LGBTQ

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual rights

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Victimisation by a prison doctor

Sarah Jane Baker, a jailed trans woman, has had her hormones stopped by her prison doctor, who is employed by the private company Practice Plus Group. Sarah was acquitted in court on 31 August on Public Order Act 1986 charges about an outburst in her speech at Trans Pride on 4 July, but remains in jail as the “licence” on which she was released from a previous sentence was revoked. Hundreds of other people are in jail without new convictions or even charges because of revoked “licences”. She is being held indefinitely, with not even a hearing until March 2024. Since 15 September she has been...

New gender identity law in Spain

It has been six months since the “Ley Trans” (“Trans Law”) came into force in Spain on 2 March. The law permits gender self-ID for any Spanish citizen over 16. Those between 14 and 16 require parental authorisation; 12 to 14 need approval from a judge. Children under 12 still have no right to self ID. Those over the age of 16 will also be allowed to receive hormone therapy without parental consent or a psychological assessment. The law bans conversion therapy. 15 different autonomous communities in Spain had passed their own self-ID laws, Andalucia being the first to do so in 2014, but this is...

The history of gender variance

Workers’ Liberty strongly supports trans and gender diverse (TGD) people’s rights, while some on the left see TGD activism as threatening women’s “sex-based” rights. This is the first of a series of articles in which I will attempt to thread a path within this hostility about TGD politics; to look for ways that left-wing activists can work toward more agreement on how to fight for the rights of this oppressed minority. This article outlines the history and origins of gender variance. Future articles will examine political polarisation around TGD people; biological and social materiality, TGD...

Letter: Who are terfs?

Martin Thomas’s comparison ( Solidarity 685 ) with Class War’s slogan is useful. Much of the rest is confused. Keith Road patently and correctly opposes the no platforming of “anti-trans activists”, and criticises both the term “Terf” and Sarah Jane Baker’s speech. The only disagreement, then, is who was referred to in the “punch Terfs” speech. Martin concedes that “Terf” wasn’t referring to all women — i.e. not all women are “Terfs”. But he does maintain, without argument or evidence, that those denounced as “Terfs” are specifically women — i.e. “Terfs” are all (or mostly) women. As Keith and...

All the Rage 2023: A socialist feminist dayschool

Internationally the right's culture war is gaining ground, attacking LGBTQ people, in particular the trans community, rallying against immigration, and restricting reproductive freedoms. Working class women are at the sharp end of this assault and at the forefront of fighting back. Join us at for a day of workshops and talks to discuss where we stand and build a movement that can turn the tide. 10am-6pm + after-party until late. Pelican House, 144 Cambridge Heath Road London E1 5QJ Free childcare & London crash space on request SESSIONS (click on links for session details): • Opening Plenary...

"A human being trying my best"

I’ ve always seen my sex and gender as an accident of my birth. Something that was handed to me. Since I didn’t feel like a boy/man I sort of accepted it. Since I was a child I’ve fought against gender stereotypes. I hated being told that I couldn’t be good at something because I was a girl. (To be clear, I made my share of ignorant comments when I was growing up, but not of the sexist variety.) I strongly identify as a feminist and that hasn’t changed. I’ve faced a lot of discrimination, misogyny and sexual violence as a girl and woman — or as someone perceived that way. Until recently I’d...

Labour, democracy, and Rosebank

Activists from Workers' Liberty and supporters of Solidarity will be at Labour Party conference and women's conference, 7-11 October in Liverpool. We'll be there to help the efforts of Free Our Unions, the Labour Campaign for Free Movement, the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, India Labour Solidarity, and other campaigns; to sell literature, seek discussions and contacts. There will be demonstrations for the NHS and for abortion rights on Saturday, for free education on Sunday. And agitation for a block on new North Sea oil and gas fields, following the Tories' decision to "max out" licences in...

Letter: Opposing “no platform”

If I’ve got it right, the court decided that Sarah Jane Baker’s “punch Terfs” words in her speech at Trans Pride were no more intended or likely to lead to violence than the banners of the old Class War anarchist group like “We Must Devastate The Avenues Where The Wealthy Live”. And they were a soon-regretted heat-of-the-moment outburst, not a planned banner. We campaign against Sarah Jane being jailed (indefinitely and despite being acquitted!). Despite Keith Road ( Solidarity 684 ) it won’t help to define away the (“rhetorical”) call for violence against opponents or doubters who are...

Campaign continues to free Sarah Jane Baker

Despite being acquitted in court on 31 August on Public Order Act 1986 charges about an outburst in her speech at Trans Pride on 4 July, Sarah Jane Baker remains in jail, and the campaign to free her continues. Indefinitely, with no hearing until maybe March 2024. In terrible conditions: she, a trans woman, was in Wandsworth (male) prison which the Chief Inspector of Prisons has said “really needs closing”. Since 15 Sep she is in Isle of Wight prison, which is chiefly for male sex offenders. In induction she faced inappropriate comments from other prisoners; staff have taken away her female...

Letter: Terfs, transphobes, and descriptors

Fionn Riley’s article in Solidarity 683 introduced some views into the coverage of Sarah Jane Baker’s case which I think require some clarification. Sarah Jane’s speech called for hypothetical violence against “terfs” but in Fionn’s piece that is taken to mean women. It is inaccurate to suggest that this was a generalised call for violence against women. Legally it was not an actual call for violence against anyone, as recognised by the court. The problem with “terf” as a phrase is that most transphobes are not radical feminists, not that it has become a catch-all term for women. Solidarity ’s...

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