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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Talisa Garcia - transgender actress - expresses concern about wider trans umbrella and militant tactics

66 replies

Needmoresleep · 22/02/2019 23:57

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6735491/Transgender-star-BBCs-hit-drama-Baptiste-reveals-plot-amazing-life-story.html

'I think the whole transgender thing has gone too crazy for me,' she admits. 'I find the umbrella of "transgender' troubling. I mean I can't keep up. I don't understand these militant transgender people, who seem to be hating women, yet shouting 'CALL ME A WOMAN'.

'Why? I had a sex change operation. I went to court to get my birth certificate changed, so legally I am a woman. But do I get cross when people refuse to see me as a 'real' woman? No. That is their right. We have freedom of thought and freedom of speech in this country.

'Everyone is walking around on eggshells not knowing what to say in case we offend someone. It's ridiculous. We should be equal in everything — men, women, black, white, gay, straight — but we need to stop with the labels. I can't keep up with the labels.'

What does she make of those who say they identify as another gender, but don't want the surgery? Or those who come late to the process? 'I don't want to judge, but I can't understand how someone can get to 50 and then say 'I want to be a woman now?'. I think we need to be careful. I could not have lived as a man, literally.

'There are men I've met who have said: 'Oh I put on my wife's clothes and I just KNEW'. No! That is a fetish. Be a transvestite. Do whatever makes you happy, but don't call it transgender.'

Yet this is controversial territory. Does it mean there are degrees of trans? 'Maybe there are different levels. That's for doctors to decide.'

She is pragmatic about her own situation. She would love to have a baby, but without a womb, accepts it cannot happen biologically.

'I'm as close to being a woman as I can possibly get. But I wasn't born a woman, and when I die my body will be that of a man because, realistically, my skeleton is a man's.

'But I'm not bothered what words people use. Call me a woman. Call me a man. Just give me respect. All I want is a bit of respect.'

OP posts:
LangCleg · 23/02/2019 09:36

As far as I can see they are just policing who is a woman, claiming that surgery and a misogynistic legal process makes them closer than other males.

The question I always want to ask is: do you use women's spaces and services? If the answer is yes, I won't be cheerleading for you.

thirdfiddle · 23/02/2019 09:15

Forgot to say, yes, agree it is very brave of her to speak out like that in the current climate.

Sarahjconnor · 23/02/2019 08:50

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Sexnotgender · 23/02/2019 08:48

It’s refreshing to see such sense spoken.

And identifying the fetish side in AGPs is BRAVE. That won’t go down well.

LizzieSiddal · 23/02/2019 08:45

Good for them for being so honest. It must be hard to stick their head above the parapet in today’s climate. We need more transsexuals to speak out like this.

ZuttZeVootEeeVro · 23/02/2019 03:13

It's just another example of how stereotypes make a woman. As far as I can see they are just policing who is a woman, claiming that surgery and a misogynistic legal process makes them closer than other males.

Shehimthey · 23/02/2019 02:08

Halle-fucking-lujah! Someone speaking utter sense.

FeministCat · 23/02/2019 02:01

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thirdfiddle · 23/02/2019 00:53

It's another tale of child being pushed into stereotype boxes isn't it? The father who'd rather have a beautiful daughter than "encourage" a beautiful non-sporty son. The kids calling him a girl and "sissy" for liking tap dancing not rugby. Poor kid. No wonder they ended up feeling their body was wrong. Liking tap dancing and lipstick is not a symptom of female-ness FFS. Or I'd be male.

donajimena · 23/02/2019 00:39

I didn't realise she was trans. She speaks so much sense I have nothing but admiration for her.

RaffertyFair · 23/02/2019 00:35

Simple, sane and makes sense. Bravo.

SpeakUpXXWomen · 23/02/2019 00:34

I have to say the whole "child needs illegal drugs or will kill self" will always seem an odd thing for a Dr to tell parents.

First do no harm.

The idea that we are surrounded by TW and don't know it is also odd. Of course people can tell the difference between men and women, even those who had their endocrine system messed with as children.

It is refreshing to see someone acknowledge their sex factually and the damage being done by fetishism and harmful activism. It's unfair to ignore that suicide and childhood medication tropes are part of that damaging activism, although I appreciate this is first person account.

Highheels1 · 23/02/2019 00:22

Brilliant - the voices of reason from the non-biology-denying and genuinely brave transsexuals/transwomen who dare to speak out are so important 👏👏👏

YequeTuZainti · 23/02/2019 00:18

Sanity. Respect.

SpeakUpXXWomen · 23/02/2019 00:12

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GollyGoshGreat · 23/02/2019 00:02

Brava that transwoman!

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