Chris(tyn) Parkes
@parkesland.bsky.social
1.4K followers 470 following 2.5K posts
Senior Lecturer in history. Views my own. Historian of US politics and sexuality, especially Sumner Welles. Canadian. Non-binary (they/them). Fabulous.
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parkesland.bsky.social
What a collection to have at your fingertips!
lselibrary.bsky.social
New online: The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) collection is now available on LSE Digital Library! We’ve digitised and published the GLF Diaries and the GLF newspaper Come Together. Further series from the archives will be added as digitisation continues.
1/2
digital.library.lse.ac.uk/collections/...
Cover image of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) Diary, December 21-30, 1972. A purple and green poster-style image featuring text and a leafy plant design.
parkesland.bsky.social
The letter on trans rights is excellent. I encourage you to read it. With a remarkable economy of language, it pins down and dismantles the transphobic arguments around rights that became common coin in the UK over the past 10 years.

Labour would do well to heed this. But we all know they won't.
commissionerhr.coe.int
Read my two letters to the #UK:
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...
United Kingdom: Commissioner addresses human rights issues in policing of protests and the situation of trans people - Commissioner for Human Rights - www.coe.int
Strasbourg 14/10/2025
www.coe.int
parkesland.bsky.social
For anyone tempted to read this, lest there be some scrap of truth in it, don't bother. Roberts' points are:

- 105K people is only a tiny fraction of the UK population
- They're all probably 'elites'

Then he wanders off for 300 words. It's amazing this is treated as meaningful commentary.
zackpolanski.bsky.social
Many on the right will try and belittle and undermine what’s happening.

But here’s the truth. Tens of thousands are joining Greens. Polls are at record highs. People are just starting to feel hope again.

join.greenparty.org.uk
The truth about the green party's booming membership
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
lizsaila.bsky.social
Re-boosting this. The Google Doc gathers all of the ways U.S. legislators refer to assigned gender at birth & traces their usage - so far from 2009 through 2022, with fill-in work being done in the 2019-2022 era before moving forward.

Yet another side project of mine.
lizsaila.bsky.social
Your periodic reminder that "biological sex" is a propaganda term spread by anti-trans groups, largely pushed by Christian Nationalists orgs like Alliance Defending Freedom; Family Resource Council & Family Policy Alliance; and the Heritage Foundation.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Sex and Gender Definitions in Legislation
docs.google.com
parkesland.bsky.social
I think they're reluctant to do that because it would be portrayed as a win to the GLP, which they know the transphobes will go apoplectic about.

To the earlier point, there's no thoughtful consideration being done about this at the EHRC. It's all about maximizing transphobia.
parkesland.bsky.social
We're at the limit of my legal knowledge, too. It would be nice if that was the case!
parkesland.bsky.social
The EHRC guidance will basically be written by Sex Matters, I think we can be sure of that.
parkesland.bsky.social
Perhaps. I tend to assume the government is dismissive of the GLP's efforts. Not because GLP isn't doing excellent work, but because they just refuse to acknowlege the legitimacy of any challenge of that type.

Worth noting the GLP review is for the interim guidance, not the full update, too.
parkesland.bsky.social
That workaround, to be clear, would probably also get defeated in court (though you never know with how stitched up things are right now), but it would let her pretend to move on. Typical Starmer Labour can-kicking, actually.
parkesland.bsky.social
That's one interpretation. She could be delaying to maximize her (low) chances of winning the Deputy Leader race. She also might want to move forward with what the EHRC gave her but was told bluntly 'this will be defeated in court' so she's asked the lawyers to come up with a workaround to save face
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
helresa.bsky.social
I've just done this, please send a letter to your MP. They are our voice in the government and they need to know the anger we feel over this and how it will affect us.
transactualuk.bsky.social
🚨This is an emergency🚨

This Government is currently sitting on an EHRC Code of Practice that will lead to the segregation and exclusion of trans people in public life.

Use our tool to email your MP: tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban

@transsolidarity.bsky.social
#ScrapTheBathroomBan
Image of a flashing red siren. Text reads: Scrap the Bathroom Ban This is an emergency. Tell your MP to say no to segregation. Write to your MP: tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
networkgender.bsky.social
Due to a small issue we've had to re upload our keynote videos from the FGEN Conference held at Bush House on the 21st June. Now available on our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@feministgenderequalitynetwork
Trans Liberation Now!
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
transactualuk.bsky.social
🚨This is an emergency🚨

This Government is currently sitting on an EHRC Code of Practice that will lead to the segregation and exclusion of trans people in public life.

Use our tool to email your MP: tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban

@transsolidarity.bsky.social
#ScrapTheBathroomBan
Image of a flashing red siren. Text reads: Scrap the Bathroom Ban This is an emergency. Tell your MP to say no to segregation. Write to your MP: tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
genderedintelligence.co.uk
Are you non-binary? If so, we’ve got an opportunity for you.

We’re collaborating on a 3-year project exploring non-binary people’s expectations and experience of family life in the UK.

Find out more and join here: https://tinyurl.com/FamilyBeyondBinary
Join the “Family Beyond the Binary” Community Advisory Board 

We’re seeking non-binary individuals to ensure our research project, exploring non-binary families, is community-led. 

Apply by 31 Oct.
parkesland.bsky.social
Union outreach ought to be a Green strategic priority. It's pushing a open door for some unions, but there will be a lot of inertia and caution in others. There's only so much Labour can do to cajole and intimidate allegiance, though, once the membership becomes seeded with Green activists.
parkesland.bsky.social
The words 'frit and lazy' come to mind.
parkesland.bsky.social
It goes deeper. Because Labour has stifled dissent and stitched up selections, unions are one of the few places where the people hurt by Labour policies - trans people, immigrants, etc. - are actually finding mechanisms to achieve and wield power. The unions stand up for us when Labour won't.
parkesland.bsky.social
It might be improbable, but the Greens have no less realistic a possibility of forming a majority government than Reform do. Going from 5 to 325 seats is absolutely doable if the main parties collapse and the votes go the right way.
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
jennay.bsky.social
Interesting how Ministers think minorities with a protected characteristic should be protected & from what.
It’s unacceptable that Jewish students feel they need to conceal their identity on campus.
Yet this doesn’t apply to Trans students & Gender Critical people who attack their right to exist 🤔
Phillipson: Universities must tackle antisemitism
 Bridget Phillipson says it's unacceptable that Jewish students feel they need to conceal their identity on campus
parkesland.bsky.social
The cutest femboy in all the land.
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
Reposted by Chris(tyn) Parkes
bschillace.brandyschillace.com
Reinstate Jessie. Also, I am coming to the UK this week to talk about my book, which shares the history of trans people and also the way they were targeted by Nazis (something #JK denies.) If Rowling wants to pick on someone, I’m here for it and I’ll be in London… I have the receipts and I am ready.
BRANDY SCHILLACE
THE INTERMEDIARIES
UK BOOK TOUR
All event are listed in local time.
OCT. 16 - 6:30pm
LONDON, ENGLAND WATERSTONES - GOWER ST in conversation with C.N. Lester
OCT. 21 - 5:00pm
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
OCT. 22 - 7:00pm
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS
OC. 23 - 7:00pm
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND WATERSTONES - ARGYLE ST
OCT. 20 - 6:30pm
LONDON, ENGLAND KING'S COLLEGE LONDON
OCT. 21 - 7:00pm
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND QUEER LIT
OCT. 23 - 2:00pm
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE