Matt Walsh 'What is a Women?' trailer released

Exactly. It's not all about us. This issue affects ALL women.

And there are certainly a lot.of men and women who aren't going to listen to feminists no matter how hard we try.

As I've said many a time, right wing women are women too so it should come as no surprise to find out that right wing women and men know this. Whether they have opinions on what rights those women have or don't have is pretty much redundant if nobody can define what one is.

Agreed Nonny. it gives me great hope for the future when very different people can agree on a limited thing, and work together on it.

I find a lot of currently- practiced ‘identity politics’ very disappointing because it makes people feel that it is good or inevitable to feel fundamentally atomised from each other, or to feel they only have a small group of people who have had the exact same experiences to call on. It makes people feel that their common causes can’t be fought for together with other groups or individuals, who agree with that cause but who have had different life experiences.

It feels so self defeating on the causes that the identity politics is (often very rightly) critiquing, because it makes real sustained change on those issues very unlikely. It uses up a lot of energy but leaves the real political power untroubled, and all of us still open to divide and rule. I’ve been politically homeless for so long I feel that’s probably the natural state now and feel annoyed that I can only vote within a party system.

It’s a question of picking the least objectionable party to vote for and then organising outside of that on the issues that I really care about. It isn’t the way I’d hoped it would be when I was younger or more naive, but here we are. Also doesn’t mean I don’t really value the work of women as members in political parties trying to improve their policies on women’s issues, I am very grateful to them. I think it’s an uphill struggle though and we all have to focus our energies where we can.

I will watch this if I remember. Trailer looks interesting. Although my first thought is obviously " this is yet another man mansplaining what a woman is"

I'm not aligning with anyone . I view that as a lazy argument from people who have no other argument. I watch /listen/read a variety of resources many of which I disagree with. However if we all waited fir thr perfect source we'd never get anywhere.

Know your enemy and all that

He was excellent on Dr Phil!

About 10 years ago, a close friend worked in Parliament and she would always say the best, most effective policies and campaigns were drawn up and pursued by cross party groups fighting for the same cause.

100% agree with this. When it comes to campaigning to safeguard women’s and girls’ rights, it is the only way we will get anywhere on this issue. That’s fine. We don’t have to align on everything.

People who would eg dismantle abortion rights (whatever their personal justification) are in my eyes a serious threat to women’s health, lives and our mental health and are actively threatening women’s rights and place in society relative to men’s. I have zero respect for that position however sincerely held.

But to get big changes and safeguards for women and girls made we will all need to work together on specific issues and that’s OK. As soon as those fellow campaigners on those specific issues start campaigning against abortion, I will disagree with those same individuals, and I will campaign against them on that issue which is also OK.

Political progress has always been made and sustained over time by forming strategic alliances on a focused limited cause. We can’t rely on any political party to do this for us. We are never going to all agree, so there is no point trying to proselytise or re-educate allies on a cause. To try that is not respectful of the individuals who are holding the views that we dislike (and likewise not respectful of us, as individuals holding our views which they dislike, if others try to change our views). We are all allowed boundaries and it’s healthy and essential to be aware of them.

I can't stand yoga. Does that mean there are two things Matt Walsh and I might agree about? Yikes, someone call an exorcist!

I guess what all we’d have in common with him is thinking that ‘gender identity’ is bobbins (but a free choice if you’re believe in it) and doesn't trump biological sex in personal life or how law and society see that person. Just like religion it should not be foisted on anyone else who doesn’t share that religious belief.

Exactly. That's the only basic, secular principle in a Western democracy that has the potential to unite the most people from very different backgrounds and viewpoints.

Whoever this guy is, he’s not gender critical. I’m guessing he actually likes gender stereotypes ‘femininity’ for women and ‘masculinity’ for men only. No deviations from the model.
GC women would like everyone to be who they want to be and don’t subscribe to stereotypes.
I guess what all we’d have in common with him is thinking that ‘gender identity’ is bobbins (but a free choice if you’re believe in it) and doesn't trump biological sex in personal life or how law and society see that person. Just like religion it should not be foisted on anyone else who doesn’t share that religious belief.

No one is denying Walsh the chance to speak, that's ridiculous. Personally, I'm completely uninterested in what he has to say because A) I prefer to listen to women's voices and certainly don't think he has anything to bring to the debate that hasn't been said already numerous times and far better B) I completely disagree with him politically, a man who is anti-abortion is of no interest to me and I consider him to be harmful and dangerous to women and C) I don't particularly like him anyway on a personal level in the same way I think Titania McGrath is a bit rubbish, I expected the book to be funny and it was just dull. That doesn't stop him speaking, it means I don't care in the slightest what he has to spout.

I struggle to see how this person is helpful to women.

I'm sure there are religiously conservative women who would be more in agreement with Matt Walsh. He connects with their values and belief system.

100%!

That this needs to be asserted, is so depressing! And such a threat to nuanced, intelligent debates.

About 10 years ago, a close friend worked in Parliament and she would always say the best, most effective policies and campaigns were drawn up and pursued by cross party groups fighting for the same cause.

What has happened?? Anyhoo... moving on...

Gender ideology will be stopped only when a fairly large segment of the population decides to push back. For that to happen, various demographics need to become aware of the issues. And different people from different parts of the political and cultural spheres will be better suited to engage with such demographics.

Matt Walsh will appeal to a certain type of religiously conservative demographic. I don't understand why this causes such hand wringing. People don't tend to engage with an issue unless it resonates with them on some personal level.

Anyway, I'll watch the documentary because it looks like it might be entertaining and cringe inducing.

I'm an atheist and against yoga too 😂
Well I don't care if other people indulge in it, but it doesn't appeal to me because of its very close connection with Hinduism. I like my exercises to be non-religious. 😆

Not sure there is a law on that?

It's pretty reasonable for some to want to listen and some not to. Am sure there are reasons on both sides as to why.

There is a difference between GC, misogyny and transphobia. Personally I'm GC and find the other two abhorrent.

Individuals may well know how to define a woman. Their reason for doing so, how and why can be very different.

I struggle to see how this person is helpful to women.

When did it become law to only be able to like/view/listen to people after you have investigated their whole history and agree 100% with everything they think, did and do?

If you deny MW the chance to speak on this issue because you disagree with him on other matters, it is no different TRAs denying Kathleen Stock her job because they disagreed with her views on sex. Just saying.

Really interesting to see Marci Bowers in that clip as well. Bowers is concerned about puberty blocked children (boys, really) not having sexual function as adults.

Given that Bowers is a trans woman and a surgeon who performs vaginoplasties, including that of Jazz Jennings, I think this shows integrity. It’s rare for surgeons to admit they’ve got things wrong and no doubt Bowers will get accused of transphobia (yawn) and being “aligned” with Walsh, but it’s an important message that parents need to be aware of.

I suppose one reason I'm concerned might be because of optimism. I can see when this is all behind us and the future will throw up new, the same old, problems. I hope I'm no purist, but I understand me giving that impression. Max Walsh is a bit of a curate's egg, I've watched him on YouTube and admire his clarity. Though he can make me cringe.

Stay tuned for his next bit, "What is Marriage?"

Looking forward to this on 1st June. I think it will be one of those films that will leave a lot of people saying WHAT NOW. I do find him funny how he reacts to the gender stuff. He has this very dry and level approach which makes it funny.

I think it will also be great to see so many people unable to define a woman so by default unable to define a man. However I imagine it will leave me angry and frustrated too!

I'm happy that the idea we don't know what a woman is reaching the general public.☀️

This concept that if you agree with someone about something you are now “aligned” with him is very tiresome.

I like Matt Walsh, I think he’s funny and effective. The trailer looks funny and effective as well.

Liking Matt Walsh hasn’t changed my view on abortion, because I am an adult and I am secure in my beliefs.

It looks excellent! If this thread is going to go round and round in the same circles about how it’s apparently not possible to agree with Walsh because of his other views I’m happy to take part. It’s all so boring and childish though, the left wing/right wing purity spiral discussion has been done multiple times.

You should listen to Simon Fanshawe's recent interview with Spiked. He said that in the Suffragette movement women with different political viewpoints (some left, some right) came together to fight for women's rights. He said that Stonewall in the 80s had people of all different political viewpoints fighting for a common cause.

People today seem to be particularly funny over who is fighting for a particular cause. It seems like many on this site only want left wing politicians who write for the Guardian to support their cause, otherwise they'd rather not have the help.

I don’t agree with everything he says. His comments about Simone biles were knobbish and he is a bit thick sometimes but atleast he has a sense of humour. The interesting thing about him is his way of protesting. He is very funny and concise and totally unafraid. Is protest at the school board meeting was very strong I thought. It’s like he is undauntedly honest and truthful.