There is a wise and true saying: "You don't know what you've got until its gone". I feel that way about International Women's Day, marked around the world on March 8 since 1911. It is a celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women by feminists, as well as a reminder that we need to finish the job of bringing about true liberation and equality.

I have never been a huge fan of IWD, because it can feel as though we are only allowed to be celebrated and appreciated one day out of 365. Also, over the years it has morphed into something that removes most of the political emphasis from women's achievements, in favour of macramé workshops and other benign cultural events.

But now, thanks to extreme trans-activists and their virtue-signalling allies, IWD is in danger of disappearing down an Orwellian hole.

On Tuesday, Merseyside Council was pressurised into removing flags being flown outside the town hall after complaints from a handful of trans people that the message on the flags were transphobic. The offensive words? A copy of the definition of ‘woman’ (noun: adult human female). Nevertheless, one ‘trans ally’ that complained to the council insisted that the message was a ‘transphobic dog whistle’.

Even more staggering is the decision by Leicester University to rename IWD as ‘Womxn Day’ in order to make the term ‘more inclusive’ of trans and ‘non-binary’ students.

The decision followed the appointment of Dan Orr, a trans-woman (natal male) to the post of Women’s Officer. Logic should surely then follow that Dan Orr be described as ‘Womxn's Officer'...

Then there is the Tees Together festival, marking IWD with an event at which the main speaker is a trans woman from a local lobby group, as well as Lisa Lovebucket, a transgender performer. They do have a couple of natal women on the programme, but almost as an afterthought.

But my main bone of contention is reserved for the LGBT Foundation in Manchester. One of its events for IWD, advertised as being open to “all self-identifying women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer or questioning, all or part of the time” is run by a man who identifies as non-binary and is entitled, ‘Intro to rope bondage’. The idea that ‘playing’ with sadistic sexual practices is anything to do with women’s liberation beggars belief.