Last week’s controversy around the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre put the spotlight on the need for single-sex services to protect vulnerable women, but it’s very far from the only example of how Scottish women are being let down in this regard by both the Scottish Government and civic organisations.
The homelessness system in Scotland has collapsed. Emergency accommodation is dangerous, sub-standard, and overcrowded. There has been an epidemic of deaths in hotels and B&Bs in recent years.
As a writer, feminist and literary events organiser in Scotland, I’m regularly sent links to information someone thinks might be of interest to me. This week it was a document commissioned by one of Scotland’s leading and most powerful publicly-funded literary organisations, Literature Alliance Scotland (LAS).
Nobody, of course, objects to transgender writers being included or supported, but the content of the guidance raises several extremely serious and concerning issues.
Normally in cases like these, there’s an instant and concerted attempt to rubbish the judgement, both from amateurs and activist lawyers like Robin Moira “Barry” White, Jolyon Maugham, and the anonymous “Pissed Off Lawyer” tweeting as @legaltweetz. They’ll issue spurious “analyses” dismissing the findings with jargon terms like “obiter”, and either question their correctness or attempt to minimise their significance.
For some reason that didn’t happen this time. The hyper-antagonist online trans army has very conspicuously failed to rush to the defence of ERCC CEO Mridul Wadhwa, perhaps because Judge Ian McFatridge’s conclusions were so relentlessly, brutally and comprehensively excoriating of Wadhwa’s appalling behaviour that no amount of spin or disingenuity could disguise it.
But then, on white charger and with papoose, enter a hero.
Mridul Wadhwa, a man with whom Wings readers have been familiar for some years, was found by the tribunal judge to have been “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place” as Roz Adams, a conscientious, caring and highly professional woman with a long history in the sector, was systematically and methodically hounded out of her job for holding, privately and sensitively, the belief that biological sex is real.
We watched Question Time last night for the first time in about nine years, and this comment from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn raised an eyebrow.
Because we couldn’t remember ANY times that Flynn had publicly expressed any problems with the Scottish Greens during their governing alliance.
twathater on Mad caps: “@ Robert Hughes TBQH Robert I have more or less stopped responding tae these pricks , it is the same…” Apr 7, 17:48
Jay on Mad caps: “I wonder what Belarusian govt would say if a US military vehicle drove across the border from Lithuania? Viv. OB,…” Apr 7, 14:56
sarah on Mad caps: “Couch as in grass not as in putting ones feet up!” Apr 7, 12:42
Mark Beggan on Mad caps: “Scottish media in panic about Universities and their subsequent bankruptcy. Page after page, comment after comment. Children are trapped in…” Apr 7, 12:34
sarah on Mad caps: “The “age” question is interesting. Can you remember if younger people were very visible in the 2014 campaign? From memory…” Apr 7, 12:03
agent x on Mad caps: “Not much in the Scottish press about Swinney’s trip to New York!” Apr 7, 10:25
Vivian O’Blivion on Mad caps: “An excerpt from an article on the website of the Atlantic Council (see also Radio Free Europe); “Lithuanians paid tribute…” Apr 7, 10:21
Aidan on Mad caps: “Exactly Robert – it’s full of people who rant and rave like you do. Nobody wants to be associated with…” Apr 7, 08:56
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “” it’s also that the campaign is too closely associated with anti-Englishness, sympathy for the Kremlin sometimes and increasingly wild…” Apr 7, 08:25
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: “Don’t overlook the ingrained antisemitism which a close read of the clannish, self-congratulatory backslapping posts reveals. But yes, if they…” Apr 7, 07:14
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: ““We voters would be in the driving seat – that would be wonderful” Would it though, sarah? In all of…” Apr 7, 07:05
Aidan on Mad caps: “@Ian – as someone who is around half the age of the average suggested above, it’s not just that many…” Apr 7, 07:03
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “@Sarah (9.16) – Thanks for that and aye, totally agree, there’s nothing like meeting folk in the flesh. Sometimes they’re…” Apr 7, 00:09
diabloandco on Mad caps: “IanB, I do hope so , I am definitely in need of meeting up with the cheerful , positive folk…” Apr 6, 22:10
sarah on Mad caps: “MaryB, it is encouraging that you read para (a) the same way that I do i.e. that it empowers People’s…” Apr 6, 21:27
sarah on Mad caps: “I miss the way btl was. It was always relevant to independence, and pleasant on a personal level. OK Robert…” Apr 6, 21:16
MaryB on Mad caps: “Sarah @ 4.48 & Duncx I tried to post this earlier today, but it didn’t appear. So here it is…” Apr 6, 21:07
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “Hi D, Yes, it was good. Not just because the atmosphere was relaxed (because the Eagle Inn is Robert Slavin’s…” Apr 6, 20:18
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “Had forgotten all about that, Robert. No idea what we were discussing. Love, Samantha .” Apr 6, 19:44
Ian Brotherhood on Mad caps: “Hoots aplenty sah, you’ve got me off the hook as Tinto was fingering me for that one! ” Apr 6, 19:41
Aidan on Mad caps: “@Hatey – you aren’t supposed to look into things, you’re supposed to sign the petition and possibly donate money regardless…” Apr 6, 19:39
diabloandco on Mad caps: “Sorry I missed the night too – it sounds as though a good time was had by all. Next time!” Apr 6, 19:27
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “ha ! you told me your name when you emailed me a while back – including your surname – which…” Apr 6, 18:51
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “@Robert Hughes 3.23: nae probs, Robert. See you next time. Had to head off early. Don’t know how you know…” Apr 6, 18:26
Hatey McHateface on Mad caps: “Please tell us, sarah, that when you say you haven’t had a proper look at this thing you are enthusiastically…” Apr 6, 17:46
Mark Beggan on Mad caps: “The First Minister in crucial trade talks confirms someone, no knows who, is very much interested in business.” Apr 6, 16:54
sarah on Mad caps: “@ Dunx at 8.46 a.m. “..had a look at the blog. Article 25 of the ICCPR…nothing there about referendums..” Well…” Apr 6, 16:48
Robert Hughes on Mad caps: “Ah ! likewise , T.C ( Peter ): I never realised you were there , if I had I would…” Apr 6, 15:23
Tinto Chiel on Mad caps: “Sorry I couldn’t stay long, Ian, but thanks for all the effort you and your fellow insurgents put in to…” Apr 6, 14:56
Andrew scott on Mad caps: “If dross geer is the answer What on earth is the question” Apr 6, 12:56
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