UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem responds to a response [pdf]:

On 18th of May 2023, the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) published
a statement on its website entitled “There is no place for anti-trans agendas in the UN”, which
as of today, was signed by 844 organizations and individuals. I was informed by the two
executive directors of AWID, Inna Michaeli and Faye Macheke Co-Executive Directors a week
later (the 24th of May 2023) that the letter had been published. A day later, I acknowledged
receipt and informed AWID that I would be responding to the letter at an appropriate time
and space. I am choosing to do so today.

In the letter, AWID and its co-signatories stated that I had “weaponized “protection of
women’s rights” to advocate for positions that misrepresent and regress from international
norms and standards.

I will not dwell on these false and dangerous allegations, as I have done so elsewhere in great
detail, including in response to a similar letter from Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), which can
be found here. The letter by AWID did however contain one novelty, which I found very
concerning, namely its allegation that I reportedly continue to “perpetuate narratives
upholding outdated and non-scientific understandings of binary biological sex.” There is
nothing outdated or unscientific about the binary nature of sex, and I would encourage
signatories of this letter to seek out biologists for a conversation around this issue.

When men start having babies then they can tell us how outdated and non-scientific our understanding of biological sex is.

The content and symbolism of this letter evoked strong reactions from amongst different
feminist and women organizers, who recognized the gravity of its aim which was to castigate
me as a rapporteur and present me as someone who was anti-trans; who damaged the
integrity of her mandate and who reportedly acted in violation of established human rights
protections and principles. In doing so, the letter also has the intention of punishing and
silencing me, a fate that many women, girls, and their allies across the world continue to
experience when they speak on the issues of sex, gender, and gender identity.

Across the world every day.

What is also gravely concerning to me is that some organizations are trying to undermine the
long-standing and continued record of support that I have had for the right of all women and
girls to be free from violence, as expressed also in my most recent report and statements
since my engagement on Scotland’s self-ID bill. In doing so, they have also tried to deprive
women and girls that are victims of violence of the voice and support of the mandate, as it
carries out vital work in so many different thematic areas that are relevant to the mandate in
order to advance the protection and response agenda.

Actions such as these constitute a conscious attempt to undermine my work as an
independent mandate holder, and to undermine my credibility and reputation. These, in my
view, constitute undue interference in my work as a rapporteur.

I was and continue to be gravely concerned at the way in which organizations that claim to
be human rights centered and feminist, and from which a number are accredited with the
human rights council, still continue to position themselves as the custodians of the feminist
movement, villainizing those who do not agree with their views, and attempt to ban
discussions on issues that many women and girls, in all their diversity, as well as their societies
clearly care about.

All for the sake of men who pretend to be women. (Women who pretend to be men are not excluded, but we all know they don’t do a fraction of the shouting and bullying and punishing that the men do.)

Read the whole thing.