...to think that if Comic Relief are going to do a "Woman Wednesday" blog about "inspirational female figures", it should have an inspirational female figure in it?

[ArcheryAnnie]

Comic Relief are doing a new weekly blog, about inspirational women.

"Women Wednesday’s is our new weekly column for Gender Justice month here at Comic Relief, where we will be giving the spotlight to one inspirational female figure per week. We focus on women who have created change and spearheaded movements for other women, and stood up against discrimination against gender and sexuality."

Fantastic, right? They've got links to all kinds of amazing women, working in very challenging conditions across the world, who are helping to create a better world for everyone, not just themselves. What a brilliant blog theme! What brilliant, inspirational woman are we all going to learn about today, I wonder?

Well. Here's who they picked as their "inspirational female figure": www.comicrelief.com/news/women-wednesdays-heres-why-lili-elbe-our-inspirational-figure-week

Women deserve better, Comic Relief. You've really screwed up on this one.

Standing up for herself. Going against what was seen as normal to be who she felt she really was. That's a pretty good message for anyone to hear.

Would you say that Human Barbie was as inspirational?

She stands up for herself, and goes against what is seen as normal to be who she really feels she is.

www.news.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/cosmetic-surgery/woman-has-100-surgeries-in-a-passionate-desire-to-become-a-real-life-barbie/news-story/77a0b3777ee1f0447f609e5b77bdbd38

Standing up for herself. Going against what was seen as normal to be who she really felt she was. That's a pretty good message for anyone to hear
But it's not specific to women or females though, is it, so why name her as an inspirational female figure? Some men are inspirational to everyone, but it would be inappropiate to name them as well.

IStandWithPosie Not a one shotsfired. No women have ever braved vitriol for what they believe in.

Must be all that privilege we wallow in

Standing up for herself. Going against what was seen as normal to be who she felt she really was. That's a pretty good message for anyone to hear.

For a transwoman to hear.

Disgrace. But charity wise, I guess its just another scam anyways

Standing up for herself

Except this isn't exactly groundbreaking for a male-bodied person, is it? People with male bodies aren't exactly known for not standing up for themselves, are they?

Trying to make a man, who is reinforcing gender stereotypes by claiming the existence of a lady brain, is an inspiration to women and young girls is utterly anti women.

I'm pretty sure you think there's such thing as lady brain though Datun, don't you? Isn't it that thing that you think makes women no threat to other women in intimate spaces? Even if they're bigger, stronger women than average, because it isn't their bodies that make them a threat, it's their brains? Their man brains that make men violent sex offenders?

Because I don't see how you can be so dissenting of male/female brain in one post, and then hold it up as the reason why men and women need to live in totally separate spheres on a million other threads.

But that's by the by, and a total derail - I apologise. It just baffles me the contradictions in your position, I'm sorry. We'll have to have that conversation another day I suppose.

Jesus this is a joke. Elbe might be inspirational to men who feel they should be women but how whatsoever would Elbe be inspirational to women themselves? By all means have Trans Inspirational day but ffs this is such a fucking massive insult to women.

And why is sexuality conflated with this?

Anyone got a link to complain?

I hate all this crap. Inspirational men, women, what does it matter? Inspirational people. Don’t care what gender. I’m sick and tired of women being singled out this way. This isn’t equality.

Women Wednesday’s is our new weekly column for Gender Justice month here at Comic Relief

It was the same on Twitter.

THERE’S NO APOSTROPHE AT THE END OF “WEDNESDAYS”.

If you’re going to insult women, please do it with accurate grammar and punctuation.

Alternatively it can be rephrased as “Women Wednesday’s fucked up idea of celebrating women is our new weekly column”.

Sorry just seen link, thanks shotsfired

Pity they didn't even think to include Lili Elbe's wife. Or wasn't she inspirational enough, being just an artist?

Even if they're bigger, stronger women than average, because it isn't their bodies that make them a threat, it's their brains? Their man brains that make men violent sex offenders?

Rat I know you spend quite a bit of time in Feminism Chat so am amazed by this comment.

Males are violent because of socialisation. From the moment they can move violent behaviour is explained away with a ‘boys will be boys’ AKA gender stereotypes.

Complain here. I just did. www.comicrelief.com/contact-us

I just can't take anymore of this fucking shit. I feel like I'm going mad. I was in a bookshop with my daughter last week and found three of those popular "inspiring womenz" books for kids. Every fucking one of them has a transidentified male in it. Every one. My poor girl, how am I going to protect her from this?

Lol, I see it's gone down really well on twitter. Oh wait, no it hasn't.

I don't go there any more jelly, not good for the soul I've found.

Males are violent because of socialisation. From the moment they can move violent behaviour is explained away with a ‘boys will be boys’ AKA gender stereotypes.

Oh i know why I think males show greater levels of violence, it just isn't what i think Datun believes to be the reason. She can correct me though (although I'll understand if she doesn't on this thread, because this is of course a massive derail).

But mostly I agree with you, it's the socialisation to perform stereotypes that makes for the difference. That being so, it perplexes me when people deride trans women in particular for performing female stereotypes, and at the same time look completely confused as to why that (in addition to their innate gender identity) makes them more like women than men - what with the "manliness" (and so violence) of being a man being a case of stereotypes and not some fundamental male/female brain divide.

"Tyranny is the purposeful denial of nuance."

I like that quote. It feels apt.

Anyway, as you all were, I'm just exploring a tangential train of thought.

I'm on the fence.
She may not have been a great choice for the first ever Women's Wednesday, and I do think some of her acts are selfish on her part, as she didn't campaign for rights and did put her needs above everyone elses.
I do think it would have taken bravery and courage to go against society in such a way, and while I believe women's Wednesday might not be the best place to celebrate her life,
I do think she is a hero to many trans people as without her sacrifice (including her life) science and medicine that helps other trans people wouldn't have happened when it did.
And while most people are upset with self identity and being labelled a woman while keeping your penis (something i also find hard to agree with), Lili Elbe went above and beyond to create the body she felt she belonged in.
I normally read the trans threads and agree with most the posters regarding self identity and with women's rights being put aside for that of men. But in this case, while I can be upset at comic relief for making the choice of a transgender person on the debut article, we shouldn't minimise the issues and life of Lili Elbe and what she went through in order to finally feel herself, especially in a world where women were openly treated as inferior and being different was a punishable crime, what she went through might have been solely for her own benefit, but I don't think she did it for any alterior motive and it seems shit for people to be questioning her character just because of the way today's society is going.

Isn't it that thing that you think makes women no threat to other women in intimate spaces? Even if they're bigger, stronger women than average, because it isn't their bodies that make them a threat, it's their brains? Their man brains that make men violent sex offenders?

Um, no I don't think it is?

irishfeminist push back every single time. What else can we do?

I think that's a pretty balanced assessment MsHopey.

But mostly I agree with you, it's the socialisation to perform stereotypes that makes for the difference. That being so, it perplexes me when people deride trans women in particular for performing female stereotypes, and at the same time look completely confused as to why that (in addition to their innate gender identity) makes them more like women than men - what with the "manliness" (and so violence) of being a man being a case of stereotypes and not some fundamental male/female brain divide.

You're word salading again hun.

My poor girl, how am I going to protect her from this?

You don’t, you show it to her and you teach her how to fight it. We can’t hide from it, it will keep coming, they will always try to stand on us. It’s what men do. They willl find new and interesting ways to do it. And we will just keep fighting with each new generation.

You're word salading again hun.

Over your head was it?

noeffingidea I do, all the time, and it can be lonely. I just feel so exhausted by it sometimes. It's the worst misogyny I've ever seen in my life, this movement, and most people haven't woken up to it.