The Good News Supplement: Monday 17th June - Sunday 23rd June

The creators, editors and authors celebrating the publication of “The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht” - IMAGE CREDIT: Lloyd Smith

Another bumper edition positively overflowing with good news stories from the gender beat this week. Enjoy!

Women Won’t Wheesht

The Scottish government has abandoned its attempts to redefine the word ‘woman’ thanks to the relentless efforts of For Women Scotland.

The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act was passed in 2018. This legislation redefined the word ‘woman’ to include trans-identified males, even those without a GRC, who are ‘living as a woman’ (whatever that means!).

Women’s rights campaigners, For Women Scotland, took legal action to challenge this blatant female erasure. The courts decided that the Scottish parliament does not have the power to redefine the word ‘woman’ with judges ruling that the definition adopted in the act “Impinges on the nature of protected characteristics, which is a reserved matter”.

Consequently, a one-page bill was proposed by the Scottish government to remove the definition entirely. This week that bill was passed unanimously.

A spokeswoman for For Women Scotland said, “For all the Scottish government has sought to downplay this, this amendment is a victory for women and should ensure that Scottish ministers will never again be so foolish as to attempt to overwrite the Equality Act to the detriment of women”.

Meghan Gallacher, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives, commented, “Had it not been for women’s groups challenging this act, this amended bill would not be before us. I am pleased that we have fierce, resilient and brave women right across Scotland who will not tolerate their rights being eroded.”

Huge congratulations and kudos to the formidable warriors of FWS.

Good News From Down Under

Hobart Council has apologised and paid compensation to one of its own councillor’s after it discriminated against her because of her ‘gender critical’ views.

In September 2023, Hobart City Councillor, Louise Elliot, tried to book the Town Hall (as a private citizen) for a women’s rights and free speech event which featured guests Moira Deeming and Katherine Deves. Hobart’s lord mayor, Anna Reynolds, leaked news of this request to a trans activist who lodged a complaint and Louise Elliot’s booking was subsequently refused.

Louise Elliot lodged a complaint with the state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, alleging discrimination based on her political beliefs.

This week, The Australian reported that, following conciliation, Hobart City Council has provided significant admissions and apologies and, it is understood, has paid ‘significant compensation’ to Louise Elliot.

Whipped Away

Michael Cashman has had the Labour whip withdrawn over his despicable comments about Rosie Duffield.

Last week Rosie Duffield announced that, after a barrage of death threats, she had been forced to cancel election hustings over fears for her own safety and that of her staff. In response, on the 8th anniversary of Jo Cox’s murder, Labour peer and former Eastender, Michael Cashman, described Rosie Duffield as “Frit. Or lazy”.

Michael Cashman has now had the Labour whip withdrawn. Keir Starmer told journalists that his comment was ‘particularly inappropriate’ and that the whip had been withdrawn ‘very swiftly’.

Cashman will now have to sit as a cross-bench peer without a party affiliation.

Leaving Them Kids Alone

Damaging RSE resources which taught Northern Ireland’s school children that they can have a ‘gender identity’ at just three years old have been scrapped.

Northern Ireland’s Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) recently reviewed the Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) guidance which appeared on its website. It subsequently removed an item which claimed that children can become aware of their ‘gender identity’ when aged between three and five.

Auntie in the Naughty Corner

The BBC has been criticised by its own Executive Complaints Unit over an inaccurate and misleading item about trans-identifying males who ‘breastfeed’.

In February we reported on a story in which a leaked letter from an NHS trust director claimed that the drug-induced lactation fluid produced by trans-identified males is comparable to the real breastmilk produced by new mothers. The BBC covered this story on a programme called The Context. The item was misleading, wholly uncritical and featured the views of a so-called expert who was anything but.

A number of viewers complained to the BBC and, this week, the corporation’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) found that the programme was inaccurate and had misled the public. It concluded that:

• The claim that the chemically-induced secretions produced by trans males is comparable to mothers’ breastmilk is based on one study of a single male whereas all other studies involve the production of breastmilk in women. Consequently, “The weight of relevant evidence was not, therefore, made sufficiently clear and in the ECU’s judgement viewers would have been left with a materially misleading impression.”

• The suggestion that the World Health Organisation (WHO) supports the claims made is inaccurate. “The WHO guidance does not refer to trans women… the audience would have been left with a misleading impression of the evidence.”

• The guest presented as an ‘expert’ on the programme lacked ‘any specialist knowledge’.

• The programme’s guest was wrong to suggest that there is ‘persuasive evidence’ of the nutritional value of secretions produced by trans-identified male. “It should have been made clear to audiences that more research is needed before such conclusions can be drawn with confidence.”

WHO’s That ‘Girl’?

The World Health Organisation has withdrawn a militant trans activist from its panel on ‘trans health care’.

In December 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the “Development of a guideline on the health of trans and gender diverse people” and the setting up of a ‘guideline development group’ to facilitate this. This 21-person committee was announced in January.

One of those selected to be part of the group was ‘transfeminine’ they/them Florence Ashley. He is an assistant professor at the University of Alberta, a self-declared lesbian, and a vociferous trans activist. He advocates for the medicalisation of children, even without clinical evaluation, and he believes that puberty blockers “Should be made readily available to all those who wish for them”.

Ashley no longer appears on the WHO committee. A revision to the original list was published on Monday and he is not on it. Thank goodness.

Saying ‘No’ to Uncle Joe

Two federal judges have blocked the Biden administration’s attempts to erase Title X.

US legislation known as Title IX, passed as part of the 1972 Federal Education Amendments, was originally established to protect female rights and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programmes. In April 2024, the Biden administration announced an ‘overhaul’ of Title X and inserted ‘gender identity’ into the legislation, meaning it no longer protects women’s sex-based rights and spaces.

Two federal judges have blocked this attempt to mangle the Title X provisions. Firstly, US District Judge Terry Doughty granted a preliminary injunction describing the Title X changes as a ‘threat to democracy’. His ruling applies to Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Idaho.

A few days later, Chief Judge Danny Reeves implemented a similar injunction in the Kentucky district court. This ruling covers the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Seen & Not Heard

There’s a new SEEN organisation on the block. The much-needed SEEN in Publishing has just been launched.

SEEN in Publishing is “A network of publishing professionals, authors, and creatives, who recognise the material reality of sex, and support freedom of expression”.

For more information and to become a member, do see their website and/or give them a follow on X (formerly Twitter).

Glinner Of Hope

Our Graham has been in Ireland this week. Firstly, he addressed the Irish Parliament about the government’s proposed ‘hate crime’ legislation.

He then spoke at a free speech summit in Dublin.

Don’t miss him in conversation with Kieran Cuddihy on Newstalk’s The Hard Shoulder this week.

And don’t forget that Graham’s memoir, Tough Crowd, is still available from Amazon, The Express shop, Lightning Eye, Waterstones, Blackwells and all other discerning outlets. (There are also audio versions available on Audible and Spotify too.)

And Finally…