Latest news with #HelenJoyce
Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Periods aren't only for women, says Britain's biggest toiletries supplier
Periods are ' not inherently feminine ', according to Britain's biggest toiletry supplier. Bunzl, the major distribution company, said 'not all people who menstruate are women' in a campaign designed to stop the stigma of talking about periods. As a result, it has now been accused of denying biological reality and 'pandering to trans activists'. Bunzl's inclusive language guide was released to promote eco-friendly sanitary products by provider Grace and Green. It suggests common terms such as 'sanitary', 'hygiene' and 'feminine products' should be replaced with the term 'period products' to avoid offence. It also advises against only referring women or girls, because 'non-binary people, transgender men and intersex people may also menstruate', and suggests providing period products and disposal bins in gender-neutral locations and all public lavatories. 'Most of all, be respectful of everyone's different experiences of their period,' it adds. 'We can all empathise with the struggles that come with bleeding, even if they are different for each of us.' Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at the Sex Matters charity, called the language 'offensive' and accused the guide authors of 'erasing women and girls from the female-only experience of menstruation'. 'The only way that Grace and Green's products could truly be 'gender-neutral' is if its product designers had considered male anatomy when designing sanitary pads and tampons, which is clearly not the case,' she said. 'Coy phrases like 'feminine products' or 'feminine hygiene' may be a bit old-fashioned, but suppliers like Grace & Green and retailers like Boots and Aldi openly admit that their motivation to replace them with 'period products' isn't a desire to be more frank about women's biological reality – it's about denying that biological reality altogether. 'This type of nonsense is blatant pandering to trans activists, who demand that everyone else plays along with the farcical idea that men who imagine themselves to be female can have periods, and that women who imagine themselves to be male are 'men who menstruate'.' Supermarkets have changed policy A number of high street giants have changed their policy on the products in recent years. In 2022, Aldi followed Asda by replacing its 'feminine hygiene' signage with 'period products'. Richard Shuttleworth, Aldi's then diversity and inclusion director, said at the time: 'We are pleased to have renamed the category both in-store and online to better reflect how shoppers feel about period products.' Earlier the same year, Boots carried out the same rebrand. A spokesman for Grace and Green told The Telegraph they stand by the statement 'Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women'. They continued: 'This is a simple recognition of biological and lived realities. Some women don't menstruate – for example due to menopause, contraception, pregnancy or medical conditions – and some people who are not women, including trans men, non-binary, and intersex individuals, do. 'Denying this erases entire communities and contributes to the marginalisation of people who already face significant barriers to healthcare, dignity, and access to essential products. 'Acknowledging this diversity is not about erasing women – it's about expanding understanding.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Special guests to star at festival celebrating nature, music and arts
SPECIAL guests will take centre stage at a four-day festival celebrating community, art, nature and music from across the world. The Harmony Festival will take place at St Mary's Church on Edward Road in Dorchester from Wednesday June 11 to Saturday, June 14. Filled with energy and creative expression, nature will take centre stage quite literally with the church to be adorned in a plethora of colours depicting elements of art and music. The floral designers are previous Chelsea Flower Show medal winners, Jo Richards and Helen Joyce , principals of the Academy of Floristry in Bournemouth. Local artists will be displaying their works both inside and outside the church, giving visitors the chance to wander through the gallery of paintings and sculptures. Sculptures on display will include Robert Marshall's installation of a front door scorched and bombed during war in Ukraine. It was previously on display in Bridport. Landscape Artist of the Year Ben McGregor will be on hand on Friday for a live paint-out in the grounds. His painting will be auctioned for Weldmar Hospicecare. Guests will be able to enjoy musical performances from individual artists and choral groups. Tik Tok and YouTube star Matt Walters, aka Reductiomusic, is fitting in an organ recital at the festival on Saturday in whilst he is on his UK-wide Cathedral tour. Other concerts include the West Dorset Singers, Broadoak Choir, Dorchester Rock Choir and Encore Singers. Supporting the end of life charity Weldmar Hospicecare, the festival will also feature a selection from the baby herd of Stampede elephants created by local schools before they make their way to the Corn Exchange. On top of all this, an artisan pop-up market will join the final two days of the festival for those on the lookout for a gift. A spokesperson for the event said: 'Bring friends, family and an open heart, and be transported into a realm where creativity flourishes, harmony abounds and friendships blossom amidst the backdrop of one of Dorchester's beautiful landmarks. 'Mark your calendars and be part of this magnificent summer event – let the Harmony Festival awaken your spirit and reaffirm the connections that unite us all.' Full information on all events can be found at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Quakers accused of ‘destroying' reputation with trans-inclusive lavatories
Quakers have been accused of 'destroying' their reputation as pioneers on women's rights by refusing to provide separate toilets for females. Quakers in Britain said its toilets would remain 'trans inclusive' despite the ruling by the Supreme Court that the word 'sex' in the Equality Act refers to biological sex and not gender identity. It said it was not desirable to monitor who uses its facilities, adding: 'We cannot guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people.' Quakers have gained a reputation for their progressive attitude towards women, having allowed them to preach as early as the 17th century. But Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at Sex Matters, a women's rights group, said they appeared to have abandoned that legacy by adopting 'textbook trans activism'. 'Early Quakers were famously supportive of women's rights – they would surely be shocked and ashamed if they could see the destruction of that proud legacy,' she said. Last month's Supreme Court ruled that transgender women are not legally women, and clarified that the word 'sex' in the Equality Act means biological sex and not gender identity. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) then put out interim guidance to organisations, underlining that in places such as hospitals, shops and restaurants, 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities'. A growing number of public bodies have changed their guidance in light of the judgment. The Football Association has said trans women could be banned from women's sport. But other organisations, including the Houses of Parliament, are awaiting final guidance from the EHRC. The statement from Quakers in Britain dismissed the EHRC's interim guidance, which it said 'goes beyond the scope and actual statements' in the Supreme Court ruling. Paul Parker, the recording clerk, said: 'This is already contested and subject to legal challenge.' He said the faith group would 'welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in Quaker spaces', adding: 'We must respect the dignity of each person to live with integrity, informed by the truth of their lived experience'. Like Stonewall, Mr Parker said the Supreme Court judgement did not have 'the force of law'. 'Whilst the EHRC has recently issued guidance, this is currently only interim guidance. It is non-statutory and therefore does not have the force of law,' the document states. 'We see the Equality Act itself as our primary legal guide when making decisions. 'It is not possible or desirable to monitor who uses our facilities and therefore cannot guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people. We will not label something as a single-sex space if we cannot truthfully guarantee that it will be single-sex.' The minutes of the meeting read: 'The rights and inclusion of people belonging to our communities and using our buildings are not, and should not be, just about toilets. We will continue to work to make our corner of the commonwealth of heaven on Earth a more welcoming and accessible place. This is what love requires of us.' Quakers in Britain also pointed out that at its main building, French House in London, all public facilities were 'trans inclusive'. A spokesman said: 'Toilets labelled with a 'female' sign are intended for cis women, trans women, and non-binary and intersex people for whom this toilet is best aligned with their lived experience. 'Toilets labelled with a 'male' sign are intended for cis men, trans men, and non-binary and intersex people for whom this toilet is best aligned with their lived experience.' Ms Joyce said: 'British Quakers' announcement that it will continue to allow trans-identifying men to use female facilities is textbook trans activism. It is also in breach of the law. The organisation would be wise to consult legal expertise without delay. 'It is not 'inclusive' to seek a way around labelling toilets and changing rooms as male and female in order to avoid having to monitor whether people comply with common-sense rules that are there to protect everyone. It places the desires of those who seek to transgress boundaries over the needs of the most vulnerable. 'This is an upside-down vision of equality, integrity and truth. By defying the UK's highest court and removing protections for women and girls, Quakers are courting legal risk and demonstrating a lack of care and responsibility, in the pursuit of a fashionable dogma.' A spokesman for Quakers in Britain said: 'Our facilities are legally compliant. Quakers in Britain welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in all Quaker spaces. Our values of equality and integrity guide every decision we make. 'No trans, non-binary, or intersex Quaker, staff member, or service user will be asked to disclose or prove aspects of their identity in ways that are not asked of cisgender people. We do not seek to monitor who uses our facilities, nor do we believe it is possible or desirable to do so. 'We have self-contained facilities, which function as single sex spaces, available for all our building users. We are committed to taking robust and proactive steps to ensure that all our spaces remain safe, inclusive, and free from harassment or inappropriate behaviour.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Quakers accused of ‘destroying' reputation with trans-inclusive lavatories
Quakers have been accused of 'destroying' their reputation as pioneers on women's rights by refusing to provide separate toilets for females. Quakers in Britain said its toilets would remain 'trans inclusive' despite the ruling by the Supreme Court that the word 'sex' in the Equality Act refers to biological sex and not gender identity. It said it was not desirable to monitor who uses its facilities, adding: 'We cannot guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people.' Quakers have gained a reputation for their progressive attitude towards women, having allowed them to preach as early as the 17th century. But Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at Sex Matters, a women's rights group, said they appeared to have abandoned that legacy by adopting 'textbook trans activism'. 'Early Quakers were famously supportive of women's rights – they would surely be shocked and ashamed if they could see the destruction of that proud legacy,' she said. 'Contested and subject to legal challenge' Last month's Supreme Court ruled that transgender women are not legally women, and clarified that the word 'sex' in the Equality Act means biological sex and not gender identity. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) then put out interim guidance to organisations, underlining that in places such as hospitals, shops and restaurants, 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities'. A growing number of public bodies have changed their guidance in light of the judgment. The Football Association has said trans women could be banned from women's sport. But other organisations, including the Houses of Parliament, are awaiting final guidance from the EHRC. The statement from Quakers in Britain dismissed the EHRC's interim guidance, which it said 'goes beyond the scope and actual statements' in the Supreme Court ruling. Paul Parker, the recording clerk, said: 'This is already contested and subject to legal challenge.' He said the faith group would 'welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in Quaker spaces', adding: 'We must respect the dignity of each person to live with integrity, informed by the truth of their lived experience'. 'This is what love requires of us' Like Stonewall, Mr Parker said the Supreme Court judgement did not have 'the force of law'. 'Whilst the EHRC has recently issued guidance, this is currently only interim guidance. It is non-statutory and therefore does not have the force of law,' the document states. 'We see the Equality Act itself as our primary legal guide when making decisions. 'It is not possible or desirable to monitor who uses our facilities and therefore cannot guarantee any shared space as exclusive for one group of people. We will not label something as a single-sex space if we cannot truthfully guarantee that it will be single-sex.' The minutes of the meeting read: 'The rights and inclusion of people belonging to our communities and using our buildings are not, and should not be, just about toilets. We will continue to work to make our corner of the commonwealth of heaven on Earth a more welcoming and accessible place. This is what love requires of us.' Quakers in Britain also pointed out that at its main building, French House in London, all public facilities were 'trans inclusive'. A spokesman said: 'Toilets labelled with a 'female' sign are intended for cis women, trans women, and non-binary and intersex people for whom this toilet is best aligned with their lived experience. 'Toilets labelled with a 'male' sign are intended for cis men, trans men, and non-binary and intersex people for whom this toilet is best aligned with their lived experience.' 'Upside-down vision of equality' Ms Joyce said: 'British Quakers' announcement that it will continue to allow trans-identifying men to use female facilities is textbook trans activism. It is also in breach of the law. The organisation would be wise to consult legal expertise without delay. 'It is not 'inclusive' to seek a way around labelling toilets and changing rooms as male and female in order to avoid having to monitor whether people comply with common-sense rules that are there to protect everyone. It places the desires of those who seek to transgress boundaries over the needs of the most vulnerable. 'This is an upside-down vision of equality, integrity and truth. By defying the UK's highest court and removing protections for women and girls, Quakers are courting legal risk and demonstrating a lack of care and responsibility, in the pursuit of a fashionable dogma.' A spokesman for Quakers in Britain said: 'Our facilities are legally compliant. Quakers in Britain welcome and affirm trans and non-binary people in all Quaker spaces. Our values of equality and integrity guide every decision we make. 'No trans, non-binary, or intersex Quaker, staff member, or service user will be asked to disclose or prove aspects of their identity in ways that are not asked of cisgender people. We do not seek to monitor who uses our facilities, nor do we believe it is possible or desirable to do so. 'We have self-contained facilities, which function as single sex spaces, available for all our building users. We are committed to taking robust and proactive steps to ensure that all our spaces remain safe, inclusive, and free from harassment or inappropriate behaviour.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BBC Woman's Hour presenter Anita Rani accused of being 'biased and bigoted' by gender rights campaigner
BBC Woman's Hour presenter Anita Rani has been accused of being 'biased and bigoted' by a gender rights campaigner. Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters - a women's rights group - said her views were 'misrepresented' on the show by Rani. She made a formal complaint to the BBC, claiming the presenter should never have been allowed to present interviews with individuals on both sides of the transgender debate, because she had in the past shown 'extreme and unacceptable bias' on the issue, The Telegraph first reported. Woman's Hour had discussed the debate with figures on both sides after April's Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally women. The ruling also decided the word 'sex' in the Equality Act refers to biological sex and not gender identity, sparking mass debate across the world. Ms Joyce featured on Woman's Hour last week, before chief executive of Amnesty International UK, Sacha Deshmukh, appeared on the show two days later. In her complaint, Ms Joyce condemned the 'choice to use a demonstrably biased and bigoted presenter, Anita Rani, for that interview, thereby giving her and the interviewee the chance to misrepresent me'. She added that the presenter had 'previously publicly demonstrated bias and prejudice towards the gender-critical viewpoint'. 'In particular, she shouldn't have been allowed to interview Sacha Deshmukh because it was obvious she would give him an easy ride for ideological reasons,' she said. Gender rights campaigner Ms Joyce quoted a tweet Ms Rani had penned four years ago in the wake of criticism of Woman's Hour for featuring Paris Lees, a trans author, to discuss the book What It Feels Like For A Girl. Ms Rani posted: 'I'm disgusted by the levels of transphobia on here. Woman's Hour is a space to discuss everything about LGBTQ+ issues. 'Listening to people's stories helps us understand something and hopefully empathise. Ditch the hate.' In response, Ms Joyce claimed the tweet exposed Ms Rani's 'extreme and unacceptable bias'. Ms Joyce claimed the presenter misrepresented her point of view in a question to Mr Deshmuck, enabling him to make out she did not understand the Supreme Court ruling. 'Anita asked Sacha misleading questions which muddled up my explanation of the judgment,' she wrote. A spokesman for the BBC said: 'The BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit will respond to this complaint directly, in accordance with our usual complaints procedure. Woman's Hour has given an on air clarification, stating that when Helen Joyce from the campaign group Sex Matters was quoted in the interview with Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, her comment referred to the Equality Act and not to the issue of sex and gender in wider society or any other legislation. 'Both interviews were part of a series broadcast by Woman's Hour over the past two weeks, which reflect a wide range of perspectives on the Supreme Court ruling.'
