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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

The Rest is Politics podcast

112 replies

Stripeytriangle · 11/08/2022 14:13

Anyone else listen to this?

I was so disappointed by the “trans question” they answered in today’s episode - it was why are trans people used in the culture wars and isn’t it awful to treat vulnerable people as a political football.

And the answer was, yes, it’s terrible and (Rory) in 10 years’ time, no one will understand why we were obsessed with this and (Alistair) it’s reflective of the lack of seriousness in politics - trans people have it bad enough without politicians making it was by playing for applause from the golf club bores.

I agree that trans people should not be used for cheap political points - nor should any minority.

But their conversation was itself utterly unserious: no acknowledgement that there are some serious policy issues to untangle, no reflection on the recent court cases nor of the findings of the interim Cass Review, no consideration of any conflicts of rights - no acknowledgement in fact that there is anything to be seen here other than nasty people in the nasty party playing to the nasty crowd by picking on a highly marginalised group.

I feel disproportionately disappointed because I think of these two, especially Rory, as quite serious ideas people.

I’m neither a Tory nor a golfer, but I was utterly relieved by Braverman’s speech affirming my right to single sex spaces and my kids’ right not to be socially transitioned without my knowledge. This really shouldn’t be a left/right issue - it’s a human rights and safeguarding issue. In ten year’s time I think we’ll look back at this as an era when groupthink and massive failures of safeguarding led to life-altering surgery rendering many gay, autistic and looked-after children infertile, in pain and deprived of a sex life.

What was going on in this podcast? Have they not engaged with the issues beyond #bekind or are they scared of the jkr treatment?

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MaMaLa321 · 11/08/2022 16:40

I haven't heard this one yet, but I am not surprised in the slightest at what you say, even though I love the podcast

Mollyollydolly · 11/08/2022 16:38

SwissBall · 11/08/2022 15:09

They do the same on For The Many (same principle - Tory Iain Dale with Labour’s Jacqui Smith). Drives me mad.

Yes it infuriates me. I remember him having Kathleen Stock on and he said on 'For the Many' she just talked about the 'toilet stuff'. Or 'people keep telling me to read the Cass report' was another classic.

It is upsetting. If we're talking about 'tribes' I should really be in the Rory/Alistair tribe, that's where my thoughts about politics lie. But their refusal to engage is sad. Same goes for 'Remainiacs' used to love it, but they are all the same on this issue too. They cast me out, they silence me.

GB News doesn't .. yet I disagree with them on almost everything else. Go figure.

Stripeytriangle · 11/08/2022 15:50

Thanks @Novina and yes @teawamutu I think we should all write. Can’t hurt.

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teawamutu · 11/08/2022 15:25

Bloody love that podcast, but I had a feeling this was going to be the position. The fact that they've not mentioned it before suggested to be that they just didn't want to go there. Cowardly or sexist, take yer pick.

I think a little less of the both of them. May well write and say so.

Novina · 11/08/2022 15:22

Ah, sorry. Thought the share token would work. Here is the end of the article. According to the show notes, this is the email address:

[email protected]

The Rest is Politics podcast
Stripeytriangle · 11/08/2022 15:12

It won’t let me read the whole article, but clearly Stewart must have been aware. Please do write. I’m not on Twitter, is there an email address?

To be fair to them, they didn’t explicitly deny that there are serious policy issues here - it’s just that their attitude was so dismissive. And they didn’t discuss. So, whatever they know or think, they didn’t see the issues as worthy of discussion. It’s so depressing.

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SwissBall · 11/08/2022 15:09

They do the same on For The Many (same principle - Tory Iain Dale with Labour’s Jacqui Smith). Drives me mad.

Novina · 11/08/2022 15:03

Completely agree, OP. I might write to them. I suspect either they haven't thought about it, or are steering clear of engaging with the issues. They cannot be completely unaware (although Campbell may feel he can't contradict his daughter on this?), given comments Rory Stewart has made previously (see last para here. I do not know if the claim he made was valid, but it does suggest he can see the potential issues with housing male prisoners in the female estate).

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/da7876a4-92d6-11ea-b833-0d83599da676?shareToken

Stripeytriangle · 11/08/2022 14:42

Interesting, thanks - I’d forgotten about Rory Stewart being prisons minister. MoJ is captured by the gender ideology lobby, so I wonder if he ever got any detailed advice on what having transwomen in the female estate really meant.
But I think they both know and care about male violence (Campbell’s daughter recently wrote about being raped) so why are they not able to join the dots?

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DarkDayforMN · 11/08/2022 14:20

IIRC Rory Stewart actually did quite a lot to protect women in prison as Justice Secretary, though it wasn't related to trans issues.

I assume that either he hasn't done his research on this issue, or, perhaps more likely, that he thinks it's good for his nice-Tory brand to be on the wrong side of it. (I think he's too intelligent not to understand the implications of it all if he has looked into it properly.)

Mollyollydolly · 11/08/2022 14:16

I agree, but I'm not surprised. Even the most intelligent people still don't get it. I really like Rory Stewart but wasn't he Justice Secretary at some point? Did the changes in prison policy take place when he was there? I'm not sure. They are so blinded by 'culture war' rhetoric they cant see the wood for the trees. And they're men of course. I still find it all bewildering, even after all these years.

howdoesatoastermaketoast · 11/08/2022 14:15

no skin in the game or they perceive that they don't therefore just don't give a shit