What this academic gets wrong about trans rights in Britain (spectator)

If anyone is not familiar with Jesse Singal and Katie Herzog, I highly recommend their podcast Blocked and Reported. They're both very funny and spend about an hour each episode ripping apart the hypocrisy and lunacy on either end of the political spectrum. I like how they are merciless in pointing out so much useless virtue signaling on the left that does nothing to fix real issues of social exclusion and inequity.

The title of the podcast refers to how they were both 'canceled' for writing about trans issues. Both wrote well-researched balanced pieces that examined issues relating to detransitioners but were excoriated for it by GL and other orthodox thinkers of the left.

GL was unimpressed with my piece.
twitter.com/graceelavery/status/1340329377511444481?s=19
I sent my thanks for drawing it to the attention of GL's gazillions of followers.

I read somewhere (whether accurate or not) that the idea of puberty blockers being "reversible" is based on their use in precocious puberty, where kids are taken off them, in time to go through a normal puberty.

Obviously, that's a completely different situation to where you prevent someone having years of their normal puberty.

Why think the body can "catch up" from that?

It's possible it is an article GL.wrote months and months ago and couldn't sell, that was hastily given a new paint job to capitalise on Kiera Bell's case being in the news.

I cannot get over the laziness of this. Like a lot of other women here, and apparently unlike Lavery, I read the judgement. This is despite the fact that no one is paying me money for my opinions on it. It's not long and it's clearly written. It's certainly not something that someone who is a professor of English at a top university should struggle with. Why not just read your source material and write something that's relevant to it? How the hell is this person a professor of English?

[quote MisfitRightIn]It also concerns me that Grace’s husband is transman Daniel M Lavery, who has a rather large audience as the current “Dear Prudence” in Slate. They have been Prudence since pre-transition.

The advice being given out here on Slate by them is often controversial (I’d say something stronger but it will cause a problem), and very much in following with their “religion”, for want of a better word.

slate.com/human-interest/dear-prudence

twitter.com/daniel_m_lavery[/quote]
I stopped reading Dear Prudence shortly after Mallory Ortberg (later known as Daniel) took over. It became more about getting clicks than giving a thoughtful response.

Jesse Singal (who is great) has been on the case. As a journalist, he's aghast at the fact-checking or lack of it. GL has threatened to sue him in response. In response to that, he and his readers did some more digging that suggests this article wasn't written about the judicial review in the first place. It's possible it is an article GL.wrote months and months ago and couldn't sell, that was hastily given a new paint job to capitalise on Kiera Bell's case being in the news.

twitter.com/jessesingal/status/1340329161588617217?s=19

I can see how the picture could be rage inducing, I presume that is the purpose?

The choice of pose and clothing seems to be mocking women in my opinion. I get a sense that women are despised and ridiculed but maybe that is just me.

It also concerns me that Grace’s husband is transman Daniel M Lavery, who has a rather large audience as the current “Dear Prudence” in Slate. They have been Prudence since pre-transition.

The advice being given out here on Slate by them is often controversial (I’d say something stronger but it will cause a problem), and very much in following with their “religion”, for want of a better word.

slate.com/human-interest/dear-prudence

twitter.com/daniel_m_lavery

I've had this conversation in real life - we have colleagues who wear clothes & make up that we could not wear, and be taken seriously. I can't help but see it as a form of masculinist privilege.

Exactly this. However, everyone can see it too- even if it is not acknowledged.

I think it is counterproductive for them - in a way they just don’t seem to get a picture says a thousand words

I am a female academic and that picture is infuriating.

Ditto.

I've had this conversation in real life - we have colleagues who wear clothes & make up that we could not wear, and be taken seriously. I can't help but see it as a form of masculinist privilege.

Perhaps the real reason for Lavery’s concern is that the progress made in the UK to protect children from making life-changing decisions before they are old enough to understand the consequences might be picked up in the USA?

I wonder if there is genuine fear amongst TRAs and those who make their living from an ever-growing population of 'trans' children that this judgment could have effects outside the UK.

A few days ago, the Endocrine Society in the US revised their transgender health position statement from 2017. The new version includes lots of references to children and adolescents which weren't in the original and how much they 'need' puberty blockers.

www.endocrine.org/advocacy/position-statements/transgender-health

rip out the interiors without consent, and install the texts of our own propaganda before sewing the jacket back up

When people reveal everything you need to know about them...

Riley is an immensely tiresome person who is overburdened with confidence.

You put it more politely than I would have, which is probably for the best!

It's interesting to see that Debbie's very good Spectator article has been taken remarkably seriously by commentators below the line. Normally the comments are a real cesspit on there (and there are a few predictable ' 'this is what feminism has resulted in' ) comments but generally there's an intelligent and sympathetic debate below the line.

[quote Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]Lavery tweeted this last month.

twitter.com/graceelavery/status/1327350356683202561?s=20

actually what we could do is find copies of Abigail Shrier’s book IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE in our local libraries, rip out the interiors without consent, and install the texts of our own propaganda before sewing the jacket back up. stop this rubbish from reproducing itself

Lavery is an Associate Professor in the English department at the University of Berkeley. I wonder if any FWR posters who work in universities would like to comment on the profile pic. I don't think many female academics would risk a pose like that. They would be afraid of not being taken seriously.

english.berkeley.edu/profiles/386[/quote]
I am a female academic and that picture is infuriating. Women have to work hard to get taken seriously and this just demonstrates (male) privilege.

Lavery certainly seems unlike most women academics.

Don’t like personal comments on people’s appearance but of course you are right, female academics often think very carefully about how they present themselves, as their intellectual authority is more often put into question.

GL seems to be a person who loves pushing boundaries - “see what I can get away with?”. To be a tenured prof at a US elite university is to be in an extremely powerful position. You can get away with a lot.

Lavery tweeted this last month.

twitter.com/graceelavery/status/1327350356683202561?s=20

actually what we could do is find copies of Abigail Shrier’s book IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE in our local libraries, rip out the interiors without consent, and install the texts of our own propaganda before sewing the jacket back up. stop this rubbish from reproducing itself

Lavery is an Associate Professor in the English department at the University of Berkeley. I wonder if any FWR posters who work in universities would like to comment on the profile pic. I don't think many female academics would risk a pose like that. They would be afraid of not being taken seriously.

english.berkeley.edu/profiles/386

To be sure, academics behaving badly is not a new phenomenon. Not a profession known for humility.