Previous Meetings

01-02 March 2024, Scottish Conservatives Conference, Aberdeen

We had a stand at the conference and a fringe event on the future of women’s rights and the upcoming bill to ban conversion practices.


24 February 2024, Forth Valley Feminists Gaithering, Falkirk


28-29 October 2023, Battle of Ideas, London

FWS had a stall at the event and Marion Calder spoke on the panel “Scotland’s ‘Progressive Agenda’: A Warning?”.


13-15 October 2023, FiLiA, Glasgow

Susan Smith spoke on the panel “The Importance of Listening to Evidence and Women’s Voices” alongside Alison Weir for FWS Sport, Margaret McCartney, Johann Lamont, Mariam Ahmed from Amina and Lucy Hunter Blackburn from MurrayBlackburnMackenzie.

Search the #FiLiA2023 for many more posts and photos.

Helen Joyce and Maya Forstater from Sex Matters; Trina Budge, Susan Smith and Marion Calder from FWS; Julie Bindel; Annemarie Ward from FAVORUK; and Dr EM.

28-29 April 2023, Scottish Conservatives Conference, Glasgow

We had a stand at the conference with Keep Prisons Single Sex and spoke at a panel discussion hosted by Pam Gosal MSP and Russell Findlay MSP.


25 February 2023, Alba Women’s Conference, Edinburgh


09 February 2023, No Males in Female Jails Demonstration, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

See our page here for videos of the speeches, links to media coverage, and photographs.


04 February 2023, Forth Valley Feminists Women’s Festival

Susan Smith, For Women Scotland

21 December 2022, Say No To Self-ID Demonstration, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

See our page here for videos of the speeches, links to media coverage, and photographs.


05 November 2022, Battle of Ideas, Buxton


06 October 2022, Scottish Women’s Rally, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Speakers: Marion Calder, Elaine Miller, Johann Lamont, Rhona Hotchkiss, Lisa Mackenzie, Isolbelle Kerr, Alison Dowling, Rhona Hotchkiss standing in for Kate Coleman, Maya Forstater, Helen Joyce and Caroline McAllister.

See our page here for the text of some of the speeches, links to media coverage, and photographs.


01 April 2022, The Claimants, London

Marion Calder attended “The Claimants” on behalf of FWS to talk about our judicial review win against the Scottish Government. Others talking about their legal cases on sex-based rights include Maya Forstater, Raquel Rosario Sanchez, Nicola Williams and James Esses – further info on the cases is here.


18-19 March 2022, Scottish Conservatives Conference, Aberdeen

We had a stand at the conference and spoke at a panel discussion hosted by Murdo Fraser MSP, alongside Lucy Hunter Blackburn (MurrayBlackburnMackenzie), Malcolm Clark (LGB Alliance) and Sinead Watson (@ImWatson91).

Lucy’s speech was mentioned in the Scottish Express article “Nicola Sturgeon’s controversial gender self ID law blasted as example of ‘bad lawmaking'”.

Sinead’s speech was mentioned in the Times article “Lawsuits will blame NHS, warns woman who detransitioned”


08 March 2022, Witches’ Well, Edinburgh

On International Women’s Day, Scottish women lit candles to remember those who fell victim to the witchcraze which swept Scotland. We find it ironic that the First Minister today apologised to those who are safely dead, but said nothing about the ongoing campaigns against women, including women in her own party, who defend women and women’s rights today.

Somewhere in the region of 84% of the accused were women, victims of a patriarchal society in which women often had to turn on their sisters to survive. We must never forget that madness and violence are not yet behind us. Nor are superstition, cruelty and hate. As we remember the women who died here in Scotland, we also think of those who continue to face persecution at home and abroad. We urge women in parliament to stand up for the most vulnerable today and to commit to ensuring that women are never again made scapegoats to serve the imposition of ideology.

The Critic published Elaine Miller’s reflection on witches: “Women won’t wheesht”

Gatherings were also held at the Witches Well, Paisley and at the Gallus Quines street art to the witches in Aberdeen.


05 March 2022, Women’s Festival, Alloa

Marion Calder, For Women Scotland, spoke about GRA reform

See Forth Valley Feminist’s Youtube channel for videos of other speakers including Caroline McAllister, Elaine Miller, Alison Weir and Eva Comrie.


06 December 2021, Bowmar Community Centre, Alloa: The Implications of Self-ID in Scotland’s Schools and Prisons

Speakers: Rhona Hotchkiss (LGB Alliance), Maren Smith (For Women Scotland), Eva Comrie (Alba)

02 September 2021, Women’s Rights Demonstration, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Speakers: Marion Calder, Kate Coleman, Rhona Hotchkiss, Lisa Mackenzie, Caroline McAllister, Shereen Benjamin, Susan Dalgety, Lisa Keogh

See our page here for the text of some of the speeches, links to media coverage, and photographs.


20 July 2021, Demonstration, Glasgow Green

#WomenWontWheesht

02 August 2020, Speakers’ Corner, The Mound, Edinburgh

Guest speakers: Susan Smith, Venice Allan, Magi Gibson, Shereen Benjamin, Gillian Philip, Lucy Hunter Blackburn, Victoria Whitworth

07 March 2020, Demonstration, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Speakers: Lucy Hunter Blackburn, Fatina Liza, Susan Smith, Nicole Jones, Victoria Whitworth, Shereen Benjamin, Malcolm Clark, Marion Calder

Speeches:

Shereen Benjamin: pdf

Nicole Jones: pdf

Victoria Whitworth: pdf
Video clip on YouTube.

Lucy Hunter Blackburn: pdf

Video clips of Rhona Hotchkiss here, here, here and here.

Photographs: Our thanks and all credit to Jamie Hunter for the photographs:

And a fab photo from Twitter!

29 February 2020, Central Library, Edinburgh, 1pm – 3pm.
28 February 2020, New venue announced on the day: Mercure Hotel (Glasgow Women’s Library cancelled our booking), 3pm – 5pm.
Two women-only meetings to discuss the impact of the proposed reform of the Gender Recognition Act on women, and to provide support in responding to the government’s consultation:


16 January 2020, Radisson Blu Hotel, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Maureen O’Hara, Women’s Human Rights Campaign
Nicola Williams, Fair Play for Women

A transcript of Nicola William’s speech is available here.

Rhona Hotchkiss

05 June 2019, University of Edinburgh, Moray House School of Education:
Women’s Sex-Based Rights: What does (and should) the future hold?

A brilliant panel of feminist scholars and activists addressed a packed meeting at the University of Edinburgh. The audience, which included activists, policy-makers, students, academics, MSPs, were privileged to hear from:

  • Julie Bindel
  • Professor Rosa Freedman
  • Claire Heuchan
  • Lucy Hunter Blackburn
  • Dr Louise Moody
  • Professor Sarah Pedersen

You can watch the video of the event here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHn1Bj5It8

You can also read some of the texts of the speeches:


24 May 2019, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow: Lessons from Canada

Our live tweets from our @ForwomenScot Twitter account give a comprehensive account of the meeting – they’ve been compiled here.

Bec Wonders
Meghan Murphy
Trina Budge, Susan Smith, Bec Wonders, Meghan Murphy and Marion Calder.
Photo credit: Jamie Hunter

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31 January 2019, Apex Hotel, Edinburgh

Rosa Freedman
Maggie Mellon
Susan Smith

The written notes from our guest speakers are available here:

Speakers: Rosa Freedman, Maggie Mellon, Susan Smith and Chair: Marion Calder.
Photo credit: Bryndis Blackadder
Susan Smith and Marion Calder. Photo credit: Bryndis Blackadder