Open Letters: January-June 2024
Open Letters on sex and gender debate - January - June 2024
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UN Women appoint a man as 'UK champion'
2 January 2024
To: UN Women UK
From: 17 organisations including Fair Play for Women, Sex Matters, Transgender Trend and the Women’s Rights Network
Subject: Opposing Munroe Bergdorf choice as its “UK champion”.
Coverage: Telegraph Daily Mail Times
Women's sport hits back
2 Jan 2024
To: National Women's law centre
From: Women’s Sports Policy Working Group
Subject: In response to the recent blog post — Once and For All: This Is Why We Support Trans Women and Girls in Sports
Include sex category in Christchurch Equity bill
10 Jan 2024
To: Christchurch City Council
From: Katrina Biggs & Dianne Landy
Subject: ‘Sex’ must be included in the Draft Equity and Inclusion Policy.
An open letter to satirist Armando Iannucci
10 Jan 2024
To: Armando Iannucci
From: Graham Linehan
Subject: Graham Linehan asks why Britain’s most-celebrated satirist has turned a blind eye to woke authoritarianism.
Welsh Labour questioned by Women and LGB orgs
19 Jan 2024
To: Labour Leadership candidates, Vaughan Gething and Jeremy Miles.
From: Grassroots women's and LGB organisations in Wales
Subject: A series of questions which 'are critical to understanding the willingness of both candidates to listen to viewpoints from beyond the usual organisations'
APA seek unbiased science
Jan 2024
To: American Psychiatric Association
From: 6798 (at time of count) clinicians, educators, and researchers
Subject: An open letter regarding the publication of Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care...and ‘seek an unbiased scientific investigation and discussion of the harms and benefits of all types of care offered to those with gender related distress.’
'LGBT+ Solidarity & Liberation'
24 Jan 2024
From: Saira Weiner for UCU General Secretary
Subject: 'LGBT+ Solidarity & Liberation'
Overturn Scottish prison guidance
28 Jan 2024
To: Cabinet Secretary for Justice & Home Affairs, Angela Constance
From: Scottish residents
Subject: To overturn the Scottish Prison Service Transgender Management Policy.
Coverage Express Telegraph Express 2 Guardian BBC
Mother and child health
31 Jan 2024
To: World Health Organisation & the leader of their Maternity panel.
From: With Woman, a grassroots collective of female midwives, healthcare workers, allied professionals, academics, peer counsellors, advocates and volunteers
Subject: ‘We object to the proposed formation of a group to develop guidelines on trans healthcare, with no specialist input on mother & child health.’
WHO go back to 'drawing board' petition
30 Jan 2024
To: World Health Organization (WHO)
From: 8 organisations and 12,000 people signed
Subject: Who should develop guidelines on transgender healthcare?
Mental health hubs everywhere
31 Jan 2024
To: Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer
From: Young Minds UK
Subject: "There should be early mental health support hubs in every local area. No waiting lists. No GP referral needed. Help us make that happen."
Employ Women ONLY at Dundee Women's Aid
3 Feb 2024
To: Dundee Women's Aid
From: 31 women
Subject: Women call upon DWA to employ only women and reassure current, & potential, service users that DWA will offer an adult single-sex service.
Coverage Daily Mail
GANHRI stand up for EHRC
5 Feb 2024
To: GANHRI, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions
From: Sex Matters & 38 sex based rights organisations
Subject: Objection to campaign of threats and reprisals for human-rights regulator, Kishwer Faulkner, for acting to protect those with gender-critical beliefs from unlawful harassment and discrimination.
WDI backs Ontario Premier
13 Feb 2024
To: Premier of Ontario, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers of all other provinces.
From: The Canadian chapter of Women’s Declaration International (WDI)
Subject: Supporting Alberta Premier Danielle Smith‘s concern regarding “gender affirming care” approach being taken by hospitals across Canada
Edinburgh University Alumni Against Transphobia
14 Feb 2024
To: To Professor Sir Peter Mathieson
From: Edinburgh University Alumni
Subject: Opposing the appointment of Simon Fanshawe as Rector at Edinburgh University
Coverage: National Critic Telegraph Herald
Parkrun CEO defends decision
14 Feb 2024
To: Parkrun community
From: Russ Jefferys, CEO, parkrun Global
Subject: He defends the decision to stop showing fastest finishers in female records.
Coverage: Standard
Concerns about civil service guidance
14 Feb 2024
To: Simon Case Cabinet Secretary
From: Authentic Equity Alliance
Subject: Concerns about the Cabinet Office's internal equality guidance to civil servants
Extend puberty blockers indefinitely!
14th Feb 2024
To: (at the time) Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting
From: Dylan Naylor, LGBT+ Labour Trans officer (on Behalf of the National Committee) & Willow Parker, Labour Students' National Trans Officer
Subject: The writers express their "concerns over the impact of the decision...to extend indefinitely the current ban on puberty blockers for trans youth"
Safeguarding Concerns in the NHS
22 Feb 2024
To: NHS
From: Children of Transitioners (CoT)
Subject: The letter follows reports that NHS Hospitals have a maternity document that advises men to breastfeed their babies if they say they identify as women . The letter raises a 'substantial safeguarding concern about the sexual and emotional abuse of babies and children of transitioners that needs urgent action to protect children from further abuse.'
North Yorkshire Police apologises to ‘LGBTQ+ community’
29 February 2024
To: 'LGBTQ+ community'
From: North Yorkshire Police
Subject: After a request from Peter Tatchell, North Yorkshire police apologised 'for any historical discriminatory behaviour that any members of the LGBTQ+ community were subjected to by any member of the force.'
UK Journalists appeal to editors
1 March 2024
To: Editors
From: 70 journalists, writers and production staff
Subject: A letter asking editors to re-examine their policies on reporting sex and gender in stories.
Council of Europe decriminalise pimps
4th March 2024
To: Council of Europe
From: Nordic Model Now
Subject: The senders are 'dismayed' by the ‘Human Rights Comment’ entitled, ‘Protecting the human rights of sex workers’ as it argues for the 'full decriminalisation of prostitution, including of pimps and other third parties who profit from women’s prostitution'.
Restore the impartiality of the AHRC
8 March 2024
To: Australian Human Rights Commission
From: Australian Feminists for Human Rights
Subject: Restore the impartiality of the AHRC
Scottish Hate crime chilling effect
10th March 2024
To: Criminal justice committee
From: Murray Blackburn Mackenzie
Subject: Writing to 'raise concern about planned commencement of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 202)' and the risk of its 'chilling effect'
Open Letter Urging Immediate Disengagement from WPATH in Canada
23rd March 2024
To: Medical, mental health, education and political bodies
From: Our Duty Canada
Subject: In light of the WPATH files exposè, Our Duty urge regulatory bodies to 'recognise the discreditation of WPATH and act accordingly'.
Police creators of JK Rowling 'trans hating' parody must be stripped of any role enforcing hate crime law
26th March 2024
To: Jo Farrell, Chief Constable, Police Scotland
From: 200+ women 'high-profile political figures, academics and gender-critical campaigners'
Subject: Female signatories express “disgust” that a fictional character called “Jo”, alleged to be modelled on JK Rowling has been created by Police Scotland. They say the parody has left their confidence in the force at 'rock bottom' and urge that police officers involved must be stripped of any role in enforcing new hate crime laws.
Artists Against 'Anti-Trans' Legislation in Canada
31st March 2024
To: Communities and local and national policymakers
From: 400 artists living in or hailing from Canada including Alanis Morrisette and Neil Young
Subject: The letter is 'to draw attention to the concerning rise of anti-trans legislation in the country, including proposed bans on inclusive healthcare for trans youth and infringement on their freedom to use chosen names and pronouns at school.'
Parents Call on Medical Associations to reject WPATH
1st April 2024
To: Medical organisations in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, UK, USA
From: Good Wardens. Lead signatories include Parents of ROGD Kids, Our Duty
Subject: Following the WPATH Files, the letter calls for all medical organisations to reject the WPATH guidelines and adopt a more psychologically and developmentally informed approach to children’s care.
"Therapists Against Transphobia" demand reverse decision
5th April 2024
To: UKCP leadership
From: 'Therapists Against Conversion Therapy and Transphobia' & 1,539 signatures
Subject: The writers call upon UKCP’s board to reverse the decision to withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU2) on conversion therapy and call for a vote of no confidence in the UKCP board, and call for their removal from office by a removal election.
Remember the Green party’s core values
10th April 2024
To: Green Party England and Wales Leaders
From: Green Women's Declaration
Subject: In light of the Cass Review, the writers ask the leadership of The Green Party to "remember the party’s core Green values, protect our reputation, and return us as a party of reason and science".
Cass Review is unacceptable
13th April 2024
From: Feminist Gender Equality Network
Subject: The writers say the Cass Review "contains unsound methodology, unacceptable bias, and unsupported conclusions" and regards it as "potentially harmful to trans children".
Welsh Government urged to listen to Cass Review
15th April 2024
To: Vaughan Gething, First Minister of Wales
From: Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Alliance Cymru
Subject: The letter calls on Gething to ensure discussion of the unfolding medical scandal of harmful hormones and lifetime, irreversible harm, following publication of Cass Review.
Rishi Sunak must hold a Public Inquiry into Education capture
16th April 2024
To: UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak
From: Safe Schools Alliance
Subject: Following Cass Review, SSA call for Rishi Sunak to hold a public enquiry into regulatory capture in the education Sector & safeguarding failures in schools. A template letter is available on SSA's website for everyone to send to their own MP.
Open Letter to Sport Ireland
17th April
To: Dr Una May – Chief Executive of Sport Ireland
From: Transgender Equality Network Ireland and 14 ‘trans’ organisations
Subject: The writers share "their anxiety around the growing exclusionary narrative around trans people’s participation in sport", and particularly in regards to men and boys who say they're female
Irish academics say “young people in Ireland deserve better than the recommendations of the Cass Review “
18th April 2024
From: 136 Irish academics
Subject: In response to the Cass Review, the writers call for “an end to the current outdated gatekeeping model practiced in Ireland” to be implemented across services for young people and adults.
Call for public enquiry into gender identity capture
20th April 2024
To: Rishi Sunack, UK Prime Minister
From: More than 130 MPs, peers, doctors and psychiatrists
Subject: Following the Cass Review, the writers call for a public inquiry into transgender ideology in NHS and schools
Psychologists are ashamed of the role psychology played in GIDS
21st April 2024
From: 16 senior psychologists
Subject: Following the Cass Review, 16 senior psychologists reveal how their profession failed young people at Gender Identity Development Service clinics
Therapist support ridding institutions of gender ideology capture
22nd April 2024
To: Victoria Atkins, UK Health secretary
From: Thoughtful Therapists
Subject: Following the Cass Review, a therapist organisation supports Victoria Atkins's determination to 'rid our institutions of gender ideology'
Concern about Scottish Government's response to Adams v Edinburgh rape crisis centre judgment
28th May 2024
To: Cabinet Secretary Shirley Anne Somerville
From: Women's Rights Network Scotland
Subject: Expressing concern about the Scottish Government's response to the scathing Adams V ERCC judgement & asking for a meeting with grassroots women's groups concerned about violence against women
WRNScotland post Tribunal Tweets Adams v ERCC case page
End drag queen story hours immediately
31st May 2024
To: Lord Parkinson and Gloucestershire Library Service
From: approx 28K signatures
Subject: The letter urges Lord Parkinson to take immediate action to put an end to Drag Queen Story Hours in public libraries, museums, and schools.
Prof. Jo Phoenix responds to defamatory statement from Swansea University
6th June 2024
To: Prof. Boyle, VC of Swansea University
From: Prof. Jo Phoenix
Subject: Prof. Jo Phoenix responds to a statement made on behalf of Swansea University to all staff at Taliesin Arts Centre, which asserts that she, Akua Reindorf KC, Helen Joyce & Maya Forstater, will cause 'upset and distress' to the 'LGBT community' by their participation in an upcoming event discussing sex discrimination and the Equality Act.
UK Party leaders must support women’s rights & urgently tackle the sex industry
15th June 2024
To: main UK political parties
From: Nordic Model Now
Subject: The letter asks UK party leaders to prioritise women’s rights and to tackle the sex industry, ‘which is causing a catastrophic erosion in women’s status and well-being’.
No-fault suspensions of Green Party Members
26th June 2024
To: Green Party England and Wales
From: The Free Speech Union
Subject: Writing on behalf of Green Party members, Zoe Hatch and Jude English, who held elected office. They have been subjected to disciplinary procedures for their involvement with the Green Party Women group, and the positions they have openly taken on the issues of sex and gender. FSU is aware the problem extends beyond these 2 women and have concerns the Green Party may not be giving due regard to the importance of this fundamental democratic principle.
Hostility towards 'trans siblings'
27th June 2024
To: Scottish political parties
From: Ungagged
Subject: An "open Letter about the increasingly hostile political environment in Scotland towards our 19,000+ trans siblings". The signatories ask want mainstream parties who deem themselves as "progressive eg The SNP and Labour, to take action regarding those pouring oil onto a far right culture war"
New concerns about WPATH
28th June 2024
To: WHO (World Health Organisation)
From: CAN-SG (Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender)
Subject: "Letter to WHO expressing new concerns about influence of WPATH on transgender guideline development". The writers ask WHO to suspend their guideline that 'gender affirming care' is 'safe and effective'.