- Conference
- 2010 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2009
- Decision
- Carried
On Tuesday 14 July, the date on which BNP members Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons formally took their seats in the European Parliament, the Hope not Hate petition was delivered to the parliament and 90,000 people said “not in my name”.
Fortunately, Griffin failed in his remarkable application for a seat on the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. Previously, commenting on the BNP decision to put forward female candidates for election, he said that “in many cases – almost certainly the majority, for that would simply reflect the realities of inborn human nature – that (they) would be well educated and already successful white males.”
The BNP’s attitudes to black workers, migrant workers and asylum seekers are well known. Less well known is their attitude towards women.
The BNP believes that hard-won rights for women in rape (including victim anonymity) and divorce cases, and the right to choose, discriminate against men.
BNP activists have said that :
1)Rape is simply sex. Women enjoy sex, so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal.
2)Women should be hit regularly “like a gong”.
3)“modern” women are “self loathing”, “sexless” and “androgynous” monstrosities.
4)Equal rights between men and women are “feminist poison”
Conference applauds the work of the NEC and the National Self Organised Groups (SOGs) in developing strategies to educate members, and to challenge and oppose the BNP.
It calls upon the National Women’s Committee to:
a)Work with the NEC to deliver UNISON’s strategy on campaigning against the far right;
b)Work with Regional Women’s Committees to produce and disseminate information on the BNP’s attitudes towards women, and to encourage women to campaign against the BNP from a feminist perspective;
c)Continue to promote positive females images to counter the BNP’s outdated and sexist view of the role of women in society.