t exist is not equality. Trying to erase women from childbirth is not equality. Trying to disappear women is not equality.
The controversial charity has advised employers wishing to be included on their Workplace Equality Index that they must remove all gendered language, and allow those who self-identify as a woman to use female toilets and changing rooms.
And “self-identify” means just “say.” … Read the rest
Thinky think-tank
Jun 3rd, 2021 12:01 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd in case we don’t have enough material yet…
Sooooo, thinking that bio sex is real and matters makes a woman…. Hitler in lipstick. I’m not kidding. This is seriously what this actual, real, genuine, not-fake think-tank claims (though they can’t spell inadvertently) https://t.co/7q2ZZmwsLa
— Helen Joyce (@HJoyceGender) June 3, 2021
Say again?
Wo. Feminist women are…Hitler in heavy makeup.
Let’s see if Sophia Siddiqui’s writing is as malicious as that image.
The rigid biological notion that ‘a man is a man, a woman is a woman’, is central to how the far Right mobilises across Europe in order to enforce heterosexual norms.
Is it “rigid” and a “notion” though? Or is it just reality? Is it a “rigid biological … Read the rest
Up to two years in prison
Jun 3rd, 2021 11:04 am | By Ophelia BensonIt’s now in the news. The Times:
A prominent feminist has been charged with a hate crime for alleged homophobic and transphobic social media posts.
Marion Millar, 50, from Airdrie, was charged under the Malicious Communications Act for tweets published in 2019 and 2020. If convicted she faces up to two years in prison.
The messages investigated by officers are understood to include a retweeted photograph of a bow of ribbons in the green, white and purple colours of the Suffragettes, tied around a tree outside the Glasgow studio where a BBC soap opera is shot.
Two years in prison for that?
Peak Stalinism.
… Read the restIt is one [of] at least six tweets reported to Police Scotland. The nature of
Some clarity
Jun 3rd, 2021 10:33 am | By Ophelia BensonGuns identify as edgy jokes.
The joke wasn't in the best of taste and it wasn't something you have to publically agree with, but publically appologizing to transphobes and reporting a trans person to the bigoted police shows us that you're words of acceptance don't stand for anything.
— Brunel Marxist Society (@BrunelMarxist) June 3, 2021
Threatening people with guns isn’t “an edgy joke.”
A lavender ribbon isn’t a noose, and a gun isn’t an edgy joke.
Men are not women, and men who say they are women are not victims of women who don’t agree.… Read the rest
To vicious online abuse
Jun 3rd, 2021 10:15 am | By Ophelia BensonDavid Paisley tells Gay Ireland News & Entertainment what makes him so awesome:
… Read the restDavid Paisley is a Scottish actor and LGBTQ+ activist. He has had roles in Holby City and Casualty and currently plays Rory Murdoch in the BBC drama series, River City. He has also been fighting against the wave of transphobia that has crashed across the UK in recent years.
Just speaking out in support of trans people, even as a cis white man, has led to vicious online abuse, being targeted by a certain Father Ted writer and threats of legal action from an MP. He recently set up an organisation called the LGBT+ Glitterati to “create a positive voice of support for all members
A ribbon
Jun 3rd, 2021 9:49 am | By Ophelia BensonGlinner on why they charged her:
https://twitter.com/millar_marion/status/1339695997929353217?s=20I’ve been reliably informed that the tweet for which she is being charged is this one. It’s a Suffragette ribbon.
Unbelievably, they’re claiming that this is meant to be a noose.
What does a noose actually look like?
See the differences?
One, there’s that thick heavy overlapping knot, that’s built to take a lot of weight. Two, there’s the direction: the noose is at the bottom, so that the weight of the body pulls the knot tighter and strangles the victim. Three, there’s the coarse thick rope, again built to take a lot of weight. A piece of lavender ribbon with a small pinned loop at the top is not a noose. … Read the rest
Are females safe on your campus?
Jun 3rd, 2021 8:52 am | By Ophelia BensonSpeaking of “malicious communication” (not to mention threats) –
And this one pic.twitter.com/TG5twg39b6
— Susan “The Actual Susan” McDonnell (@sleeepysandy) June 3, 2021
We have referred the matter to the police and the outcome of their investigation will determine our next steps. [2/2]
— Brunel University London (@Bruneluni) June 3, 2021
Your statement appears to conflict with your actions, here you are seemingly supporting the threat of violence towards women (h/t @SinclairJM1987). Are females safe on your campus?#MVAWG#pride #WomenWontWheesht pic.twitter.com/gQrFX6Ug6v
— Dr EM (@PankhurstEM) June 3, 2021
Yeah whatever. TRANS WOMEN ARE WOMEN.… Read the rest
The instigators
Jun 3rd, 2021 8:36 am | By Ophelia BensonMarion doesn’t “harass and intimidate” trans people. Also, she’s a woman, and thus at a physical disadvantage compared to men like India Willoughby. This claim of intimidation, from a man talking about a woman, is the usual gaslighting bullshit that’s so central to this evil berserk reverse-everything stupid ideology. … Read the rest
Not malicious then?
Jun 3rd, 2021 8:26 am | By Ophelia BensonMeanwhile…
https://twitter.com/ladyduckpojok/status/1400461259812708358That’s perfectly all right yeah?… Read the rest
Malicious communication with hate crime aggravator
Jun 3rd, 2021 8:24 am | By Ophelia BensonHorrible, enraging news:
Apologies for mistakes in original tweet.
Old thread follows:https://t.co/oqS05BtnEO— For Women Scotland (@ForWomenScot) June 3, 2021
Charge is malicious communication with hate crime aggravator.
— For Women Scotland (@ForWomenScot) June 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/Docstockk/status/1400422188281483272
The rage is like bubbling lava right now.… Read the rest
The life they choose
Jun 2nd, 2021 4:26 pm | By Ophelia BensonOh go take a running jump. Women aren’t required to “balance” our rights with those of men.
Our CEO, Sam Smethers, reflects on the importance of empathy in order to balance the rights of both women and trans women in relation to the debate around sex and gender identity.
Trans women are men. Women get to focus on our own rights. Tell the men to have some empathy for us why don’t you.
… Read the restFor me, it’s about independent (evidence-based) thinking, clarity of voice and speaking truth to power. On the issue of sex, gender and identity I have refused to simply pick a side, although I am repeatedly told to, and instead maintain that this is complicated and
Those who serve the public good
Jun 2nd, 2021 2:58 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe “Good Law Project” fundraiser for their attack on the LGBA:
Charitable status is earned by those who serve the public good. Denigrating trans people, attacking those who speak for them, and campaigning to remove legal protections from them is the very opposite of a public good.
None of that is what the LGBA is doing. He’s not very scrupulous with his accusations, that fox-basher guy.
Whatever sweet nothings the so-called “LGB Alliance” whispered into the ear of the Charity Commission
That’s just rude, and kind of sexist. We’re meant to think the LGBA people are like prostitutes.
… Read the rest…the truth was set out in a speech by LGB Alliance director Bev Jackson on 9 March 2020. She described their real
