Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Helen Lewis blog of her WPUK speech

107 replies

Riva5784 · 17/11/2023 15:35

https://helenlewis.substack.com/p/the-gender-debate-from-the-gaslighting?utm_medium=email

She describes her experiences as a journalist writing on these issues and how her perspective changed.

"When I started writing about trans issues, I thought I was supporting a movement for human dignity—trans women wanted to be treated like women, to use female names and female pronouns to soothe their gender dysphoria. Of course they weren’t female, and some protections in law were written specifically for biological females, so those wouldn’t be included.

"But I quickly discovered that wasn’t the case: that some people found any discussion of vaginas and ovaries in relation to womanhood appalling, yet many of those same people had no problem identifying who was a woman when it came to singling out writers for abuse, threats and bullying."

The Gender Debate: From the Gaslighting Era to the Culture War Era

My speech to WPUK on 9 November 2023.

https://helenlewis.substack.com/p/the-gender-debate-from-the-gaslighting

OP posts:
teawamutu · 17/11/2023 17:47

EdgeOfACoin · 17/11/2023 17:46

There are dimwitted people on Mumsnet.

I don't usually come across them on the FWR boards, though.

Well, I can think of a few. But they're generally wanging on about being kind and parroting the TRA lines.

EdgeOfACoin · 17/11/2023 17:46

There are dimwitted people on Mumsnet.

I don't usually come across them on the FWR boards, though.

Citrusandginger · 17/11/2023 17:43

I wasn't paying too much attention but she was on Matt Chorley's Times radio this morning and I thought she was doing a bit of be kind and take the heat out / it's not what matters to people.

If I get a chance I'll listen again over the weekend and see if I got the right end of the stick.

teawamutu · 17/11/2023 17:40

I missed the comments, but have had a look. Welp:

Helen Lewis: "I’m so glad academics are now paying attention to the role Mumsnet played; and how people tried to bully you all into shutting down the conversation entirely, rather than just moderating it.

"It’s a great sadness that now it seems like the “Posie Tendency” is the dominant strand of activism there."

And a reply:
Rowan Davies: "Yes, sadly I agree with you on that. The dominant strain that’s emerged is bug-eyed, paranoid, dimwitted and occasionally hateful. The only mitigating factor I’d mention is that some of those women really went through the mill when this topic was at its maddest. It’s a horrible object lesson in radicalisation."

I remember a RowanMumsnet, she always seemed all right.

I think my impression of Helen Lewis as a supercilious Head Girl is now firmly cemented. With the requisite clique of Mean Girls (et tu, Rowan?).

Original poster
Riva5784 · 17/11/2023 17:40

It is an interesting way of thinking about how the discussion has changed - the gaslighting era and then the culture war era. Also interesting about how her opinions have changed.

OP posts:
IcakethereforeIam · 17/11/2023 17:00

It's an interesting article. KJK does get a mention by HL, in the comments, and so does MNConfused

teawamutu · 17/11/2023 16:07

A good piece, although I have thought considerably less of Helen Lewis since her highly unpleasant (and to my mind unfair) dunking on KJK a few months back, and her arrogant and snippy response to me when I unsubscribed to the Bluestocking as a result.

I note KJK doesn't rate even one mention in that article by name, although I expect HL includes her in the paragraph on grifters etc on an unspoken basis.

More Head Girlism.

Such a shame when there's so much still to do.