The Gender Recognition Reform Bill (GRR) was passed at Holyrood on December 22nd. It has been described as “contentious” by the media and “railroaded” by the Tories. The Tories have threatened to block this bill at Westminster. But there are also dangerous echoes of opposition from another tradition too. rs21 member Graham Checkley examines the facts,…
The moral panic around drag makes even less sense in the UK’s pantomime season
The following article by Alex/Rose Cocker was first posted by The Canary. It argues that the current moral panic around drag , whipped up to target trans people makes even less sense in the UK’s pantomime season. THE MORAL PANIC AROUND DRAG MAKES EVEN LESS SENSE IN THE UK’S PANTOMIME SEASON The moral panic around…
Holyrood dismantles UN special rapporteur’s arguments against gender recognition reform
The following article by Alex/Rose Cocker was first posted by The Canary. It shows the misrepresentation of the status of the UN special rapporteur, who has been used by those who opposed gender recognition reform, and then deals with the rapporteur’s arguments. HOLYROOD DISMANTLES UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR’S ARGUMENTS AGAINST GENDER RECOGNITION REFORM On 29 November,…
How anti-trans activists forced Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre into lockdown
The following article by Adam Ramsay of openDemocracy describes the vicious campaign mounted by transphobes in Scotland, directed against Mridul Wadhwa, the director of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. HOW ANTI-TRANS ACTIVISTS FORCED EDINBURGH RAPE CRISIS CENTRE INTO LOCKDOWN Edinburgh’s Rape Crisis Centre had always kept its front door open so survivors could walk in…
Labor Notes 2022 – which way forward for the movement?
The following article was first posted by Left Voice (US) in the run-up to the very well-attended Labor Notes conference held in Chicago in Chicago in June. Although specific to the situation of rising working class struggle in the USA, it makes many points which apply to the UK. with strong parallels between the role…
Remembering Stonewall
The following article by Keegan O’Brien on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 was first published by Tribune. REMEMBERING STONEWALL Fifty years ago patrons at the Stonewall Inn, a popular New York City gay bar, fought back against abusive police, and in doing so launched the modern lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movement. It’s undeniable that…
‘From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit’ update
EL&SD is posting a new conclusion to Allan Armstrong’s book From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit FROM AN EX-BRIT END TO THE BRITISH UNIION AND EMPIRE IN AN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ CAMPAIGN FOR A EUROPEAN REPUBLIC TO A ‘UNIVERSALISM FROM BELOW’ GLOBAL COMMUNE Despite the claims of liberal EU supporters, the EEC did not bring peace to…
Ireland’s reunification: prologue to democratic revolution
Allan Armstrong addresses some of the issues raised in Ireland’s Partition: Coda to counterrevolution by John McAnulty. Contents a) Introduction b) A Socialist history of Irish history but with some blind spots c) Unionism and British identities d) Building a coalition for Ireland’s reunification e) Under the guise of opposing Neo-Liberalism, a worrying accommodation to the…
Time, labour and the overcoming of domination: Reflections on Martin Hägglund’s ‘This Life, Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom’ – Peter Hudis
As part of our contribution to the wider discussion of what sort of society we are ai campaigning to replace capitalism, with its wage slavery and its other forms of exploitation and oppression, we are posting this review of Martin Hägglund’s This Life, Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom by Peter Hudis of the International Marxist Humanist…
A TERF-Far Right alliance has launched a new transphobic onslaught
The following article by Adrien Belarc was translated from French and posted by Left Voice (USA). It outlines the growing alliance between trans-exclusionary radical feminists and the Far Right and also the penetration of their ideas into more mainstream discourse. A TERF-FAR RIGHT ALLIANCE HAS LAUNCHED A NEW TRANSPHOBIC ONSLAUGHT For a few weeks now,…