Article on Maria Maclachlan Court case

Can I ask people to contact Maria via her website peaktrans.org to send messages of support regarding the trial? You can send messages via the contact link which will get to her but won't be published on the website. She's also on facebook as Maria Mac.

This is very tough for her and her courage needs to be applauded. This is pretty much a test case in terms of highlighting the debate around free speech and what each side actually represents.

Much longer piece in the Mail, manages to avoid using the word terf as a neutral term

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5607919/Transgender-activist-battered-radical-feminist-Speakers-Corner-brawl.html

Lang you're right, I saw that crowd funder plea for money for voice surgery too. Wolf also has many personal photos up online for anyone who googles the lupine one's name to see. Not exactly discreet about the lupine one's biological situation.

the judge asked that preferred pronouns be used

That's something I've wondered about ever since reading this article:

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/victim-vile-bondage-paedophile-tells-8608834

In this article, the victim refers to his abuser as 'he' which the paper apologetically allows while saying she/her penis etc in all their own commentary.

I was wondering whether in countries like Canada, rape victims are forced to describe their attacker as 'she' in court (and describe the attack using the abuser's preferred language e.g. 'ladystick' or 'enlarged clitoris' rather than penis). I'm assuming the pronouns at least are compulsory or they'd be the ones committing a serious offence under Canadian law.

I hadn't thought it had got that bad in the UK though. Does anyone know if this is something that is being enforced in all courts or is it just down to the individual judge?

Surely surrounding a woman on her own picket line by identifying her from photos is the epitome of doxxing (and political harassment)

That article is bullshit. Maria "claimed she was attacked". So inaccurate to represent what actually happened.

There is no point discussing this. We have to wait to see what happens in the morning. If there is a guilty verdict, the press do not hold back. Part of the downside of pleading not guilty.

I've never even heard of that "doxxing website" and I've read everything linked on here for a couple of years.

They probably didn't want to mention gendertrender because the public might then go and read it and find out about the lesbian murderer etc.

Um... didn't Tara have a crowdfunder running for voice feminisation surgery at the time of the Hyde Park incident? How is Tara's defence fear of being outed? Am I remembering this right?

The article will be an account interesting to readers based on what was said in court, punching thing - probably what they all say - judges - can't predict what they will say. I will wait for tomorrow.

Did it strike you as bizarre that the perp is confessing to punching while claiming punching is self defense because their friend was in a struggle with Maria for Maria's camera.

I hope if that's the case that Maria will appeal and argue it as an unfair bias.

District Judge Kenneth Grant warned Ms MacLachlan to refer to Miss Wolf as “she” while giving evidence.

"Terfs have a history of taking people's pictures and posting them in pages like GenderIdentityWatch.com, a database that makes us a target for the far-right," she told the court.

The victim is warned against applying labels the defendant doesn't like. The defendant can apply to the victim whatever labels they choose.

This really isn't right. Not right at all. I'd not thought before about how this nonsense might be permitted to frame the presentation of evidence in court. This makes me very uncomfortable indeed. I can only hope the article is not a true account of how this is actually proceeding in court.

Is the court allowed to take into account the separate picket line incident? Will they even know about this?

I know this seems like a clear cut case of violence against an older woman to us but the way things are currently I have doubts about whether there will be a guilty verdict tomorrow.

It will be interesting if they are allowed to mention the transgender advocates terrorizing the neighborhood by chanting "Burn it down" outside the meeting. Frightened neighbors called police and when they arrived the chanting stopped and the women were allowed to leave.

I emailed them about using pejoratives and thanked them for pointing out that the judge ordered Maria to lie under oath about the sex of her assailant.

Sorry, I'll clarify 'lie' as that may appear offensive: I meant where an individual does not appear to be acting in good faith.

I was just coming on to quote the bit BrashCandicoot quoted - and say how misleading it is.

We need to emphasise this is about women's and girl's rights - to be defined as a biological category. To safety, privacy and dignity.

I love the photo of Maria's supporters too

The compromise with pronouns may be to just use the name instead or he/she, him/her. I don't want to be intentionally aggressive or unkind or impolite to anyone, and am very happy to use the chosen pronouns of anyone identifying with women in an equal social contract of respect, but where it's a power play or clearly a lie, I reserve the right not to speak it or be made to.

Agree about the language. And why is it ‘radical feminist warned’ instead of ‘assault victim warned’, or even simply ‘woman warned’? It’s painting a picture of Maria as some sort of extremist, rather than a middle aged woman taking a picture in a park.

@boatyardblues There was a masked mob outside the original hearing as well. Venice Allan filmed it. Not sure where the video is now.

The row was the latest in an ongoing battle between Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs), who believe that transwomen should not be given the same rights as those born female

Is there any way in which the author of this article, Victoria Ward, could be persuaded to learn the basics about her subject?

SO if you were under oath could you lie?

i can use the personal pronoun of choice outside the court room and would avoid using it if in the court room. BUT if some asked me to say he is a she under oath I don t think I could.

It seems like such a small thing but it isn t the truth as I see it.....
Can i judge ask someone to lie under oath?

Editorial decision