It’s International Women’s Day on March 8th. But what is a woman/WomXn/womben?
Lots of people seem confused, even the Office For National Statistics (ONS), MPs and MSPs, schools, policy makers and organisations who claim to advocate for women, and for lesbian and gay rights.
But, we don’t believe any of these people have REALLY forgotten what a woman is – do you?
Instead, they are trying to redefine the word woman to include men who identify as women, and to exclude women who step outside of sexist stereotypes.
But, reality matters!
There is power in a name and in stating material reality. Speaking the truth is crucially important. If the right of women to name themselves is eclipsed because those born male can change who they are with the stroke of a pen, who benefits? (Clue – it’s not women and girls).
One of the themes on social media for this year’s IWD is #choosetochallenge – so we’re going to take them at their word and choose to challenge people and orgs who pretend they don’t know what a woman is.
How can women organise, share our experiences, be represented or enjoy rights in law if there is no word for us as a group? Redefining “woman”, harms women and girls.
Official IWD #ChooseToChallenge theme
Action: For IWD, challenge those who pretend not to know what a woman is
How can women organise, share our experiences, be represented or enjoy rights in law if there is no word for us as a group? Redefining “woman”, harms women and girls.
- Choose a person or organisation you want to challenge
- Challenge them with a question
- Use the hashtags #IWD2021 #ChooseToChallenge, #SexMatters and if space #DefineWoman
We have a few ideas about who to challenge, we’re sure you do too.
Here are some examples to get you started:
Ministry of Justice / Northern Ireland Prison Service:
Why are women being locked up with male rapists? I challenge @MoJGovUK and @NIPrisons to respect the safety of women in prison #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #DefineWoman #IWD2021
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Why doesn’t the ONS record the number of women killed by men? I challenge @ONS to #countdeadwomen @CountDeadWomen #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #IWD2021
British Humanist Association & ALice Roberts (BHA President)
I challenge @humanists_uk and @theAliceRobertsto identify the difference between the religious belief in a soul & the belief in the existence of an innate gender identity #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #DefineWoman #IWD2021
British Cycling (or insert any other sports governing body you want)
I challenge @BritishCycling to act on scientific evidence that transwomen competing against women is unfair & make women’s sports categories strictly biological females only #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #IWD2021
The Association of Safeguarding Partners (previously Chairs of Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards
I challenge @TASPAssoc to declare they know that humans can’t change sex, and that anyone promoting such an idea to children is abusing them. #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #IWD2021
Organisations who centre transwomen for IWD
Seriously, can’t we even have one day for ourselves? If you’d like to tweet at companies and orgs who are ignoring women and centring transwomen for IWD, here’s a handy list.
Questions for your local MP (remember to tag them!)
Why are MPs erasing the word Woman? #MoMABill I challenge MPs to use the word woman when passing bills about women. #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #DefineWoman #IWD2021 @PennyMordaunt <tag your local MP>
Questions for your Local Council (remember to tag them!)
Why are specialist women’s refuges being closed if they don’t cater for men? I challenge my council to commit to providing female only services for women escaping domestic violence. #ChooseToChallenge #SexMatters #WomenRiseUp #IWD2021
<Tag your local council>
More suggestions
See the ReSisters Twitter feed for more ideas @ReSistersU
Your Questions
Use #ChooseToChallenge and #SexMatters alongside your own questions
Easy option
If you’re not sure what to put, send your image with your hand raised to us at admin@resistersunited.org and your area of interest and we’ll tweet for you from the ReSisters account.