US Democrats forced into action to defend reproductive rights. Gosh they may also have to actually reform the filibuster after sitting on their hands. Then expand the Supreme Court to stop this entirely predictable crap happening again.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Thursday that she plans to bring up legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that protects the right to choose to have an abortion, as soon as the House returns from recess this month.
“Upon our return, the House will bring up Congresswoman Judy Chu’s Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine into law reproductive health care for all women across America,” Pelosi said in a statement.
…
The Women’s Health Protection Act likely has the votes to pass the House, but it would almost certainly hit a wall in the Senate. Legislation needs 60 votes to advance in the Senate because of the filibuster rule, and there are only 50 senators in the Democratic caucus.
Whilst the recent inequitable and misogynistic decision by the current Supreme Court is entirely predictable following the cynical stacking of the body with right wing fundamentalists by Trump and McConnell, the move by Pelosi and the House Democrats to codify Rowe Vs Wade into the Constitution will go nowhere at the moment. Nancy has no say over the Senate Democrats and the "moderate" Democrats in the Senate are DINOs Democrats in name only, and are responsible for the continued existence of the filibuster. There has to be a major shift in political thinking to the left in the US before any major changes in social justice can be made.
Our Federated Farmer friends have slapped-down the Groundswell leaders as "crazy individuals" and sparked a loopy war of words with the "crazy individuals" who are claiming they'll take national leadership of all farmers, if the Feds, Dairy NZ, Beef & Lamb etc. aren't up to it, which they imply, they are not. It's getting crazy out on farm!
The NZ dairy cow is the Kiwi Trojan horse. Like intestinal parasites fringe nutters hitch a ride undetected by the immune system. They coat-tail unwitting hosts to create a perception of reason, common sense, and normalcy and a platform for spreading their offspring. Only a high dose of ‘ivermectin’ will work and make them squirm …
Hogart was quoted in ODT the night before the howl asking farmers not to take their tractors into town. It was edited out pretty smartly. The farmer owned Co-ops, Fontera and Farmlands, didn’t what to have anything to do with it either with staff banned from attending in brand.
The next question is who financed the thing, and provided the address database to get it underway, and were able to keep the thing reasonably under the radar. Traffic management and H&S plans and the like aren’t cheap and require professional input. Tad ironic for a ‘grassroots’ outfit protesting compliance costs and requirements.
Good questions, Graeme. Incognito's link (above) might shed some light. Or not. I don't doubt there are supporters with money who seek the downfall of the Lab/Green Government and would back any noisy uprising. Farmers are, in my opinion, being duped.
the levin protest seemed to be run by the owner of the local scaffolding company. a huge irony as his business didnt exist a few years ago ,before health and safety insisted. talk about biteing the hand that feeds you.
Someone brought up the subject of Corbyn a day or two ago, with the usual results, here is a new piece from Consortium News out detailing some of the coordinated MSM attacks on Corbyn and Labour, mainly in regards to The Jewish Cornicle…
The Newspaper That Smeared Corbyn & the Left
“Which is why IPSO cannot take any meaningful action against The Jewish Chronicle. To do so would pull the rug from under the anti-Semitism narrative that destroyed Corbyn and is now being used by his successor, Starmer, to purge Labour of the remnants of the left and to distance the party as far as possible from any lingering signs of Palestinian solidarity.
Exposure of The Jewish Chronicle as an editorial wrecking ball aimed at the left would show just how much the paper and the anti-Semitism narrative it bolstered were key to the Conservative party’s successful smearing of Corbyn that helped to keep him out of No. 10. It would highlight the enduring collusion between the corporate media and the political elite.
And it would indicate that corporate media is not really an exercise in capitalist, free-market economics, where profitable outlets drive out those that are unpopular. Rather loss-making corporate media such as The Jewish Chronicle are a price the establishment is only too happy to bear as long as those publications fulfil a more important purpose: ensuring that the political and economic climate remains favorable to the ruling class.
The Jewish Chronicle has played its part in destroying Corbyn and the left. Now it will continue that role by policing the public discourse and ensuring that no one like Corbyn ever gets near power again. Those libel payouts were a small price to pay.”
Keith Starmer has gone along with the false and egregious anti-Semitism attacks against Corbyn, suspending him from the Labour Party. Because of this he currently sits in the Commons as an independent.
"Bring back Corbyn I say." I agree, he is without doubt the most honest, principled major politician in the UK by a country mile (probably in western political anywhere)..of course the usual suspects will poo poo any suggestion of having him back, but then they would, it turns out that the last thing they would ever want to see is a real Left wing government…no just the same old safe centrist bullshit is all these free market fundamentalists can handle….yep they would rather watch the world burn than even consider trying anything outside of the current neoliberal ideology.
I agree with your assessment of Corbyn, Adrian, however it must be remembered that his decision to appease the Blairite rump was a catastrophic error on his part. Under a barrage of fantastical, totally unsupported allegations, snarled at him with relentless malice, and amplified by the media—not only the Murdoch outlets but also the Grauniad and the state broadcaster—he kept on apologizing for something he had never done.
The American journalist and activist Max Blumenthal was astonished by Corbyn's refusal to fight back against the slanderers. In 2015 he went to an event in London featuring the new Labour leader, and a woman claimed, sans evidence, that he (Blumenthal) was "an anti-Semite." Blumenthal, angry, told the organizer that he wanted to make a statement immediately to call her out as a liar. Someone from Labour's "management team" insisted that he actually say nothing; in their experience, the best thing to do was to keep quiet and not make a fuss. It would soon blow over, Blumenthal was assured.
Blumenthal said the woman was " a gentile": it sounds like it was the egregious Joan Ryan. She can be seen in the Al Jazeera documentary The Lobby accusing an elderly female Labour Party member of "repeating an anti-Semitic trope". When the accused woman protests, Ryan simply repeats her absurd accusation, and then contemptuously refuses to engage with her.
Yes I totally agree, his biggest single mistake was not purging out the third way centrists as soon as he could, but that is because his very nature is to be inclusive. his second was not shutting down that anti-semitic bullshit hard.
I guess if he is lacking anything as a politician, he is lacking a bit of the mongrel.,,which can't be said for any other politician I can think of, but non the less, is a serious fault in a politician…sadly.
It was not only Jeremy Corbyn that failed to shut down that character assassination campaign, it was almost the entire Labour "leadership". I died inside every time one of them, as well as "supporters" like Owen Jones nodded solemnly and endorsed the accusations.
This sort of abject capitulation to fantastic charges happened in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, but those poor souls were being terrorized into submission by a machinery of terror run by Stalin, Vyshinsky, and Beria. By stark contrast, Corbyn, John McDonnell, and the rest of them were apologizing for offences they had never committed, and constantly appeasing lightweights and buffoons like Joan Ryan, Luciana Berger, and Andrew Neil.
I spoke to a school principal a few months after school lunches were introduced and he said the students were more settled.
I did not ask if he thought it was because children had a lunch or that there was less sugar and salt in the provided school lunch or that the vitamin and mineral content in fruit and vegetables in the lunch were making a difference. Probably all the above.
Lately I have been trying to only but cans which do not have sugar or salt added. When I cannot find an item with no sugar and salt added I go for the reduced sugar and salt.
It is important to eat well for physical and mental health especially during a pandemic to strengthen the immune system.
I am concerned about children missing out on having a school lunch provided during lockdown. I also think it is about time for the sugar and salt content in cans and packaged food to be reduced.
There would be some treat items, mainly desserts, I would still allow to have a high sugar content to satisfy a craving.
In Whangārei the local Hare Krishna group run a bakery/cafe and well supported stall at the Saturday farmers market. They also supply local schools with several thousand servings a week (COVID notwithstanding) and their lovely vegetarian offerings have to be a good option for the kids. “Food for Life” as they call it.
Only certain ‘thought’, but other thought is suppressed and punished; leave it to the Leader and/or leadership. That’s why they’re cults. Many political parties are no different.
Is that why when our PM makes some sort of policy announcement there are usually about 5 other Ministers standing mutely behind her with their heads nodding in unison?
Are they demonstrating that only the Leader's thoughts are to be spoken aloud? As an example
Conservative (Chapman): (droning)Well… well… as the Conservative candidate I just drone on and on and on and on without letting anyone else get a word in edgeways, until I start to froth at the mouth and fall over backwards. Ooo-aaahhh. (THUD)
Na it's a stupid thing we copied from the fucking yanks, nothing makes people look more like gormless toadies than 4 or 5 of them nodding their heads behind their leader.
Likely not. The local Krishnas however have got provincial people eating reasonably well spiced Samosas and other vegetarian food. They have achieved something in the material world regardless.
Good works are the camouflage of many a bad arse sect, but really these NZ Krishnas are the least of our worries in 2021.
"Food for Life" Would be great to see this replicated. I do know there are other groups who do good work trying to provide nutritious food.
I do think that orchards and market gardens could offer produce instead of it rotting on the ground. It is about organising the foraging of excess nutritious food. Not easy to do during a lockdown when needed the most.
So we are still behind the point that countries like the US and the United Kingdom were 3 months ago. And many other countries as well that are not in this selection
Alwyn we have a much better vaccine rates than some states in the US especially the more extreme right wing states that are controlled by the GOP have less than 30% of the first dose of much poorer quality vaccines.
If you look at our latest rates we are ahead of the US.
Boris is a dysfunctional disaster for the UK. Opening up the economy before a high enough rate of immunity has been achieved.
Just like his stupidity signing up to brexit another disaster gathering place especially in the modern world of just in time delivery needed for profitable business and manufacturing.
"than some states in the US". That is irrelevant in my view. After all I am sure I could find parts of New Zealand where the vaccination rate is lower than the worst of the US states. I mean I would just have to find a house where nobody had been vaccinated and that would count.
"our latest rates we are ahead of the US". Well that might, or might not, be true but even if it was we still got to the level on the graph shown 3 months later than they did.
"stupidity signing up to brexit". What would have had him do? The UK had a referendum and the majority voted for Brexit. Was that stupid? Of course it was, at least in my opinion but they did it and that was that. I think that the New Zealand public have down stupid things in referenda and elections but I wouldn't think that if I was the GG I would have been justified in refusing to accept them.
So Alwyn the UK and US infection rate in the millions the death rate between the 2 countries nearly 1 million. Even with nearly 70% of people people immunized in the UK 200 plus people are dying a day 10s of thousands still getting infected.
Alwyn the bottom 25 states with the lowest rates of vaccination all Republican controlled states all less than 50% fully vaccinated on sept 2 mayo clinic stats
We could have had a much higher rate of vaccination if we had used less safe vaccines with much lower efficacy.
Pfizer has a efficacy rate of 88% against Delta AstraZeneca 60% against Delta.
No doubt you would be happy with the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Not all is as it seems.
Then there is the length of the vaccines effectiveness us having the vaccine later means we will be protected further into the future than those who went in early.
Pity it took an outbreak to get this result with a ramping up in vaccination rates, if we had been achieving greater numbers earlier this current outbreak may not have been as it is. So you are right it IS politically inconvenient. There are no winners in what has been a slow roll out rate, as we can see by this lock down.
It would be an even greater pity if they hadn’t taken the opportunity to ramp it up – hit the iron while it is hot. The outbreak would not have been prevented anyway, in all likelihood.
Are you for real “taken the opportunity to ramp it up”. Just as well then that the outbreak happened so that it has been ramped up. Also that there now is discussion about making an effort to jab essential workers, Aucklanders and those that are more vulnerable like the working poor, as if any one with a little common sense would not have worked that out previously when we were in a COVID lull.
Until we find out how the outbreak happened we cannot say that it was preventable.
Yes, I was deadly serious. Due to the outbreak, there is huge pressure on health staff for testing and looking after positive cases and patients. On top of that, they had to deal with a huge ramp up of vaccination efforts under Level 4 lockdown – these efforts were temporarily halted because they had to work out how to do this safely under L4. It is the appropriate response under the circumstances, from their and my PoV.
The outbreak happened because someone in the community became infected unwittingly and spread it around. I’m talking about the spreading around in the community given that you mentioned vaccination rates and the ramping up. You haven’t read my link, have you? Pity.
Australia has a problem with the AstraZeneca vaccine which has only a 60% efficacy rate.So While its vaccination rates in NSW is ramping up Quickly it may not be enough even at 70% to prevent hospitals being overloaded as well as the numbers dying.
So far Pfizer at 88% efficacy is giving NZ better and safer coverage to a wider portion of the population.
this is interesting. So either the Wi Spa incident did actually happen and the person who has a penis idi expose himself in front of women including a female child.
OR the Daily Mail and other news website such as the New York Post have utterly slandered Darren, in which case I am sure she will take legal action.
people had said the Wi Spa incident was a hoax and there was no trans women in the women’s area, naked with their penis out.
The point I wanted to make at the time, but didn’t was that protesters often use all sorts of gimmicks, street theatre etc to get a point across.
The point is whether this is a hoax or not, this is what self ID will allow. Any male can identify as a woman, and gain access to sex based spaces, such as toilets, change rooms and day spas. My understanding is under the proposed legislation women’s spas, gyms, pools etc, would have problems challenging this, because the birth certificate would not register that the person was born male. it would likely have to go to court.
males are overwhelming the most likely to commit sex offences.. There is research to suggest the trans gender women have the same pattern of offending as men and trans men have the same pattern of offending as women (I can provide a link if required)
I assume we are all adults on the Standards. We have a responsibility to safeguard women and girls.
BTW according to the report Darren has complained of trans gender harassment
The 5% figure of pregnancy through rape is for one year alone in the US
“So, rape and consensual sex have the same pregnancy rate. This means that of those 64,080 US rapes in 2004-2005, minus the 15% of rapes that are of children under the age of 12 which gets us to 54,468 rapes of almost all reproductively-aged women, somewhere between 1,689 (3.1%) to 2,723 (5%) pregnancies from rape could have occurred in that year alone.
It was a 2012 study in the US and it used the term fertile women. Today the term being fertile to become pregnant would be used. I am not sure if there is a term for this.
Treetop why do we need to change the term? As much as people try to deny biology, only women can get pregnant right now. Perhaps in the future reproductive technology will change this, but now, women get pregnany.
many of us women feel insulted by the change in language, pregnant people, people who menstruate and not that the language is not changed for men, people who have prostates etc.
For me it comes down to the groups who have the reproductive biology who are affected by pregnancy due to rape. This is why the access to abortion is important.
That is an important point Arkie…..as trans men have female biology.
Do I hear a defeaning silence of the issue of the transwomen in the Wi Spa and how this relates to a piece of legislation in NZ, which will allow the same scenario for women and female children?
Again I ask, where is the safeguarding of women and children.
I believe if Darren wasn't Trans, people would be outraged that a cis gender male was legally entitled to access a women's spa and be naked with his penis out….
And despite the proposed legislation the NZ media don't carry this story.
I agree Arkie all Trans gender people are deserving of protection from discrimination.
I have no problem with who people identify as (although with children and young teens I am vehemently opposed to puberty blockers automatically being prescribed).
But I prioritise biology over gender identity ideology and I am posting about the Wi Spa case to raise the alert about the implications of gender self ID. That it will give all men access to women’s private spaces, such as change room where women and girls are vulnerable. The self ID Bill will enable two paraphernalia, vouyerism and exhibitionism, all for the benefit of a tiny minority of people
But allowing gender ideology to trump biological reality doesn’t work for women and girls, who are the vast majority. The examples I have given you are change rooms, sports, spas, women’s prison shelters.
I am not sure how this discriminates against a small minority of trans people. Unisex toilets AS WELL as women’s only toilets, special, separate wings in male prisons for trans women, an open sporting competition for everybody, including trans women AND separate competitions for women and girls, because after all it is bodies that play sport not identities.
I am sorry that this may not be what trans women want, but I think there are ways of catering for them, that doesn’t impact biological women’s right as a group who are at risk for biological males patterns of offending and the biological advantages biological men have in sports
You are saying trans people should be excluded from areas that they legally have access to because of how you identify their gender. This is discriminatory.
Shops, businesses and other public places can’t discriminate against you
It’s illegal for a business to refuse to deal with you or to treat you less favourably than other people because of your sex, gender or sexual orientation. This includes not just shops and restaurants and so on, but also banks, loan companies, and finance or insurance companies.
It’s also illegal for any business to refuse to let you enter their premises if it’s a place that’s otherwise open to the public – like a cinema or bus.
Even if there are separate toilet or changing facilities for men and women (this is legally allowed), you’re allowed to use the one that best matches your sex or gender identity.
You are completely misunderstanding me Arkie and I apologise for whatever my part is in that. I believe transgender people have absolute rights to be in public places such as cafes, shops businesses etc. Of course trans should have the same access to these places as all of us, and I haven't heard of anyone trying to keep them out, but if they have that is not o.k.
Did you know the Huma Rights Act section 43 allows for separate public facilities for each sex on the grounds of public safety and decency. section 49 of the human rights act spedifies separate categories in sport and schools and accommodation as well in some places of work e.g. female examinations (we have a right to request being examine by a women.
In this debate, womens rights are completely overlooked unless women on this site remind others about them.
And yet the Wi Spa is a classic example of how gender self id does endanger women and girls.
When the women confronted the receptionist at the Wi Spa they said that its the law, they have to let trans gender women into the women's section.
Men are self id in the UK to get access to women's prisons and the same in the USA.
There is a huge issue going on in the US with sporting competitions at schools where transgender women are competing against biological women, winning medals and schlorships over biological women.There is a massive fight going on through the courts over trans women accessing female bathrooms and change rooms in schools. These are just a few examples.
As a female, I protest against having biological male classified as female and my biololgy being seen as "it" in the process. Whether in a changing room, spa or any other venue where I want to be exclusively separated by biological gender. I and 50% of the population want to have a say in such matters.
This has nothing to do with what gender anybody wants choose to be the best fit for them for whatever reason but a lot with those who are identifying with their biology. Having to defend the right to privacy, space and rights of women (biological) seems very wrong to me.
Every person needs to feel safe and secure within their environment. Our laws secure this.
Cinder, a law that allows trans gender people to self ID opens up women's spaces to biological males. I believe most women are not comfortable with that and people should not be comfortable about biological males being naked in change rooms with girls or teenagers.
I am not right wing and neither are a lot of the women who object to allowing trans women into some spaces that have be previously preserved for biological women.
If Trans people want a pro trans space I would encourage them to seek it out, but at times biology matters and it matters a great deal.
A recent study in Ireland, where they have self ID has shown that most people object to transwomen using women only toilets.
The person looks to be a sex offender (Wi Spa) and the majority of sex offenders are men. The trouble for women is we can't tell the difference….. even with males we know well. So in a space where women and girls are particularly vulnerable i.e in a change room or a spa where people are naked, I believe we have got good reason to keep the space for biological women only.
These women at the Wi Spa were traumatized. Do you care about that? It sounds like victim blaming on your behalf "what were they expecting going into the wi spa. It is quite feasible these women didn't know or thought trans friendly meant something different from biological males in their spa space.
You can call me a terf or a Karen all you like. To me that suggests you don't have very good arguements.
But you have allowed yourself to become a willing idiot of the right wing Christian bigots.
The complainant very obviously went there to be outraged. As I said, look at their digital footprint. This is the third time you have been told to look more deeply into the issue and you refuse to do so.
Nish Kumar has stated the problems with your logic more succinctly than I care to bother with.
"There are a lot of people, most of them cisgendered heterosexual men, who say things like ‘Oh, if you let trans women use women’s bathrooms then they’ll do sex attacks,'” he noted.
“Now there’s a few problems with that… firstly to be fair, they don’t say ‘do sex attacks’. Secondly, trans people are overwhelmingly the victims of sexual violence more so than they are the perpetrators of it by an unbelievably large amount.
“And thirdly, do you honestly think that if there’s someone out there willing to commit a sex attack… if there’s someone out there, regardless of their gender identity, who’s done the logical gymnastics required [to] perpetrate the worst thing one human can do to another – do you think they’re being put off by a sign on a door?”
The complainant very obviously went there to be outraged.
That's not obvious to me at all. But even if it were true, so what? The fact there was a man in the women-only space with his cock out remains unchanged by that.
so that is your only response Sasha? To divert from the issue and make it about what feminists aren’t doing. Btw you run the risk of looking like someone who is telling women what to do
if you go to SUFW website you can click on a tab and find out about activism theses women have been engaged in over many years as feminists, going back to the 70s including one woman who ran the SOSservice to get women to Australia who needed abortions as they were illegal at the time
Sacha referring to me as Karen makes it look like you have no good or compelling arguements as to why some spaces need to be keep for biological women…….
Sorry I must have inadvertently unscrambled your username while working on other stuff and typing in a hurry. Then my internet connection went down.
Was just repeating the point of the tweet I posted as concisely as I could. I have nothing more to say to you on the topic. No point. I hope you find a better solution for your fear than restricting other people's right to live.
The Taliban Texans – more extreme and fundamentalist than the Taliban Afghans.
Given the size of Texas and the US, it is these American extremists who are more of a threat to the world than Afghanistan.
Read this dissenting Supreme Court judge's opinion here… it should wake us all up to what is continuing to unfold in this out-of-control nation… it is frightening… "bounty hunters" – akin to brown shirts…
Victoria and NSW look like they are giving up on elimination now looking at containment and vaccination.
With vaccination Australia is using the Asra Zeneca and Pfizer Vaccines .The Pfizer vaccine has an 88% efficacy rate the Astra Zeneca around 60% efficacy so NZ's choice to stick with the Phizer vaccine is a very good choice .
Now if we don't eliminate we are in for a rough ride till Chistmas and will need to wait it out till we reach high vaccination rates and on top of that keep socially distancing ,wearing masks, and practising good hygiene habits.
School reopening for younger students could be delayed as trial results for vaccinating those 5 to 12 aren't expected till the end of October.
Our hospital system is not up to coping with any major outbreaks as it is already stretched
So my heart goes out to all those in Auckland you are doing the whole country proud.
Like Winston Churchill said we will fight this virus on the beaches in the supermarkets with our kiwi team spirit.
But you have allowed yourself to become a willing idiot of the right wing Christian bigots.
The complainant very obviously went there to be outraged. As I said, look at their digital footprint. This is the third time you have been told to look more deeply into the issue and you refuse to do so.
Nish Kumar has stated the problems with your logic more succinctly than I care to bother with.
"There are a lot of people, most of them cisgendered heterosexual men, who say things like ‘Oh, if you let trans women use women’s bathrooms then they’ll do sex attacks,'” he noted.
“Now there’s a few problems with that… firstly to be fair, they don’t say ‘do sex attacks’. Secondly, trans people are overwhelmingly the victims of sexual violence more so than they are the perpetrators of it by an unbelievably large amount.
“And thirdly, do you honestly think that if there’s someone out there willing to commit a sex attack… if there’s someone out there, regardless of their gender identity, who’s done the logical gymnastics required [to] perpetrate the worst thing one human can do to another – do you think they’re being put off by a sign on a door?”
I support trans gender women having their own spaces in certain settings that have been traditionally preserved for biological women, such as change rooms, prisons, sport etc. I guess it might be a bit like burglary. If you keep your doors locked that is one more obstacle the burglar has to deal with, but if the doors are open then opportunism may prevail.
I am aware of a study recently and I can post the link that sexual assaults offences are more likely to occur in unisex toilets, change rooms as was the case recently at an Ak gym. The guy managed to get a camera into the change room to film women.
In allowing biological males into our changes rooms you are giving carte blache for biological males to commit two illegal acts, vouyerism and exhibitionism. It is not just the threat of sexual assault women are afraid of. some women, teens are girls are quite modest in change rooms that are women only. Imagine what that will feel like for them with males who identify as females.
Not all men are rapists or sexual offenders. But trans women have the same sexual offending patterns as biological males. Trans men same as women.
As I have said earlier when I am called a Karen or a "willing idiot of the Christian right" it just confirms for me that your arguements aren’t that great. Playing the woman not the ball. No matter
No it was Sasha who called me a Karen on this thread twice.
I would prefer it if you cut the denigrating remarks “your reading comprehension isn’t very good” and stuck to playing the ball not the woman.
the point about the man in the Ak gym was to back up my claim that sexual offences are more likely to occur in unisex spaces. I knew the perpetrator wasn’t trans and I never said he was.
yes I would not be happy if I was aware people were having sex in a change room where I was changing and I would be exceedingly unhappy if they were not behind closed doors in the change room. However I think that is not really what this debate is about.
the women at the wi spa were shocked and traumatised to see a male with his penis out, who turns out to be a sex offender, in their space. I saw the video and the young Asian women filmed, who was asking for her money back, looked shocked and uncomfortable IMO. The wi spa cannot have made it clear enough to these women that in the woman’s section, they could expect to see biological males.
if any man can identify as a woman and change their birth certificate accordingly, then legally they have a case of entitlement to be in a women’s change room In a change room it is almost impossible not to expose part of your body or to notice others bodies. Getting charged does not ameliorate what has happened. Women, girls and teenshave been observed or have observed (even if they haven’t meant to).
from my point of view it defies belief that people appear unable to appreciate that it is a problem having biological males being able to access women, teens and girls changing rooms, spas etc, where women, teens and girls will be in a state of undress
Ok well Sacha, I get we can all make mistakes. All I said was I would prefer it if people did use these terms.
But I accept your apology and that it was a geniune mistake.
And for tongiht I am happy to let Foreign Waka have the final work, unless others comment.
And sure no worries if you don't want to engage in this debate.
The MSM are not doing there job in reporting on this legislation and my opinion is it is being introduced by stealth. So I want to high light the problematic nature of the legislation.
You know, there is a point of no return. Biological women are by nature designed in a certain way. Those who identify with this want their space, their rights and their privacy where it fits. If someone, anyone decides to say they are a different gender, its all good. But please don't march into a changing room etc. pretending that everybody else has to "just go with it". Sorry, no. By taking away the right of every other person will not by default make one persons right of expression valid to override everybody else.
Lets say on the basis of rights: If you enter a room of non smokers and light a cigarette what do you think that a/ the response will be and b/ will the argument of acceptance by default by identifying with some of the people in the room being smokers, stick? Who is right?
Pre-emptive apologies for sending anyone to a rag like the Daily Mail – but this story on suicide rates reducing during Covid lockdown comes as no surprise. From memory our own data showed a similar result. Yet we still hear constantly about how lockdown is bad for mental health. Obviously there are mental health effects that fall short of actual suicide, so you could argue that more study is required to see if the same reduction is true across the full range of mental distress.
We're now awaiting convincing hypotheses to explain it. Personally I'm taking it as an indicator that not going to work (or at least conventional, non-autonomous, employer-dominated work), while still having financial security, might be good for us.
So, best theory i've heard raises lack of opportunity. I'll explain as best I can but wont be as eloquent as it was put to me by a specialist in the field.
In essence many who are suicidal esp Teens and Men with children really dont want to 'hurt' their families in such close proximity which is essentially what lockdown provides hence you get a drop in suicide amongst these groups.
"Throughout this year there has been unhelpful and irresponsible public commentary on the effect COVID-19 would have on the suicide rate," Marshall said.
"During the first lockdown period, I said it was unhelpful to release figures for such a short time frame, as it is nearly impossible to draw sound conclusions, nor do I believe such public discourse is helpful to people in distress."
Robinson agreed the rumours and speculation was "unhelpful and counterproductive to suicide prevention".
(This is a Daisycutter Sports Inc. language alert for Friday 3/9/21.)
1.) Yesterday afternoon, RNZ news covered a man who escaped from MIQ. The newsreader informed listeners that "the man's family reported them missing…"
2.) At today's 1 p.m. briefing, Grant Robertson informed the nation about the payments for the wage subsidy scheme. He burbled: "The criteria is the same…"
3.) The 6 p.m. TVNZ news report on this afternoon's tragic incident at Lynnmall included this gem: "They were an individual known to the police."
Compiled by Serena Sopwith-Fotherington, for Daisycutter Sports Inc.
That wasn't evolution when Grant Robertson used the word criteria wrongly, that was carelessness or ignorance.
And whatever drove those hapless slaves at RNZ to use such absurd pronouns–“the man’s family reported them missing”, for pity’s sake—it certainly was not evolution; it was no doubt a directive from RNZ management—the same people who have instigated news updates and station promos on the half-hour.
Young people are already using 'them' and 'they' regularly.
Wrong. Young people use those pronouns in the clear and unambiguous way that they've always been used. The only people who use "them" or "they" to refer to one person are those who have been instructed by managers to do so. People like newsreaders at Radio New Zealand.
It may threaten older people, like all language change does.
What "language change" are you talking about? The vast majority of people want their communications to be clear and unambiguous, and they employ the clear and unambiguous words that make that possible.
Recent surveys from the US and UK show that not only are 18 to 24-year-olds more commonly identifying as LGBTQIA+, but that they are also becoming much more fluid in the expression of their sexuality and gender.
…
“I’m hopeful that with the generational changes and increased awareness of sexuality and gender in society, over time it will become easier and easier for people to be open about that, get the support they need, and eventually be in a place where it is really normalised and people are treated equally regardless of who they are.”
“It’s something for us to celebrate that we are coming to a time where it is so much easier for people to live their truth and be who they are.”
Nothing's wrong with it, and I don't see a problem with using it, but I also don't see a problem with a health official at a national health briefing using "pregnant people" for brevity or whatever. Language is good like that.
Nearly all 'pregnant people' are women who see themselves as women. A small percentage are uncomfortable with the term women and want to use something else. That is their right. But taking away women's right to our own language in order to support a small group of people with gender dysphoria* just doesn't make sense. Why would we support one group to have their needs met but not the other? Some women don't care. Many do.
In health care it's particularly important because public health messaging works best when it meets people culturally. If you remove women's language and don't engage with women in ways that work for them, you lessen public health. This is exactly why trans people also need appropriately framed public health messaging (and many other groups).
It's weird that women are having this actively removed at the same time as it's being actively increased for other groups. We also know that the same removal isn't happening to men. Whether that's a matter of time or sexism, or both, it's still telling.
I didn't see what AB said, so this is a general comment, not about his wording/context.
* people without GD who want such huge social change for other personal reasons need to step up and make the political argument.
But taking away women's right to our own language in order to support a small group of people with gender dysphoria* just doesn't make sense. Why would we support one group to have their needs met but not the other?
Is this what's actually happening here really?
If your support and respect for trans people ends when you feel like you're 'needs' aren't being met, because of the use of the term 'pregnant people', then that probably says enough.
It's a hypocrisy to support trans rights via a certain mechanism and deny that to women at the same time. Unless one believes that women's rights are secondary, in which case it becomes less hypocrisy and more misogyny.
"Is this what's actually happening here really?"
Yes, this is happening. Women are being told to stop using words specific to being female. It's happening in organisations, public health, and in social settings. Lesbians get banned from lesbian dating apps for saying female only. Women get banned from FB groups for using terms like 'lady parts'. Online health websites remove women's language and replace it with gender neutral, but men's health issues still talk about male bodies. Women get cancelled for insisting on talking about female bodies. Women get called transphobic for talking about their periods.
Menstruators, chest feeders, uterus havers, there are lots of words in use now that describe women in the most reductionist and dehumanising terms. Women are objecting and here you are arguing that we're being unfair to trans people.
There are lots of examples now. If you are unaware of this, please educate yourself.
What is happening here is that I was confused why a commenter could agree that transmen and NB people also can and do get pregnant and give birth and still find 'pregnant people' to be a problem. Women, transmen and NB people are all equally included in the term 'pregnant people', there's no hierarchy in that collective noun, and I certainly find it baffling that 'people' is considered dehumanising; humans are people, people are human!?
Baffling.
As I have said up thread if you think the category of 'women' and 'womens rights' exclude transwomen then I can see how you would feel that way.
Ok, so you believe that 'pregnant people' is a good term to use despite the problems pointed out about that. You haven't addressed those problems, just reiterated that you personally find the term good.
That you don't see a problem doesn't mean there isn't one.
And yes, many women, probably most, don't believe that trans women are literally women and will reject the idea when it is explained fully. Most women also want trans women to be ok in society, so this isn't a transphobic position, it's a position that recognises the conflict between trans rights and women's rights.
This yougov poll looked at various aspects of trans people in society and how British attitudes. Not the bottom section.
Equally that you see a problem doesn't mean there is one. Language allows us to use multiple words and phrases to mean the same thing.
I am well aware of your objections, they have often be reiterated at length on this very forum, and the calls to educate yourself go both ways. To keep it relevant to NZ:
Equally that you see a problem doesn't mean there is one.
True, but I'm not relying on my own belief, it's *very easy to see large numbers of women saying it's not ok to remove our language to describe ourselves. Further, I've explained the reasons, which you seem to be ignoring.
What do you think I should be educating myself on specifically?
It's not just my belief that "pregnant people" includes all people who can become or are pregnant though, it's what the words literally mean! It's your belief there are problems with using the term "pregnant people", that you may see it reinforced by others doesn't stop it from being an opinion. No-one in this thread, least of all me, has said you aren't able to describe yourself however you like using whatever language you want, just pointing out nongendered collective nouns exist and mean the same thing as their synonyms!
A lot of women object to the changes in language that are being imposed on them.
People who menstruate, chest feeders, birthing units, pregnanat people.
How come its o.k. for Trans people to insist we all use their language, pro nouns etc, but when we don't like the changes that are being made that's o.k.?
Those women aren't the only people being referred to as a pregnant person though; as discussed, trans men and non-binary people can and do give birth, so, to be inclusive, the term pregnant people is used.
that is very interesting. The number of people who have capacity to produce Ova and Sprem is infitestamly small. Seem only 11 reported out of what 7 billon people. I couldn't access the full article, but assume she had a uterus to carry the child. People born with mixed sexed charateristics can usually fall more readily into male or female.
She was referred to as a mother and she produced an ova.
There will always be aberations in science. The exception that proves the rule.
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
A lot of women object to the changes in language that are being imposed on them. We are being required to change our language but many us what to keep our language because ithe changes are de-humanizing and decontructs what it means to be a women.
People who menstruate, chest feeders, birthing units, pregnanat people.
How come its o.k. for Trans people to insist we all use their language, pro nouns etc, but when we don't like the changes that are being made that's o.k.?
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
If thats the case (Wi spa being a trans space,) I'm puzzled why they would need to record trans people using the space
A local LGBTQ+ paper reported that a spa employee said there were no trans patrons with appointments that day, leading some to question whether the incident was staged.
Patrons would have to disclose they were trans ? In their own space?
Your lack of being able to acknowledge or having any concept that in certain setting biological sex matters. That in the NZ Human Rights Act 1993, they specidfically state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes to preserve public decency and safety. There are other clauses in the act around sport schooling and accommodation that allow and preserve seperate spaces for women.
I have heard no empathy from you for the women and girls in the Wi Spa who saw the trans sex offender expose himself. All I have heard from you is its a trans space. Interestingly Darrens defence was he was being harrrassed for being Trans.
The study on hermaphrodites giving birth is about people who are now called intersex. The incidence of people who have both female and male genitalia is rare and is not what this debate is about. I am talking about males who identitfy as women.
I don't think anyone would think it is appropriate for a man to be in changing room naked with him penis out around women and girls (sex offender or not). This is what this thread started off about.
Saying I am "astonishingly dumb" is yet again another insult you have used towards me. As I said before when I get these insults when I discuss this issue, mostly I see it as a sign of poor arguement from the commenters who oppose my view. I have never had these insults before on The Standard. No matter.
"Keep living in fear". Yes biological women often live in fear. Fear of walking alone, day and night, fear of finding oneself alone in a toilet or change room. We are smaller in statue, have less muscle mass and women know that most biological males could easily over powered them. Males are unlikely to fully appreciate this.
That in the NZ Human Rights Act 1993, they specidfically state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes to preserve public decency and safety.
No it doesn't. It says that they can be not that they should be.
(1)Section 42 shall not prevent the maintenance of separate facilities for each sex on the ground of public decency or public safety.
FFS it is written in English and i have already said. But i will spell it out since you struggle so.
Section 42 says that you can't exclude people from spaces that are open to the public. Section 43 contains the exceptions to Section 42. So if i am operating a spa and i have separate facilities for each sex then i am not in breach of section 42. If i don't have separate facilities for each sex then i am also not in breach of section 42.
So, as i said, the Act does not as you claim state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes but rather that they can be.
Cinder, there is absolutely nothing on the LA Wi Spa website that suggests it is a fundamentally trans space where women are welcome but need to understand its a trans space .
They talk of dedicated Womens and Mens spaces, so what gives you the idea Wi Spa is foremost a trans space , rather than a space which is legally required to admit trans people?
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New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
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Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
RNZ PacificMarshall Islands Journal editor Giff Johnson says US President Donald Trump’s decision on aid “is an opening for anybody else who wants to fill the gap” in the Pacific. Trump froze all USAID for 90 days on his first day in office and is now looking to significantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Mazza, Director, SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care and Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice, Monash University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock Ahead of the government’s response this week ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle It generally ends badly. An old tyrant embarks on an ill-considered project that involves redrawing maps. They are heedless to wise counsel and indifferent to indigenous interests or experience. Before they fail, are killed, deposed or otherwise disposed of, these vicious old men can cause immense ...
The Cook Islands PM is in Beijing to sign an agreement with China - but the government says he failed to consult with NZ on the matter, as is required. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katinka van de Ven, Alcohol and other drug specialist, UNSW Sydney Fewer young Australians are drinking. And when they do drink, they are drinking less and less often than previous generations at the same age. It’s a trend happening all around the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Hitra/Shutterstock Coles is reducing its product range by at least 10%, a move that has sparked public backlash and renewed discussions about the role of supermarkets in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacinta Humphrey, Research Fellow in Urban Ecology, RMIT University Golf courses are sometimes seen as harmful to the environment. According to the popular notion, the grass soaks up too much water, is cut too short and sprayed with dangerous chemicals. But in ...
New Zealand has long championed a fair, stable, and resilient global order. As a nation with deep ties to the Pacific and beyond, we cannot afford to be passive in the face of these shifts. ...
Things are going to look a little different this year. Here’s what to expect.Good news, Shortland Street fans: after a well-earned summer holiday, New Zealand’s longest running drama returns to TVNZ2 and TVNZ+ tonight. Ahead of us is a fresh year of living, loving and laughing in the nation’s ...
The poll, conducted between 02 and 04 February, shows National up 2.3 points to 31.9 percent, while Labour has risen 0.4 points from last month to 31.3 percent. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina McFerran, Professor and Head of Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit; Director of Researcher Development Unit, The University of Melbourne New York Public Library Many of us take pleasure in listening to music. Music accompanies important life events and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina McFerran, Professor and Head of Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit; Director of Researcher Development Unit, The University of Melbourne New York Public Library Many of us take pleasure in listening to music. Music accompanies important life events and ...
The Cook Islands finds itself in a precarious dance — one between the promises of foreign investments and the integrity of our own sovereignty. As the country sways between partners China and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands News asks: “Do we continue to haka with the Taniwha, our constitutional ...
A diplomatic scuffle with the Cook Islands. Plus: What went down at Waitangi. The Cook Islands prime minister, Mark Brown, has provoked the wrath of the New Zealand foreign minister with his decision to head to China to sign a new strategic deal. By failing to consult on the ...
The deputy chairperson of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Michael Connelly, said simply setting targets without "resourcing" them was a pointless exercise, as the number of patients - and their acuity - continuing to grow. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suvradip Maitra, PhD Student, Australian National University Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock Late last year, ChatGPT was used by a Victorian child protection worker to draft documents. In a glaring error, ChatGPT referred to a “doll” used for sexual purposes as an “age-appropriate toy”. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niven Winchester, Professor of Economics, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Donald Trump has already made good on his threat to impose an additional 10% tax on Chinese goods, and is due to announce a 25% tariff on all steel and ...
Diplomatic tension between the Cook Islands and New Zealand is growing. Here's what it's about about, what China has to do with it, and why it matters. ...
Sick of human reality TV? Alex Casey has found a perfect solution in David Attenborough’s latest. I’m know I’m not alone when I say this: humans are bleaking me out at the moment. Turn on the news for the bleakest updates imaginable. Try to numb the pain with Married at ...
The Director of Public Health is a statutory role providing public health leadership across the Public Health Agency, within the Ministry of Health, and the National Public Health Service within Health NZ. ...
Zachary Forbes, a maths teacher from Whanganui, has started an unusual initiative on videogame streaming service Twitch. Shanti Mathias interviews him. “The people want First Samuel,” says the man who calls himself Brother Zac. Brown hair, headphones on, a wall behind him, he pauses and reflects on the comments he’s ...
Endless New Zealand politicians, including the present government, have pointed to our support for a rules-based international system, says PSNA National Chair John Minto. ...
In January, the reversals to speed limit reductions on the state highway network began. Councils have been asked to reverse all reduced speed limits since 2020 by July. A retired rural healthcare worker found something missing from the conversation – a maths equation she learned in high school. As told ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natarsha McPherson, PhD Candidate in Spatial Ecology, University of Adelaide Rob D / Shutterstock On the vast expanse of the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia, two very different creatures live side by side – but not always peacefully. One is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John White, Associate Professor in Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Deakin University Fire broke out in the Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) in December and raged for weeks. Then lightning strikes ignited fresh blazes late last month, which merged to form a mega-fire that’s ...
US Democrats forced into action to defend reproductive rights. Gosh they may also have to actually reform the filibuster after sitting on their hands. Then expand the Supreme Court to stop this entirely predictable crap happening again.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-abortion-rights_n_6130eeeae4b05f53eda4b24b?qgc
Whilst the recent inequitable and misogynistic decision by the current Supreme Court is entirely predictable following the cynical stacking of the body with right wing fundamentalists by Trump and McConnell, the move by Pelosi and the House Democrats to codify Rowe Vs Wade into the Constitution will go nowhere at the moment. Nancy has no say over the Senate Democrats and the "moderate" Democrats in the Senate are DINOs Democrats in name only, and are responsible for the continued existence of the filibuster. There has to be a major shift in political thinking to the left in the US before any major changes in social justice can be made.
Call their bluff
https://twitter.com/CeeBee_NZ/status/1433520310930706435
Our Federated Farmer friends have slapped-down the Groundswell leaders as "crazy individuals" and sparked a loopy war of words with the "crazy individuals" who are claiming they'll take national leadership of all farmers, if the Feds, Dairy NZ, Beef & Lamb etc. aren't up to it, which they imply, they are not. It's getting crazy out on farm!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/126258179/division-in-the-ranks-federated-farmers-calls-groundswell-protest-organisers-crazy
Byron Clark wrote a good piece a couple of days ago.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/the-radical-right-in-gumboots
The NZ dairy cow is the Kiwi Trojan horse. Like intestinal parasites fringe nutters hitch a ride undetected by the immune system. They coat-tail unwitting hosts to create a perception of reason, common sense, and normalcy and a platform for spreading their offspring. Only a high dose of ‘ivermectin’ will work and make them squirm …
Hogart was quoted in ODT the night before the howl asking farmers not to take their tractors into town. It was edited out pretty smartly. The farmer owned Co-ops, Fontera and Farmlands, didn’t what to have anything to do with it either with staff banned from attending in brand.
The next question is who financed the thing, and provided the address database to get it underway, and were able to keep the thing reasonably under the radar. Traffic management and H&S plans and the like aren’t cheap and require professional input. Tad ironic for a ‘grassroots’ outfit protesting compliance costs and requirements.
Good questions, Graeme. Incognito's link (above) might shed some light. Or not. I don't doubt there are supporters with money who seek the downfall of the Lab/Green Government and would back any noisy uprising. Farmers are, in my opinion, being duped.
the levin protest seemed to be run by the owner of the local scaffolding company. a huge irony as his business didnt exist a few years ago ,before health and safety insisted. talk about biteing the hand that feeds you.
Someone brought up the subject of Corbyn a day or two ago, with the usual results, here is a new piece from Consortium News out detailing some of the coordinated MSM attacks on Corbyn and Labour, mainly in regards to The Jewish Cornicle…
The Newspaper That Smeared Corbyn & the Left
“Which is why IPSO cannot take any meaningful action against The Jewish Chronicle. To do so would pull the rug from under the anti-Semitism narrative that destroyed Corbyn and is now being used by his successor, Starmer, to purge Labour of the remnants of the left and to distance the party as far as possible from any lingering signs of Palestinian solidarity.
Exposure of The Jewish Chronicle as an editorial wrecking ball aimed at the left would show just how much the paper and the anti-Semitism narrative it bolstered were key to the Conservative party’s successful smearing of Corbyn that helped to keep him out of No. 10. It would highlight the enduring collusion between the corporate media and the political elite.
And it would indicate that corporate media is not really an exercise in capitalist, free-market economics, where profitable outlets drive out those that are unpopular. Rather loss-making corporate media such as The Jewish Chronicle are a price the establishment is only too happy to bear as long as those publications fulfil a more important purpose: ensuring that the political and economic climate remains favorable to the ruling class.
The Jewish Chronicle has played its part in destroying Corbyn and the left. Now it will continue that role by policing the public discourse and ensuring that no one like Corbyn ever gets near power again. Those libel payouts were a small price to pay.”
https://consortiumnews.com/2021/09/02/the-newspaper-that-smeared-corbyn-the-left/
Keith Starmer has gone along with the false and egregious anti-Semitism attacks against Corbyn, suspending him from the Labour Party. Because of this he currently sits in the Commons as an independent.
Bring back Corbyn I say.
Not going to happen whilst sir Rodney is leading them.
He's doing a fine job decimating the labour party.
Might not happen next election but George Galloway's Workers Party are making inroads on Labour's seats. Goodluck to them.
@Bearded Git +1
"Bring back Corbyn I say." I agree, he is without doubt the most honest, principled major politician in the UK by a country mile (probably in western political anywhere)..of course the usual suspects will poo poo any suggestion of having him back, but then they would, it turns out that the last thing they would ever want to see is a real Left wing government…no just the same old safe centrist bullshit is all these free market fundamentalists can handle….yep they would rather watch the world burn than even consider trying anything outside of the current neoliberal ideology.
I agree with your assessment of Corbyn, Adrian, however it must be remembered that his decision to appease the Blairite rump was a catastrophic error on his part. Under a barrage of fantastical, totally unsupported allegations, snarled at him with relentless malice, and amplified by the media—not only the Murdoch outlets but also the Grauniad and the state broadcaster—he kept on apologizing for something he had never done.
The American journalist and activist Max Blumenthal was astonished by Corbyn's refusal to fight back against the slanderers. In 2015 he went to an event in London featuring the new Labour leader, and a woman claimed, sans evidence, that he (Blumenthal) was "an anti-Semite." Blumenthal, angry, told the organizer that he wanted to make a statement immediately to call her out as a liar. Someone from Labour's "management team" insisted that he actually say nothing; in their experience, the best thing to do was to keep quiet and not make a fuss. It would soon blow over, Blumenthal was assured.
Blumenthal said the woman was " a gentile": it sounds like it was the egregious Joan Ryan. She can be seen in the Al Jazeera documentary The Lobby accusing an elderly female Labour Party member of "repeating an anti-Semitic trope". When the accused woman protests, Ryan simply repeats her absurd accusation, and then contemptuously refuses to engage with her.
Yes I totally agree, his biggest single mistake was not purging out the third way centrists as soon as he could, but that is because his very nature is to be inclusive. his second was not shutting down that anti-semitic bullshit hard.
I guess if he is lacking anything as a politician, he is lacking a bit of the mongrel.,,which can't be said for any other politician I can think of, but non the less, is a serious fault in a politician…sadly.
It was not only Jeremy Corbyn that failed to shut down that character assassination campaign, it was almost the entire Labour "leadership". I died inside every time one of them, as well as "supporters" like Owen Jones nodded solemnly and endorsed the accusations.
This sort of abject capitulation to fantastic charges happened in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, but those poor souls were being terrorized into submission by a machinery of terror run by Stalin, Vyshinsky, and Beria. By stark contrast, Corbyn, John McDonnell, and the rest of them were apologizing for offences they had never committed, and constantly appeasing lightweights and buffoons like Joan Ryan, Luciana Berger, and Andrew Neil.
I spoke to a school principal a few months after school lunches were introduced and he said the students were more settled.
I did not ask if he thought it was because children had a lunch or that there was less sugar and salt in the provided school lunch or that the vitamin and mineral content in fruit and vegetables in the lunch were making a difference. Probably all the above.
Lately I have been trying to only but cans which do not have sugar or salt added. When I cannot find an item with no sugar and salt added I go for the reduced sugar and salt.
It is important to eat well for physical and mental health especially during a pandemic to strengthen the immune system.
I am concerned about children missing out on having a school lunch provided during lockdown. I also think it is about time for the sugar and salt content in cans and packaged food to be reduced.
There would be some treat items, mainly desserts, I would still allow to have a high sugar content to satisfy a craving.
In Whangārei the local Hare Krishna group run a bakery/cafe and well supported stall at the Saturday farmers market. They also supply local schools with several thousand servings a week (COVID notwithstanding) and their lovely vegetarian offerings have to be a good option for the kids. “Food for Life” as they call it.
Food for Thought would be a better name, IMHO.
Food for thought and Life.
What Life without Thought?
Do cults reward thought?
Only certain ‘thought’, but other thought is suppressed and punished; leave it to the Leader and/or leadership. That’s why they’re cults. Many political parties are no different.
Is that why when our PM makes some sort of policy announcement there are usually about 5 other Ministers standing mutely behind her with their heads nodding in unison?
Are they demonstrating that only the Leader's thoughts are to be spoken aloud? As an example
https://www.beltandroad.news/2020/10/20/new-zealand-to-boost-bilateral-ties-with-china/
Ask an apiarist, Alwyn.
A good suggestion.
He tells me that the Queen bee is in front. The ones behind her are the drones.
What to make of alwyn's role in 'the hive'?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drone_(bee)
Long live the Queen!
No Alwyn, it signals a Cabinet in agreement. Something sadly lacking in National.
Patricia ,That's because National has a serious outbreak of American Foul brood disease which has Trumped any chance of a recovery in their popularity
Na it's a stupid thing we copied from the fucking yanks, nothing makes people look more like gormless toadies than 4 or 5 of them nodding their heads behind their leader.
Petty@Alwyn
Likely not. The local Krishnas however have got provincial people eating reasonably well spiced Samosas and other vegetarian food. They have achieved something in the material world regardless.
Good works are the camouflage of many a bad arse sect, but really these NZ Krishnas are the least of our worries in 2021.
Yes, it's possible, it's called the National Party 😉
"Food for Life" Would be great to see this replicated. I do know there are other groups who do good work trying to provide nutritious food.
I do think that orchards and market gardens could offer produce instead of it rotting on the ground. It is about organising the foraging of excess nutritious food. Not easy to do during a lockdown when needed the most.
Politically inconvenient for some.
https://twitter.com/davecharlie/status/1433507298467450898
If The Judith and David show have chosen this metric, then it should be cited and updated at every anti-democratic 1pm briefing.
So we are still behind the point that countries like the US and the United Kingdom were 3 months ago. And many other countries as well that are not in this selection
And we are supposed to cheer at that?
We are miles ahead of the US and the UK on the disease & death curves. I’ll leave it up to you whether you want to cheer at that or be a party pooper.
Alwyn we have a much better vaccine rates than some states in the US especially the more extreme right wing states that are controlled by the GOP have less than 30% of the first dose of much poorer quality vaccines.
If you look at our latest rates we are ahead of the US.
Boris is a dysfunctional disaster for the UK. Opening up the economy before a high enough rate of immunity has been achieved.
Just like his stupidity signing up to brexit another disaster gathering place especially in the modern world of just in time delivery needed for profitable business and manufacturing.
"than some states in the US". That is irrelevant in my view. After all I am sure I could find parts of New Zealand where the vaccination rate is lower than the worst of the US states. I mean I would just have to find a house where nobody had been vaccinated and that would count.
"our latest rates we are ahead of the US". Well that might, or might not, be true but even if it was we still got to the level on the graph shown 3 months later than they did.
"stupidity signing up to brexit". What would have had him do? The UK had a referendum and the majority voted for Brexit. Was that stupid? Of course it was, at least in my opinion but they did it and that was that. I think that the New Zealand public have down stupid things in referenda and elections but I wouldn't think that if I was the GG I would have been justified in refusing to accept them.
So Alwyn the UK and US infection rate in the millions the death rate between the 2 countries nearly 1 million. Even with nearly 70% of people people immunized in the UK 200 plus people are dying a day 10s of thousands still getting infected.
Alwyn the bottom 25 states with the lowest rates of vaccination all Republican controlled states all less than 50% fully vaccinated on sept 2 mayo clinic stats
Hip hip hooray!
We could have had a much higher rate of vaccination if we had used less safe vaccines with much lower efficacy.
Pfizer has a efficacy rate of 88% against Delta AstraZeneca 60% against Delta.
No doubt you would be happy with the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Not all is as it seems.
Then there is the length of the vaccines effectiveness us having the vaccine later means we will be protected further into the future than those who went in early.
Australian friends are hunting for providers to get the Phizer doses, while Astra Zenica ones go to waste.
Good move here deciding on the best single vaccine and using it.
Collins will want the credit for higher vaccination numbers.
I’ll voluntarily participate in trials for a vaccine against J-Cols-23.
‘Death is horrible but let’s put it in perspective. There are 8 million people who can’t choose what to do with their free time.’ – the NSW premier.
Gladyator needs to just STFU now and consider her exit plan as this is all on her.
After stuffing up the Covid reponse, for both NZ and Australia. Scomao and Gladys should be charged.
An frightening example however, of what could have been with NACT in charge.
Pity it took an outbreak to get this result with a ramping up in vaccination rates, if we had been achieving greater numbers earlier this current outbreak may not have been as it is. So you are right it IS politically inconvenient. There are no winners in what has been a slow roll out rate, as we can see by this lock down.
It would be an even greater pity if they hadn’t taken the opportunity to ramp it up – hit the iron while it is hot. The outbreak would not have been prevented anyway, in all likelihood.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/126223967/covid19-84-of-community-cases-were-unvaccinated-12-had-one-dose
Are you for real “taken the opportunity to ramp it up”. Just as well then that the outbreak happened so that it has been ramped up. Also that there now is discussion about making an effort to jab essential workers, Aucklanders and those that are more vulnerable like the working poor, as if any one with a little common sense would not have worked that out previously when we were in a COVID lull.
Until we find out how the outbreak happened we cannot say that it was preventable.
Yes, I was deadly serious. Due to the outbreak, there is huge pressure on health staff for testing and looking after positive cases and patients. On top of that, they had to deal with a huge ramp up of vaccination efforts under Level 4 lockdown – these efforts were temporarily halted because they had to work out how to do this safely under L4. It is the appropriate response under the circumstances, from their and my PoV.
The outbreak happened because someone in the community became infected unwittingly and spread it around. I’m talking about the spreading around in the community given that you mentioned vaccination rates and the ramping up. You haven’t read my link, have you? Pity.
Australia has a problem with the AstraZeneca vaccine which has only a 60% efficacy rate.So While its vaccination rates in NSW is ramping up Quickly it may not be enough even at 70% to prevent hospitals being overloaded as well as the numbers dying.
So far Pfizer at 88% efficacy is giving NZ better and safer coverage to a wider portion of the population.
Bullshit I wa in a cue a mile long in the 1st week of lockdown for mine we had all booked before the outbreak.
You really think the ramping up could have happened, in three weeks, if it hadn't already been prepared for and planned
Did Tonga do the royal family and friends, and leave it at that?
OR the Daily Mail and other news website such as the New York Post have utterly slandered Darren, in which case I am sure she will take legal action.
people had said the Wi Spa incident was a hoax and there was no trans women in the women’s area, naked with their penis out.
The point I wanted to make at the time, but didn’t was that protesters often use all sorts of gimmicks, street theatre etc to get a point across.
The point is whether this is a hoax or not, this is what self ID will allow. Any male can identify as a woman, and gain access to sex based spaces, such as toilets, change rooms and day spas. My understanding is under the proposed legislation women’s spas, gyms, pools etc, would have problems challenging this, because the birth certificate would not register that the person was born male. it would likely have to go to court.
males are overwhelming the most likely to commit sex offences.. There is research to suggest the trans gender women have the same pattern of offending as men and trans men have the same pattern of offending as women (I can provide a link if required)
I assume we are all adults on the Standards. We have a responsibility to safeguard women and girls.
BTW according to the report Darren has complained of trans gender harassment
Seems timely.
https://twitter.com/nanayasleeps/status/1433034533813751809
Is there evidence that US feminists have not and will not be opposing the abortion law?
Its not a matter of either /or
Luckily for transwomen they will never have to face the pain of an unwanted pregnancy or be barred from an abortion
Or experience a pregnancy through rape. The figure is estimated at 5% for fertile woman.
When I read that Texas wants to stop an abortion at 6 weeks I started to think of all the obstacles that this has.
"Or experience a pregnancy through rape. The figure is estimated at 5% for fertile woman"
Can you clarify what the second sentence means please?
There are many rapes of children under 12
And older women above 45
The 5% figure of pregnancy through rape is for one year alone in the US
“So, rape and consensual sex have the same pregnancy rate. This means that of those 64,080 US rapes in 2004-2005, minus the 15% of rapes that are of children under the age of 12 which gets us to 54,468 rapes of almost all reproductively-aged women, somewhere between 1,689 (3.1%) to 2,723 (5%) pregnancies from rape could have occurred in that year alone.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/context-and-variation/here-is-some-legitimate-science-on-pregnancy-and-rape/
Thanks, francesca. I understand now.
That is horrifying reading.
It was a 2012 study in the US and it used the term fertile women. Today the term being fertile to become pregnant would be used. I am not sure if there is a term for this.
Treetop why do we need to change the term? As much as people try to deny biology, only women can get pregnant right now. Perhaps in the future reproductive technology will change this, but now, women get pregnany.
many of us women feel insulted by the change in language, pregnant people, people who menstruate and not that the language is not changed for men, people who have prostates etc.
Except transmen and some non-binary trans people also can get pregnant.
You mean being biologically a female to conceive?
I meant precisely what I wrote.
Only if they have biologically female equipment.
For me it comes down to the groups who have the reproductive biology who are affected by pregnancy due to rape. This is why the access to abortion is important.
Thanks Treetop.
Transmen and some non-binary people will.
That is an important point Arkie…..as trans men have female biology.
Do I hear a defeaning silence of the issue of the transwomen in the Wi Spa and how this relates to a piece of legislation in NZ, which will allow the same scenario for women and female children?
Again I ask, where is the safeguarding of women and children.
I believe if Darren wasn't Trans, people would be outraged that a cis gender male was legally entitled to access a women's spa and be naked with his penis out….
And despite the proposed legislation the NZ media don't carry this story.
Male born women have more rights than female born women it seems
Yes, Arkie, indeed, biology will out, no matter which gender one thinks one is
gender =/= biology.
All trans people are deserving of protection from discrimination despite what some people may think of their identity.
This is called biological essentialism. Doesn't align well with protecting trans people from discrimination.
I am sorry that this may not be what trans women want, but I think there are ways of catering for them, that doesn’t impact biological women’s right as a group who are at risk for biological males patterns of offending and the biological advantages biological men have in sports
You are saying trans people should be excluded from areas that they legally have access to because of how you identify their gender. This is discriminatory.
https://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/chapter-8-gender-and-sexuality/discrimination-based-on-sex-gender-or-sexual-orientation/access-to-shops-businesses-and-public-places/
You are completely misunderstanding me Arkie and I apologise for whatever my part is in that. I believe transgender people have absolute rights to be in public places such as cafes, shops businesses etc. Of course trans should have the same access to these places as all of us, and I haven't heard of anyone trying to keep them out, but if they have that is not o.k.
Did you know the Huma Rights Act section 43 allows for separate public facilities for each sex on the grounds of public safety and decency. section 49 of the human rights act spedifies separate categories in sport and schools and accommodation as well in some places of work e.g. female examinations (we have a right to request being examine by a women.
In this debate, womens rights are completely overlooked unless women on this site remind others about them.
If you consider the category of 'women' to exclude trans women then I can see how you might think that.
of course all people should have the same protections from discrimination
Not sure if you are trying to say gender equals biology
There we part company
People need different protections from discrimination because different people are discriminated against for different reasons.
Gender does not equal biology.
There have been several different feminist theories about how gender is constructed and performed.
So Arkie, do you have anything to say about protection for women and girls under gender self ID?
Women and girls are people too, so deserve protection from discrimination also. I disagree that gender self ID endangers that.
And yet the Wi Spa is a classic example of how gender self id does endanger women and girls.
When the women confronted the receptionist at the Wi Spa they said that its the law, they have to let trans gender women into the women's section.
Men are self id in the UK to get access to women's prisons and the same in the USA.
There is a huge issue going on in the US with sporting competitions at schools where transgender women are competing against biological women, winning medals and schlorships over biological women.There is a massive fight going on through the courts over trans women accessing female bathrooms and change rooms in schools. These are just a few examples.
Regarding Wi Spa.
It has a long history as a pro trans space. This is well known by the areas trans community.
The complainants online footprint is full of MAGA / Christian / anti-trans messaging.
The whole affair is akin to someone going to a nude beach and being aghast at seeing nudity.
This has been brought to your attention before.
It is a blatant attempt to destroy a pro-trans space and further the right wing culture wars.
The person in question looks to be a sex offender, but they are a single individual
You are drawing a very long bow and if we turn your argument around then I would feel comfortable stating that SUFW are all terfs.
Get it?
Probably not…
As a female, I protest against having biological male classified as female and my biololgy being seen as "it" in the process. Whether in a changing room, spa or any other venue where I want to be exclusively separated by biological gender. I and 50% of the population want to have a say in such matters.
This has nothing to do with what gender anybody wants choose to be the best fit for them for whatever reason but a lot with those who are identifying with their biology. Having to defend the right to privacy, space and rights of women (biological) seems very wrong to me.
Every person needs to feel safe and secure within their environment. Our laws secure this.
Transmen and some non-binary people will.
Politicians need to base abortion legislation on research and representation from all genders.
Cinder, a law that allows trans gender people to self ID opens up women's spaces to biological males. I believe most women are not comfortable with that and people should not be comfortable about biological males being naked in change rooms with girls or teenagers.
I am not right wing and neither are a lot of the women who object to allowing trans women into some spaces that have be previously preserved for biological women.
If Trans people want a pro trans space I would encourage them to seek it out, but at times biology matters and it matters a great deal.
A recent study in Ireland, where they have self ID has shown that most people object to transwomen using women only toilets.
The person looks to be a sex offender (Wi Spa) and the majority of sex offenders are men. The trouble for women is we can't tell the difference….. even with males we know well. So in a space where women and girls are particularly vulnerable i.e in a change room or a spa where people are naked, I believe we have got good reason to keep the space for biological women only.
These women at the Wi Spa were traumatized. Do you care about that? It sounds like victim blaming on your behalf "what were they expecting going into the wi spa. It is quite feasible these women didn't know or thought trans friendly meant something different from biological males in their spa space.
You can call me a terf or a Karen all you like. To me that suggests you don't have very good arguements.
You obviously missed the point.
It IS a pro-trans space.
Which you "claim" to support.
But you have allowed yourself to become a willing idiot of the right wing Christian bigots.
The complainant very obviously went there to be outraged. As I said, look at their digital footprint. This is the third time you have been told to look more deeply into the issue and you refuse to do so.
Nish Kumar has stated the problems with your logic more succinctly than I care to bother with.
"There are a lot of people, most of them cisgendered heterosexual men, who say things like ‘Oh, if you let trans women use women’s bathrooms then they’ll do sex attacks,'” he noted.
“Now there’s a few problems with that… firstly to be fair, they don’t say ‘do sex attacks’. Secondly, trans people are overwhelmingly the victims of sexual violence more so than they are the perpetrators of it by an unbelievably large amount.
“And thirdly, do you honestly think that if there’s someone out there willing to commit a sex attack… if there’s someone out there, regardless of their gender identity, who’s done the logical gymnastics required [to] perpetrate the worst thing one human can do to another – do you think they’re being put off by a sign on a door?”
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/08/24/nish-kumar-ricky-gervais-trans-comedy/
That's not obvious to me at all. But even if it were true, so what? The fact there was a man in the women-only space with his cock out remains unchanged by that.
Timely? Because there's reason to imagine feminists won't defend abortion rights in the USA? Or what? This person seems delusional.
so that is your only response Sasha? To divert from the issue and make it about what feminists aren’t doing. Btw you run the risk of looking like someone who is telling women what to do
if you go to SUFW website you can click on a tab and find out about activism theses women have been engaged in over many years as feminists, going back to the 70s including one woman who ran the SOSservice to get women to Australia who needed abortions as they were illegal at the time
Priorities, Karen.
Sacha referring to me as Karen makes it look like you have no good or compelling arguements as to why some spaces need to be keep for biological women…….
I decide my own priorities thank you.
Sorry I must have inadvertently unscrambled your username while working on other stuff and typing in a hurry. Then my internet connection went down.
Was just repeating the point of the tweet I posted as concisely as I could. I have nothing more to say to you on the topic. No point. I hope you find a better solution for your fear than restricting other people's right to live.
The Taliban Texans – more extreme and fundamentalist than the Taliban Afghans.
Given the size of Texas and the US, it is these American extremists who are more of a threat to the world than Afghanistan.
Read this dissenting Supreme Court judge's opinion here… it should wake us all up to what is continuing to unfold in this out-of-control nation… it is frightening… "bounty hunters" – akin to brown shirts…
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/02/sonia-sotomayor-dissent-texas-abortion-ban-law-supreme-court
FBI stats on internal (us citizens) v external initiated terror incidents have shown for a long time what a fkd up place it is.
Abortion, anti govt (McVeigh), wacos etc
Victoria and NSW look like they are giving up on elimination now looking at containment and vaccination.
With vaccination Australia is using the Asra Zeneca and Pfizer Vaccines .The Pfizer vaccine has an 88% efficacy rate the Astra Zeneca around 60% efficacy so NZ's choice to stick with the Phizer vaccine is a very good choice .
Now if we don't eliminate we are in for a rough ride till Chistmas and will need to wait it out till we reach high vaccination rates and on top of that keep socially distancing ,wearing masks, and practising good hygiene habits.
School reopening for younger students could be delayed as trial results for vaccinating those 5 to 12 aren't expected till the end of October.
Our hospital system is not up to coping with any major outbreaks as it is already stretched
So my heart goes out to all those in Auckland you are doing the whole country proud.
Like Winston Churchill said we will fight this virus on the beaches in the supermarkets with our kiwi team spirit.
NSW costs everyone, Victoria shares an easily crossed border.
200+ days of lockdown in vain due to the weakest link….NSW.
We have a sporting chance if we don't give in and let the ockies in.
You obviously missed the point.
It IS a pro-trans space.
Which you "claim" to support.
But you have allowed yourself to become a willing idiot of the right wing Christian bigots.
The complainant very obviously went there to be outraged. As I said, look at their digital footprint. This is the third time you have been told to look more deeply into the issue and you refuse to do so.
Nish Kumar has stated the problems with your logic more succinctly than I care to bother with.
"There are a lot of people, most of them cisgendered heterosexual men, who say things like ‘Oh, if you let trans women use women’s bathrooms then they’ll do sex attacks,'” he noted.
“Now there’s a few problems with that… firstly to be fair, they don’t say ‘do sex attacks’. Secondly, trans people are overwhelmingly the victims of sexual violence more so than they are the perpetrators of it by an unbelievably large amount.
“And thirdly, do you honestly think that if there’s someone out there willing to commit a sex attack… if there’s someone out there, regardless of their gender identity, who’s done the logical gymnastics required [to] perpetrate the worst thing one human can do to another – do you think they’re being put off by a sign on a door?”
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/08/24/nish-kumar-ricky-gervais-trans-comedy/
I support trans gender women having their own spaces in certain settings that have been traditionally preserved for biological women, such as change rooms, prisons, sport etc. I guess it might be a bit like burglary. If you keep your doors locked that is one more obstacle the burglar has to deal with, but if the doors are open then opportunism may prevail.
I am aware of a study recently and I can post the link that sexual assaults offences are more likely to occur in unisex toilets, change rooms as was the case recently at an Ak gym. The guy managed to get a camera into the change room to film women.
In allowing biological males into our changes rooms you are giving carte blache for biological males to commit two illegal acts, vouyerism and exhibitionism. It is not just the threat of sexual assault women are afraid of. some women, teens are girls are quite modest in change rooms that are women only. Imagine what that will feel like for them with males who identify as females.
Not all men are rapists or sexual offenders. But trans women have the same sexual offending patterns as biological males. Trans men same as women.
As I have said earlier when I am called a Karen or a "willing idiot of the Christian right" it just confirms for me that your arguements aren’t that great. Playing the woman not the ball. No matter
Your reading comprehension isn't that great is it.
Where have I called you a Karen?
Once again, look at the complainant in the Wi Spa. You are being used. It IS a trans space.
The man in the Auckland gym was NOT posing as a woman. He also filmed men. He also filmed a couple having sex in the changing rooms.
Any complaints about the couple having sex in the changing room?
No one is given carte blanche for their crimes, they can still be prosecuted.
the women at the wi spa were shocked and traumatised to see a male with his penis out, who turns out to be a sex offender, in their space. I saw the video and the young Asian women filmed, who was asking for her money back, looked shocked and uncomfortable IMO. The wi spa cannot have made it clear enough to these women that in the woman’s section, they could expect to see biological males.
Twice? Once, thank you. And I explained it was a moment of neurodiversity. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Ok well Sacha, I get we can all make mistakes. All I said was I would prefer it if people did use these terms.
But I accept your apology and that it was a geniune mistake.
And for tongiht I am happy to let Foreign Waka have the final work, unless others comment.
And sure no worries if you don't want to engage in this debate.
The MSM are not doing there job in reporting on this legislation and my opinion is it is being introduced by stealth. So I want to high light the problematic nature of the legislation.
You know, there is a point of no return. Biological women are by nature designed in a certain way. Those who identify with this want their space, their rights and their privacy where it fits. If someone, anyone decides to say they are a different gender, its all good. But please don't march into a changing room etc. pretending that everybody else has to "just go with it". Sorry, no. By taking away the right of every other person will not by default make one persons right of expression valid to override everybody else.
Lets say on the basis of rights: If you enter a room of non smokers and light a cigarette what do you think that a/ the response will be and b/ will the argument of acceptance by default by identifying with some of the people in the room being smokers, stick? Who is right?
Pre-emptive apologies for sending anyone to a rag like the Daily Mail – but this story on suicide rates reducing during Covid lockdown comes as no surprise. From memory our own data showed a similar result. Yet we still hear constantly about how lockdown is bad for mental health. Obviously there are mental health effects that fall short of actual suicide, so you could argue that more study is required to see if the same reduction is true across the full range of mental distress.
We're now awaiting convincing hypotheses to explain it. Personally I'm taking it as an indicator that not going to work (or at least conventional, non-autonomous, employer-dominated work), while still having financial security, might be good for us.
At work we are finding the mental toll pretty high and putting a lot of time and resource into it.
It's somewhat better now that most of us can work either at Level 3 or as essential workers.
We brought in Mike King and the other construction mental health providers in May, and some of those disciplines are helping.
I think suicide rates often fall during periods of recession, though often with contrary high profile anecdotes.
I put that down to giving people something external to focus on (worry about) over their personal issues.
So, best theory i've heard raises lack of opportunity. I'll explain as best I can but wont be as eloquent as it was put to me by a specialist in the field.
In essence many who are suicidal esp Teens and Men with children really dont want to 'hurt' their families in such close proximity which is essentially what lockdown provides hence you get a drop in suicide amongst these groups.
Yes, our own numbers were down, slightly.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/08/new-zealand-s-suicide-rate-drops-to-three-year-low.html
Three egregious examples of linguistic crime.
(This is a Daisycutter Sports Inc. language alert for Friday 3/9/21.)
1.) Yesterday afternoon, RNZ news covered a man who escaped from MIQ. The newsreader informed listeners that "the man's family reported them missing…"
2.) At today's 1 p.m. briefing, Grant Robertson informed the nation about the payments for the wage subsidy scheme. He burbled: "The criteria is the same…"
3.) The 6 p.m. TVNZ news report on this afternoon's tragic incident at Lynnmall included this gem: "They were an individual known to the police."
Compiled by Serena Sopwith-Fotherington, for Daisycutter Sports Inc.
Evolving language threatens some people.
That wasn't evolution when Grant Robertson used the word criteria wrongly, that was carelessness or ignorance.
And whatever drove those hapless slaves at RNZ to use such absurd pronouns–“the man’s family reported them missing”, for pity’s sake—it certainly was not evolution; it was no doubt a directive from RNZ management—the same people who have instigated news updates and station promos on the half-hour.
Young people are already using 'them' and 'they' regularly. It may threaten older people, like all language change does.
Young people are already using 'them' and 'they' regularly.
Wrong. Young people use those pronouns in the clear and unambiguous way that they've always been used. The only people who use "them" or "they" to refer to one person are those who have been instructed by managers to do so. People like newsreaders at Radio New Zealand.
It may threaten older people, like all language change does.
What "language change" are you talking about? The vast majority of people want their communications to be clear and unambiguous, and they employ the clear and unambiguous words that make that possible.
https://www.renews.co.nz/gen-z-are-way-less-likely-to-be-straight/
Morrisey, really shocking about the attack. I hope everyone injuried recovers well.
And yes, I agree about egregious examples of linguistic crime.
A clanger for me was when Ashley Bloomfield talked about pregnant people
Did you not agree with me up thread that trans men and non-binary people can also be pregnant?
"women, trans men and non-binary people"
It's not hard to be inclusive.
Or; pregnant people.
Because that phrase already includes all those people?
What's wrong with "women, trans men and non-binary people"? It's inclusive of all, I'm curious what problem you see with using that?
Nothing's wrong with it, and I don't see a problem with using it, but I also don't see a problem with a health official at a national health briefing using "pregnant people" for brevity or whatever. Language is good like that.
here's the problem.
Nearly all 'pregnant people' are women who see themselves as women. A small percentage are uncomfortable with the term women and want to use something else. That is their right. But taking away women's right to our own language in order to support a small group of people with gender dysphoria* just doesn't make sense. Why would we support one group to have their needs met but not the other? Some women don't care. Many do.
In health care it's particularly important because public health messaging works best when it meets people culturally. If you remove women's language and don't engage with women in ways that work for them, you lessen public health. This is exactly why trans people also need appropriately framed public health messaging (and many other groups).
It's weird that women are having this actively removed at the same time as it's being actively increased for other groups. We also know that the same removal isn't happening to men. Whether that's a matter of time or sexism, or both, it's still telling.
I didn't see what AB said, so this is a general comment, not about his wording/context.
* people without GD who want such huge social change for other personal reasons need to step up and make the political argument.
Thank you Weka
You articulate so well the concerns of many women, myself included, you're fair, empathetic and informed
Is this what's actually happening here really?
If your support and respect for trans people ends when you feel like you're 'needs' aren't being met, because of the use of the term 'pregnant people', then that probably says enough.
It's a hypocrisy to support trans rights via a certain mechanism and deny that to women at the same time. Unless one believes that women's rights are secondary, in which case it becomes less hypocrisy and more misogyny.
"Is this what's actually happening here really?"
Yes, this is happening. Women are being told to stop using words specific to being female. It's happening in organisations, public health, and in social settings. Lesbians get banned from lesbian dating apps for saying female only. Women get banned from FB groups for using terms like 'lady parts'. Online health websites remove women's language and replace it with gender neutral, but men's health issues still talk about male bodies. Women get cancelled for insisting on talking about female bodies. Women get called transphobic for talking about their periods.
Menstruators, chest feeders, uterus havers, there are lots of words in use now that describe women in the most reductionist and dehumanising terms. Women are objecting and here you are arguing that we're being unfair to trans people.
There are lots of examples now. If you are unaware of this, please educate yourself.
What is happening here is that I was confused why a commenter could agree that transmen and NB people also can and do get pregnant and give birth and still find 'pregnant people' to be a problem. Women, transmen and NB people are all equally included in the term 'pregnant people', there's no hierarchy in that collective noun, and I certainly find it baffling that 'people' is considered dehumanising; humans are people, people are human!?
Baffling.
As I have said up thread if you think the category of 'women' and 'womens rights' exclude transwomen then I can see how you would feel that way.
Ok, so you believe that 'pregnant people' is a good term to use despite the problems pointed out about that. You haven't addressed those problems, just reiterated that you personally find the term good.
That you don't see a problem doesn't mean there isn't one.
And yes, many women, probably most, don't believe that trans women are literally women and will reject the idea when it is explained fully. Most women also want trans women to be ok in society, so this isn't a transphobic position, it's a position that recognises the conflict between trans rights and women's rights.
This yougov poll looked at various aspects of trans people in society and how British attitudes. Not the bottom section.
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/07/16/where-does-british-public-stand-transgender-rights
Equally that you see a problem doesn't mean there is one. Language allows us to use multiple words and phrases to mean the same thing.
I am well aware of your objections, they have often be reiterated at length on this very forum, and the calls to educate yourself go both ways. To keep it relevant to NZ:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/111011211/transgender-rights-debate-separating-the-facts-from-the-fiction
True, but I'm not relying on my own belief, it's *very easy to see large numbers of women saying it's not ok to remove our language to describe ourselves. Further, I've explained the reasons, which you seem to be ignoring.
What do you think I should be educating myself on specifically?
It's not just my belief that "pregnant people" includes all people who can become or are pregnant though, it's what the words literally mean! It's your belief there are problems with using the term "pregnant people", that you may see it reinforced by others doesn't stop it from being an opinion. No-one in this thread, least of all me, has said you aren't able to describe yourself however you like using whatever language you want, just pointing out nongendered collective nouns exist and mean the same thing as their synonyms!
A lot of women object to the changes in language that are being imposed on them.
People who menstruate, chest feeders, birthing units, pregnanat people.
How come its o.k. for Trans people to insist we all use their language, pro nouns etc, but when we don't like the changes that are being made that's o.k.?
Many women find it insulting to be referred to as a pregnant person…..
Those women aren't the only people being referred to as a pregnant person though; as discussed, trans men and non-binary people can and do give birth, so, to be inclusive, the term pregnant people is used.
Science says you are wrong. Again…
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19155947/
that is very interesting. The number of people who have capacity to produce Ova and Sprem is infitestamly small. Seem only 11 reported out of what 7 billon people. I couldn't access the full article, but assume she had a uterus to carry the child. People born with mixed sexed charateristics can usually fall more readily into male or female.
She was referred to as a mother and she produced an ova.
There will always be aberations in science. The exception that proves the rule.
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
I do not want anyone to live in fear – they tend to harm other people that way. But peace takes work.
One of the few international studies done show that Trans women have the same pattern of offending as men.
I don't believe Trans women are all preditors at all. The problem for women is we can't tell which men are safe and which aren't.
Bloomfield was not talking about a specific person.
A lot of women object to the changes in language that are being imposed on them. We are being required to change our language but many us what to keep our language because ithe changes are de-humanizing and decontructs what it means to be a women.
People who menstruate, chest feeders, birthing units, pregnanat people.
How come its o.k. for Trans people to insist we all use their language, pro nouns etc, but when we don't like the changes that are being made that's o.k.?
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
Your lack of understanding of this means dialogue with you is pointless.
So far you have missed the point Wi Spa is a trans space. A place for trans people. Women are welcome there, but need to understand its a trans space instead of kicking off when they encounter a trans individual.
Now you have seen a scientific study and assumed the sample size was every person on the planet.
That's truly astonishingly dumb.
As Sasha said, keep living in fear. But try and be better.
These people are not the threat you think they are.
If thats the case (Wi spa being a trans space,) I'm puzzled why they would need to record trans people using the space
A local LGBTQ+ paper reported that a spa employee said there were no trans patrons with appointments that day, leading some to question whether the incident was staged.
Patrons would have to disclose they were trans ? In their own space?
Your lack of being able to acknowledge or having any concept that in certain setting biological sex matters. That in the NZ Human Rights Act 1993, they specidfically state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes to preserve public decency and safety. There are other clauses in the act around sport schooling and accommodation that allow and preserve seperate spaces for women.
I have heard no empathy from you for the women and girls in the Wi Spa who saw the trans sex offender expose himself. All I have heard from you is its a trans space. Interestingly Darrens defence was he was being harrrassed for being Trans.
The study on hermaphrodites giving birth is about people who are now called intersex. The incidence of people who have both female and male genitalia is rare and is not what this debate is about. I am talking about males who identitfy as women.
I don't think anyone would think it is appropriate for a man to be in changing room naked with him penis out around women and girls (sex offender or not). This is what this thread started off about.
Saying I am "astonishingly dumb" is yet again another insult you have used towards me. As I said before when I get these insults when I discuss this issue, mostly I see it as a sign of poor arguement from the commenters who oppose my view. I have never had these insults before on The Standard. No matter.
"Keep living in fear". Yes biological women often live in fear. Fear of walking alone, day and night, fear of finding oneself alone in a toilet or change room. We are smaller in statue, have less muscle mass and women know that most biological males could easily over powered them. Males are unlikely to fully appreciate this.
That in the NZ Human Rights Act 1993, they specidfically state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes to preserve public decency and safety.
No it doesn't. It says that they can be not that they should be.
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0082/60.0/DLM304617.html
What do you think "sall not prevent the maintenance of separate facilities etc mean Solkta.
What do you think it means that trans activists argue for the use for example of women only faciities specifically change rooms for trans women?
FFS it is written in English and i have already said. But i will spell it out since you struggle so.
Section 42 says that you can't exclude people from spaces that are open to the public. Section 43 contains the exceptions to Section 42. So if i am operating a spa and i have separate facilities for each sex then i am not in breach of section 42. If i don't have separate facilities for each sex then i am also not in breach of section 42.
So, as i said, the Act does not as you claim state that public facilities should be kept separate for the sexes but rather that they can be.
Point taken. So they can be kept separate and many many women want it that way.
I hope Trans women will respect that and find ways to have things work o.k. for them
Cinder, there is absolutely nothing on the LA Wi Spa website that suggests it is a fundamentally trans space where women are welcome but need to understand its a trans space .
They talk of dedicated Womens and Mens spaces, so what gives you the idea Wi Spa is foremost a trans space , rather than a space which is legally required to admit trans people?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/28/anti-trans-video-los-angeles-protest-wi-spa
The link for above including the quote from the LGBQT magazine