Susanna Rustin in the Guardian

Very clear and balanced article and I'm delighted to see it in the Guardian.

The article reads like it was written by an adult. Remarkable for the Guardian.

Wonder if little Owen will start another petition

It is very good to tie de Beauvoir to the mast in this way. Makes it very clear what it’s all about and reclaims very clearly for the benefit of the philosophy bros just exactly where the turf is.

Oh this is fantastic.
Number 1 most popular article on the website right now too :)

It's funny, though, how when I see women speak up on this it's clear that they've often been reading, thinking, carefully weighing the issues. A couple of male friends have come out with TWAW blurts on facebook, to be met with enormously measured, calm and knowledgeable posts from women that are practically referenced and footnoted - yes, women are accustomed to keeping silent, but by god when they do speak out they often come out with the most blinding sense.

Agree. We have to be so much better than them to even be heard. I’ve been eDucAtInG myself since 2015. Still, some divvy TRA will post that black and white sex is a spectrum nonsense at me like I’ve never seen it before

WE HAVE SEEN ALL YOUR NONSENSE BEFORE!!

That's a well written article. It's just so calm and sensible isn't it?

On Twitter: Well someone at the Grauniad has had a change of heart! You are very brave. Courage calls to courage. Now we'll wait for the 200 members of the Grauniad's IT section, plus Owen Jones, to demand you are cancelled.

She says she spends a lot of time and energy keeping her mouth shut, thereby replicating the experience of women through the ages I guess.

It's funny, though, how when I see women speak up on this it's clear that they've often been reading, thinking, carefully weighing the issues. A couple of male friends have come out with TWAW blurts on facebook, to be met with enormously measured, calm and knowledgeable posts from women that are practically referenced and footnoted - yes, women are accustomed to keeping silent, but by god when they do speak out they often come out with the most blinding sense.

Well, the blokes on that facebook thread aren't happy with it, that's for sure.

I've got a woman friend on staff at the Guardian (not Susanna) who's GC and is incredibly frustrated by how binary (lol) the position-taking is among many of the staff there. She says she spends a lot of time and energy keeping her mouth shut, thereby replicating the experience of women through the ages I guess. for Susanna and I hope her fellow senior editorial staff in the UK hold their nerve. It really shouldn't be regarded as unconscionable to express these opinions.

They creep in everywhere!

Dial!

Has Talcum X thrown one of his mantrums yet?

Interesting that the Guardian has also posted this on their facebook page where it is open for comment.

Where needless to say one of the first comments is from a man who clearly has not understood a word!

www.facebook.com/GuardianOpinion/posts/3617304494968720

Holy wow.

'if “sex” ceases to be talked and thought about, how will we recognise and tackle sex-based oppression ... ?'

Thank you, Susanna Rustin.

It's sad, but I could almost weep seeing these rational, intelligent, articulate arguments laid out clearly in the Guardian.

Mostly positive stuff on Twitter and she’s posted that she’s GC. Waiting for the meltdown in 3....2....

Ooh, if the guardian are coming round to civil discussion, maybe the Labour Party will manage it next.

Brilliant article

None of this means “GC” feminists are in favour of bigotry, or don’t care about the obstacles and prejudices faced by transgender people, or that we deny the existence of people with differences in sex development. What it does mean is that we think rejecting sex as a way of thinking about ourselves would be a terrible error. And that we urgently want to be able to discuss this, in a respectful way, with those who disagree

Was just popping on to FWR to post the same link.

Excellent article, I just don't see how this can be (rationally) argued against.

That is a brilliant article. And fantastic to have an article that focuses on theory as well as the lived reality of women’s experiences. I will also get sharing!

One of the frustrating things to me about this “debate” is that so much of feminist theory is grounded in a history of careful, clever and provocative academic thought. I’m sure I’m not the only person here whose views have been shaped by exploring this (albeit, in my case, only in the course of one paper at university). The idea that this academic thought should be thrown out is something I find incredibly depressing, particularly when it is replaced by fuzzy, illogical “gender feels”.

That's just such a measured, thoughtful and well-reasoned piece. So grateful to her for writing it - and astonished that the Guardian agreed to publish it, too.

Susanna is brilliant. She normally writes the Guardian View in which is not published under her own name but a lot of their better editorials (such as the one on the scandal around women’s health) are by her.

I am pleased she has been able to write it. The tide is turning.

This is needed as it will drag the Overton window in our direction, to counteract the new thing I have seen on Twitter that women are oppressed due to femininity and not sex.