This is why mumsnet is considered transphobic

another wee male gobshite who doesn’t like women then?

Jay Hulme is transgender. He has actually won quite a few awards for his poetry, despite being in his early 20s.

I think technically the word transwoman (no space) predated trans woman. The space was inserted more recently to emphasise the woman part so I think he is wrong to assume the lack of a space is always deliberate.

I agree with gingerginger2 that it is important to understand debates about language. For instance the tipping point at which language is defined as transphobic seems to be much lower for other types of discrimination.

I am not saying I agree with the article. I don’t. I do worry how we will ever reach a resolution though.

The “protect” is important, it again lies heavy with the implication that they are standing up for the status quo against some undefined danger.

It's not an "undefined" danger it's the very well defined and documented statistical danger that male-bodied people aka men pose to women.

Trans woman is a big no no as it’s othering them...yet ciswoman is a yes yes despite its othering them!

That is as clear as muck really isn’t it

Yup! Pure projection!

Okay, I'll play.

In their circles, sex exclusively refers to someones biological sex, and gender is ridiculed as an indefinable concept as vague and - it is implied - as unscientific, as souls (a suggestion that trans people are not and cannot be real. That we are either liars, or deluded). In a world where “sex” and “gender” are used interchangeably by the general public, they use this general ignorance to drum up support for their cause.

The concept of gender IS vague and unscientific, as it is based on societal (more often than not, sexist) stereotypes which vary from culture to culture and can change over time. Not obeying societal expectations of gender in choices of clothing, hobbies, name and presentation can be difficult in a sexist and conformist society, but it doesn't magically turn a male (small gamete producer) into a female (large gamete producer).

In Jay's mind, what exactly IS gender dysphoria? Is it a distressing condition causing sufferers to unfailingly attempt suicide unless they permanently alter their healthy sexed body to relieve it? Or is it a normal state of mind? Why does one person have gender dysphoria and another does not? How does it come about, and why should we not investigate possible environmental causes of it, seeing as it we are told it requires significant pharmaceutical and surgical interventions and social engineering to manage? Why should we take the subjective feelings of the sufferer as empirical truth? By that logic, we should be affirming the beliefs of anorexics that they should lose more weight and paranoid schizophrenics that the voices are real.

By the Goddess, this guy is a fucking numpty.

Once you notice it, it's really annoying Lang. I can only apologise

A trouble shared is a trouble halved doubled!

IMO Twitter works well in general for poor arguments and mantras because the character count means there isn't always the space to make a compelling argument / counter argument, poor orators don't have the space to put their complete foot in mouth (as here), and short responses are generally best for snark or sarcasm.

That's why MN terrifies most TRAs.

Once you notice it, it's really annoying Lang. I can only apologise

But then you have the most dangerous of all, THE MISSING SPACE.

Maybe you'll fall down the space never to be seen again?

Maybe that's why they saying we are literally erasing them?

Ooo maybe I should go look in the space for all those missing unicorns?¿!

“Lesbians are women”

“Men shouldn’t be allowed in women’s spaces”

“We need single-sex changing rooms”

“Women are female”

These are examples of why women are transphobic? There is nothing ambiguous about any of those statements. They are rational, reasonable, and easily defined.

And, more importantly, none of them reference trans people at all. If you, (generally) as a person, find those statements problematic because of who you are, it is you who is imposing on rights, women and the very definition of language. Talk about projection!

If the author of this article wants to come on here and explain the meaning of the words lesbian, woman, man, trans and gender in a way that has even a smidgen of logical consistency, then let's have it.

”The thing is, transphobes work with words. They understand the power of definition and expression, and try to destroy and twist language to their own aims."

The power of definition! When you ask someone over and over to define something and they can’t and their entire argument is laid bare as nonsensical.

Twisting language? Nope. We’re using it.

And how eye rolly is it to see over and over that we’re defining them out of existence?

Stop using inappropriate words to define yourself and we’ll stop pointing out your transgression.

Pick some words of your own and use them consistently and maybe, given time, you will both exist AND have words to define yourselves that others understand, agree with and use.

I've noticed that a lot of these young poetry types affect a John Hegley style of speaking. Do they not realise he was taking the piss?

OMG! So true! How have I never noticed this?!

That entire article can be summed up with the words "They tell the simple truth and we don't like that". I'm not even trying to be dismissive. That's exactly what the writer is saying and he doesn't even realise.

Dictionary definitions are transphobic. Medicine is transphobic. Anything apart from total obedience to the ideology is transphobic. Of course Mumsnet is considered transphobic.

The term has been so overused that it's meaningless.

What a twisted web we weave, when once we practice to deceive.
Tru dat

I believe Jay is a transgender man. I’m confused about the reference to “erasing and dehumanising” trans people. Of course they are real and fully human!

OTOH I feel erased by the idea that being a woman has nowt to do with being female... while calling us “menstruators” etc is dehumanising.

Haha I didn't get past "The thing is, transphobes work with words. They understand the power of definition and expression, and try to destroy and twist language to their own aims." Using hateful language like Women are female. It really is an alternate reality.

Can't help feeling it's a piss-take. Nobody could be that stupid.

Just ask them to define 'woman' and you'll see just who is mangling words (or they won't answer). Transactivism is such an intellectual vacuum they constantly appropriate GC arguments and try (and fail) to twist them. When we point our the misogyny, homophobia, violence, doxxing, deplatforming behind the movement they try to borrow the phrases and make accusations against GC feminists none of which stands up to any scrutiny. Plain lying is a favoured tactic. No wonder they have to hide behind no debate. So DFO with your cis, cervix havers, carriers, non men bollox. And the word woman is taken. Find another. Transwomen is fine.

I think it gives an incredibly sarcastic tone which people will look and think- actually these so called transphobes are not saying anything outrageous at all.on fact its common sense.

I dont think.ot exactly has the effect they were hoping for given that are trying to literally pull apart basic science and language and twist it to play the victims.

Cheers mate

Oh, I see Floral got there first regarding the lack of implicit racism

That will teach me to RTFT before posting!

That read like a load of paranoid claptrap

I actually loled at the middle bit where it is argued that not leaving a space between the word ‘trans’ and ‘man’ or ‘woman’ is more harmful than using the correct noun for a person’s sex

That lack of a space. Every time you ignore the space bar a fairy dies

At least Jay has managed to avoid the unbelievably racist ‘trans woman is a qualifier, like black woman’, so it appears some learning has taken place

I've noticed that a lot of these young poetry types affect a John Hegley style of speaking. Do they not realise he was taking the piss?

Jay - like many recent graduates I've had the misfortune to work with - has an overweening sense of their own self importance which is entirely out of step with their actual ability.

What a poor confused child. I will not participate in our delusion and it seems from your woeful little poem that not many other people are buying into it either. These poor kids have been sold such a load of shit

I thought it was a parody for at least half of it!

It's actually quite an interesting article, I am not sure that it successfully makes the point the author wants it to make though.