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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Restoring Sanity Takes Time - Helen Joyce

693 replies

RethinkingLife · 02/03/2024 10:16

A bracing read. I am still in a state of some despair about how long this will take. As several people have observed, in the last 10 days, the BBC (in common with other media) disseminated unscientific propaganda that male galactorrhea is better than mother’s milk, repeatedly called a deeply disturbed killer a woman while disdaining to acknowledge the alternate reality as a cat, and has publicly reprimanded Justin Webb for plain speaking that was probably helpful to many listeners.

What will it take to bring bigoted employers to heel? Part of the answer is time. During the past decade, the trans lobby has been stunningly successful in selling false analogies to HR departments: that separate toilets for men and women are like racial segregation; and that insisting people can change sex is “gay rights 2.0”.
Lazy, power-hungry HR managers and staff working in “EDI” (equality, diversity and inclusion) pronounce that the arc of the moral universe is bending towards denying sexual dimorphism, and relish imposing their will on others.
…
Imagine you’re an HR professional belatedly wondering if you’ve got the wrong end of the stick on the whole sex-gender thing. You might turn to A Practical Guide to Transgender Law by two barristers, Nicola Newbegin and transwoman Robin Moira White.
But that might not save you from serious missteps. The first edition, published before the binding Forstater judgment, enthusiastically endorsed the faulty lower court ruling. The second grudgingly acknowledged that yes, gender-critical beliefs were protected, but claimed that “manifesting” them — letting others know you held them — wasn’t.
Even before the recent string of judgments to the contrary, that was obvious nonsense. The law about freedom of belief expressly includes “manifestation”. And anyway, it takes but a moment’s thought to realise that the law can’t possibly concern beliefs that are never manifested, since it can’t reach inside the privacy of our heads.
…
At bottom, the mindset of the narcissistic identitarians joining in workplace witch-hunts is that of the Crusaders, who made converts at the point of a sword. They do not respect other people’s sovereign consciences, nor accept that their belief system is just one among many. And like the Crusaders, they need to be consigned to history.

https://thecritic.co.uk/restoring-sanity-takes-time/

Adding in a good read about the Meade and Phoenix rulings:

Restoring sanity takes time | Helen Joyce | The Critic Magazine

This article is taken from the March 2024 issue of The Critic. To get the full magazine why not subscribe? Right now we’re offering five issues for just £10. It’s nearly five years since I met Maya…

https://thecritic.co.uk/restoring-sanity-takes-time

OP posts:
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25
BezMills · 08/03/2024 04:47

Another one just like the other ones. Meh

Ereshkigalangcleg · 08/03/2024 02:35

She pointed out how people who weren't mumsnet posters were exercising coercive control over mumsnet posters via vexatious abuse of reporting.

ForCoralFox · 08/03/2024 00:00

Now that's debunked maybe we can restore some sanity to this thread.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 23:47

PeachSeal · 07/03/2024 23:43

Yes it does.

Thank you! As you can see, the first name suggestion is a colour and fox. It really was that simple!

I'm not interested in whether sex is or isn't binary in nature. I respect people's gender identity, whatever that means to them.

PeachSeal · 07/03/2024 23:43

lifeturnsonadime · 07/03/2024 22:03

Mumsnet doesn't 'generate names'.

Yes it does.

Restoring Sanity Takes Time - Helen Joyce
ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 23:42

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 23:10

Also an homage to a much missed former Mumsnetter who got banned, who knows more about safeguarding than most of us.

What did they do to get banned?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 23:10

Also an homage to a much missed former Mumsnetter who got banned, who knows more about safeguarding than most of us.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 23:08

You cared enough to google me too! Well now I just feel terrible that I haven't googled you.

I'm the Babylonian Queen of the Underworld.

BringBackLilt · 07/03/2024 22:40

Get bored? What a peculiar thing to say.
Actually shocked you used that word.

This isn't something people get bored with.

emmsee · 07/03/2024 22:38

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:09

I support trans rights. I've no interest in changing my stance, or giving credence to the demonisation of any group on the basis of their identity.

If you support trans rights then you will want them to be based on firm foundations not a pile of shifting sand (or maybe you like shifting sand if you're a coral) A lot of trans activism seems to be based on wishful thinking 'I am a trans woman, I feel weak now my testosterone levels have dropped therefore I must be allowed to compete in women's sport' Sorry, no. Male puberty means you will always have a physical advantage over women. 'It's great to block puberty and then take testosterone that will turn me into a man without any problems.' Sorry no. Puberty blockers and testosterone cause long term health effects. Worst case scenario you could die of liver cancer by the time you're 30. What I'm mystified by is the lack of interest in research into trans peoples' health by the trans community.

BringBackLilt · 07/03/2024 22:36

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 22:19

"The Fox Coral is both male and female and can reproduce sexually and asexually. To reproduce sexually, the corals release eggs and sperm at the same time."

Aha, I had a Google yesterday as well because it's often highly enlightening but couldn't see anything. Good spot Wine

On a positive note, I have learned LOADS about asexuality in nature. Went down a few rabbit holes and found it extremely interesting.

None of it pertinent to this debate tho😁

GailBlancheViola · 07/03/2024 22:35

Don't you ever get bored?

No I don't get bored fighting for the rights of women and girls I do, however, get bored by the tedious, MRAs, TRAs and their simpering allies that can't manage a coherent response (or indeed any response) to questions and are too prejudiced and blinkered to allow themselves to see the evidence in front of their eyes.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:29

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 22:19

"The Fox Coral is both male and female and can reproduce sexually and asexually. To reproduce sexually, the corals release eggs and sperm at the same time."

Aha, I had a Google yesterday as well because it's often highly enlightening but couldn't see anything. Good spot Wine

You cared enough to google me too! Well now I just feel terrible that I haven't googled you.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:27

This whole name thing has been enormously diverting. It really was AI generated, by mumsnet. This would be easy enough for you to verify if so wished. See the type of names it suggests. I'm neither clever, nor invested enough, to bother coming up with a secretly code name.

Aside from that though, this is exceedingly dull. It's just the same few stock phrases being repeated ad nauseum, except with the meanings distorted. Don't you ever get bored?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 07/03/2024 22:19

"The Fox Coral is both male and female and can reproduce sexually and asexually. To reproduce sexually, the corals release eggs and sperm at the same time."

Aha, I had a Google yesterday as well because it's often highly enlightening but couldn't see anything. Good spot Wine

BringBackLilt · 07/03/2024 22:16

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 21:59

Really? I thought we were a tiny minority. (I don't mean I'm trans. I'm not. But I thought those of us who were advocating for trans people's civil and human rights were a tiny minority foisting our will on a helpless majority.)

Yes. Ten a penny within your tiny minority.
We've heard it all before. And yet we like to keep the lines of discussion open. Always welcome talking about these issues with EVERYONE.
We'll keep discussing because it's so fucking important.

Of course, saying you have no interest in continuing the debate is an excellent way of assuring your thoughts are taken seriously.

You must really believe in what you think 👍🏻

Britinme · 07/03/2024 22:14

And there it is again - this insistence that standing up for women's rights and boundaries, refusing to act as props or validators for fetishists, pointing out the immutability of sex and the danger of transing children is somehow "demonising" trans people. I don't think they're demons. I just don't want male bodied people to feel entitled to enter spaces or seize opportunities that I, my daughter and my granddaughters regard as reserved for women as a sex class.

lifeturnsonadime · 07/03/2024 22:14

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:09

I support trans rights. I've no interest in changing my stance, or giving credence to the demonisation of any group on the basis of their identity.

You're just a common or garden men's rights activist. We see a few of you on these boards.

So did you look at the WPath files or the statistics that demonstrate that men who identify as trans women commit sexual offences at the same, if not higher rates, as other men or are you still claiming that statistics produced by the Ministry of Justice are unreliable?

Or are you just flouncing from thread to thread with your men's right's activism hoping we don't notice what you are actually advocating for?

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:09

Britinme · 07/03/2024 22:01

Sounds like wilful ignorance to me.

I support trans rights. I've no interest in changing my stance, or giving credence to the demonisation of any group on the basis of their identity.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:06

lifeturnsonadime · 07/03/2024 22:03

Mumsnet doesn't 'generate names'.

It literally suggested some names, when I set up an account, and the one I tried was taken. That's what happened. Try it yourself and see. This is bonkers!

GailBlancheViola · 07/03/2024 22:04

I'm well aware of gender critical arguments but am mystified by them.

I'm mystified that some people have such a lack of intelligence that they believe people can change sex.

I'm mystified that some people are so misogynistic they think that women and girls are no more than validation tools, human shields and collateral damage so men can have all they desire and then some.

I'm mystified that some people declare themselves feminist while pushing a male rights agenda.

lifeturnsonadime · 07/03/2024 22:03

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 21:35

Hahaha. That name was literally one generated by mumsnet. The name I wanted was already taken, mumsnet suggested some random ones, that was the first on the list. Honestly. I've never heard of a fox coral.

Mumsnet doesn't 'generate names'.

Britinme · 07/03/2024 22:01

Sounds like wilful ignorance to me.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 22:01

I've absolutely no wish to investigate further. I've heard quite enough.

ForCoralFox · 07/03/2024 21:59

BringBackLilt · 07/03/2024 21:55

No, not really. There are many TRA dickheads that like to assert humans are just like clownfish or some other non mammal. I knew I'd heard fox coral referred to on Reddit or somewhere equally ridiculous. So I looked it up to check I wasn't mistaken. Fact checking is always good.

Not really made an impact on me, mate.
You're ten a penny.

Really? I thought we were a tiny minority. (I don't mean I'm trans. I'm not. But I thought those of us who were advocating for trans people's civil and human rights were a tiny minority foisting our will on a helpless majority.)

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