Standing Firm 1: Virgin Active and J.K. Rowling - Common Sense Prevails
A weekly roundup of victories for women's rights and the importance of maintaining single-sex spaces
What a week for women’s rights! ‘Standing Firm’ will be a regular feature on my blog, where I highlight the week’s wins against woke ideology.
Two significant developments this week highlight that gender ideology is going out of fashion, faster than the Labour Party are tanking in the polls, which is saying something.
Virgin Active's policy reversal on biological males in women’s changing rooms and the reaction to J.K. Rowling's incisive review of Nicola Sturgeon's memoir demonstrate that the tide may be turning in favour of common sense reality over ideological capture.
Virgin Active: A Victory for Women's Safety
In a move that will be celebrated by women around the country, Virgin Active has reversed its policy allowing men who identify as ‘transgender’ women into female changing rooms. The gym chain's decision came after GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry threatened legal action, with support from the human rights charity Sex Matters.
This isn't discrimination—it's recognition of biological reality and women's legitimate need for privacy and safety.
Dewberry's experience, which led to her complaint, highlights exactly why these spaces matter. When women encounter biological males in intimate spaces like changing rooms, it creates discomfort and can be deeply distressing. The fact that Virgin Active initially dismissed these concerns shows how deeply ideological capture has penetrated corporate thinking.
It is unfortunate that the company did not make these changes without legal pressure.
Rowling's Masterful Takedown
Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling has delivered what can only be described as a literary evisceration of Nicola Sturgeon's memoir "Frankly" in a review published on her website. The review, titled "The twilight of Nicola Sturgeon," is vintage Rowling; sharp, witty, and unflinching in its criticism of the former Scottish First Minister's record on women's rights.
She saved us all the hassle of reading Sturgeon’s nonsense, if nothing else!
Rowling's central thesis is that Sturgeon has caused "lasting harm" to Scottish women through her pursuit of gender recognition reforms. This isn't hyperbole; it's an accurate assessment of policies that would have made it easier for men to legally change their gender and access women's spaces, services, and opportunities.
The timing of Rowling's review is particularly apt, coming as it does alongside the Virgin Active victory. Both events demonstrate that when women stand up for their rights and refuse to be silenced by accusations of ‘transphobia’, real change is possible.
Rowling's comparison of Sturgeon's memoir to the Twilight franchise is brilliantly cutting. Both involve a protagonist who appears to inhabit a fantasy world disconnected from reality.
The Broader Picture
These developments occur against a backdrop of growing resistance to gender ideology across multiple sectors. From sports to healthcare, from education to corporate policy, there are signs that the peak of trans activist influence may have passed.
The Virgin Active case is particularly important because it shows that companies can be held accountable under existing law. Too many organisations have adopted trans-inclusive policies not because the law requires it, but because they've been captured by activist ideology. When challenged properly, these policies often crumble.
Why This Matters
Single-sex spaces exist for good reasons rooted in biological reality. It is insane that I have to write that women should be able to feel safe when changing, showering and sleeping, without the presence of biological males. The privacy, dignity and safety of many women has been put at risk over the last ten to fifteen years and whilst the Supreme Court ruling is welcome, the cultural battle is not won.
Moving Forward
The fight for women's rights is far from over, but this week has shown that the tide may finally be turning. Common sense and biological reality are powerful forces when properly marshalled against ideological extremism.
As these victories demonstrate, sometimes the most radical act is simply refusing to pretend that up is down, that male is female, and that women's concerns don't matter. In standing firm on these basic truths, we protect not just women's rights, but the very possibility of rational discourse in our society.
Links
https://www.gbnews.com/news/virgin-active-changing-rooms-gender-policy-michelle-dewberry
https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/the-twilight-of-nicola-sturgeon-j-k-rowling-reviews-frankly/