Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar) is an anti-transgender organization that is part of the sex segregationist movement.
Background
The transphobic organization caWsbar began their online presence in late 2019.
While their website contains many stock photos of non-white people, the organization is almost exclusively white.
The majority of members lack the courage of their convictions and use fake names.
It is part of a network of opponents of transgender people in sex-segregated competitive sports. They focus on several sex segregationist aims, including opposition to transgender athletes and transgender prisoners.
Founding members
“Faye Magahy” / “Faye Van Derplank”
- “is a psychology student in her mid-twenties. Mom to the best dog ever! Adventure lover. General knowledge nerd. Soccer superfan.” [fake name]
“Karrie” / “Karen Finlay”
- “writes for womenarehuman.com and is a mother.” [fake name]
- “is a 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.”
“Lisa MacRichards”
- “works at a Canadian hospital and holds a Master of Science degree.” [link] X: LisaMacRichards [fake name]
“Toni Cornford”
- founding member
“Esme Vee” / “Esmeralda Vee” / @esme_saysno / @lizavespi / Liza Vespi
- “is a media worker, filmmaker and mother of one. She’s spent 30 years working in a variety of creative and leadership roles from web designer to documentarian to executive director of a non-profit arts organization.”
- “Together with Amy Hamm, she writes, produces and co-hosts the podcast Gender Critical Story Hour.” [fake name used until 2023]
April Halley
- “is a freelance writer studying English Literature at Memorial University of Newfoundland.” [aprilhalley.com]
- “is the co-founder of #GIDYVR. She is a registered nurse educator, occasional writer and mom with two boys.”
Alicia Hendley (later disavowed caWsbar)
- “has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and worked for years as a psychologist, with a focus on distorted body image and eating disorders. She is also a mom of four and an author.” [link]
Sherri Ingrey
- “LL.B, partial LL.M., is a retired lawyer (prosecution, defence, divorce), government worker, union lawyer, certified Life Skills Coach, and single mother. She holds a B.A. in Psychology/Biology and a Dip. Ed. in adult education.”
Heather Mason
- “31, is the mother of two children. She worked as a personal support worker for five years before becoming an advocate for women in prison.” [link]
- [revised version] “is a former incarcerated woman at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Ontario. After overcoming drug addiction, she now advocates for women in the justice system. She focuses on the failure of the prison system to treat addictions and other mental health issues as well as the issue of men self-identifying into women’s prisons.”
Trish Oliver
- “B.A., MES, B.Ed., is a researcher, writer, educator, sculptor and lesbian. She is a founding member of the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF).”
Steering committee
The following people have been listed:
“Cincy Kem”
- “is an award-winning playwright, a former teacher and a communications specialist. She is a grandmother and the great granddaughter of a European suffragette.”
“Tania A”
- “is a visual artist, writer, teacher, activist and parent.”
“Shelley G”
- “is a 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.”
- “is a track and field medallist and a sport performance coach with over 25 years’ experience. She holds a PhD in Kinesiology and has conducted research and university-level seminars around the globe. Her book entitled Unsporting: How Trans Activism and Science Denial Are Destroying Sport was released in early 2021 and quickly became an Amazon best-seller.”
April Neault
- “is a former front-line shelter worker in a women’s crisis centre. She has been a member of the radical feminist media collective Women’s Liberation Radio News for over four years and is unapologetic in prioritizing the interests of women and girls.” [link]
“Toni Vonk”
- “coordinator, writer, grandmother, arts communication specialist.” [fake name]
“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.
- “Ash” (sapphic_kitty): Afro-Trini/ Lesbian/ Rudefem, won’t coddle your male ego/ collective female liberation
- “Black Together Again” (KProtein19): Black, unapologetically. Lesbian. Prosecutor. Sports lover. Yes it is. Don’t follow if fragile about racism/sexism/homophobia. Pronouns: Don’t/Belong/To You
- “Dr EM” (PankhurstEM): Yes a real Dr, disabled, feminist.
- “Free Speech Advocate” (freeadvocate): social and political commentator, Founder, The Rights and Freedoms Institute
- “goinglikeelsie” (goinglikeelsie): my feminism prioritises the material condition of women over the internal identification of men
- “Mrs RadFemPirate” (radfemlawyer): Artist, potter, home edder, pirate, maverick mum, bibliophile, boat woman. Don’t call me cis & remember women don’t have penises!
- Lara Adams-Miller (LaraAdamsMille1): Writer, lesbian, mother, biological healthcare professional, women’s liberationist, domestic violence and sex trade survivor, MH reformist, gender-free.
- Alessandra Asteriti (AlessandraAster): International law academic. Tweeting in personal capacity.
- Sasha Ayad / “InspiredTeenTherapy” (SashaLPC): I’m a therapist working with trans-identified teens using an exploratory and compassionate approach
- Allison Bailey (bluskyeallison): Criminal defence barrister practising from chambers in London. Gender critical; biological reality before gender identity. Own views, not those of my chambers.
- Katie Barker (KatieSBarker): Gender critical feminist, Historian, general history/politics geek, animal lover and altogether too sarcastic for my own good.
- Magdalen Berns (MagdalenBerns): 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 (bindelj): Journalist, author, broadcaster, feminist campaigner against sexual violence.
- Linda Blade (coachblade): A sport performance coach [PhD Kinesiology; ChPC in T&F] who develops athletes, mentors coaches, thrives on innovation, and honours positive nation-builders
- Jana Cornel (radfemjana): Gender-critical, rad fem, black woman. Lesbian. FGM Survivor. Biology is not bigotry.
- Sharron Davies (sharrond62): 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 / “T.D.A.N.” (DetransAdNet): The Detransition Advocacy Network was established to support people who have stopped or reversed gender reassignment.
- April Halley (theclash709): Investigating and writing about the impact of gender identity policies on women and children in Canada
- Emma Hilton (fondofbeetles): Developmental biologist. Research fellow and occasional lecturer. All views are my own. Manchester.
- Jane Clare Jones (janeclarejones): Writer. Philosopher. Feminist. Princeologist. Daughter of the witches they forgot to burn.
- Helen Joyce (HJoyceGender): 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 (madeleinekearns): 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 / “Posie Parker” (KellieJayKeen): 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.
- Michael K. Laidlaw (mlaidlawmd): Practicing Endocrinologist in Rocklin, CA.
- Graham Linehan (Glinner): Be brave. Stop apologising to bullies.
- William J. Malone (will_malone): Endocrinologist
- Lisa Marchiano (LisaMarchiano): Writer and Jungian analyst. Podcaster @ThisJungianLife and @motherhoodtweet
- Heather Mason (Mason134211f): #nothingaboutuswithoutus We will not be silenced! Mother, Advocate, Parolee, Survivor of Fentanyl Addiction,
- Lily Maynard (LilyLilyMaynard): 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.
- Meghan Murphy (meghanmurphywriter/): Meghan Murphy is a freelance writer and journalist, and is the founder and editor of Feminist Current.
- Andreia Nobre (ariana_erbon): Jornalista, poetisa, ativista, sometimes comedienne.
- Ani O’Brien (aniobrien): “Woefully gynocentric” ⚢ Gender-critical radical feminist. DMs open for respectful, confidential chats. Whose code of ethics must I defer to?
- Sonia Poulton (SoniaPoulton): Journalist. Broadcaster. Social Commentator. Film Maker. Activist. Mum. Has an attitude about injustice & doesn’t care who knows it
- Lindsay Shepherd (NewWorldHominin): Campus Free Speech Fellow, @JCCFCanada. Investigative Journalism Fellow, @TrueNorthCentre. Columnist, @TPostMillennial.
- James Shupe (NotableDesister): 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.
- Anna Slatz (YesThatAnna): 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 (Docstockk): Philosopher. I talk about fiction & reality. Political magpie – synthesis mine not employer’s.
- Jessica Taylor (drjesstaylor): FRSA Speaker Author & Research Psychologist, PhD in Victim Blaming & Self Blame of Women. Founder of VictimFocus. Proud Working Class Feminist. Slaying it.
- Kaeley Triller (KaeleyT): Truth-teller, envelope pusher, grace chaser, Jesus follower. Wife. Mom. Co-founder Hands Across The Aisle Women’s Coalition. Writer. Speaker.
- Nicola Williams (asknic): Director of Fair Play For Women.
2021 signatories
On April 22, 2021, the following signatories in a letter from Global Activists Against Violations by Pornhub also identified themselves as affiliated with caWsbar:
- Elisabeth Mackinnon
- Louise Matchett
- Sherri Carty
- Caroline Mendoza
Others
Maggie Tulliver / @maggie_xer (later reportedly disavowed caWsbar)
“Jennifer Anne” / @JenniferAnne_s
- member, House of Commons e-petitioner
“Gillean” / @GilleanSays / [Gillean Payge?]
- member, House of Commons e-petitioner
“Tracy” / @jetskibum01
Lara Forsberg
- “prisons division” [PDF]
“Mia Ashton” / “Mia Hughes” / “Mia Sedley”
- “caWsbar spokeswoman”
- “I am a member of caWsbar”
References
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/
Roback, Sébastien (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
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
Anonymous (January 13, 2022). In gratitude 2021. Gender Dissent https://www.genderdissent.com/post/in-gratitude-2021
Resources
Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (cawsbar.ca)
- Founding members [archive]
- https://www.cawsbar.ca/founding-members
- Steering committee [archive]
- https://www.cawsbar.ca/steering-committee
Facebook (facebook.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
Twitter /twitter.com)