REEM Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur, has just recently posted a warning about increasing violence against women, especially against women advocating for their sex-based rights. Nothing could have demonstrated this violence more clearly than the Let Women Speak event in Auckland at the end of last month.
The organiser Kellie-Jay Keen was assaulted and basically put in fear of her life by a baying, violent mob. Women who had come to speak were similarly treated. All for wanting to speak and before a single word was actually said!
Fortunately I don’t live in New Zealand, as if I did I might now be recovering from being punched in the face.
READ MORE: Posie Parker ends tour after protest sees her doused with tomato juice
I did, however, attend and speak at the Glasgow Let Women Speak event, which did exactly as it says. Women were allowed to say their piece. No hierarchy, no official vetted voices. But women speaking who are currently not being listened to in the “progressive” spheres of Scottish life.
Women who have experienced imprisonment with violent adult males (this against UN stated human rights), women with disabilities, women who have suffered domestic and sexual abuse, lesbian women, detransitioners, mothers desperate to protect their children from life-long medication. The voices were many and previously unheard.
I spoke as I was sick of being labelled as right-wing, transphobic, homophobic and “possibly racist” by our then First Minister. All for my belief that sex matters!
I was also prompted by the violence being advocated against us. Despite a clear photograph, the police have apparently been unable to identify the “Decapitate Terfs” placard carrier!
READ MORE: 'Pure transphobia': Former EHRC legal director slams Tory plans to alter Equality Act
However, I do congratulate Police Scotland for the policing of George Square that day. They did not underestimate the potential – as evidenced at other, similar events – for violence against peaceful women speaking!
So, The National and “progressive” readers, please be very mindful when you report and comment on marginalised women speaking up for their legal rights. Targeting of women affected by gender ideology can lead to extreme mob violence fuelled by the misreporting of women’s beliefs, actions and intentions.
The mob violence in New Zealand could have resulted in deaths. The event in Glasgow showed that women have strong voices which need to be heard. However, the atmosphere created beforehand also showed that we are wrong to downplay any threats of violence and must be vigilant in defence of free speech.
Jean Marshall
Glasgow
HOW low can they sink?
Floating barge hotels reminiscent of Dickensian prison ships moored off the south coast of England (Tories’ barge plan branded ‘ministerial cruelty’, Apr 6). How desperate is that?
A fire or an outbreak of disease on one of these barges is too horrific to contemplate. We cannot be considered complicit with this awful “remedy to the refugee accommodation problem”.
Scotland’s independence becomes more vital with every Tory action sold as a clever resolution to a problem created by the inept Tory government of the last decade.
We MUST in the strongest way possible disassociate Scotland with this, and independence ASAP is the answer.
E Ahern
East Kilbride
PRISON hulks fresh from Great Expectations. All you need is for it to break its moorings and sink. Imagine the Tories trying to deal with that.
Sandy Allan
via thenational.scot
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel