Reality Based Women Unite 2026 — A Field Report from caWsbar’s Third Annual Conference
- Canadian female human
- 3 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
By Canadian female human (creator of womenarereal.ca)
Gender Dissent's woman on the ground, Canadian female human, sends in this report from her second time attending caWsbar's annual conference, this time in Montreal.
Field Report
Reality Based Women Unite 2026 brought women and their male allies together in Montreal for caWsbar’s third annual conference — a whole weekend focused on connecting in person, speaking plainly, and raising awareness about how gender identity policy is impacting women’s rights. The weekend included preparations on Friday, a Saturday afternoon of panelist speeches followed by a question-and-answer period, and a public demonstration on International Women’s Day against placing men in women’s prisons.
The set up. All attendees received a RBWU-branded back sack, with stickers and souvenirs inside. Photo source: @cawsbar on X/Twitter
Friday, March 6 — It Begins
On Friday, women began to gather, excitedly arriving at the venue from across the country and beyond. The exact location of the conference had been kept secret from ticket holders until the day before, for sadly, enhanced security measures remain a necessity at these events as women continue to be threatened, harassed and assaulted for their efforts to resurrect sex-based protections in Canada.
The crafty early birds immediately set to work, collectively preparing a “Keep Prisons Single Sex” banner for Sunday’s demonstration. The atmosphere was warm, collaborative, and noticeably relieved. Women, many meeting each other for the first time in person, spoke openly about how long they had been trying to find others of a similar mindset in their own cities and regions who were working to restore women’s rights and lesbian spaces, and how relieved they had been to find caWsbar. There was a clear sense that, for many, simply being in a room full of women who understood the issue was meaningful, even therapeutic, in itself.
Banner-making women at RBWU26. Photo credit: Carol Bamford
KPSS Banner created at RBWU26. Photo source: @MaureenWRC on X/Twitter
I found caWsbar at the end of 2024 and attended my first conference in 2025. I joined because I wanted to find ways to contribute to the fight for women’s sex-based rights in Canada. Having seen firsthand the kind of men Canada will place in women’s jails, I felt an obligation to do what I could to raise awareness. I’ve valued the chance to connect with the women of caWsbar—both those who are public-facing and those who, like me, remain anonymous for their own reasons.
It’s inspiring to know that there are so many women stepping up across Canada, in whatever way they can.
Saturday, March 7 — Panel Discussion and Q & A
Saturday’s speakers approached the conference theme from different angles, but several common threads ran through the day: the importance of sex-based language, the failure of institutions to protect women, the suppression of honest public discussion, and the need to build real, lasting communities to advocate for change.
Showtime! Focus on RBWU26 emcee Natasha Tutino. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
The event was emceed by the inimitable Natasha Tutino, president and cofounder of The Red Tent Collective, whose creative energies kept us entertained and the program on track while she flipped effortlessly and humorously between French and English.
The speakers
Heather Mason, co-founder of caWsbar and chair of the Board, opened with a moving and personal account of how she fell into this calling through her own experiences of addiction, instability, and incarceration. Her speech grounded the entire conference in reality rather than theory, and visibly moved many in the audience.
Heather Mason, caWsbar co-founder and chair of the board, and lead conference coordinator, delivers an emotional and inspiring address at RBWU26. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
“Getting sober and rebuilding my life didn't erase what I saw inside those walls – it sharpened it. Because when you survive something like that, you don't forget who was vulnerable when it mattered. You don't forget who had no voice. And you don't forget how quickly women can be sacrificed when their needs conflict with ideology or policy.” —Heather Mason
Mason highlighted that women in prison tend to be disproportionately poor, traumatized, addicted, mentally ill, and survivors of male violence. She spoke about the years of work that led to caWsbar’s current federal court challenge on behalf of incarcerated women, and about the trust women inside prisons placed in her when they shared their experiences. Her remarks made clear that this case did not emerge overnight. It grew out of protests, building relationships, evidence-gathering, and years of persistence.
“caWsbar began with women, ordinary women, who refused to accept that sex-based rights were suddenly negotiable, who refused to accept that safeguarding women would somehow be hateful, who refused to be told to sit down, be quiet, and comply. We understood something very simple. If women do not defend sex-based rights, no one else will.” —Heather Mason
Alexandra Houle, president of Réseau Féministe Québécois, placed the issue in Quebec’s political context. She described Quebec as a society strongly shaped by progressive values and a deep commitment to equality between women and men, noting that in recent years it has become so progressive that they seem to have lost the ability to name very simple realities — such as what a woman is.
Alexandra Houle, president of Réseau féministe québécois, at the podium. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
Houle’s remarks were especially useful in showing how the prison issue became politically salient in Quebec. The case of Mohamed Al Ballouz, for instance, sparked a necessary and ongoing conversation in the province. Balouz murdered his wife and two young children, then adopted a female identity during his trial and was placed in a women’s jail prior to sentencing.
Houle’s intervention, in the form of a published article, was an important catalyst for public discussion. She pointed out that gender identity policies were implemented without any real analysis of their impact on women, who are effectively subjected to a social experiment without their consent.
“Yet, no serious impact study has been conducted on the consequences of these policies for incarcerated women. We submitted multiple access-to-information requests to obtain the gender-based analyses that should have accompanied these policies — and we never received them.” —Alexandra Houle
Carol Bamford, well-known host of the popular sex-realist X Space, The Summit, and co-host of North American Angst, intrepidly stepped in as a last-minute replacement panelist for Anna Slatz.
Bamford spoke about plain language, disability advocacy, and the importance of saying things simply. She also spoke about the value of having spaces, whether in-person or online, to connect with other women fighting for their rights, and the role of community and collective action. She emphasized that, in this battle, reality itself is enough, and that women do not need jargon or statistics to defend what is obvious. She linked women’s rights advocacy to a broader concern about the abandonment of vulnerable people in favour of ideological fashions. Bamford's insistence on speaking plainly was one of the clearest recurring messages of the conference.
Carol Bamford (@Bookish120)'s devoted X Space listeners were delighted to put a face to the voice of the woman they feel they have come to know. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
“Speak plainly, do not be afraid. You don't need jargon. You don't need statistics. Reality is enough. Humans cannot change sex. Men are not women. Speak plainly, knowing it may cost you. Some will be against you, some will fall away, but you will meet many others who believe in reality, who understand, as you do, that ideology and identity cannot trump reality. Men are never women. So let's keep the conversation going today and every day.” — Carol Bamford
Next up was Genevieve Gluck, co-founder along with Anna Slatz of the revered news and opinion outlet, Reduxx.
Gluck focused on the media landscape and the work of investigative reporting. She described the founding of Reduxx as a response to mainstream outlets’ refusal to accurately report on the effects of gender ideology on women and children. Her presentation focused on Reduxx’s investigative reporting into institutional connections involving the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), including historical links to controversial academics and organizations such as the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) and the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).
Gluck argued that transgender activism is a movement born out of sympathy for male sex offenders, which disregards and degrades the rights of women and children, and is incompatible with a society that values the humanity and dignity of women and children.
Genevieve Gluck pulled no punches at RBWU26. Even the AV technicians and security guards were squirming with discomfort upon hearing of the horrors that transgender activism seeks to protect. Photo source: @Women___Exist on X/Twitter
“Gender identity ideology reduces women under the law to a male sexual fetish. It actually supplants women's humanity and replaces it with protections for men with sexual pathologies. Anywhere that gender identity is codified, women are legally redefined as a pornographic fetish, and men who view us this way are granted more rights than we are.” —Genevieve Gluck
The final speaker of the panel was Dr. Linda Blade. A venerated caWsbar spokeswoman and board member, Coach Blade is also a founder of the International Consortium on Female Sport.
This year — generating much excitement for attendees wanting to finally meet Canada’s lead defender of women’s sport — Coach Blade had traveled all the way from India to speak at the event in person.
Addressing the impact of gender identity policy on women’s sport, her presentation traced a series of institutional falsehoods, particularly within Olympic sport, that gradually undermined female fairness and safety. Her remarks were sharp, highly structured, and practical. She warned about the recent linguistic ruse of discussing “sex characteristics” rather than sex as yet another way to deny female athletes the right to female-only competition.
Coach Blade called on all of us to do six things: inform, engage, replace, celebrate, have fun, and press on. It was a call not just to criticize bad policy, but to replace it with clear alternatives and to keep pushing forward.
Coach Linda Blade, sporting a genuine Indian kurta from her current country of residence, encouraged RBWU26 attendees to keep their eye on the prize. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
“As we have learned, from the UK Supreme Court ruling, activists within bureaucracies will not stop, even when they are shown to be wrong. Transactivists will not stop until they must. They feel entitled. We cannot relent once we win. We need to remain vigilant for a very long time after we believe the fight is over.” —Dr. Linda Blade
►► WE INTERRUPT THIS REPORT FOR AN IMPORTANT UPDATE! ◄◄
March 26, 2026 — International Olympic Committee Announces
New Policy on the Protection of the Female (Women’s) Category
in Olympic Sport
“Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening.”
Gender Dissent will follow up with Coach Blade in a future article to learn about the reactions of the sports community, how the new policy will be implemented, and what happens next with the International Consortium on Women’s Sport.
Back to our report
Realty Based Women Unite 2026 was attended by a number of reality-based commentators on women’s rights and free speech, including journalists Barbara Kay, Wesley Yang, Terry Newman and political scientist, activist and author, Frances Widdowson.
Wesley Yang (centre right) capturing some video at RBWU26. caWsbar board member and conference coordinator, Maureen Sullivan, at bottom right.. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
Also attending was National Post columnist, New Westminster Times reporter and caWsbar co-founder, Amy Hamm.
Responding to an attendee request, Hamm gave a brief update on her ongoing legal battles and the professional and personal costs of refusing compelled falsehoods. She shared one of the funniest lines from her disciplinary decision which stated that she “did not have rehabilitative potential.”
Amy Hamm shares a laugh and a message with the audience at RBWU26. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
“No, I don’t have rehabilitative potential. I cannot be rehabilitated into lies, and I think none of you in this room have rehabilitative potential, and I hope that never changes.” —Amy Hamm
Question and answer period
The Q&A panel brought the issues into sharper focus: how sex and gender are defined in law, how institutions interpret vague language in ways that erase women, what role public protest still plays, and where grounds for hope remain.
Responding to questions from the audience at RBWU26. Left to right: Heather Mason, Alexandra Houle, Carol Bamford, Genevieve Gluck, Linda Blade. Photo credit: Erica Mitford
Several exchanges were especially revealing. Discussion of Statistics Canada, directives from the Treasury Board, human rights codes, female-only care, the media, and Section 28 of the Charter showed how broad the consequences of sex-denying policy have become. At the same time, the panelists stressed that public awareness is growing, that media silence is becoming harder to maintain, and that women are building strong networks across Canada and sectors.
Emcee Tutino working the room during the panel Q&A at RBWU26 Photo credit: Erica Mitford
The panel wrapped up with a comment from an attendee with legal expertise highlighting that sex remains a protected ground, distinct from gender identity and gender expression.
She said that we need to understand that and be clear about what special measures, such as women’s prisons, are for. If the language gets shifted, she said, and instead they start implementing special measures for “gender,” then we lose the ability to say, “No, this is a special measure for sex, and here's the sex group.”
This cute little keepsake with a great big truth, found on lucky-number seats at RBWU26. Chicks with messages created and donated by Amy Hamm. Photo source: @Wahrterf on X/Twitter
The annual RBWU display of tulips in our colours of purple (or mauve) and white and green has become a symbol of generosity, creativity and perseverance of the women of caWsbar.
Thank you Maureen Sullivan, Tina Jensen, and more for this year's lovely arrangements.
►►THE OFFICIAL RBWU26 CONFERENCE VIDEO WILL BE RELEASED IN THE SPRING ◄◄
Sunday, March 8 — International Women’s Day/Keep Prisons Single Sex Protest
On Sunday, around 40 women and their male allies gathered with banners and signs outside of the Montreal office for Correctional Service Canada to protest the cruel practice of denying women female-only incarceration. Heather Mason positively remarked it was the largest gathering of the dozens of such protests she has organized to date.
The RBWU26 KPSS Protest on International Women’s Day was a public act of witness on behalf of women who cannot stand outside and speak for themselves. Photo source: @Women___Exist
Alexa Lavoie of Rebel News reported from the demonstration, interviewing Mason and several other demonstrators about why they’re standing up for vulnerable, voiceless incarcerated women.
“I was a former inmate and I was actually incarcerated when they changed the transfer policy to allow men in women's prisons and jails. A lot of my friends, myself included, were subjected to physical assault, sexual assault, harassment, coercion. There have been women who have been raped. There are women who have been impregnated, taken out for abortions, even had children. It changes the whole dynamic in women's prisons. And women who are in prison are voiceless, right?” —Heather Mason, caWsbar co-founder, Board Chair, lead organizer for RBWU26
Lavoie also interviewed Réseau Féministe Québécois president Alexandra Houle for her French-language coverage of the protest.
[Translation] “According to Correctional Service Canada, transfers of men from men’s prison to women’s prisons have doubled in four years. There are also requests that have been made for name changes. There are prisoners on probation, in the community, who have changed their identity, but the public is not informed.” —Alexandra Houle, President, Réseau Féministe Québécois.
In Conclusion
What stood out most for me over the weekend was the power of connecting with others, speaking plainly, and the shared sense that this fight matters.
There was humour, warmth, and relief at being together, but also a clear understanding that this work has been costly, often isolating, and remains far from over. The conference was a potent reminder that movements are sustained not only by legal challenges and public statements, but by meeting in person, telling the truth, and refusing to be silenced.
— Canadian female human
Editor's Afterword
Gender Dissent is very pleased to have received this report from Canadian female human.
Her efforts in support of caWsbar’s mission to get males out of women's jails have included numerous letters to authorities, briefs submitted to various committees on issues affecting women, a meeting with a Senator, speaking with her MLA, and calling in to a CBC Radio talk show on women’s experiences with the Ontario justice system. Shockingly, Canadian female human's account of her lived experience of being incarcerated with two men in a woman's provincial jail was framed by the Elizabeth Fry Society guest speaker, Lindsay Martin, as “not a conversation that should be focused on.”
Did you know? The first Elizabeth Fry Society in Canada was established in Vancouver in1939 with the original mission to support women involved in the criminal justice system. Over time, particularly in the last 10–15 years, most Canadian branches of the Elizabeth Fry Society expanded their mission language to explicitly include "gender‑diverse people." In 2021, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies released a statement calling on the federal government and the Correctional Service of Canada to support the right of transgender-identifying men “to be incarcerated in a prison that aligns most closely with their gender identity.”
Canadian female human has also developed a remarkable, evergreen database, freely accessible on her website, WomenAreReal.ca. It documents known cases of men claiming woman identities who have been charged or convicted of crimes, or held in female jails. This database was quickly recognized as a valuable tool for anyone researching or reporting on the subject.
Link to Women Are Real database:
And for your daily eye roll
Also in Montreal on International Women’s Day, a separate protest, organized by transgender-identifying jurist-activist, Celeste Trianon, was advertised on Facebook.
His protest (promoted as a pre-event to the “Femmes de Diverses Origines/Women of Diverse Origins” protest), was to take place at Concordia University, one mile down the road from the caWsbar protest, ”Because here, in Montréal, we recognize that trans women are women, and we reject the gender policing that the far-right has been attempting to impose on us around the world.”
"QUEERS, TRANSIES AND ALLIES, LET’S UNITE AGAINST THE GENDER POLICE AND GENDER FASCISTS!"
Trianon rejects the logical solution that Heather Mason has put forward for accommodating transgender-identifying inmates through the creation of prison wings designed specifically for them. Such a design would protect "trans-identifying" male prisoners from the male-on-male violence they claim to fear, while simultaneously protecting women from men-pretending-to-be-women, as documented in the motion record for caWsbar’s Charter challenge.
Trianon disagrees that there even is a problem and instead suggests that everyone should just be gender neutralized.
“The idea of the ‘trans predator,’ [he] argues, is a ‘legacy of patriarchy’ from which society must free itself. The real solution, [he] says, would be to ‘degender’ society as a whole: it starts with schools, then public toilets, and one day, it will be prisons.” - Translated from Cohabitation controversée, by Tristan Péloquin, La Presse, October 1, 2022
Despite the laughable title of Trianon's women's day protest, “Feministes contre les fascistes du genre” [Feminists Against Gender Fascists], numerous police, in cars, in vans and on bikes, monitored the caWsbar protest throughout its duration, presumably to interfere had any aggressors from Trianon’s demonstration chosen to make a nuisance of themselves, or worse.
There is no report on Trianon's Facebook account confirming the turnout or impact of his advertised protest against the gender fascists. Might it have just been a tactic to discourage actual feminists, and advocates for actual women’s rights, from informing the public about this sick, ongoing travesty of men in women's prisons?
We think probably yes.
►►THE OFFICIAL RBWU26 CONFERENCE VIDEO WILL BE RELEASED IN THE SPRING ◄◄ Subscribe to the caWsbar YouTube Channel
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