Lib Dem conference has just overwhelmingly passed a Constitutional Amendment motion to add the word 'sex' as a Protected Characteristic back into the party's Constitution. 💚🤍💜
#SexMatters
#LDConf
Fantastic to see another Lib Dem in the HoL, Lord Clement-Jones, standing up for single sex spaces. Like several others in the debate tonight he questioned the logic and the lawfulness of aspects of Annex B and called for it to be reviewed.
James Max suggests that women wanting not only access to the corridors of power, but also basic safeguarding measures for situations where they are physically vulnerable, is "having their cake and eating it." 🧵
Campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen and James Max clash over the issue of 'sex-based rights' and JK Rowling's 'trans-row'.
James: "I am slightly staggered by your views."
Campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen: "What? That biological sex exists."
@thejamesmax
A shameful day for Liberalism and shameful day for our party. Our debate on women’s representation on internal committees was prevented from being heard.
Not. Even. Heard.
What are they afraid of?
#Truth
#LDConf
#LibDemShutDown
#WeWontBeBowed
Calling gender critical Lib Dems and former Lib Dems: it has now been confirmed that the party's "Definition of Transphobia" is unlawful.
Join us in asking
@markpack
to revoke the Definition and conduct an independent review of how we got here.
The fact that women who say they are trans and women who say they are non-binary can menstruate is not evidence that "menstruation is not just a women's issue". It is evidence that women who say they are trans and non-binary remain women.
Excellent news for
#TransAwarenessWeek
The
@libdems
Federal Board has finally revised the party's Definition of Transphobia after 2 years of controversy, criticism and legal uncertainty.
What a brilliant day thank you
@SexMattersOrg
and
@WomensRightsNet
for planning and organising the
#LobbyDay
. Was great to see so many
@LibDems
engaging constructively with women (and male allies) regarding women's rights and speaking with so many brilliant and passionate people
Today
@KemiBadenoch
did something other government Ministers have not been able to do, which was blow the lid off almost every aspect of political transgenderism and its impacts, in one single sitting.
Self-ID and social transition add up to a very dangerous ideology that can have terrible effects on young LGB children, who are being put on a medical pathway to irreversible physical changes.
We are not going to run away from this issue. We will sort it.
Lib Dems' legal advice from their own preferred KC has dropped 💣
It is [drumroll...] very similar to that of Karon Monaghan KC!
If anything, Guy Vassal Adams KC is even more forthright in his demolition of the "Definition of Transphobia" than
@k21fem
.
Deeply disappointing that
@LaylaMoran
should try to use emotional blackmail tactics and unsubstantiated claims to stifle debate in Westminster.
It may be possible to shut down discussion of this subject at
@LibDems
Conference but not at the heart of our democracy.
"This is not a party political issue", say
@RosieDuffield1
and Miriam Cates. 👏
We suggest any politician currently dismissing it as "a far right culture war" find some better lines as those ones are becoming less credible by the day.
#RespectMySex
Some small contradictions and areas of ambiguity remain, but this is a nonetheless a huge step in the right direction.
The
@LibDems
are the first major party to acknowledge the lawfulness of gender critical views and make this explicit to their members. 💚🤍💜
🧡 References to Stonewall removed
🧡 Makes clear that holding and expressing gender critical beliefs = protected by law.
🧡 "Misgendering" and "deadnaming" no longer featured
🧡 Disciplinary action only for serious offences.
Thank you so much
@HJoyceGender
@DrLauraFavaro
@AlmutGadow
@SarahLudford
and all who attended our
#LDConf
fringe last night. Excellent speeches and a packed audience.
"It's only when you try to say something someone doesn't like that you discover whether you have freedom of
Lib Dem trans extremists are predictably enraged that the party has finally decided to start taking equality law and freedom of speech seriously.
We suggest to party leaders that they stand their ground on their decision or this sorry saga may go on indefinitely.
Excellent speech by Baroness
@SarahLudford
on the second reading of the Conversion Therapy Prohibition Bill.
"It would surely be premature to legislate until we have seen the final report of the Cass Review, which is expected soon."
Last day of
#LDConf
and we're here talking to MPs about
@hannahsbee
's brilliant book.
Hello to all our new followers 👋 and thanks for all the personal messages of support.
Yesterday's shenanigans woke a lot of people up.
#Onwards
Congratulations, Natalie Bird, on your comprehensive and long-awaited win.
Thank you for your courage and tenacity in seeing this case through and exposing the discrimination you suffered, to the benefit of all members.
The
@LibDems
have unusually put in a judgement against themselves and admitted every aspect of my claims against the party.
Costs and damages are still to be resolved.
There has never been a better time for liberal-minded people who believe sex is real and sex matters to join the
@LibDems
. We still have some way to go to restoring open debate and women-friendly policies, but this is an important first step on the journey
We welcome the new Definition, which takes into account the
@MForstater
ruling and emphasises the need for "robust, passionate debate". This is a great improvement on the last version.
Key improvements are:
Excellent speech by
@SarahLudford
in today's HoL
#IWD2023
debate. Closing with an endorsement for the
@SexMattersOrg
petition to make the Equality Act clear, which has met its target of over 100,000 signatures.
5 Lib Dem peers have signed this important letter in support of
@EHRCChair
's defence of the material reality of sex in law, in today's Times.
#SexMatters
Thank you so much
@millihill
for a brilliant talk last night on maternity, birth, obstetric violence and why the push to 'de-sex' the language used to describe those things has the potential to do so much harm.
We hope this change signals a move toward encouraging and enabling instead of restricting debate within the party.
Clearly it doesn't end here. We are calling for a review into the treatment of gender critical party members over the last four years.
Understandably scathing by
@jo_bartosch
which we are sharing with a disclaimer: the ideological double-speak regularly indulged in by many at the top of the
@libdems
does not reflect the reality of our party as a whole.
@scotlibdems
@agcolehamilton
, if this legislation is so water-tight why the need to make discussion of it a disciplinary matter?
Lib Dem support for this hugely contentious Bill cannot be considered legitimate as debate among members has been unlawfully suppressed.
The party has done well to realise that - however well-intentioned - mechanisms to restrict speech should not be introduced without good reason a great deal of thought. Also, they should be forged in the crucible of debate at Conference, and not superimposed from above.
The
@EHRC
statements on
#GRAReform
&
#BanConversionTherapy
:
1. Creates further barriers to LGBTI equality
2. Ignores the lived experience of LGBTI people
3. Damages access to rights for trans & NB people
We stand with colleagues in the
#LGBTI
sector 🌈💛
We are celebrating Mothering Sunday with the launch of our website.
We are a group of Liberal Democrat members, determined to ensure all women have a voice within the party.
Our stall at
#LDConf
in full flow!
Lots of people dropping by including people who agree with us and people who disagree with us and the full spectrum in-between.
Who knew
#liberals
would want to debate ideas freely?
#LiberalsDebate
#CanWeTalk
?
ICYMI, here is our Chair,
@hollowood_zoe
delivering her speech yesterday. A masterclass of composure and courage in the face of an irrational baying mob intent on hearing hate where there is none.
#LDConf
#LibDemShutDown
It seems the
@LibDems
and
@EdwardJDavey
have a serious problem giving women fair representation in their party.
Listen to these men heckle and jeer as she speaks:
Oh dear
@BBCWomansHour
it looks like you're going to have to do
@LibDems
too.
These administrative issues are more widespread than we thought.
It was looking so promising.
@LabWomenDec
@ALLIANCELGB
This is not correct. To confirm: you do not have a stand or a fringe at Lib Dem Conference. I have checked with the team and there has been an administrative error. Sorry for any confusion or inconvenience.
Thank you
@Baronessjenkin
for inviting us to yet another inspiring cross-party event for those of us who are fighting on a range of fronts to defend the principle and practice of freedom of expression. 🙏
#LiberalsDebate
#LDConf
President
@markpack
yesterday told Conference he regrets that
#LDConf
is obliged to adhere to equality law by allowing us to have a stall.
@hollowood_zoe
responded "We are liberals, we should disagree well and not be enslaved by conformity."
#CanWeTalk
?
#LiberalsDebate
A young woman just came to our stall and said "I've just been told horrible things about you! So I had to come over."
Naturally she signed our manifesto.
#CanWeTalk
#LetThemSpeak
Had a good chat with
@libdemdaisy
on the train. We talked about the Equality Act, single sex hospital bays, sexual assaults in hospitals, schools guidance and why this debate is so polarised.
We would like to thank all those within the party who helped make this happen including
@LordStras
who commissioned the top-notch advice from
@k21fem
,
@SarahLudford
for her bravery and commitment and everyone who stuck their neck out to sign our letter.
@lfeatherstone
@bo_novak
@NimkoAli
@jk_rowling
Hi Lynne, all our members are also Lib Dem members. Many of them veteran activists who have given years of service to the party. Please consider retracting that untrue and insulting claim.
Baroness Falkner has been doing courageous and tireless work steering the
@EHRC
back to a position from which it can support equality and human rights for ALL. The smears and malicious complaints have been relentless and need to end.
@EHRCChair
Thanks to the magnificent efforts of
@LabWomenDec
, the courage and foresight of MPs and Peers, and aided by apparent dawning awareness of the existence of something called public opinion, Labour appears to be finally taking steps towards sanity on women’s rights 🧵
The change comes after the party received legal advice from two KCs, of which Karon Monaghan's can be viewed here The second legal opinion has not yet been published.
World Athletics has finally caught up with public opinion on women’s sports.
Massive credit to
@fairplaywomen
for sustained campaigning and pressure behind the scenes since 2019. 🏆
BREAKING: World Athletics excludes transgender women from elite female track & field competition following review from March 31st.
President Lord Coe: “the Council agreed it must be guided by our over-arching principle which is to protect the female category.” ⬇️
LVW spokeswoman Dr
@hollowood_zoe
said "If you neuter our language you disempower us politically. When women’s rights become 'people’s rights' it won’t come as any surprise when 'people' (ie, men) end up making all the decisions about, for example, our reproductive rights.’
Meanwhile, voting in internal elections ends tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5pm. We urge members to vote for candidates who understand the importance of equality, fairness and the right to disagree.
See our recommendations here
Lib Dem Spring Conference report is now out. In it
@wendychambLD
helpfully sets out the party’s agenda in terms of LGBT policies.
Sex self-ID has apparently been dropped. 👍👍👍
One of the most authoritative trans voices on the internet informs us that far from "intrusive and dehumanising", getting a GRC is "not that difficult" and costs less than a tenner.
@HumzaYousaf
@NicolaSturgeon
@agcolehamilton
you have been taken for a ride. And at great expense
Get a gender recognition certificate NOW. it isn’t that difficult.
It requires
1. A statement confirming diagnosis & the process of diagnosis,
2. A medical form completed by your GP confirming current hormone treatment & any gender reassignment surgery - but though the form..,
The sign said "Lesbians don't like penises".
If
@PrideCymru
thinks that is a statement of hate, rather than fact, they should probably
#GetTheLOut
of their name.
We are Lib Dems, but we stand in solidarity with Labour Cllr Sue Lent, who's been subjected to a vicious smear campaign.
Make no mistake, this could happen to anyone who is open about their disbelief in gender 'theory.'
#IStandWithSueLent
#RespectMySex
The primary effect of the
#GRRBill
will be one of degradation. Degradation of language, of reason and truth, and of women’s personal, sexual and political boundaries.
This year in addition to our fringe event we will have a stall at Party conference. We look forward to seeing you there! Unfortunately there has been a lot of misinformation about the stall and our Chair has written an open letter to the trans community below.
Very troubling to observe how many candidates for Lib Dem Federal Committees believe no action need be taken regarding the party’s Definition of Transphobia, despite two sets of legal advice saying it is unlikely to withstand legal challenge.
It's a wrap!
Thank you so much to
@8RosarioSanchez
@Vaishax
and
@DrLauraFavaro
for bringing so much to our first ever
#LDConf
event: wisdom, expertise, eloquence, grace, humour, righteous fury and so much more in-between.
Sinn Fein, apparently unaware of events elsewhere, is putting a political ideology ahead of children's safety.
This is grossly irresponsible and at odds with revised NHS practice. Unfortunately
@LibDems
hold the same policy until Conference decides otherwise.
Single sex provision for vulnerable woman is considered 'hateful' only by those who take women’s assertion of their boundaries intolerable.
#WPUKManchester
Protestors are now outside the Mechanics Institute where the Woman’s Place UK group are holding a conference on ‘single-sex provision in policy and law’.
@MENnewsdesk
This article informs "lay people" that synthetic hormones can change a person's sex. Also, that some people change sex WITHOUT taking the hormones.
The mechanics behind this
#GenderMystery
aren't explained, but it makes clear that those who disagree are bad people.
"We have had enough of being sidelined in language, law, policy and public spaces. This judgment is further evidence that the tide is turning."
@MForstater
speaks for us all on the day of her historic victory.
💚🤍💜
#WORIADS
Our motion to Autumn Conference, to revise and improve Lib Dem policy wrt the medicalisation of gender-questioning children, has been rejected.
The rationale given by the Conference Committee is astonishing.
Good to see
@scotlibdems
vote in favour of
@MGallacherMSP
's motion Implementing the Cass Review in Scotland yesterday.
@agcolehamilton
said "Scottish Liberal Democrats accept the clinical validity of this piece of work."
We are thrilled to present
@RosieKayDance
and
@ClaudiaCeramics
as special guests at our next online event.
Two brilliant artists from very different spheres who've been at the sharp end of the current wave of cancel culture in the art world.
We are reminded of the words of the great liberal philosopher, Harriet Taylor Mill:
"We deny the right of any portion of the species to decide for another portion what is and what is not their 'proper sphere.'"
"The Liberal Democrats have admitted discriminating against a mother who was barred from standing as an MP after wearing a T-shirt reading: “Woman: Adult, Human, Female.”...🧵
Proud to announce our next online event with Dr David Bell, whistle-blower and former staff governor at the Tavistock GIDS.
Monday 10th July, 8pm, in conversation with
@AlisonJenner6
But in 2021, if women want to enjoy equality and share some power with men, then apparently the price they pay is being forced to deny not only basic facts about biology, but the reality of male violence against women that makes single sex spaces necessary.
Excellent speeches by
@JNHanvey
and Miriam Cates, proposing that "inciting a child to undergo medical or surgical transition" be included in the Online Harms Bill.
Child safeguarding is everyone's business and must transcend party politics.
It's worth pointing out that there was
#NoDebate
allowed on this motion, which is poorly drafted and devoid of any clause that would have safeguarded agenda-free, evidence based therapy for children struggling with gender dysphoria.
#LDConf
Liberal Democrats have just passed a new policy to introduce a criminal ban on conversion therapy, protecting the LGBT+ community. 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Find out more here ➡️
This article unwittingly exposes how some of the most benign, ordinary lines of questioning can be viewed as 'conversion therapy' by those who believe in gender identity.
'"He asked me ‘why’ I believed I had gender dysphoria"'.
#FirstDoNoHarm
Helpful update in the latest Liberator Magazine re the ongoing saga of the
@LibDems
' Definition of Transphobia.
It would surely take an uncommonly confident barrister to contradict the legal opinions of two eminent KCs, both of whom agreed with one another.
If we ignore the existence of sex then we cannot hope to address the problem. Yet the official body that represents women within the party recognises only ‘gender’ and excludes those who believe sex is real.
The spousal exit clause is one of the most frequently misrepresented elements of the GRA.
Well done
@transwidows
for securing this important correction from
@guardian
.
Pleased to report that following our complaint to
@guardian
the inaccurate article by
@carolinenokes
been amended and footnoted with regards to its claims about the Spousal Exit Clause.
Is it right that someone who displays such staggering levels of incompetence should have responsibility for overseeing such important legislation?
Thanks
@ForwomenScot
for setting the record straight here.