Interesting opinion piece

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Here's a link to a thoughtful and sensible piece from Zoe Williams in the Guardian (where else?).

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/14/langua...

Comments

impressive from her

impressive coming from the embodiment of "only things I've experienced personally experinced actually exist"

But it cuts out before ever getting to the actual Point that its about being more accurate, the set {women} does not fully include the set {people who menstruate} which does not fully include the set {people with cervixes} which does include people assigned male at birth

And it doesn't actually finsh the point about how trans women keep being blamed for things that are entirely about trans men

But what can you expect from the guardian, their editorial line on us sits somewhere between the s*n and the heil, and its exceptionally twofaced while they're uncritically repeating stockphoto's bullshit about "being silenced" by 3 posters, a sign, and a road flare, and claiming "accademic freedom" for a field outside her expertise, that she has openly admitted doing no reading into, and when she hasn't done any peer reviewed work since 2017 (lotta articles for Phrenology Quarterly though)

Having a trans nature

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

I firmly believe that use of pronouns and labels (such as woman) toward individuals is a personal issue and in now way can be enforced on the public as a whole. Yes, each individual should be able to decide for themselves what names, labels and pronouns apply to them, but they should not be able to dictate what others decide for themselves.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt

It seems the Guardian readers

Angharad's picture

are as divided as society in general about definitions of sex, gender identity and so on. Some interesting points raised not about the above article but one from a few days earlier by a woman professor who blames her comments as being interpreted as transphobia. I suspect this argument will run for many more years before it works itself out.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/14/the-polarised-...

Personally, I have problems with people being able to declare a changed gender without the involvement of some official process. I underwent the process which was laborious and challenging but ultimately enabled me to legally and physically(as turning a sow's ear into a silk purse can) to become what I wanted to be. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they were as convinced (deluded) as I was because it isn't an easy path. I would happily support making that path easier in terms of accessing professional help but I'm sorry, I have difficulty with those who just want to change gender as paper exercise. Perhaps like computers, I am stuck in the binary, but it works for me.

Angharad

Agree with you 100%

I have to say that you are absolutely correct.

I too have completed the journey from sows ear and I ask myself how I would feel about being locked in a prison cell (not that I ever have been!) with someone who has had no surgery, no hormones or Androcur and is physically a fully functional male unless I had already got to know them _very_ well and they had earned my trust. It’s about commitment.

We ask for respect and, before we can hope to receive it, we have to fully respect those who have been born the way that we have had to work so hard to achieve.

This goes against the agenda of the more radical of our ilk, and those few of our number should think a little more about showing some consideration for others and not just "but I WANT to".

Alison

what respect

Can we possibly get from people who's public objectives are to purge us from society

being "one of the good ones" doesn't save you, it just saves you till last

selling out your siblings to try an appease people who don't see us as actual people is fucking pathetic

Sorry for being mean, but that golden mean shite does less than help

(And what exactly is "radical" about "maintaining the law as has been for 20 years, and wanting actually timely medical treatment without sexual hassment" )

That's the 2%

I'm talking about respect from the 98%, not from the terfs or the nazis. They are the other sides extremists, the vast majority of people are decent and accepting - even if a little bemused by our oddity. We are not in a war, perhaps the law could do with some updating but, as one of those who contributed to the change in the law and was around prior to that, it might not be perfect but is so much better than it was before.

I'm only talking about in the UK by the way, I understand that the situation in the US is worse and deteriorating.

Why try and piss off the majority who are on our side by rubbing their noses in it?

I don't feel anyone is trying to purge me from society

Angharad's picture

I am well aware that there are right-wing forces that don't like anything that doesn't meet their narrow vision of society, but that applies to all minority groups. They'd also like to get rid of poverty by getting rid of the poor. I shall resist them as best I can because I see myself as a feminist in the true sense, which means everyone should be equal not just wealthy oligarchs or brainless fascists be they bible thumpers or not. I'm also trying to protect the environment and the wildlife we share our planet with because with the likes of Johnson and Trump we may all become extinct as climate change spirals out of control like the fires in California and elsewhere.

Angharad