Ian McEwan on gender identity

Whoever he is and whatever his sex, I think it is good that he said what he said. Yes he won't suffer as much vitriol as Germaine Greer, but it doesn't help anyone if only Germaine Greer is prepared to speak.

He has had death/rape threats then?

Or are you suggesting that women who speak out on this don't get threats? They do, just check twitter.

I wonder if he's been threatened with rape, being set on fire or murder yet? Something tells me he hasn't, that type of vitriol is only reserved for women.

Why was this comment necessary? It isn't even true.

I just checked the Guardian mobile site to see if there were opinion pieces decrying him yet.

Interested to see whether there are any letters in the Times too, either way, after their editorial.

I wonder if he's been threatened with rape, being set on fire or murder yet? Something tells me he hasn't, that type of vitriol is only reserved for women.

I loved Saturday, I liked that it focussed on the main character and his relatively uneventful life and that it had a cohesive narrative rather than story. I couldn't put it down until I finished.

Richard Dawkins is officially one of the awkward squad. The world's a better place for having of few of them about. If you can find the article, Adventures, the link would be welcome.

Love him or loathe him, I think Richard Dawkins was saying something sensible on this topic recently (as well as other things relating to feminism). Will try and find the article.

Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to think of people with penises as men

I do too Ian but keep being told by men wearing dresses they are women just like I am

I loved Atonement once I could get into it took a few tries

I think that one of the problems with left wing / right wing politics is that people often put aside their critical thinking faculties and just go with the ideology of their chosen group.

RIght wingers might not feel much sympathy for feminism but they are more likely to approach trans issues in a rational way because it isn't one of their pet causes.

Again, while he was accused of being uninformed, nobody could really explain why he was uninformed.

"Atonement was a pile of misogynistic shite"

Even if you believe women in it were not presented in a fair light or whatever (which is not my recollection), you must have noticed that it was not "shite" in a literary sense.

I can't remember anything misogynistic in the couple of Ian McEwan books that I have read. His fault as an author imho is that he can't seem to come up with exceptional stories, but he is a brilliant writer of prose.

Thanks for posting this. I agree with him

There are other variations on a theme, including the one where the women suggests one of the men repeats it but I can't find it.

This is the Punch cartoon I was thinking of.

Atonement was a pile of misogynistic shite. I'm not sure McEwan is on the side of women, although it was an articulate and well argued point he made. Our paths maybe just briefly crossing at this juncture .

I like Romcom's point too

RomCom, sadly true, but quite frankly, I don't care if eminent men and establishmenr newspapers are needed to get the point across. We know men get listened to. If some are listening to the concerns and making the argument too, so much the better.

Much, much rather that than right on men getting with the 'progressive' gender identity politics.

But yeah, the silencing of women is depressing.

I hear ya RomCom, I'm still glad that people are saying it!

I just keep thinking about that

This reminds me of those feminist cartoons which showing a woman saying something at a meeting & then rounding off with "and perhaps now one of the men would like to repeat it so you take my idea seriously".

No platforming is the equivalent of a small child putting their fingers in their ears and saying La La La.

I cannot believe he is being asked to apologise because he said that men have penises.

They do, they really, really do!

Ian McEwan is a brilliant writer. I have really enjoyed his Sweet Tooth and Atonement, but even Saturday (which doesn't have much of a plot) was worth reading because of the amazing prose.

"Though I can understand the mix up, sorry to be a pedent."

pedent pedant

Sorry to be a pedant

Why do you think that? Aren't they both examples of high-handed moralising, and deciding to curb free speech because the public are judged as unable to make their own decisions?

There is no comparison between the no platforming of the far right and the current ideological purging, primarily of women.