A Week in the War on Women: Monday 13th September - Sunday 19th September GOOD NEWS SUPPLEMENT
A few of the week’s good news stories to keep our spirits raised.
And The Nominations Are…
Just look at some of the brave and brilliant women shortlisted this year for the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize and Centre for Women’s Justice awards.
Among the awesome women nominated are:
Keira Bell, the fearless woman who spoke out about her detransition and took the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust to court.
Dr Nic Williams, campaign director and public spokeswoman for Fair Play For Women who works tirelessly in defence of women’s sex-based rights and spaces.
Dr Shonagh Dillon, the founder and CEO at Aurora New Dawn, lifelong advocate for women who’ve suffered male violence and campaigner for female-only services.
Best of luck to them all.
Another (Huge) Domino Falls
The Crown Prosecution Service has withdrawn its membership from Stonewall’s diversity champions scheme.
A spokesperson said: “The CPS is proud to have a diverse workforce and will continue to support our LGBT+ staff members in every way possible. We have carried out a review of Stonewall’s Diversity Scheme and have decided to end our membership. We are members of other schemes which help us respect the identities of our LGBT+ colleagues”.
#CanThePlan
On Tuesday Welsh women and their allies gathered outside the Senedd to raise their voices in opposition to the Welsh government’s proposed LGBTQ+ Action Plan.
There were some brilliant speakers…
Some fabulous banners…
And, of course, some close harmony singing!
You can read more about the event in Jo Bartosch’s article here.
And the winner is…
Two feminist legends have won Holyrood Magazine 2021 political awards.
Johann Lamont won MSP of the Year.
Joanna Cherry has been named the Best Scot at Westminster.
Huge and heartfelt congratulations to Johann and Joanna!
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
A statistics watchdog has challenged plans to allow self-declared gender identity to supersede sex in the forthcoming Scottish Census.
Ed Humpherson, director-general of the Office for Statistics Regulation, an independent UK-wide watchdog, has written to Paul Lowe, the chief executive of National Records Scotland. “My interest, of course, is how the outcome will impact census data and statistics; how you have taken account of any data quality considerations including the comparability of data across the rest of the UK; and how you have communicated and assured users and stakeholders on these points?”
Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Education Policy at Edinburgh University, said of this correspondence, “Couched though it is in the careful language of the civil service, this criticism is as sharp a rebuke as a public body can get from an official regulator”.
G’wan Ed!
The Speaker Speaks Out
The Speaker of the House of Commons has made an ‘unprecedented intervention’ over Rosie Duffield missing the Labour Party conference due to safety concerns.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle said, “Too many people have been targeted for their opinion or the office they hold. In order to protect democracy, we need to ensure those participating can do so without threats of intimidation.”
Time To Speak Up
This blisteringly good editor’s column in Sunday’s Holyrood Magazine is a must-read.
“Don’t dare tell us now that we don’t understand what we are talking about, that out concerns are not valid, that we have been radicalised, and that we need to go educate ourselves. And certainly don’t patronise us as you enjoy the spoils of the equality that we helped win for you.”
Brava, Mandy Rhodes!
And Finally…
It is great that the PE cartoonists are finally starting to ridicule the situation - still waiting for any mention in the Street of Shame section - which is shameful in my opinion; and certainly a shame!! But I recently realised that Edward Lear was on to the TRAs as long ago as 1846 (this edition 1887) - thought others might enjoy.
https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Nonsense/There_was_an_Old_Man_with_a_poker
So glad to see brave women recognized!