(Advice request) Upset and unsure how to respond

[firecat]

I just found out the local library (RWC) is sponsoring a talk entitled “The transgender assault on Women and Girls”. The description of the talk says it’s about allowing trans women in women’s sports, but the title and the descriptions of the speakers sure as heck makes it look like it’s about more than that. In other ways this library has been very welcoming to LGBTQ+.

I want to respond but I’m having trouble figuring out how. I don’t mind being out to the city government or library but I don’t want to wade through a lot of vitriol if I post publicly. Do you have any thoughts?

Options:
Write an email to the local newspaper where the announcement was posted
Write an email to someone at the library, but who?
Write an email to the county Pride center
Write an email to the city council
Post on NextDoor
Post on Facebook (the local library has a page) and Bluesky

Comments

[kalmn]

I mean, arson. Arson seems like a good idea.

I would say email the library. Can you share the name of the library, and hopefully I will have 30 minutes and spoons and can find you an email contact?

[firecat]

Thanks for your support <3

Event listing: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/calendar/talk-at-rwc-library---the-transgender-assault-on-women-and-girls/event_b3bbe590-9212-4e52-987b-03cc47e11845.html

Policy on meeting rooms from the library web site:
https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/library/rcpl-info/meeting-room-policy

[lilacsigil]

Email the library - their website should have someone listed as managing events, and if not, use the general email. If their response is poor (or indicates they're being put under pressure to host) then the city council. Also contact your local Pride centre to see what they think you should be doing, and to alert them.

Do not post to public spaces, because this is a sure way to attract trolls to both yourself and the library.

ETA: And Nice White Lady is the way to go on this - my mother helped shut down an anti-drag queen storytime protest at the library near her home on the grounds of "scaring old ladies and children".

[j00j]

This seems like the way to go. I hope you find support and resistance!

[firecat]

Thank you <3

[firecat]

Thank you for your support and advice. I hope Nice White Gentleman will do.

[ailbhe]

Oh wow. I'd contact the library first off, in case there's some sort of Horrible Misunderstanding. Urgh.

[firecat]

Thank you! <3

[contrarywise]

That absolutely sucks. I'd email the Library Director if you can find their address, and also alert the Pride Center in case they aren't already aware of this. Let them do the public activism to curb this right-wing transphobic nonsense in your community. If the event isn't cancelled or the Library's sponsorship pulled, do consider showing up and speaking up to refute their transphobic talking points.

I like lilacsigil's mother's approach. Lean on it being Pride Month (the worst time to be seen supporting transphobia and platforming anti-LGBTQ views) and the Library's track record of welcoming the LGBTQ+ community.

[firecat]

Thanks for the advice and support <3

[jenett]

Seconding the "Start with emailing the library." There should be a "if you'd like to use our space" contact on there, but otherwise the library director is a good start, or whatever sort of admin contact info isn't "ask a reference question".

(Also, is the library *sponsoring*, or *being the location for* - the library ought to have policies posted somewhere about what kinds of events can be in their spaces, and asking about this event based on those posted policies is probably going to get more leverage than anything else. A lot of libraries have struggled with the combo of 'we're here as a community space' and 'what does that mean when people want to use our space for things that are a problem/dangerous for other people in our community.' A lot of libraries have improved their space use policies due to this exact kind of talk, but not everyone has.)

But whatever the reason, starting with the library before escalating to something more public is a good way to go. Writing the county Pride center and saying you've contacted the library to see what they say about it is also a good starting move.

[firecat]

Thanks for your advice and support. <3

Policy on meeting rooms from the library web site:
https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/library/rcpl-info/meeting-room-policy

[senmut]

Maybe the title of it is meant to rope in TERFs and then present a programme meant to help change their views? Otherwise... I got no clue what they were thinking.

[firecat]

One can only hope. Thank you for your support <3

[selki]

Oh, no. I hope you can contact the library and county Pride center and that is enough to balance it somehow.

[firecat]

Thanks for your advice and support. <3

[violsva]

I don't have any more advice on who to contact than everyone above, but you may find this both amusing and helpful: How to Write Emails Like a White Lady

[firecat]

That is very funny yes! Thank you!

[silveradept]

I second jenett above - there's a high likelihood that the organization itself would rather not have this happening in their meeting room, but they are bound by laws that dictate how they may place restrictions on the use of their spaces.

That said, given the track record WoLF has, you have an argument that their presence violates the meeting room policies regarding not hosting discrimination.

It's definitely worth getting allies and, if so desired, finding a good space to counterprogram.

Most of what you'll get back from the library well be about freedom of speech and the time, place, and manner restrictions that they can't step beyond. Bringing public attention to the event should be around the idea of either asking people to stay away from the event, to join in a celebration protesting the group's presence, or otherwise show their support, and is probably best done through the local Pride center.

(WoLF likes to go to libraries to spread their message specifically because libraries can't throw them out for their views, and they like to insinuate as much as possible that they're at the library because the library and the community supports them, regardless of the truth.)

[firecat]

Great advice, thank you so much!

[snippy]

Whatever you pick to do, I add my spiritual support!

[firecat]

Thank you! Good to hear from you! <3