Feedback on the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy Best Practice Guide
The guide can be seen here.
And here’s a screenshot of the section on women:

Dear BACP,
Apparently you’ve asked for feedback on the BACP Best Practice Guide by Dr Meg-John Barker, so here goes.
I’m 57, I’m a grandmother.
I do not identify as a woman. I am a human being with female biological sex characteristics. I am a woman.
As your guide seems confused as to what this means, let me clarify:
Females are of the sex that are able to bear children. Not all females can bear children, and not all that can bear children choose to do so.
Nevertheless, if you’re female, you’re a woman, and vice versa.
Being a woman emphatically does NOT mean “adhering to social norms of femininity”. What absolute reactionary bunkum.
Rejecting gender norms does NOT mean you’re autistic or mentally ill.
Being a strong assertive woman does NOT mean you’re Northern, or vice versa.
This is stereotyping Northerners, as well as women.
“Femininity” has absolutely nothing to do with what defines a woman.
So-called “feminine” gender norms arose out of woman’s historical oppression under patriarchy (you know, the system where men have all the power and women are chattels and servants etc).
Gender norms are socially constructed to enforce female compliance. They keep women subservient, acquiescent and subjugated.
We’re socialised and coerced, pressured and brainwashed into conforming to them, and we need all the support we can get to break free of their rigid confines.
That’s where counselling and psychotherapy is supposed to come in useful – empowering the disempowered. Helping people break free of unproductive/destructive psychological constraints.
But clearly your organisation has an entirely different agenda.
I feel very strongly about this “guide” being produced by an organisation that represents counsellors and therapists – people who are supposed to be there to help and support vulnerable people, including victims of sexual abuse, domestic abuse, male violence and rape.
As a former victim myself, as part of my recovery I lived in a therapeutic community several decades ago. The wonderful counselling and therapy I received there helped me to break free of the prison of “feminine” subjugation and objectification, and the resultant self-blame, which I’d been forced into since early childhood.
I always respected and trusted the BACP. That’s gone now.
It is inexcusable, it is beyond unacceptable, that your organisation is pushing reactionary gender stereotyping (2.6 Gender Identity) as an appropriate model for “supporting” vulnerable girls and women, not to mention recommending paedophile advocate Gayle Rubin (3.7 Sexual Practice) for those seeking to understand “diverse” sexuality and rewriting the definition of homosexuality replacing same-sex attraction with samegender attraction (3.5 Gender of Attraction).
This report utterly degrades and debases your position as a reputable organisation.
If you have a formal complaint procedure I’d like to register a complaint. Please forward the relevant details.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely,
Bea Jaspert
