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Original poster

Influential people who have children who are trans

108 replies

ThatWasThat · 14/04/2023 23:35

I have been wondering why some prominent individuals have taken the positions they have. Would it be useful to compile a list of those in positions of power or influence i.e. politicians, journalists etc. who are themselves influenced or constrained by their children or other family members' gender identity when they comment on issues with bearing on women's rights?

OP posts:
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KatMcBundleFace · 17/04/2023 15:29

To be honest, there could be no other possible explanation for his behaviour. This is personal.

Why does it matter? Because they have to be full believers. The idea there could be grey, nuance, mistakes, is too scary for them to deal with, the consequences are too extreme. These people are the zealots and it matters because WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WRONG!

NotHavingIt · 17/04/2023 15:26

YoDood · 15/04/2023 00:21

Yvette Cooper / Ed Balls’ son

He's gay and a TRA but don't think he identifies as trans himself?

RedToothBrush · 17/04/2023 14:24

I've fallen out with people I thought were friends over Nolan principles.

I don't think Nolan principles are remotely considered by anyone in local or national government anymore.

Today's current BBC main headline doesn't exactly lend weight to anything different...

Clymene · 17/04/2023 14:17

Another one to add to the list - as we've long suspected, the fox killer has a daughter who identifies as trans.

twitter.com/canpacinobox/status/1647905778257514498?s=61&t=gd6tu0Iz6JpyKXGLWMLGjg

www.bbc.com/news/health-55015959

DrBlackbird · 15/04/2023 23:50

I would say celebrity families wield incredible power, not least in terms of access to mass media to amplify their message.

There’s people of power and influence in politics and education and health care influencing and changing policies, funding, language and we should know if they’re personally invested. I don’t see that as any different from any other form of lobbying.

Then there’s people of power and influence in the creative world, influencers, singers, actors, screenwriters etc and personally that’s the group I’m currently most concerned with as the likes of Elliot Page proudly pose topless showing off their double mastectomy scars grinning away splashed across my DCs Instagram posts. They are profoundly affecting young impressionable teenage girls. Why can’t they STFU and live their lives quietly however they wish.

Neverplayleapfrogwithmrpipes · 15/04/2023 23:28

Kelly Jones from the stereophonics has a trans child.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 15/04/2023 16:37

RedToothBrush · 15/04/2023 13:27

I think it's inappropriate to name a fair number of the people on this thread.

However we should have transparency over potential conflict of interest and significant bias in positions of power.

In this context, I do believe that mentioning Jonathan Slater, ex-perm under section for Education and his ties to Stonewall are legitimate to mention and are a potential concern.

We could be looking at the undue influence of Stonewall on matters - was Jonathan Slater working for government or was his priority to lobby and work for Stonewall.

This stuff does actually matter.

In naming people with a specific tie to someone, you also need to clearly state why there is a potential conflict of interest beyond just having a relative. There has to be a clear line of influence and potential conflict of interest.

Jonathan Slater does seem to fit that concern unlike many others mentioned here.

As a general point - those elected or appointed to public office, (the Civil Service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), & health, education, social and care services are supposed to operate under the guidance of the Nolan Principles of Public Life. How does signing up to political activist groups like Stonewall (or any other organisation trying to make society a hostile environment for women & girls) comply with these expectations?

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2

The Seven Principles of Public Life

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2

Dinopawus · 15/04/2023 16:17

Influencers influence. We like to think we make our own minds up but we are all fed so much information which is precisely aimed at moulding us into the good, be kind citizens who make other citizens richer.

And if someone has influence over policy or is a technology correspondent for a supposedly neutral public broadcaster, their close relationships with young people who are trans is relevant.

Clymene · 15/04/2023 14:41

It's very enlightening realising how many charities (Heard had a funding income of 3/4 million last year) are effectively lobbying/propaganda organisations.

Clymene · 15/04/2023 14:37

Oh sorry - was so worried about losing that long post while I was flicking between tabs that i forgot to include the screenshot!

Influential people who have children who are trans
Clymene · 15/04/2023 14:36

Who knows @raspberrywine? I only know about the ONS because of some excellent investigative work by StillTish.

Here's who IPSO took advice from in developing their guidance.

All About Trans's website is down but is an On Road Media project which has changed its name to Heard. They were behind I, Joan - the reframing of Joan of Arc in queer theory terms.

heard.org.uk/articles/reflecting-the-real-life-experiences-of-transgender-people/

They are entitled funded by massive charitable grant giving organisations. Which we know (as the Arts Council's hounding of Denise Fahmy) are dominated by queer theory advocates.

Ingenieur · 15/04/2023 14:08

@RedToothBrush

However we should have transparency over potential conflict of interest and significant bias in positions of power.

I would say celebrity families wield incredible power, not least in terms of access to mass media to amplify their message.

raspberrywine · 15/04/2023 14:02

Clymene · 15/04/2023 12:19

I'm not sure it's that helpful to list Hollywood celebs who have trans identified children. We know there is a huge element of social contagion and that white middle class children are more likely to want to transition. May help explain why Radcliffe et Al are such kern supporters though

I am much more interested in politicians and individuals who have skin in the game driving legislative change. Like the deputy statistician of the ONS who is a transwoman and who has held powerful government positions for years.

See, that is the sort of connections we should know about. Which reminds me. Is there anyone in IPSO who has similar influence?

Sux2buthen · 15/04/2023 13:41

@tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz well no, because most aren't creating lists of people by name with no clear reason. Certainly no positive reason

RedToothBrush · 15/04/2023 13:27

I think it's inappropriate to name a fair number of the people on this thread.

However we should have transparency over potential conflict of interest and significant bias in positions of power.

In this context, I do believe that mentioning Jonathan Slater, ex-perm under section for Education and his ties to Stonewall are legitimate to mention and are a potential concern.

We could be looking at the undue influence of Stonewall on matters - was Jonathan Slater working for government or was his priority to lobby and work for Stonewall.

This stuff does actually matter.

In naming people with a specific tie to someone, you also need to clearly state why there is a potential conflict of interest beyond just having a relative. There has to be a clear line of influence and potential conflict of interest.

Jonathan Slater does seem to fit that concern unlike many others mentioned here.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 15/04/2023 12:35

Clymene · 15/04/2023 12:19

I'm not sure it's that helpful to list Hollywood celebs who have trans identified children. We know there is a huge element of social contagion and that white middle class children are more likely to want to transition. May help explain why Radcliffe et Al are such kern supporters though

I am much more interested in politicians and individuals who have skin in the game driving legislative change. Like the deputy statistician of the ONS who is a transwoman and who has held powerful government positions for years.

I agree. These problems emerged out of self interested people being given power and influence because they lobbied for it - they weren't elected, they didn't earn it yet have taken or been given power to influence society and most damagingly, how children are treated.

Clymene · 15/04/2023 12:19

I'm not sure it's that helpful to list Hollywood celebs who have trans identified children. We know there is a huge element of social contagion and that white middle class children are more likely to want to transition. May help explain why Radcliffe et Al are such kern supporters though

I am much more interested in politicians and individuals who have skin in the game driving legislative change. Like the deputy statistician of the ONS who is a transwoman and who has held powerful government positions for years.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 15/04/2023 12:10

as for lists lol yeah - wasn’t it Labour who came up with the infamous bad women list that Wes Streeting was part of? What was TERF blocker if not a list?

//

I'd forgot this, thanks

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 15/04/2023 12:09

MrsOvertonsWindow · 15/04/2023 09:16

I get that this is an uncomfortable topic. Sadly the impact of self invested adults - including those who are parents of vulnerable children - are having an impact on society. As these issues have until recently, been enforced via no debate edicts, it's only now that we're allowed, in a democratic society, to ask who is exerting such influence and why.
The example I gave above of the senior civil servant at the DfE is well evidenced and he spoke openly about his interest in Stonewall. It's legitimate to query why his views were allowed to influence our children's education to such an extent.

I think you're right

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 15/04/2023 12:08

Sux2buthen · 15/04/2023 09:13

Have you all considered just...living your lives?
Getting outside maybe, or having a laugh with a friend?
Perhaps something to think about

You could literally say this about 99.9999% of the threads on MN though. It's interesting how it's just threads regarding gender/trans have this comment thrown in.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 15/04/2023 12:06

Interesting how many there are. I wonder if creative media parents are more likely to have a trans child than, say, scientists or elite athletes

//

It's definitely interesting to see if there are patterns.

Original poster
ThatWasThat · 15/04/2023 11:39

It would be difficult to have supported/challenged or simply witnessed one's child going through an intense emotional period and remain unaffected. It would be natural to look for confirmation that any decisions made were the right ones rather than to consider or admit to regrets. For people making or influencing policy e.g. the senior civil servant described above I think it's pertinent information, in the same way as other factors/experiences which may infuence them.

OP posts:
IvyTwines · 15/04/2023 11:38

We literally saw this in real time on Twitter a couple of years ago: a celebrity voicing their support for J K Rowling and then retreating because the celebrity's instagram 'activist' teenage child was upset by this.

IvyTwines · 15/04/2023 11:32

It is relevant. We have had several years of organisations and celebrities telling parents that if they don't affirm their child's worldview that they are the opposite sex and require medical treatment the child may kill itself. I personally know families where this is happening, the pressure the child is putting on the adults to behave in a certain way. We are happy to discuss the influence of TikTok on children, so we also need top discuss the knock on effect of that influence on their parents. If some of those adults are also shaping political policy, or deciding which news stories to publish or withhold from their newspaper, or part of the Hollywood celebrity culture that is incredibly culturally influential - they are literally called 'influencers' - and they are doing so with that child looking over their shoulder then yes, it is worth knowing that's what's going on in their lives, do this or the puppy gets it, because those decisions trickle down and impact all of us.

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