Susanna Rustin in the Guardian

Just read this - amazingly well-written and a perfect summation of my own views. The issue is not that GC feminists ignore gender or don't believe in it but simply that we know that the barriers posed to women by physical sex must be acknowledged above all else if feminism is to have any real meaning. If you deny the reality of physical sex, you're denying the basis of the oppression of women.

I'm sure Rustin now awaits the usual hate mail, death threats etc for having stated her gender critical views and yet there is nothing hateful in what she says. It's just Beauvoirian feminism, as she puts it, plain and simple.

Great to speak up now, Susanna Rustin, but brave women like Janice Turner have been doing so in the face of hate for much longer. You are riding on her coat tails, on JKR's and on those of every non-famous, ordinary woman in the street who has been brave enough to post here, sign petitions and turn up to meetings.

My thoughts too @BlueCatRedCat

[quote justawoman]Article about menstruation and health today talks about ‘women’ all the way through. I shouldn’t be happy for such small mercies, but compared to what we’ve been getting...

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/oct/01/irregular-periods-linked-to-increased-risk-of-death-before-the-age-of-70-says-bmj[/quote]
It's extraordinary that we should feel relief and gratitude about an article on menstruation naming women. I feel discombobulated daily. Maybe this is what dysphoria feels like? The separation of what you know about yourself from the way the world responds to you and talks about you? Who the eff knows: I just want our words back.

Nepeta, totally! Have also come to realize that female erasure is the point, not an accidental side effect. Glad you're here! A lot of women finding their way now

Article about menstruation and health today talks about ‘women’ all the way through. I shouldn’t be happy for such small mercies, but compared to what we’ve been getting...

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/oct/01/irregular-periods-linked-to-increased-risk-of-death-before-the-age-of-70-says-bmj

Good to see this in the Guardian, sadly the last place I would expect to read a pro-woman editorial these days. I can imagine the rage and mantrums (wonderful description, RoyalCorgi!) in their US offices.

This is such a moderate article.
No-one of good faith could object to it.

Has Talcum X thrown one of his mantrums yet?

Is it bad that I'm looking forward to LOJ's mantrum over this...

I know a lot of us are thinking 'Too little to late', but I prefer to view it as the tide turning and sense winning out. I'm just enjoying watching it happen.

Altogether now - pull!

Thank you Susanna. A great thing to read.

On the facebook link to the article every negative comment is by a man.

And the arguements are so cliched, you're all right wing, you're all old, you're terfs - and the best one "wouldn't it be easier to just use the indentity non-male"!!! Seriously, this is the level of thought of the average Guardian reader ........ [grin[

The fiercely trans-ally type places online already think the Guardian is disgustingly transphobic anyway (after that one fairly measured 'both sides' piece which got the pushback from the US Guardian), so this will just seal the deal in their eyes.

I think this is just a token. You can be certain there will not only be letters to the Guardian about how terrible and hurtful it was to publish it but expect at least 3 articles in response.

Going on past records for every 50 pro trans article there is one faintly pro woman article.

I just dont understand how someone who thinks like this can work at the Guardian. Nearly everyday they print something that denegrates women. Why would you work somewhere with people who dont think you have any rights.

She is saying all the things I learned by spending the quarantine studying this topic. It became really clear that the erasure of the female biological sex is intended and not just a side-effect of the weird new inclusiveness, and that made me come here and join you. Because if we can't mention sex we can't address sexism and other sex-based forms of unequal treatment.

I also learned that 'the other side' accepts no compromises. That is very unfortunate as that means battle.

It's a really well thought through article, and I feel better about sticking with the Guardian now. Long may it continue.

This is face saving at its most brazen. The Guardian have been on the wrong side of history, and they know it. In fact, they have been instrumental in creating the culture of febrile misogyny dressed up as social justice advocacy that every corner of society, politics, medicine, sport and law is now mired in. The jig is up. Great to speak up now, Susanna Rustin, but brave women like Janice Turner have been doing so in the face of hate for much longer. You are riding on her coat tails, on JKR's and on those of every non-famous, ordinary woman in the street who has been brave enough to post here, sign petitions and turn up to meetings. You can sod off.

If there is a change, they will really have to go some to convince me. It's not just about convincing me, it's the fact that a newspaper that should have been GC for so many reasons, decided to go down the feelinz route. It has really knocked my confidence in them as a media outlet

Fair point, yellow.

Surely, the G being the G, now would be the time for them to bemoan how bad and nasty the tories are, abandoning the TWAW agenda?

The fact the bill has recently been shelved by the Tories, makes the timing of this piece all the more curious.

Very thoughtful piece by the way, I really enjoyed reading it, in a “Ahhh. I’ve come home and can take my bra off” way.

Good article, but I agree with others that as far as the Guardian is concerned, it’s too late. I question the timing. The government has shelved self ID and called time on gender ideology being pushed in schools. Is it safe to publish this now, because the deal is done and it can’t influence the immediate political agenda?

It's good to see the Guardian allowing feminist voices again.

Too late for me too. Cancelled my subscription a couple of months ago and won't be back till they give up the woke.

I really agree with her that gender based feminism will fall apart. It has to. It revolves around too many logical impossibilities, lies, denials of reality, denials of real experience, it places too many sexist requirements only on women. Its full of little loose threads that if pulled, the whole thing comes apart.

You have to have had limited life experience or be in denial or be very privileged or be suffering from a shitload of internalised misogyny in order to remain on board with it all, and for most of us reality kicks in at some point.
I’m looking forward to those feminists showing up on here over the next few years who will be massively fucked off about all the lying and manipulation they have been subjected to, suckered into or guilted into, or intimidated into. They are going to bring a new energy into all this.

Shame on them that they have driven many people to other publications like the Times, not to mention helped to drive thousands of women away from Labour. It will take a lot more than a couple of articles stating the bleeding obvious to gain back trust or political allegiance.