The thread about a woman being evicted from the Scottish parliament for wearing suffragette colours has run out of posts, so this one is for people to carry on the discussion where we left off.
The old thread is here:
www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1317872-Scarf-in-Suffragette-colours-not-allowed-in-Scottish-Parliament?pg=1&x=11&y=14
I would like to clear up an issue that is often broached by Glorianny. That of 'masculine-looking' women being asked to prove their femaleness if self-id isn't enshrined in law. I have never seen this happen, and wonder how likely a scenario it is. I have asked on the old thread in what sort of scenarios this might be likely to happen, but it was right at the end of the thread, and I've asked a number of questions so it may have been missed.
So, to kick off this one, has anyone ever seen a woman questioned about her femaleness, and if so, under what circumstances? Who was questioning her? Is it a likely enough scenario to make it a good reason to allow all men into female spaces on the grounds that if there is no such thing as a female space then unfeminine women can't be victimised? That seems a bit of a stretch to me, but it would, as I am in favour of preserving safe spaces for women, so I am interested to hear what others think.
The point I made on the last thread was that if this is a widespread occurrence, then whereas it goes without saying that everyone should be able to wear what they like when they like, 'masculine-looking' woman could choose not to wear obviously 'masculine-looking clothing', as even a nod to being female might help to avoid the situation. I don't know, as I can't envisage where, when and how this might happen. I'm not victim-blaming - if this is happening then it needs to be stopped - but I wondered what the general consensus was.
Anyway, that's a start. If anyone else wants to continue the old thread, or to return to questions that were left unanswered when it ran out, here's your chance .