Quick! At a panel discussion re: media and trans and need intelligent questions

Thanks for updating

How was the film/discussion, OP?

No public questions. Chat to students afterwards. Ask them the questions, don't push it at all, just raise an issue then move on to the next student soon after. Let them think about it quietly on their own at night later.

But it's not. It's same sex attraction.

I would like to hear them confirm that sexual orientation has nothing to do with one's sex.

Surely they will just say homosexuality is same gender attraction ?

Or am I missin something ?

So the good old Mumsnet head tilt and an "I'm confused, are you saying that homosexuality is not about same-sex attraction?"

And after the inevitable waffle and sidestepping.

So it's not about same-sex attraction? Any man can identify as a lesbian, can they?

Does that also mean that gay men should consider women, identifying as men, in their dating pool?

Cool!

....er.... to what extent is the homophobia in Chilean society a motivating factor in Marina's identity as a transwoman?
follow up- is the prejudice they experience due to their gender identification or their sexuality?

I think the question should refer to the film
am I right in thinking it's a about a TIM/transwoman whose male partner dies?
If so then a question about homosexuality becomes relevant
In my view a man who has a sexual or romantic relationship with a TIM is gay, or possibly bi. Naming that relationship as heterosexual is erasure of gay/bi men.
Not sure how you frame that as a question students will countenance though

Ask how we can prevent the men who are lying about being trans (eg prisoners like Lian Huntley Tiffany Scott) hijacking the plight of genuine transpeople and making society cynical about them, holding back the advancement of trans rights, and making life so much more dangerous for transwomen.

That might be a clever way to word it.

Datun also great question

Boxes
I did see an article recently that referred to to social media calls for action and treated it as reasonable. I’ll try to find it.

I meant to leave the T off!

Ask them to confirm that homosexuality means same-sex attraction.

Gets to the nub of the entire thing.

And is a corker of a question, because it will mean throwing the entire LGBT community under the bus.

I agree it should be relevant to the film as well. Are there themes in the film that would lend themselves to a pointed question?

Does it pass the Bechdel Test for example?

There’s sure to be some patriarchal norms to sink your teeth into

I suspect you’ll get so much abuse for raising the issues that it isn’t worth it

But if you want one that’s really hard to argue with, was the woman who requested a female nurse for a smear test and got an obviously born Male transwoman, a bigot? (He argued with her when she refuses him BTW) If a TW isn’t a woman for the purposes for a smear test, what other situations might she not be exactly the same as a woman?

Circle has violence been called for in mainstream media as well as social media? I know the term TERF has been used in the mainstream media, and that it is associated with violence - which is all kinds of wrong. But I don't think actual violence has been suggested outside of social media has it?

Cococonuts questions are fantastic but possibly could be said in slightly less intellectual way? Intersectional theory is tricky to understand.

Bear in mind that you may only manage to get the question out. The audience will dismiss your question if you sound terfy.

It needs to be something which prompts a little twinge of cognitive dissonance.

I think I’d say I had a question in 2 parts: why do transwomen find discussion about women’s rights in relation to reproduction and sexual health to be oppressive? Can they understand that many women find this to be the central source of the discrimination we encounter in the real world?

I don't think this is the right time to bring up concerns.

Could you mention to Shon: if Shon expects people to respect Shon's wishes to be called a woman then will Shon repay the favour by not referring to biological women as CISwomen because they don't like it.

Absolutely. Don't misgender me and I won't migender you.

Deal?

Also, I'd want to know if male violence is the biggest concern (eg it's why TIM must be allowed to access women's safe spaces) a) what is being done to address male violence towards women and TW (if we accept, for the sake of argument, that TWaW) and b) why are all the accusations of 'literal violence' directed at women? Who is holding violent and aggresive men to account?

This is a panel discussing a film - it’s not an event about the rights and wrongs of self-identification, is it? Just because transgender people are there doesn’t mean it’s an appropriate time to start questioning their views on the GRA. And I say this as a Terfy McTerf (according to some!), but time and place.

By all means politely express gender critical views in private conversation with any woke students you’re chatting to tho :-)

Can you ask Shon why he’s blocked me on Twitter when we’ve never interacted?

I second the question as to how we keep predators out of women’s spaces if self ID is allowed. You could frame it as keeping women and TIMs safe (though you’ll probably have to phrase it as all women). If we can’t recognise a difference between opportunists and “genuine” transpeople then how do we all stay safe?

I would find his difficult because you will be immediately shut down and the discussion sidetracked if you go in with 'TIM' instead of 'transwomen' or 'biological women' instead of 'cis'. I think to get the point across and not be dismissed as a bigot, you may need to frame your point in a way that the right-on crowd will be willing to consider. So, with the disclaimer that I utterly reject the idea that TIM are any kind of woman...

You could also ask whether their understanding of intersectionality includes an understanding that so-called 'cis' women experience oppression in some ways which they share with transwoman - i.e. being fetishised in media, street harassment, male violence, etc., - and also experience oppression which transwomen do not - i.e. having to fight for reproductive rights, being objectified and trivialised from girlhood, being made to feel ashamed of natural biological functions like menstruation, being discriminated against in the workplace for perceived childbearing potential, etc...

Why is this experience of womanhood so often framed in discourse as 'cis privilege' rather than intersectional oppression?

Ask

“Do you support the incitement to physical violence associated with the term TERF?
This has been called for both on social media and mainstream media. Do you believe any group should be calling for physical violence against another and if so why?”

Shon Faye who, from a quick google, appears to be a typical TRA, slinging insults at TERFS and CIS women.

Could you mention to Shon: if Shon expects people to respect Shon's wishes to be called a woman then will Shon repay the favour by not referring to biological women as CISwomen because they don't like it.