A Week in the War on Women: Monday 24th October - Sunday 30th October GOOD NEWS SUPPLEMENT
Just a handful of the good news stories from the gender beat this week. Enjoy!
Badenoch Bites
Kemi Badenoch, whose support for women’s sex-based rights and spaces is well-known, has been appointed Minister for Women and Equalities.
She immediately proved why her appointment is such good news. When asked during PMQs about the attack on her by Pink News CEO, Benjamin Cohen, she gave this blistering response.
“I’m afraid that this particular individual is someone who uses Twitter as a tool for defamation… The Equality Act is a shield, not a sword. It is there to protect people of all characteristics whether they are young or old, male or female, black or white, gay or straight. We are running a compassionate equality strategy and we should not be distracted by people who use Twitter as a way to insult or accuse members of Parliament.”
Sunak On Sex
The Telegraph reported that Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak (at least he was the Prime Minister at the time of going to press, but you can never be sure these days), intends to clamp down on ‘inappropriate’ sex education in schools.
The PM intends to strengthen guidance for teachers on relationships and sex education (RSE) to ensure children only receive age-appropriate lessons. Furthermore, parents will be afforded greater rights to request sight of the teaching materials used. This means less chance of kids being indoctrinated with gender woo.
In addition, Sunak also intends to review the Equality Act 2010 and clarify that sex refers to biology, not gender identity.
“A Downing Street source said that protecting women and girls is a priority for Mr Sunak’s administration.”
Straight-Talking Siobhain
Elsewhere in Westminster, Labour MP, Siobhain McDonagh, was not afraid to point out that the emperor has no clothes.
Speaking on Talk TV she said that Eddie Izzard is “Clearly not a woman, and he clearly shouldn’t be on an all-women shortlist”.
Bravo Bravehearts
In Scotland the SNP faced a rebellion over its Gender Recognition Reform Bill when voting to pass Stage 1. Nine of the party’s own MSPs refused to vote in favour of the bill, the biggest rebellion the SNP has faced since it came to power in 2007.
Huge kudos and respect to Ash Regan who showed tremendous courage and integrity when she resigned from her position as Minister for Community Safety over the vote.
In a statement she said, “My conscience would not allow me to vote with the government this evening. I cannot support any legislation that may have negative implications for the safety and dignity of women and girls”.
John Bootham wrote in The Sunday Times about the ‘out of touch’ First Minister being ‘blindsided by the rebel MSPs’.
“More problems for the leadership lie ahead… The bill will have a longer tail. It has spawned an organised, articulate parliamentary opposition around women’s issues that won’t go away.”
The Sunshine State
The Florida Board of Medicine has voted to draft a rule to prevent gender-confused children in the state from being medicalised.
The suggested regulations will bar all minors in Florida from receiving puberty blockers, hormones or surgery outside of IRB-approved university hospital studies.
She Who Must Not Be Named
Ralph Fiennes has defended JK Rowling against the ‘disgusting and appalling’ abuse which she receives.
Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, told the New York Times, “The verbal abuse directed at her is disgusting, it’s appalling… It’s just a woman saying, ‘I’m a woman and I feel I’m a woman and I want to be able to say that I’m a woman.’ And I understand where she’s coming from.”
Everybody Loves Harry
Despite constant attempts by trans activists to ‘cancel’ her, JK Rowling’s books just keep selling. 25 years since they were first published, sales of the Harry Potter books have surged, jumping 35% in the first half of this year.
Nigel Newton, Bloomsbury’s CEO, told The Telegraph, “Harry Potter continues to do the most enormous amount of good in spreading the love of reading among children.”
Janice Nails It
The ever-brilliant Janice Turner wrote a blistering column in The Times this week, skewering Eddie Izzard’s hugely offensive ‘girl mode’ claims.
“Unlike TV presenter Lorraine Kelly I won’t squeal “You go, girl!” at a 60-year-old man, as I don’t believe he’s a woman - but then I don’t think Eddie does either… Occasional cross-dressing does not a woman make. And, for the safety, dignity and legal protection of women, this matters.”
The ice pop is 'human rights', and that's a transwoman between two women.
'A shield not a sword'. Wonderful.