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irishwol.bsky.social
Sam
@irishwol.bsky.social
2.7K followers 380 following 3.6K posts
Escaped from the rubble of Twitter. Feminist, recovering medievalist, LGBT+activist, loves her family, animals and art. She/her
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Reposted by Sam
mimmymum.bsky.social
Remember when Helen Joyce was called out as "not an expert" by Australian courts - Now Maya Forstater has been told the same in the Peggie judgment! 👏👏👏

The judgement states outright that the evidence submitted by her & Sex Matters was “not skilled evidence.”

This is the Tribunal’s exact wording!
Highlighted paragraph: Evidence from Ms Forstater and Mx Valentine 1038. We turn to address the evidence from Ms Forstater and Mx Valentine, which the parties had described as “research evidence”. That is not, so far as we are aware, a term of law. Nothing was cited to support the use of that term. It is not skilled evidence as explained below, and the parties did not suggest that either witness was skilled or expert in that sense. It was not necessarily inadmissible, given the terms of Rule 41, and until read and considered the extent to which it might be relevant could not be assessed, but the weight to attach to it was a different consideration Highlighted sections: 1040. In many respects the evidence in the statements was more in the nature of material for the public debate on wider issues as to what the law should be, and on occasion it appeared to us to be polemic, rather than evidence relevant to the issues at an Employment Tribunal. 1041. Opinion evidence was addressed in Walker and Walker on Evidence, Fifth Edition (“Walker”), which explained the distinction between evidence of fact, and of belief or opinion. Opinion evidence may be led from what Walker describes as an ordinary witness (the classification of witnesses is between ordinary and skilled), and examples of that are given. Ms Forstater 1042. The statement from Ms Forstater was not presented as impartial evidence, but specifically as one given in support of the claimant. It had at paragraph 10 an argument as to facts, of which Ms Forstater said that she was certain. They are however we consider not facts, but expressions of her opinion. The assertion at 10 (b) for example was “Sex is in general readily perceptible and is salient to other people.” That we consider cannot be other than her opinion, for which no support from any document in the Supplementary Bundle appeared to be referred to in her written witness statement. It was contradicted by other evidence, and the terms of a Note issued by EJ Tinnion on 5 January 2025 in relation to the second respondent. It did not appear to be an assertion related to the second respondent in particular, but as a more general proposition. 1043. The assertion at (d) had a further series of propositions which were opinions although presented as facts. If the 1992 Regulations, then as discussed they are not within this Tribunal’s jurisdiction, and the comment appears to be an argument over the policy of the law, or how the law should be interpreted, neither of which are relevant evidence before us. 1044. The sub-paragraphs include, by way of example, (ii) “women are in general more fearful of men than men … Highlighted sections: That is again an expression of opinion without cross reference to any document in the Supplementary Bundle. Sub-paragraph (v) was “unless rules about single-sex spaces are clearly stated and enforced it leaves women open to risk of sexual harassment and assault, and makes these spaces feel unsafe.” That again is an expression of opinion. The witness statement purports to expand on the comments at paragraph 10 stating that the facts stated are true. In our view they are not reliable as evidence from a person not a skilled witness on the propositions that are advanced. 1045. Where there was reference to documentation it is in our view both partial and incomplete. Part of it is based on research undertaken by Sex Matters, an organisation of which she is the Chief Executive Officer. It is a campaigning organisation, as set out in paragraph 4. There is an obvious risk that that research is impacted by the nature of it, which is not suggested to be an independent academic study .... In our view it would not be dealing with a case fairly or justly to rely on expressions of opinion from a person campaigning on one side of the argument on such an issue. We did not consider that the case of Connor on which the claimant founded, cited above and which indicated that in some situations evidence which was not expert in nature could be sufficient, was applicable to such a matter. 1047. Our review of the literature referred to by Ms Forstater reveals that the broad generalisations she seeks to take from it are not sufficiently supported by the document or document founded on, both from the terms of the document and the other documents in relation to the same broad issue, to be treated as reliable evidence.
December 9, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Sam
doctorzen.net
This picture has been making the rounds again, and is being misidentified again.

This is a GOOSEFISH.

This is NOT a tasselled wobbegong shark.

It’s a great pic. I get why people are very excited about it. But it’s as easy to give it the right name as the wrong one.

fullfact.org/online/tasse...
GOOSEFISH
December 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Sam
whittledaway.bsky.social
Excellent article from @elainemcgoff.bsky.social on the many, many failures that have led us to where we are.

Nobody asked the people of this country if we were willing to sacrifice our waterways so the dairy industry could wallow in profits

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Most Irish people want clean water, not a nitrates derogation
Has the Government ever asked the people of Ireland if they agree with pulling on the green jersey to convince Europe to give us another derogation?
www.irishexaminer.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Sam
sloanelysbeth.bsky.social
if you wanna know how untrustworthy our press is just look at the way they're claiming that transphobic nurse won her case when she lost on all counts but won a minor technicality on one issue.

it's not even spin. it's just straight up lying about what actually happened.
December 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Reposted by Sam
naomiohreally.bsky.social
The government presents its demand for a new nitrates derogation (pollution permit) in Brussels as a demand of the Irish public.
This counterpoint argues that it is actually being demanded by a subsection of the agriculture industry, and is in conflict with a genuine public interest: clean water
antaisce.bsky.social An Taisce @antaisce.bsky.social · 1h
"Our waters are crying out for a break from the pollution, Irish people are calling for clean water, but our voices are being drowned out in a world of political wrangling and vested interest. And the thing is, you can’t drink politics"

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

#nitratesderogation
December 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Reposted by Sam
saoirsemc.bsky.social
There's a bill to ban hunting foxes with packs of dogs coming before the dail on Dec 17th.
Fuck 'rural pursuits' sign and share and contact your FF, FG, and SF TDs and tell them to support the ban my.uplift.ie/petitions/pe...
Petition to Ban Fox Hunting in Ireland
Can you support this campaign to bring in legislation banning the hunting of foxes using packs of dogs and horses?
my.uplift.ie
November 17, 2025 at 10:35 AM
irishwol.bsky.social
When you see this, post your Christmas season energy level
December 8, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Sam
transsomething.bsky.social
Interesting aside - Morrisons employed a transphobic consultant to give some training several years ago, praised her work giving her one of the only reviews on her website, never apologised or explained themselves and I haven't set foot in their shops since
adambienkov.bsky.social Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 16h
Nothing says getting into the festive spirit like going online to shout at some biscuits
December 8, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by Sam
goodlawproject.org
Oooft. Sandie Peggie shared highly offensive messages and was then "untruthful" in giving evidence to the Tribunal.

This is the 'hero' Gender Critical campaigners have chosen.
631. The third aspect was her evidence given when recalled in relation to a message she had passed on to her group of friends which related to floods in Pakistan in the most highly offensive terms. She initially described the messages as “dark humour”. Her evidence later was that the message had been sent to provoke a reaction, in broad summary. We did not consider that latter evidence to be credible given the content of the message sent and her initial evidence about it. In our view it was an untruthful attempt to downplay what she had done, which she recognised as having included very offensive material. We consider that it was clear beyond serious argument that the author or authors of the original message considered the remarks humorous, and that the claimant had also considered them humorous which was why she had passed them on. That was supported in our view by her reference to dark humour
December 8, 2025 at 2:34 PM
irishwol.bsky.social
Oh fuck YEAH!!! I really didn't believe this was going to go the right way.
December 8, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Sam
cemurphy.bsky.social
New book! Yay book! :D
cemurphy.bsky.social CE (Catie) Murphy @cemurphy.bsky.social · 2d
HEY! HEY #BOOKSKY!

Today is NEW BOOK DAY! :D

My next Virtue Shifters #paranormalromance, OWL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, is now available!

WHOO-OO says you can't go home? Romcom star Kayla finds herself in a meet-cute when she returns to Virtue to film her next movie! 🥰

www.amazon.com/dp/B0FWCXL6Y...
The very cute cover to Murphy Lawless's OWL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS features a golden owl in silhouette against a dark green background. Christmas trees, mittens, and other holiday accoutrements surround the title. There's a silhouetted image of a small town with a big gazebo to one side, and the series title, Virtue Shifters, is featured above the gazebo. Cover art and design by Indigo Chick Designs.
December 8, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Reposted by Sam
alsvid.bsky.social
This family needs your support
aaaaaah92.bsky.social AHMAD IN 🇵🇸 @aaaaaah92.bsky.social · 1d
My jaundice has worsened due to malnutrition, and I desperately need any donation to buy my medication and healthy food. Everything here is so expensive...💔😞

Please donate towards my and my mother's treatment.⬇️🫂
chuffed.org/project/157281
December 8, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Reposted by Sam
faduda.bsky.social
I'm sure these stories are unrelated

The HSE did not offer an enhanced influenza vaccine .. this season as it was not deemed cost-effective.
www.rte.ie/news/health/...

Surge of demand for flu-related hospitalisation highlights beds crisis in public hospital system
www.imo.ie/news-media/n...
HSE did not offer enhanced flu vaccine for over 65s
The HSE did not offer an enhanced influenza vaccine for people aged 65 years and older this season as it was not deemed cost-effective.
www.rte.ie
December 8, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Reposted by Sam
gogdog.bsky.social
Good on Penn Jillette. Having to come to terms with your entire political identity and philosophy being wrong is not easy and most people could never do it.
December 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Sam
sandraduffy.bsky.social
I wrote on this:

dflw.ie/trans-rights...
What is essential for Ireland, therefore, is to continue the fight for the rights and liberation of trans people, and not to bow to the post-imperial logics of our neighbours over the water. The Labour Party motion on trans healthcare was not opposed by the government, and the Minister for Health giving strident backing to its motivation is a good step in the right direction. However, the material conditions of life for trans people, including healthcare, need to be upheld on an equal basis with the cisgender population, if they are to have truly equal rights. Transphobia may be “nonsense,” but it is a nonsense which manifests itself in reality and which has had deadly consequences. It is incumbent on the Irish government and the Irish public to fulfil the promise of the nation and to continue to fight any transphobic and neocolonial encroachment on Irish shores.
December 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Reposted by Sam
robinmoirawhite.bsky.social
Great Britain, banana republic.
December 8, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Sam
carolinepennock.bsky.social
If you think it's important to exclude trans girls - trans CHILDREN - from the Girl Guides, ask yourself... why is it not a problem in all these other countries? And why is it still okay to have cis adult male volunteers in the UK? What is it you're actually trying to achieve?
robinmoirawhite.bsky.social Robin Moira White @robinmoirawhite.bsky.social · 1d
Great Britain, banana republic.
December 8, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Reposted by Sam
jessothomson.co.uk
The proposals to limit Article 3 are absolutely terrifying. I struggle to think of something that has come out of any UK government which has concerned me more. This must be resisted absolutely.
theguardian.com The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d
Rights groups warn against UK plans to weaken torture protections in ECHR
Rights groups warn against UK plans to weaken torture protections in ECHR
Exclusive: Ministers face pushback over potential changes to asylum seekers’ rights before Council of Europe meeting Human rights groups have warned UK ministers against weakening protections against torture or other mistreatment for asylum seekers before a crucial European summit this week on how to respond to migration. David Lammy, the justice secretary, is expected to help lead arguments at the Council of Europe meeting on Wednesday on how the European convention on human rights (ECHR) could be reinterpreted to limit the scope of rights under article 3, which prohibits torture and “inhuman or degrading treatment”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Sam
goodlawproject.org
The Times yesterday, on how trans kids, denied the healthcare they need, are buying black market hormones.

Of course, this is *exactly* what everyone said would happen. And its risks are dramatically amplified by Streeting telling GPs they must stop offering blood tests.
“He didn’t have the money, so they paid for him to get some black market oestrogen,” Fiona said. “He got it sent to a friend who passed it on at school. And he managed to get shots and syringes from an STD clinic.” Experts are increasingly concerned that an illicit trade in black market cross-sex hormones is thriving as the NHS clamps down on prescriptions of the drugs for fear of long-term side effects.
December 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Sam
lyra-scotland.bsky.social
1/2 I've been shouting about this and I'm glad someone else is saying it. The reason we see bad outcomes from puberty blockers is the NHS forcing Drs to misuse them. 2 years or less with supplements where required is safe. Then go on to desired puberty. The issue is what is treated as regret.
December 8, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Reposted by Sam
fiercemum.bsky.social
Somehow no-one cares about bone health for this group hey?

Bone health only matters when you are exaggerating the bone health risk of short-term puberty suppression when justifying healthcare criminalisation.
December 8, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Reposted by Sam
edzitron.com
This is the most excited I’ve been to do this work. Tomorrow I put out a massive 14k word piece on NVIDIA - a free one! That will lay this all out.
December 7, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Sam
edzitron.com
Two weeks ago I said that there were likely millions of uninstalled Blackwell GPUs sitting in warehouses as there is neither the data center capacity nor the power to turn them on. Michael Burry is looking into it and it looks like he’s got evidence I’m right.

www.wheresyoured.at/the-haters-g...
Cassandra Unchained & @michaeljburry X.com Calling for pics and proof of Nvidia GPUs being warehoused in mass quantities In the US but also overseas. Some have reached out to me already. And it is getting interesting. But I need more. Kakashii @kakashiii111• 8h To give a little more context ahead of my post next week, here is some rough simple math: Let's assume everything Jensen says is true (including reading thousands of emails a day): Jensen said 6 million Blackwell GPUs have shipped. Since Blackwell is out, Nvidia reported 111B x.com/kakashiii111/s... Show more w Generation In-Service (New Build and Expansi ally Strong Demand for e Blackwell NVL72 en by Two Exponentials more than half a trillion dollars in Blackwell and Rubin revenue ough CY2026 (so far) 5X Hopper's lifetime revenue $0.5T+ 20M GPUs Shipped 6M GPUS August 2025 January - August 2025 Cumulative of ts Installed Capacity (MW) No. of Installed Units Capacity (MW) 0 3 -40 888 61 3,095 0 0 3 20 0 1 4 474 27 3,775 0 1 3
December 7, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Reposted by Sam
kirstimiller30.bsky.social
Since the IOC has created a rule for trans athletes to compete in 2003, over 81,000 people have become Olympians. Out of those 81,000 Olympians a total of 2 have been trans women & one came dead last the other came 37th out of 42.

youtu.be/B8CzqxhZk7I?...
The Transgender female athletes advantage is a myth.
YouTube video by Kirsti Miller30
youtu.be
December 7, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Sam
newhumanist.bsky.social
Finland has emerged as a global leader in countering “fake news”. Here's how they've done it
Teaching when to trust
As fake news accelerates, we need to teach our children how to think critically. Finnish schools are leading the charge
newhumanist.org.uk
December 7, 2025 at 9:45 AM