James O'Brien: what a twat

[SelmaAndJubjub]

Explained in this link. Basically, he bullied and shut down a female caller who said she'd be frightened to share a changing room with men. He didn't just take an opposing view - he ridiculed her.

Yet another liberal bro reveals himself as a misogynist. And a stupid one. Even if he doesn't care about women in general, he has 2 pre-teen daughters. Will he really want them changing and showering with men?

[Thelilywhite]

So awful. The responses are brilliant though.

[PortlyWino]

I’m Really upset by his comments as I normally cheer him on. The whole trans thing completely pisses me off though.

[BuzzKillington]

James O'Brien is such an arse.

He absolutely can't cope if he gets a caller that can argue or reason and his default is to bully, talk over and shut them down.

He is a patronising hypocrite.

[whitehandledkitchenknife]

The Fair Play response could act as an "Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask" guide.
Superb.

[Mooncuplanding]

Just seems he's never thought about this in any way.

Doesn't affect him so why would he care?
Standard misogyny

[UnbridledRuth]

I think he was a bit of a prick here but it's unsurprising to see people siding with transfolk with all the thinly veiled trans bashing we see and not least on this forum. People will always pity the least privileged and I think that's a hard pill for a lot of feminists to swallow.

[McTufty]

Always pitying the least privileged group is a pathetic mindset. Sometimes disadvantaged groups want concessions made that are not appropriate or fair on others.

For my part, I don’t actually have much difficulty with transwomen in changing rooms at the moment, although am concerned if self declaration comes in. However I cannot bear to see the concerns of women shouted down and mocked because the identity politics brigade see transwomen as less advantaged than natal women, ergo whatever they want must be automatically correct and it’s transphobic to suggest otherwise.

[ArcheryAnnie]

UnbridledRuth since when are males (however they identify) the "least privileged"?

[doctorcuntybollocks]

What the argument that white heterosexual men are the least privileged group lacks in plausibility it more than makes up for in WTF.

[FarFrom]

Archerie - some men are less privileged than some women- surely you agree with that?

[SelmaAndJubjub]

People will always pity the least privileged and I think that's a hard pill for a lot of feminists to swallow

Least privileged. Do me a fucking favour.

The TRA movement exists so middle class, straight men can claim they are oppressed by women and take those women's rights. Autogynephile TIM have enjoyed every privilege that society has to offer.

[McTufty]

@unbridledruth actually you’ve touched on one of the major issues with trans rights, which is that all of a sudden they trump natal women’s rights and shunt them down in importance. Of course feminists have a problem with that, and in fact so should absolutely everyone who cares about women.

[DJBaggySmalls]

People will always reveal how little they care about women and girls, and thats a hard pill for misogynists to swallow.

[UnbridledRuth]

But trans "men" are a very far cry from the average male. I didn't mean to come across as combative but this was touched upon in another thread where a poster basically said "so we're expected to focus on their problems because they're worse?". This, however, echoes the sentiment a lot of feminists express towards men.

I'm not saying it's right but I think that public opinion will likely sway more towards sympathising with trans people than middle class feminists (which seems the common perception).

[WillowWeeping]

unbridledruth please please point out the transbashing

[FarFrom]

‘The TRA movement exists so middle class, straight men can claim they are oppressed by women and take those women's rights’
This is ludicrous.

[ArcheryAnnie]

FarFrom - of course, but they aren't less privileged by virtue of them being male, are they?

Other things (class, race, disability, etc) being equal, men are not less privileged than women, however those men identify.

[SweetGrapes]

Speak for yourself. I have learnt loads on this forum. Still have enormous sympathy for people with gender dysphoria - but throwing women and children under the bus is not the way forward

[SonicBoomBoom]

Oh my goodness, that transcript made me so angry. Perfect example of women being shouted down, belittled and intimidated for daring to have an opinion.

[UnbridledRuth]

I didn't explain myself very well above. I meant that the "we have it worse, so our issues should be prioritised" argument is one championed by a lot of feminists and I think this is why a lot of women find it infuriating that trans people ("men" in the eyes of many) are successful employing the same argument.

[SweetGrapes]

That was to Ruth btw

[ferntwist]

James O'Brien should resign over this. No balance, completely biased and very unprofessional.

[FarFrom]

Archery- no they are not less privileged by virtue of being male. (Although males do have particular vulnerabilities- different to the vulnerabilities of females- but definitely not less privileged).
But being in a minority is generally very difficult- particularly one which faces prejudice- and generally being trans comes under this.
Do people here realise how much the rate of adolescent referrals for female to male gender identity referrals are going up at the moment? To reduce this to men trying to somehow erode women here always geeks bizarre to me.