The Guardian... Blind Date 23 November

Can it really be, that the Guardian does no vetting or safeguarding whatsoever?

It is horrific if they just have people fill in a questionnaire and meet a photographer, and possibly, an editor.

They should do background checks and have someone accompany participants on their date.

If they don’t, they are gambling with everyones safety. For all they know, they may be setting anyone up with an axe-murderer.

(Not suggesting trans people are anymore likely to be dodgy than others, but chocked they don’t do any checks of anything at all).

The guardian are facilitators in encouraging people to meet strangers off the internet, who may not be who you thought they were.

I'm confused. In the original, Jenn says they dicussed being queer teens. But if Jenn is biologically a man, attracted to biological women, how is that an experience of queer teenage years?

Queer is nothing to do with homosexuality.

Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc). Although some LGBT people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have embraced it.

Definition from Stonewall.

Is it just me, or is the photo contrived to show just how very similar these two gals look?

Would love to hear what Anna really thinks.

I'm so upset by this. How can we be having these simultaneous conversations about boundaries & consent and gender identity and not join the dots when one encroaches upon the other? The Guardian has covered #MeToo extensively, it understands consent. IF staff turned a blind eye because of fear of uncomfortable conversations (if that's the benefit of the doubt being afforded the paper here), then that is deeply depressing and worryingly familiar.

Have LGB Alliance commented yet?

I may have to ring PC Gull, I'm profoundly and multiply offended on grounds of homosexuality being a protected characteristic, and get the judge ready because on the links on this thread alone I have a ton of evidence, and the 'hate' from the TRAs is definitely clambering out of the foothills and up the slopes.

I think the Guardian has been put in a difficult position
I think Anna was the one put in a difficult position.
Yes it would have been a 'tricky' question but sometimes you have a duty of care to do the right thing, however awkward.

I shared this with a group chat made up of 8 women, all of whom who are lesbians like me. To a one they were horrified at the thought being deemed unreasonable for not fancying a transwoman. We’re all mid thirties, mix of married,with girlfriends and single women. Have directed some of them to this board. I’ve lurked forever but this hit so close to home today. The Guardian have demonstrated with this the utter contempt in which they hold lesbians and how far away they are from reality.

I'm confused. In the original, Jenn says they dicussed being queer teens. But if Jenn is biologically a man, attracted to biological women, how is that an experience of queer teenage years?

That's right ThatsMeInTheSpotlight. It was just to highlight that these days making stuff disappear from the Internet is not so easy.

Reading the responses, Anna came across as reticent and Jen was weirdly over-enthusiastic, with extremely high expectations ('super'-this, 'super'-that), like someone who had not been on any dates before. This would align with the usual script that a trans person is 'starting her/his new life as a woman/man' etc. But there was hardly anything on Anna as a person.

I am actually waiting for Anna to weigh in now and make a public stand: TWAW, nasty bigots & haters invading my privacy, trans women are oppressed, suicide & murder stats ... or maybe not?

nauticant I think that's a cache from yesterday. It was this morning that the 'story' broke and mid-morning that The Guyliner's article and tweet disappeared.

Thread divert...how did your date go...and how honest were you in your feedback?!

If the Blind Date editor met Jen first then it's 'feasible' that she asked Anna her view on TWAW and discussed if she'd be ok with dating a transwomen. However, The Guardian's cagey email response implies that wasn't the case. Or they may just realise there is no way in the current climate to admit they had that conversation.

trulyconfused
OK thanks for the info anyway.

posterOncewasblueandyellowtwo Not that I remember but it was about 8 years ago, I had a look through my emails but can't really find anything as I have changed account since then. After the date they send you an email entitled, 'How was your date' and that has the questions in it.

trulyconfused
You send in your info and who you would like to date
Do you fill out some form? Does it ask about trans, pansexual anything like that? Or just man/woman, woman/woman type thing?

Maybe not:

archive.md/MD5O4

Oh wait, sorry. Only the Guyliner’s piece has been removed.

The Guardian have removed the article aparently

I think the Guardian has been put in a difficult position and isn't necessarily at fault.

The photographer may have suspected Jen was trans but if Jen didn't disclose it then it would be a tricky question to ask.

The editor may not have noticed the Adam's apple - I didn't when I read it on Sat.

If nobody else actually met Jen then how could they possibly have known she was trans?

Jen is the one in the wrong for not disclosing it. It's just basic respect and good manners.

I’ve emailed The Guardian to complain, thanks for the email a PP posted.

Does someone at the paper contact the participants after the date to ask how it went? At that point, they could have discreetly asked Anna how she felt about it and then not run the piece.

Where was the care for her, as she's now being shamed across social media and her photo and name are in the public domain?

The Guardian really doesn't give a shit about women, does it? And all of this happening under its first female editor.

I cant believe that someone could box a lesbian and a trans woman into the same box

Could it have been as simple as boxes marked:

I am a man/woman

I am interested in dating a man/woman

In a "ask no questions, tell no lies, #innocentface" way?

(although this being The Guardian, probably an "other" option for both questions too)

Wow I read the article today and had no idea, I went back to it now and I suppose the adams apple is a sign.
Saying that I assume that the people have a list of requirements and tick whatever boxes are appropriate to them.
I cant believe that someone could box a lesbian and a trans woman into the same box