Felicity
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runthecountry.bsky.social
Felicity
@runthecountry.bsky.social
230 followers 160 following 79 posts
It’s easy to say all the things that you wouldn’t do. But can you tell me the things you WOULD do if you were running the country?
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runthecountry.bsky.social
Because we know that they will not stop at scapegoating trans people and refugees.

So proud of my friends in Labour For Trans Rights today✊🏳️‍⚧️
October 1, 2025 at 7:34 AM
runthecountry.bsky.social
It’s sad that this is a necessary movement, but it is strong and it is growing. We don’t have billionaire backing or the (far) right media. But we have the people. We have the businesses. And we have the right side of history.
October 1, 2025 at 7:33 AM
runthecountry.bsky.social
LGBT hate crimes WILL be legislated as aggravated offences.

Conversion practices for ALL LGBTQIA+ people will be criminalised.
October 1, 2025 at 7:31 AM
runthecountry.bsky.social
The Labour Govt might be treading cautiously on trans rights. But there are dozens of MPs working in the Labour Party to ensure that the EHRC guidance does not get enshrined into law, to change the Equality Act to support trans people, and to push for better healthcare for trans people.
October 1, 2025 at 7:30 AM
runthecountry.bsky.social
This is what solidarity looks like.

10 MPs.
6 trade unions.
A room FULL of people.
October 1, 2025 at 7:27 AM
runthecountry.bsky.social
I needed to think carefully about how to word this.

Labour Women’s Network used to allow anyone who identified as a woman. They have changed the wording to simply “women” and stated this means “biological women.”

Labour Women’s Network is a transphobic organisation and I will not be party of it.
I wanted to take the opportunity to clarify my reasons for cancelling my membership of Labour Women's Network. When I joined LWN at Conference last year, I took particular care to check the constitution to ensure that trans women were accepted. As a proud trans ally, I firmly believe that trans women are women and that there is no such thing as a women's group that excludes trans women. I was pleased to see that LWN was open to all who self-define as women, and as such was happy to join the organisation. I was disappointed by the statement released in May that LWN would be identifying women as only "biological women", however I noted that this was a temporary position. I ran for a place on the Executive Committee to give those members who feel that trans women should be welcomed and supported within LWN an opportunity to speak. The cancellation of my membership is not due to my lack of success in that election, but due to the change in constitution. I cannot see any reason for this change of constitution than to actively exclude trans women from the group. I made trans inclusivity the centre of my pitch to the executive committee because I feel passionately that LWN could be truly progressive in finding a way for trans women to be included in women's spaces. Indeed, the previous wording in the constitution did this perfectly, making it clear that anyone who identifies as a woman could be a member. There is no legal challenge to this. The Supreme Court and EHRC guidance do not force any organisation to be trans-exclusionary. Transphobia remains a choice - a choice that LWN has deliberately made. This change of constitution does not clarify the situation. If anything, it makes it more vague and down to interpretation. The very concept of "biological woman" which LWN claims will be the basis for the new constitution is spurious and I wonder how LWN is planning to monitor this. Will all members have to do DNA tests before joining? | suspect some members may be in for a shock if you did this! Should it be judged on hormone levels? Are trans men now permitted to join LWN on the basis of their birth certificate? The concept of "biological women" is anti-feminist and rooted in misogyny, and it is frankly disgraceful that a woman's organisation has chosen to use such horrifying language. My identity as a woman has nothing to do with my biology or anatomy, and I will not be a part of an organisation which thinks of women in such a degrading manner. This does not reduce the risk of legal challenge to LWN; if anything, it increases it. The EHRC guidance is only interim at this stage, and this change seems premature given pending legal challenges. Trans people still have human rights, and the Equality Act 2010 still offers them protection from discrimination. Trans women pose no threat to cisgender women within LWN. They do not possess any advantage; in reality, they face increased discrimination and need additional support to achieve fair representation within our elected bodies. It is hypocritical for LWN to claim that they "reject transphobia" while proposing and voting through an amendment that is intrinsically transphobic. This amendment has only one purpose - to exclude trans women from LWN. One final thought. I did not feel able to speak at the AGM on this matter. Me, a cisgender woman, silenced by women. I never feel silenced in a room full of men, but I felt uncomfortable and unable to speak truth to power in that forum. That is the society that transphobic women are creating right now, one where cis women who are inclusive of our trans sisters are silenced. I'm sure the more transphobic members of LWN will be delighted to hear this, but is that really the world that LWN strives for? One where women's voices are only heard if they align with a far-right agenda? Follow the money that is currently making scapegoats of trans people, and you will see it's the same money that is making scapegoats of refugees and asylum seekers. These same people are already infringing on women's rights in the USA, and they will seek to do the same in the UK. If that is who LWN chooses to align with, that is the choice of LWN. It is a choice that does not align with Labour values, is anti-feminist and anti-equality. I will not be a part of it. Kind Regards, Felicity Pryke
September 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM