WDI weekly newsletter

News from WDI

'Gender identity' in the EU - WDI report

Read WDI's report on the promotion of 'gender identity' versus the protection of sex discrimination in the EU.

'Americans across the political spectrum need to say no to men in women's sports and no to corporate identity'

WDI USA President Kara Dansky writing in the Washington Examiner on why we should say 'no' to men in women's sports and more. 

Upcoming WDI webinars:

AN EXTRA WEBINAR ON SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2PM (Note the earlier time!)

Topic: Women's Sex-Based Rights

WDI will be at the UN for the NGO CSW66 virtual forum. This is the civil society side of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which runs parallel to the official session taking place at the UN Headquarters.

This years’s speakers:

Graziella Florimond, France: 'Women's right are based on sex'
Laura Lecuona, Mexico: 'Language & the current backlash against women’s rights to freedom of opinion and of expression'
Member of WDI China: 'Violence against Women Is Sex-Based'
Rochelle Dean, Bahamas: 'Reaffirming the need for the protection of the rights of the child -Training and Continuing Professional Development Programmes that align with the best interest of the child'
Sheila Jeffreys, UK: 'Can Women's Rights as Human Rights survive?'

Register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

WDI Feminist Question Time (FQT) takes place on Saturdays at 15.00 UK time. This week, 19 March, our theme is feminist activism and we have Jo Brew, UK, WDI organising; Rochelle Dean from the Bahamas, talking about the WDI master classes she runs; Sally Wainwright and Claudine Lee from Scotland and South Africa,  on how to run feminist breakout rooms; Anna Kerr from Australia, on feminist legal action; Maria Binetti from Argentina, on being a WDI country contact; and Christina Ellingson from Norway, on organising nationally. Register here. 

WDI Radical Feminist Perspectives (RFP) takes place on Sundays at 10.00 UK time. This week, 20 March, we are discussing 'FLO - For Lesbians Only and In Defence of Separatism' by Susan Hawthorne, with Susan Hawthorne, Sheila Jeffreys and Lauren Levey. Register here.

Campaigns

Petition - save Ukrainian women from prostitution

Sign this Open EU petition to protect Ukrainian women and girls from involvement in prostitution. 

Emma Bateman takes action against the Green Party

Co-chair of the women's committee of the Green Party of England and Wales, Emma Bateman, was suspended from the party for her support of women's sex-based rights. She is raising funds to instruct expert lawyers to investigate her complaints of discrimination. 

Sex-based rights around the world

Searches for 'Ukrainian girls' trend on major porn sites

Searches for 'Ukrainian girls' and 'war porn' trend on Pornhub and other major porn sites after the Russian invasion. 

Elderly male serial killer arrested after dismembered body parts found

An 83 year old man is in custody in New York after the torso of an adult female was found. Harvey Marcelin, who now pretends to be a woman, had previously been convicted of murdering two other women and admitted to having 'problems' with women.

Women's groups in Germany warn against trafficking risks

Nordic Model Alliance and FemUA Nordic Model have joined forces to warn about the risks of trafficking facing Ukrainian women and girls arriving in Germany.  

Black schoolgirl strip-searched by police at school without appropriate adult

In a shocking incident, a black schoolgirl was strip-searched by Metropolitan Police officers at her school without an appropriate adult present and while on her period. The safeguarding review found that racism was likely a contributing factor. 

Irish census encourages respondents to tick M and F boxes if uncomfortable 

Guidance from the Irish census authorities encourages respondents to tick both the male and female boxes if they are 'uncomfortable' with the question. There is currently no question on 'gender identity'.

Women protesting about male violence attacked by men

Women and children attending an IWD protest against male violence in Manchester, UK, were attacked by men.

Detransitioners share their stories on Detrans Awareness Day

Detransitioners of both sexes from all around the world shared their stories on 12 March, Detrans Awareness Day. 

UK Labour leader gives up on women's rights

UK Labour party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has said that 'transwomen' are women and claims that is 'the law' in Britain. 

Cass Review submits interim report

The Cass Review into gender services for children in the UK has released its interim report. Read the response from Transgender Trend. 

Investigation into single sex wards led by 'trans advocate' doctor

A doctor who has said that rules that allow patients to self-identify their sex in NHS wards in the UK will not be changed is leading the review into single sex accommodation.

Resources

Interview with Benin's first female vice-president

The Guardian interviews Mariam Chabi Talata, Benin's first female vice-president. 

'Parents of 'trans' kids'

Read @STILLTish's series of articles looking into the role and influence of parents of trans-identified children.

Tribunal Tweets - follow Maya Forstater's case

The Tribunal Tweets account is currently live tweeting Maya Forstater's case in the employment tribunal in London. 

Nordic Model Now! handbook for universities

Nordic Model Now! has launched a handbook for universities to help them support students impacted by the sex industry. 

The plight of incarcerated women in India

Vaishnavi Sundar writes about the terrible situation of incarcerated women in India, who are mostly housed in mixed jails alongside men, despite underused female-only facilities. 

Events

Linda Macdonald and Jeanne Sarson speak with Children of Pain - 20 March

Linda Macdonald and Jeanne Sarson will be speaking on 'Exposing and understanding the crime of family and non-family non-state torturer-traffickers' this Sunday 20 March at 1pm EST. More information on the Children of Pain website.

Sisters4Sisters - Madison, USA, 22-24 April

This April, women will be gathering in Madison, WI in support of Thistle Pettersen and in solidarity with all cancelled women. Thistle has been relentlessly harassed, doxxed and cancelled for her radical feminist, woman-centered views. She is not alone. Women the world over are being fired, silenced, threatened and assaulted for saying NO to the men driving the misogynistic, lesbophobic, homophobic and regressive ideology that is 'gender identity.’ (If you have been considering joining us for a weekend of direct action, discussion, music and solidarity with like-minded women, NOW is the time to commit. Please come to Madison, WI April 22-24 and show the local community and the world that #TheFeministsAreHere and we are fighting back. Register today! Donations to the cause are welcome.