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Original poster

Any recommended genderist writers?

235 replies

bonfireoftheverities · 24/05/2026 18:14

"He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that." - John Stuart Mill

This is something I've tried to keep in mind over the last half dozen or so years since I heard TWAW, thought "What?" and fairly quickly found FWR. So I've made sure to read as much as I can take from those who truly believe that men can be women, or if they don't actually believe it (because how can you, deep down?), desperately want it to be true. I say as much as I can take because after a while you've seen and heard it all before, and it never starts being convincing.

The latest pile of nonsense I dove into is this: The End of Trans Rights in the UK Is the Start of Democratic Collapse. Dear god, that almost made my brain melt. The links alone show you that he never strays outside an idiotic bubble (Helen Webberley being the first I clicked into).

Is there anyone you can recommend who makes their case without lying and relying on liars?

OP posts:
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EmilyinEverton · 24/05/2026 21:37

CassOle · 24/05/2026 21:00

'Priors' such as understanding that mammals can't change sex?

Thanks for proving my point.

CassOle · 24/05/2026 21:00

'Priors' such as understanding that mammals can't change sex?

EmilyinEverton · 24/05/2026 20:47

bonfireoftheverities · 24/05/2026 18:14

"He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that." - John Stuart Mill

This is something I've tried to keep in mind over the last half dozen or so years since I heard TWAW, thought "What?" and fairly quickly found FWR. So I've made sure to read as much as I can take from those who truly believe that men can be women, or if they don't actually believe it (because how can you, deep down?), desperately want it to be true. I say as much as I can take because after a while you've seen and heard it all before, and it never starts being convincing.

The latest pile of nonsense I dove into is this: The End of Trans Rights in the UK Is the Start of Democratic Collapse. Dear god, that almost made my brain melt. The links alone show you that he never strays outside an idiotic bubble (Helen Webberley being the first I clicked into).

Is there anyone you can recommend who makes their case without lying and relying on liars?

Ever thought about whether your priors prevent you from ever interpreting the other's case as true?

ertlatr · 24/05/2026 20:29

Plenty of good peaking material already posted. I would also recommend More Than Just A Flag, the autobiography of Monica Helms, the guy who designed the trans flag. It is quite the illuminating read.

Original poster
bonfireoftheverities · 24/05/2026 19:34

Thanks for the recommendations. I've read some of all of the above except for @theilltemperedamateur's suggestions, which will be next on the list. To whom it may concern: I didn't immediately dismiss. I merely summed up.

OP posts:
theilltemperedamateur · 24/05/2026 19:25

I recommend Trans Britain: our journey from the shadows by Christine Burns:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trans-Britain-Christine-Burns/dp/1783528443

And The hidden case of Ewan Forbes by Zöe Playdon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Case-Ewan-Forbes-Establishment/dp/1526619148

The first is made up of essays by a number of writers, and the second is an account of the 1960s court case about a transman who claimed a peerage, interleaved with a history of trans over the last 100 years illustrated by reference to 'his' life.

Both are available at my local library.

Both brought me the closest I've been to an understanding of how trans people really see the issue.

When I read the Playdon book, I had no idea either Playdon or Forbes was trans, so the experience was rather more exciting for me than it would be for most readers, with the penny only dropping when it was sort-of-revealed how 'Ewan' managed to win the case. It would make a great movie or TV series.

DworkinWasRight · 24/05/2026 19:04

Whipping girl by Julia Serrano is another one I think JKR mentioned.

DworkinWasRight · 24/05/2026 19:02

I vaguely remember JKR saying that before she entered the debate she read a lot of trans activist stuff. I think she mentioned Grace Lavery and Andrea Long Chu. Also Judith Butler, of course. But you might as well read books by people who think the earth is flat - it doesn’t matter how good they are as writers, it’s still completely nonsense.

CassOle · 24/05/2026 18:37

bonfireoftheverities · 24/05/2026 18:14

"He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that." - John Stuart Mill

This is something I've tried to keep in mind over the last half dozen or so years since I heard TWAW, thought "What?" and fairly quickly found FWR. So I've made sure to read as much as I can take from those who truly believe that men can be women, or if they don't actually believe it (because how can you, deep down?), desperately want it to be true. I say as much as I can take because after a while you've seen and heard it all before, and it never starts being convincing.

The latest pile of nonsense I dove into is this: The End of Trans Rights in the UK Is the Start of Democratic Collapse. Dear god, that almost made my brain melt. The links alone show you that he never strays outside an idiotic bubble (Helen Webberley being the first I clicked into).

Is there anyone you can recommend who makes their case without lying and relying on liars?

Archive version. https://archive.ph/AQCNJ

FarewelltotheHorse · 24/05/2026 18:32

What specifically did you think were the lies in that article?

If you genuinely want to hear the other side's perspective, a good starting point would be to not immediately dismiss and poo-poo everything you read. If you read a claim and you're not sure if it's true, do some further research before you dismiss it. You might find yourself surprised, GC spaces aren't exactly immune from spreading misinformation either.