Cartoon in the Morning Star

Why would a transwoman think this cartoon was about them? Surely they would only think it was about them if they were inclined to behave in that way.

Great publicity. I don't read the Morning Star. I only saw this cartoon because of the complaints.

I don’t think the apology is just because of KH’s tweet - there has been a massive pile-on the Morning Star from all the usual suspects as well.

There was a lot of support offered to Kristina Harrison & Debbie Hayton (who was in agreement about the cartoon) from people prominant in Labour GC circles.

I think the lack of context made the cartoon problematic. On the face if it I can see why it could be seen as transphobic.

The context in Morning Star is that Labour leadership candidates have signed a pledge which calls for the expulsion of members of WPUK & LGB Alliance who have criticised sex-self id.

More directly, Lisa Nandy MP said, in response to Dr Julia Long's questions, that a specifically named child rapist should be able to be placed in female prison estate & his choice of gender must be respected.
Nandy has shown little inclination to acknowledge the harm that has (& is) been done to many vulnerable female prisoners when the state locks dangerous males in with them on the basis of the males self identifying as women.
Many of the male prisoners who identify as women do so after being convicted & are disproportionately sex offenders.

The judge in Harry Miller's case stated that freedom of speech applies to statements more contentious than kittens are fluffy The activists of this lobby are becoming synonymous with a determined attempt to attack freedom of speech. If they imagine this will win them allies, they are deluded.

They have published an apology:

morningstaronline.co.uk/article/apology-cartoon-published-last-tuesday

It’s a cartoon. That old freedom of expression thing is permitted, you know. Even if it upsetting, even then.

I'm struggling to see the difference between GC male transpeople and MRA.

This

It seems that 'GC' male transpeople like Harrison want to stop or control the debate around the safety and rights of women and girls.

I'm struggling to see the difference between GC male transpeople and MRA.

KH is offended at a cartoon.

I'm offended at men calling themselves lesbians and taking women's places on football teams and claiming it's ok because it's an over 40 team meaning that women over 40 matter even less than women under 40.

I am offended at handmaidens and those who throw women under the bus from a crumb of acknowledgment from the men who have invaded our movement under the guise of allies.

I'm offended by many things but the Offence taken at satire offends me most.

Hopefully the penny will drop for many women now.

The problem (taking this literally) is that the crocodile is a similar shape to a newt, and whilst obviously bigger and stronger, both could be described as having similar superficial and physiological characteristics, however. it's not just that the crocodile might eat the newts or scare them away, because even if it's a very friendly, vegetarian non-newt-eating-crocodile, if it gets in the pond with the newts it will take up all the space and displace the water, and make it hard for the newts to do their newty things.

Spartacus, you make clear and wise points very entertainingly!

The cartoon states a fact very clearly. It’s not anti trans. It’s showing that self-ID gives any male predator, trans or not, access to women’s and children’s spaces.

Has KH demanded grovelling apologies from every misogynist who has abused women in print or online?
Thought not.

Morning Star is a prominent supporter of women’s rights, unusual on the left. So obviously in line for criticism.

I think the lack of context made the cartoon problematic. On the face if it I can see why it could be seen as transphobic. Pulling it has done a lot of harm. It could have been the start of a good debate, but instead, again, we are not allowed to discuss women's concerns.

I absolutely agree with R0wantrees here - "The point of political cartoons is not just to be offensive but also to highlight & put sunlight where others with power may seek to obscure & mislead."

I wasn't offended by it, and it certainly shouldn't have been pulled. To me, at least, the crocodile represents a predatory male - who can either be trans or not...

Yes, Harrison is having smoke blown up their arse because they have felt the cartoon crossed a line and thus the MS has surrended to their hurty feelz.

If this cartoon really is to be deconstructed through the lens of such personal/literal feelings, then surely any expose of hypothetical harm done by the cartoon predatory reptile abusing self id would have been centred around the 'no true trans newt' narrative?

It seems clear to me that the crocodile is a man using the concept of self ID for his own purposes. I can see that this is offensive to transwomen because it is not clear that there is any way to tell them apart from this man. That could just be the point we’ve been trying to make about self ID, and it could just be the consequence of allowing Stonewall to propagate their “trans umbrella” notion- under it, people with dysphoria and predators with a cross-dressing paraphilia and a strong propensity to commit violent assault are the same. We may have made that point, so I think the blame needs to be laid at Stonewall’s door where it belongs. Feminism didn’t do this.

What cartoons are acceptable which demonstrate the way sex-self id could be abused by predatory adult males to gain access into single sex spaces where girls/vulnerable women are?

-Is there going to be some sort of guidance written by trans rights activists?

The point of political cartoons is not just to be offensive but also to highlight & put sunlight where others with power may seek to obscure & mislead.

It's been pulled and a public apology has been made

Wow. Once again, this lobby demonstrates its opposition to freedom of speech and public debate. It wants to dictate the narrative and silence anyone who suggests any downside to self ID. But imagine. Even a year ago, would the Morning Star have published this? Meek submission of the press to an agenda dictated by lobbyists? That paradigm is shifting.

Why is this person being elevated above women? Why are their feelings more important?

The most oppressed group ever? What about the newts?!