I found out this morning that Reclaim These Streets (RTS) were holding a protest about male violence against women in my hometown Portsmouth. Now, to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of RTS, they don’t appear to be woman-centered but the opportunity to take the FiLiA sign with, and hopefully let some women know we are bringing the conference here in October was too good to miss. One of our other volunteers was free, so we agreed to go down there. 

When we arrived, the square was marked out so we could socially distance and everyone was wearing masks. As they started, they announced that after the speakers, there would be chance for anyone else to come up if they wanted to say something. Brilliant I could speak to the whole crowd about FiLiA, I told the steward I would like to speak, and they said they would call me up at the right time.

There were some really powerful speeches, women telling their stories and incredibly talented use of the spoken word. I’m struck by how women have to disclose some really painful experiences in order for ’society’ to listen to and believe them.

Interspersed between speakers we were constantly reminded that this was an ‘inclusive’ event and that our ‘trans and non-binary’ sisters faced more violence than other women. I think the word ‘trans’ was probably used more times than the word woman. I also found it offensive when speakers said ‘all women, including Black, Asian, trans and non-binary’ – as if white woman was the norm and our Black and Asian sisters were a sub-category of women.  This was too much for a couple of RadFem sisters who took an Adult Human Female banner and unfurled it behind the speakers. What followed was horrendous, they were surrounded by men and women, trying to snatch the banner and force them off the concrete steps. They bravely hung on and after a couple of minutes left the steps after being physically manhandled by stewards and others from the crowd. It was appalling to watch women being attacked at a protest against male violence again women. While all this was happening, the crowd was chanting ‘Fuck off TERFS’ and ‘trans women are women’ like some Orwellian nightmare.

Shortly after this, I and my FiLiA sign was spotted by Portsmouth Councillor Clare Udy, who immediately accused FiLiA of being transphobic, evidently because we had a panel discussing the trans-gendering of children and that we retweet WPUK. I agreed we did both and that was not evidence of transphobia. She left to tell the organisers not to let me speak because I was transphobic.

A couple more speakers and the floor was opened, I stepped forward and was told that someone else was going first, no problem I stepped back and waited. I was approached by a steward who said she didn’t think I should speak because she had been told FiLiA was transphobic. I said I was telling her clearly that FiLiA is not, so she had to decide whether or not she wanted to silence a woman at an event about women speaking up about male violence. She asked me if I was going to speak about any Trans issues, I said no, as this was an event about male violence against women, that’s what I was going to speak about, and of course to invite people to the conference. She went to confer with other stewards then returned to say I would be allowed to speak, but if I were transphobic, she would ask me to leave. I agreed and a couple of mins later I climbed the steps to speak.

This is what I said – It is great to see so many here protesting male violence against women, I am representing FiLiA, a Women’s rights charity that will be holding the largest annual Women’s rights conference in Europe here in Portsmouth, in the Guildhall behind in October. If you are interested in feminism, we would love to see you there – you are all invited. By now Cllr Udy was moving through the crowd shouting ‘she’s a TERF’ inciting a predictable response from the crowd who were now shouting  ‘Fuck off TERF!’ and ‘Trans Rights are Human Rights’ at me. I carried on although aware that by now I couldn’t be heard. As a Survivor, as a Woman, as a Lesbian, and as an Activist against male violence against Women for over 30 years I have been silenced before, and there was no way this crowd was going to silence me now!

For the benefit of those that accused me of being a ‘transphobic speaker’ here is the rest of what I said – FiLiA has 3 main aims, Sisterhood and Solidarity, Amplifying the voices of women, especially those less often heard or purposefully silenced. It’s interesting to me that an event to protest against male violence against women you are all verbally attacking a woman trying to speak out about it. And Defending Women’s human rights.  We are based in the UK but work with sisters internationally to improve Women’s rights. Globally whether its FGM, Virginity testing, forced marriage, domestic abuse, stalking, rape and sexual violence, harassment on the street, as women sadly what we all have in common is male violence.

The only possible good that has come from the tragic murder of Sarah Everard is the recognition of the extent of male violence against women and the uprising against it. Stay angry, together we can eradicate male violence against women.

Not my greatest speech I’ll admit but certainly in no way transphobic. As I came down the steps (everyone still chanting) a woman said/shouted at me ‘Trans rights are Human rights!’ I said absolutely, tell me which ones they don’t have? She looked very confused! I found the FiLiA sister I came with and sat listening as the steward said ‘I don’t like to silence anyone, but I’m not tolerating that shit any more’ to raucous applause.  

I was sitting near to the Radfem sisters who had staged the protest, they were still getting abuse from the crowd, one of them was upset by the whole experience being called a Nazi and had a book of hers about biology thrown in the bin. They decided to leave.

 My FiLiA sister and I felt that nothing more could be achieved and so decided to head home.

25 or so years ago I was involved in designing, developing, and running the violence against women services in this city, now I’m prevented from speaking about them – progressive eh?