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Today @lisburnccc agreed to support making misogyny a hate crime - 24 to 14. @belfastcc did the same in March.
It was brought by Green Cllr @SiLeeGPNI who said: 'In NI, we are acutely affected as a result of an ethno-nationalistic conflict that has been symbolised by hypermasculinity and pseudo-religious moral conservativism.'
And seconded by @MichelleGuy4 who said: "I want to be clear that it’s not about creating an atmosphere whereby men are having to look over their shoulders - it is not negative, it is progressive."
Former DUP member - now UUP Cllr for Lisburn South - @JennyP_59 said she was a "survivor of misogynist remarks": It’s not too far in the distant past that I myself suffered by the behaviour of individuals that disenfranchised me, trying to belittle me. 1/2
She added: The hostilities that I suffered at the hands of others was totally uncalled for - in some ways I am a victim but I like to think that I am a survivor of misogynist remarks and personal attacks on my character and so for that reason alone I support this motion. 2/2
DUP Cllr Nathan Anderson said he was raised by strong women but ... "We should all have the right to alter our understanding and philosophical worldview … we should all have the right, even, to be wrong. This is the heart of a free society."
UUP Cllr @StuartHughes12 said he was "slightly disappointed and somewhat confused" by Cllr Anderson's concerns. He said: I would just very much urge colleagues to think before they vote on this and think about the message we’ll be sending out to the women in our council area. 1/3
. @StuartHughes12 added: I’ll be the first one to admit my party has a lot to do on that front as much as everyone else. I would be very disappointed if we sent out a conflicted message - this was in front of a neighbouring council ( @belfastcc) and passed unanimously. 2/3
He also said: "For female politicians that vitriol goes to a whole new level. We need to send out a very clear message that things like that are no acceptable."
. @SiLeeGPNI agn: I think the DUP needs to reflect on how they feel about the abuse of women. Maybe they need to get a bit of an agreed message on that one. No matter what our religious views we have a job to protect all our citizens and that inc our trans and non-binary citizens.
Mayor Alan Givan said the DUP "love women" and "no hatred" was intended by their opposition (all 14 votes against were DUP).
He said a motion to support it as a stand alone offence was a "gagging order on that type of comments that so many of us often make" & there were "better ways to protect the ladies". 1/4
He said: I think it would be remiss as councillors to think that somehow that we hate women in any way or would seek to do violence to women as a party or individual councillors. I can safely say we love women ... 2/4
... and there is no hatred intended in what our party position is on this. What @belfastcc has done is against party policy and I feel that I have to say that. It has been mentioned that we are somehow out of step, we are in step. 3/4
And ... 'There is as much violence against men, men are violent against men also so it isn’t necessarily a one-way street.' 4/4
Alliance Cllr @MartinGreggBT16 said he was "disappointed" by the mayor's position. Mr Givan said "I am what I am" and "I want freedom for everyone and protection for everyone".
In favour: @sinnfeinireland, @allianceparty, @GreenPartyNI,
@SDLPlive & @uuponline (with one abstention, UUP Ald Jim Dillon). Against: @duponline.
@SDLPlive & @uuponline (with one abstention, UUP Ald Jim Dillon). Against: @duponline.
