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Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) vs. transgender people

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Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) is an anti-transgender organization that is part of the sex segregationist movement.

Background

The anti-trans organization caWsbar began their online presence with a press release by pseudonymous founding member “Karen Finlay” in December 2019. While their website contains many stock photos of non-white people, the organization’s members are almost exclusively white.

It is part of a network that focuses on several sex segregationist aims, including opposition of transgender athletes and accommodations for transgender prisoners.

Anti-trans activism

On April 22, 2021, several signatories on a letter from a coalition called Global Activists Against Violations by Pornhub also identified themselves as affiliated with caWsbar.

On March 8, 2024, caWsbar’s event Reality Based Women Unite was held in Toronto. The event was significantly funded by right-wing civil liberties group The Democracy Fund and featured Trish Oliver, Amy Hamm, April Hutchinson, Eva Kurilova, Raine McLeod, Heather Mason, Meghan Murphy, and Linda Blade.

On March 8, 2025 caWsbar’s event Reality Based Women Unite was held in Calgary. The event featured Liza Vespi, Maureen Sullivan, Drea Humphrey, Ghislaine Gendron, Trish Oliver, John Carpay, Amy Hamm, Heather Mason, and Kara Dansky.

On March 7, 2026, caWsbar’s event Reality Based Women Unite was held in Montreal. The event featured Linda Blade, “Genevieve Gluck,” Alexandra Houle, Heather Mason, Anna Slatz, and Natasha Totino.

Founding members

Many caWsbar members lack the courage of their convictions and use fake names.

Fake / unconfirmed names

  • “Faye Magahy” / “Faye Van Derplank”: “psychology student in her mid-twenties. Mom to the best dog ever! Adventure lover. General knowledge nerd. Soccer superfan.” Medium: fayemagahy IG: standup.for.women [deleted]
  • “Karen Finlay”: “writes for womenarehuman.com and is a mother.” [removed from site in 2021 – see Carolyn Burjoski for background]
  • “Lisa MacRichards”: “works at a Canadian hospital and holds a Master of Science degree.” [link] X: LisaMacRichards)
  • “Toni Cornford”: “founding member”

Real names

Steering committee

The following people have been listed:

Fake / unconfirmed names

  • “Cincy Kem” (“award-winning playwright, a former teacher and a communications specialist. She is a grandmother and the great granddaughter of a European suffragette.”) X: cincykem [deleted] KemCincy
  • “Karrie” (“baker and former teacher with a background in North American history and law. She has lived in three countries and a variety of places in Canada. She is the mother to a young child, cat, and dog.”)
  • “Shelley G” (“former restaurant owner and chef who is now a caterer. She also edits regularly for authors who wish to write truthfully and avoid the strictures imposed by ‘sensitivity readers’. She had a grandmother who was a superb iconoclast, and adores her own three grandchildren.”)

Real names

Other members

Fake / unconfirmed names

Real names

“Critical thinkers”

The caWsbar site has listed a “global who’s who of inspiring women and men standing up for women’s sex-based rights.” Descriptions as listed by caWsbar.

Fake / unconfirmed names

  • “Ash”: “Afro-Trini/ Lesbian/ Rudefem, won’t coddle your male ego/ collective female liberation ” X: sapphic_kitty [deleted; now a different account owner]
  • “Black Together Again”: “Black, unapologetically. Lesbian. Prosecutor. Sports lover. Yes it is. Don’t follow if fragile about racism/sexism/homophobia. Pronouns: Don’t/Belong/To You” X: KProtein19
  • “Dr EM”: “Yes a real Dr, disabled, feminist.” X: PankhurstEM
  • “goinglikeelsie”: “my feminism prioritises the material condition of women over the internal identification of men” X: goinglikeelsie
  • “Jana Cornel”: “Gender-critical, rad fem, black woman. Lesbian. FGM Survivor. Biology is not bigotry.” X: radfemjana
  • “Lily Maynard”: “Shamelessly gender critical. There’s no such thing as a pink brain, a lesbian with a penis or a gender fairy. Transitioning kids is child abuse.” X: LilyLilyMaynard
  • “Mrs RadFemPirate”: “Artist, potter, home edder, pirate, maverick mum, bibliophile, boat woman. Don’t call me cis & remember women don’t have penises!” X: radfemlawyer

Real names

  • Lara Adams-Miller: “Writer, lesbian, mother, biological healthcare professional, women’s liberationist, domestic violence and sex trade survivor, MH reformist, gender-free.”
  • Alessandra Asteriti: “International law academic. Tweeting in personal capacity.”
  • Sasha Ayad / “InspiredTeenTherapy”: “I’m a therapist working with trans-identified teens using an exploratory and compassionate approach”
  • Allison Bailey: “Criminal defence barrister practising from chambers in London. Gender critical; biological reality before gender identity. Own views, not those of my chambers.”
  • Katie Barker “Gender critical feminist, Historian, general history/politics geek, animal lover and altogether too sarcastic for my own good.”
  • Magdalen Berns: “Offering a counter narrative to media disinformation with blunt humour and honesty; lending a voice to other likeminded women, often misrepresented by self described feminists of the mainstream.”
  • Julie Bindel: “Journalist, author, broadcaster, feminist campaigner against sexual violence.”
  • Linda Blade: “A sport performance coach [PhD Kinesiology; ChPC in T&F] who develops athletes, mentors coaches, thrives on innovation, and honours positive nation-builders”
  • Sharron Davies: “Proud Brit & busy Mum to 3, Olympic medalist, been in or working at 11 OG’s so far, motivational speaker, tv presenter, awards host, PT & health fan.”
  • Charlie Evans: “The Detransition Advocacy Network was established to support people who have stopped or reversed gender reassignment.”
  • April Halley: “Investigating and writing about the impact of gender identity policies on women and children in Canada.”
  • Emma Hilton: “Developmental biologist. Research fellow and occasional lecturer. All views are my own. Manchester.”
  • Jane Clare Jones: “Writer. Philosopher. Feminist. Princeologist. Daughter of the witches they forgot to burn.”
  • Helen Joyce: “The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is…the person for whom the distinction between true and false no longer exists. H Arendt. Tweeting in personal capacity.”
  • Madeleine Kearns: “Writer @NRO | Also @Spectator, @WSJ, and @Telegraph | Singer | The worst they can do is say that you’re the boogeyman, then you just say ‘BOO.'”
  • Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull: “Being female has shaped my life from the moment I was born, throughout girlhood, adolescence and into adulthood I am reminded of my female state of reality.”
  • Heather Mason: “#nothingaboutuswithoutus We will not be silenced! Mother, Advocate, Parolee, Survivor of Fentanyl Addiction.”
  • Meghan Murphy: “Meghan Murphy is a freelance writer and journalist, and is the founder and editor of Feminist Current.”
  • Andreia Nobre: “Jornalista, poetisa, ativista, sometimes comedienne.”
  • Ani O’Brien: “’Woefully gynocentric’ ⚱ Gender-critical radical feminist. DMs open for respectful, confidential chats. Whose code of ethics must I defer to?”
  • Sonia Poulton: “Journalist. Broadcaster. Social Commentator. Film Maker. Activist. Mum. Has an attitude about injustice & doesn’t care who knows it.”
  • Lindsay Shepherd: “Campus Free Speech Fellow, @JCCFCanada. Investigative Journalism Fellow, @TrueNorthCentre. Columnist, @TPostMillennial.”
  • [Elisa] Shupe: “I reclaimed my male birth sex after becoming America’s first legally non-binary person because transgenderism is a fraud and gender identity is legal fiction.”
  • [Sarina Singh] “Free Speech Advocate”: “social and political commentator, Founder, The Rights and Freedoms Institute”
  • Anna Slatz: “Criminology (hons), BA Sociology (hons), MA/IDST student, professional pain-in-the-ass. I’m very good at my job. Words in @Quillette @PsychReg @TPostMillennial.”
  • Kathleen Stock: “Philosopher. I talk about fiction & reality. Political magpie – synthesis mine not employer’s.”
  • Jessica Taylor: “FRSA Speaker Author & Research Psychologist, PhD in Victim Blaming & Self Blame of Women. Founder of VictimFocus. Proud Working Class Feminist. Slaying it.”
  • Kaeley Triller: “Truth-teller, envelope pusher, grace chaser, Jesus follower. Wife. Mom. Co-founder Hands Across The Aisle Women’s Coalition. Writer. Speaker.”

References

Lourenco, Denio (August 13, 2025). This Canadian think tank is claiming ‘victory’ over anti-trans legislation. Xtra* https://xtramagazine.com/power/politics/macdonald-laurier-institute-think-tank-policy-trans-275781

Russell, John (November 24, 2023). Nurse who said she’d misgender patients whines about being called transphobic. LGBTQ Nation https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/11/nurse-who-co-founded-gender-critical-story-hour-whines-about-being-called-transphobic/

McArdle, Maëlys (June 10, 2023). Anti-trans mob in Ottawa. https://www.maelys.bio/2023/06/anti-trans-mob-in-ottawa/

Dalwood, Charlotte (November 18, 2021). The de-radicalization of an anti-trans activist. rabble.ca https://rabble.ca/lgbtiq/the-de-radicalization-of-an-anti-trans-activist/

Dalwood, Charlotte (October 14, 2021). As misinformation campaign against transgender rights intensifies, Ottawa must act. CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-transgender-rights-misinformation-campaign-charter-1.6207949

McArdle, Maëlys (August 29, 2021). A wave of anti-trans orgs. https://www.maelys.bio/2021/08/a-wave-of-anti-trans-orgs/

Signatories (April 22, 2021). Global Activists Against Violations by Pornhub. https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/432/ETHI/Brief/BR11307950/br-external/GlobalActivistsAgainstViolationsByPornhub-updatedjune-e.pdf

Roback, SĂ©bastien (April 13, 2021). The “Gender Critical” Group Building A Cross-Country Anti-Trans Coalition. Anti-Hate.ca https://www.antihate.ca/gender_critical_group_building_cross_country_anti_trans_coalition

Anti-trans coverage

DeMaine, Clayton (May 16, 2026). Feds’ attempt to strike Charter challenge of men in women’s prison fails. Juno News https://www.junonews.com/p/feds-attempt-to-strike-charter-challenge

Press release (May 14, 2026). Federal Court delivers major procedural wins for women challenging prison transfer policy. Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms https://www.jccf.ca/federal-court-delivers-major-procedural-wins-for-women-challenging-prison-transfer-policy/

Press release (May 14, 2026). The forcible confinement of female inmates with trans-identifying males is challenged in court. Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms https://www.jccf.ca/court_cases/the-forcible-confinement-of-female-inmates-with-trans-identifying-males-is-challenged-in-court/

Fahmy, Gabrielle (February 21, 2026). Trans sex predator—who switched genders on taxpayer’s dime—asks to be moved to women’s prison, blames crimes on ‘dead self’. New York Post https://nypost.com/2026/02/21/world-news/sex-predator-trans-inmate-asks-to-be-moved-to-womens-prison-blaming-crimes-on-dead-self/

Dansky, Kara (February 13, 2026). FFS Friday: caWsbar. The TERF Report https://karadansky.substack.com/p/ffs-friday-cawsbar

Ramnauth, Gavin (December 11, 2025). Women’s rights group seeks to challenge federal policy allowing trans women in female prisons. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/womens-rights-group-seeks-to-challenge-federal-policy-allowing-trans-women-in-female-prisons

Press release (December 8, 2025). Women’s rights group seeks Court approval to challenge policy allowing biological males in women’s prisons. Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms https://www.jccf.ca/womens-rights-group-seeks-court-approval-to-challenge-policy-allowing-biological-males-in-womens-prisons/

Hughes, Mia (April 24, 2025). Mia Hughes: Canada’s courts must protect women’s sex-based rights, like the U.K. National Post https://nationalpost.com/opinion/mia-hughes-canadas-courts-must-protect-womens-sex-based-rights-like-the-u-k

Press release (April 7, 2025). Lawsuit takes aim at forcible confinement of female inmates with trans-identifying males. Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms https://www.jccf.ca/lawsuit-takes-aim-at-forcible-confinement-of-female-inmates-with-trans-identifying-males/

Vancouver Island Speaks (October 13, 2024). Open letter to The Royal Canadian Legion regarding their coerced response to hosting Vancouver Island Speaks. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2024/10/13/70477/

Kurilova, Eva (March 12, 2024). The Inaugural Reality Based Women Unite! Eva’s Essays https://www.evakurilova.com/p/the-inaugural-reality-based-women

Murphy, Meghan (March 11, 2024). Saving Canada starts with you: My talk from caWsbar’s International Women’s Day event. The Same Drugs https://www.meghanmurphy.ca/p/saving-canada-starts-with-you

Hamm, Amy (March 11, 2024). IWD 2024: caWsbar’s first annual “Reality Based Women” event. Amy Eileen Hamm’s Substack https://preta6.substack.com/p/iwd-2024-cawsbars-first-annual-reality

Hutchinson, April (March 7, 2024). Reality Based Women Unite! https://www.aprilhutchinson.com/p/reality-based-women-unite

Staff report (March 5, 2024). TDF sponsors women’s rights event. https://www.thedemocracyfund.ca/tdf_sponsors_women_rights_event

Ellison, Alexandra (March 6, 2023). Canadian nurse on trial for believing in biological sex. World News Group https://wng.org/roundups/canadian-nurse-under-trial-for-believing-in-biological-sex-1678135802

Lord, Craig (January 9, 2023). ICFS Launched As Global Fighting Force In Face Of Threats & Discrimination Against Women in Sport. State of Swimming https://www.stateofswimming.com/icfs-launched-as-global-fighting-force-in-face-of-threats-discrimination-against-women-in-sport/

Anonymous (January 13, 2022). In gratitude 2021. Gender Dissent https://www.genderdissent.com/post/in-gratitude-2021

Blade, Linda (September 27, 2020). Keeping Male Bodies Out of Women’s Rugby. Quillette https://quillette.com/2020/09/27/keeping-male-bodies-out-of-womens-rugby/

“Finlay, Karen” (December 16, 2019). Canadian Women Launch Organization to Fight for Women’s Sex-Based Rights. Women Are Human https://www.womenarehuman.com/canadian-women-launch-organization-to-fight-for-womens-sex-based-rights/

Media

Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights – caWsbar with Liza Vespi, Maureen Sullivan, Drea Humphrey, Ghislaine Gendron, Trish Oliver, John Carpay, Amy Hamm, Heather Mason, and Kara Dansky (March 8, 2025, uploaded November 11, 2025). Reality Based Women Unite 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcqEzDJKfxU

Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights – caWsbar with Trish Oliver, Amy Hamm, April Hutchinson, Eva Kurilova, Raine McLeod, Heather Mason, Meghan Murphy, and Linda Blade (March 17, 2024). Reality Based Women Unite! 2024 | Real talk on International Women’s Day organized by caWsbar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYLTR2NvDCc

Rebel News with David Menzies (March 14, 2024). They are REAL women, hear them roar! Defending women’s rights against the radical transgender agenda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrvamBgMDQE

Resources

Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (cawsbar.ca)

  • Founding members
  • cawsbar.ca/founding-members [archive]
  • Steering committee
  • cawsbar.ca/steering-committee [archive]

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