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Original poster

"TERF Island" - Pondering why we're so "TERFy"

159 replies

WitchyWitcherson · 08/11/2023 09:06

I was pondering this morning, what do you think it is about the UK that makes us so critical of gender ideology in comparison to other English-speaking western cultures?

Is it that Scottish Gov have gone full gender-woo and we're able to see it happening on a smaller scale?
Is it the setup of our medical system that has put hurdles in the way of pharmaceutical orgs pushing medical transition?
Is it a culture of critical thinking, a history of good educational outcomes for girls?
A high number of people who don't follow mainstream religion, or at least aren't really radically religious?
The attrition of traditional gender roles over the last 50 years (although gender woo is reversing this trend)?

I think it's an interesting discussion anyway? Obviously it's incredibly complex!

OP posts:
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lordloveadog · 08/11/2023 09:34

Having mumsnet. How many other female-led, female-dominated discussion platforms with this kind of user level are there? Certainly none in the country where I live.

Kallikrates · 08/11/2023 09:34

NothingTraLaLa · 08/11/2023 09:26

A tendency to take the piss out of the ridiculous.

Yes, if you take the piss out of something it does lose it's power somewhat.

Think of PG Wodehouse and Spode, to extend my earlier musings.

Original poster
WitchyWitcherson · 08/11/2023 09:33

FreddysSquishyBollock · 08/11/2023 09:15

A cultural tendency towards old fashioned fair play (emphasis on being a good sport rather than being a winner) plus a direct line of contact contact between second wave/lesbian feminists and thousands and thousands of mums (via MN).

Also being a small enough geographical territory that women could meet and speak freely in person during the era of ‘No Debate’.

I agree on the culture of "good sport", I think culturally we're less vulnerable to ideological views potentially due to a level of cynicism that certainly the USA seems to lack (as a generalisation!).

There is a certain amount of anti-American sentiment in the UK which could be playing a role - not that I agree with being anti-American - but I do think there's a level of distaste for the narcissistic social media driven side to gender ideology, which I feel the US seems more open to, as well as the awareness of how "Big Pharma" and private clinicians are influencing things in the US.

OP posts:
Aaron95 · 08/11/2023 09:33

  1. Are you sure other countries are so disimilar to the UK? Are there not people in other countries with similar views?

  2. Mumsnet is a massive bubble for this issue. I very much doubt gender ideaology would be on the list of top 10 concerns for 90% of the population.

Kallikrates · 08/11/2023 09:32

I have wondered before if it's for the same reason that Moseley's black shirts (or communism?) failed to become more popular here at a time in history when that ideology flourished in other countries?

There's definitely something about British people/culture/values that makes them more willing to be awkward and say 'no'.

Maybe it's all the rain? There are enough people who are too wet and cold to put up with nonsense and blatent lies. If gender woo hadn't been an indoor based thing (hours indoors on the computer on tumblr in the early days, for example) it wouldn't have got as far as it has here. 😜

willingtolearn · 08/11/2023 09:31

Our wonderful history of 'difficult' women saying and doing things that people didn't want them to.

NothingTraLaLa · 08/11/2023 09:26

A tendency to take the piss out of the ridiculous.

ResisterRex · 08/11/2023 09:20

Probably a mix of our press, our history, and - crucially - the fact we have an upper chamber where no one is worried about being re-elected. There are peers who've said what MPs should have been saying but haven't.

No idea what the equivalent of judicial review is in other countries but that may also play a part?

FreddysSquishyBollock · 08/11/2023 09:15

A cultural tendency towards old fashioned fair play (emphasis on being a good sport rather than being a winner) plus a direct line of contact contact between second wave/lesbian feminists and thousands and thousands of mums (via MN).

Also being a small enough geographical territory that women could meet and speak freely in person during the era of ‘No Debate’.