To agree with JK Rowling?

[StraightenUpAndFryRight]

mobile.twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1207646162813100033

‘Dress however you please.
Call yourself whatever you like.
Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you.
Live your best life in peace and security.
But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?
#IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill’

What I have found encouraging is that J K's intervention has brought this whole discussion into the open. I have rarely seen anyone on my FB feed raise it, but since yesterday a couple of friends have, and guess what, they are in favour of J K's very reasoned tweet as well. I hope people are emboldened by her support.

She knew exactly what she was doing and gives no fucks.

That expression suits her very well. Excellent cat among the pigeons post.

I wish I could openly give no fucks too. Unfortunately I don’t have billions to live on if I were to lose my job!

I agree with her.

I posted it on my facebook feed and got zero response though

I agree, but I think we should respect those who don't. I keep such viewpoints to myself because I don't want to be attacked on or offline, nor do I want to lose my job. This is the issue with Maya I think.

Almost as if the woke folk are the tiny minority, who have somehow managed to convince the judiciary, the police, media and politicians, that biology and sex are outdated and irrelevant.

The extent of institutional capture is terrifying. The police, judiciary, civil service, NHS, Girlguiding, Women's Aid, the school system and so many more have swallowed the Kool-Aid doled out by these cultists. They do not represent the vast majority of genuine trans people (by which I mean the Debbie Haytons, Miranda Yardleys, Rose of Dawns of this world) and they have shamelessly used people with intersex conditions as human shields (see Claire CAIS). They are also oftentimes homophobic and racist.

Most people have been asleep while this institutional capture has happened. That wonderful nest of vipers on FWR has opened the eyes of many, whilst being vilified, threatened, made out to be the reason behind all violence against trans women (mostly fictional violence, and where there has been any, it's been carried out by men); whilst at the same time, these same women are told they should shut up as they are just stupid, ugly, jealous harridans who should get back to pushing their prams and discussing nappies. Misogyny 101. Women are responsible for everything that goes wrong with men, whilst at the same time, are so fucking stupid that nobody should take any notice of them.

And yet, the women of FWR persisted. Opening the eyes of many, including me, and helping to fund brave women like Maya. Brava women of FWR.

And now they can count JKR amongst their number. Brilliant.

We all need to be pushing back against this crap. They can't fire the entire workforce of women for believing in biology. Apart from a few brave MPs, nobody in power has come out in favour of women on this issue. The chair of the EHRC, David Isaacs, is ex Stonewall chair and works at woke central. Ask yourself why a white, Oxford educated, millionaire lawyer ended up being the best candidate to represent the most under-represented in society (answer: the Civil Service).

Misgendering is not harmful or offensive or a slight on any bodies rights. That’s ridiculous argument. My 10 yr olds who have autism still routinely call boys she and girls he (although of course that would suit the trans ideology). It doesn’t hurt anyone. See Miranda Yardly’s comments on pronouns. Equally imho it would be harmful to the person themselves to not acknowledge their sex in many circumstances- Caitlin Jenner says so themselves- Caitlin talks about how Bruce was a dad, won medals and so on. Not acknowledging that a trans person had a previous life that may include things like being a father is harmful, not acknowledging that they have a different bio sex from the gender they present as can be harmful - prostrate cancer never checked for, cervical cancers never checked for, different physical symptoms of heart attacks for men and women, trans men may well still require sanitary bins in toilets and don’t have their needs met by pretending they are the same as bio men. That’s before we get to the harm it causes others to not misgender (like Karen White being in female prisons). It is not offensive to ‘misgender’ a person in many many circumstances. Will trans really be suing paramedics or doctors trying to save their lives? Fucking ridiculous that misgendering is considered harmful to the rights of trans people, when not doing so in lots of circumstances will be harmful to trans people themselves and to others (primarily women and girls).

I agree, but Mumsnet is the only place I feel safe enough to say it. Because god help anyone if they question the emperor's new fucking clothes.

I don't know the full backstory but sex is not gender and is important for healthcare. For example, regardless of gender, you cannot have ovarian cancer unless you have ovaries. I think the main problem is people conflating sex with gender. While no one, whether or not they are transgender, needs to disclose their sex to the general public, they absolutely do need to disclose it to their doctor. The only thing the general public gets to know/see is how they choose to present themselves and whatever is their preferred pronouns.

Where is it written that trans people have the fundamental right to not have their sex acknowledged? It can't be the gender recognition certificate, because it acknowledges that there are exemptions even to that.

Erm, Twitter?!

I think this is one of the weaknesses in the judgement, the judge relied on the GRA without recognising there are exemptions.

Maya made it crystal clear why women need to identify men as men. It wasn't for social reasons, or to be mean. She made it quite clear. It's very odd that anyone would think otherwise.

Well done JK!

The twitter backlash feels terribly obstructive. No attempt to understand why women might feel like the characteristic of 'sex' is central to their experience or for some more important than gender. I'd like to see a dialogue with a trans person acknowledging that there are certain experiences that happen to you BECAUSE you are a female. Like giving birth or having a period,. You can't opt into suffering from Endometriosis.

156K likes for JK's post and counting - which is as it should be.
Such a shame that it's now 'dangerous' for women to state facts and stand against misogyny and homophobia.
So many women doing such brilliant things in the fact of these attacks on our rights in the name of wokeness.
Imagine all the other great things we could do if we didn't have to spend time and energy fighting this 'new' misogyny.
So much respect to JK - and even more to the many other brave, clever women - and the small number of men - who are standing up for our rights.

This is the paragraph where Maya reserved the right to call male people he -

89. When in an, admittedly very bitter, dispute with Gregor Murray, who alleged that they had been misgendered by the Claimant, rather than seeking to accommodate Gregor Murrays legitimate wishes she stated: “I had simply forgotten that this man demands to be referred to by the plural pronouns “they” and “them”, “Murray also calls it “transphobic” that I recognise a man when I see one. I disagree”, “In reality Murray is a man. It is Murray’s right to believe that Murray is not a man, but Murray cannot compel others to believe this.” and that “I reserve the right to use the pronouns “he” and “him” to refer to male people. While I may choose to use alternative pronouns as a courtesy, no one has the right to compel others to make statements they do not believe.”

It refers to a non-binary person in the context of Scouting. Non-binaryness is not protected either under the Equality Act or the GRA. A context like scouting, where child safeguarding is paramount (should be) is exactly the kind of context where it is reasonable and proportionate (and not harassment) to call a man a man.

The judge also relies on P v S and Cornwall CC [1996] 795 which held that discrimination on the grounds of gender-reassignment is sex discrimination - and that the trans person should be treated as a member of the sex to which he or she was deemed to belong before
undergoing gender reassignment.

He also seems to rely quite heavily on the idea that the source of the 'right' to be female is the GRA - if that is correct, then anyone without a GRC doesn't have that right.

It's all very shonky reasoning altogether. Google Gregor Murray images and see if you can see where the confusion came from.

I agree with her.

I agree with her.

Gregor Murray's legitimate wishes
OMFG
'reasoning' sure is shonky there.

Laudete it’s not just about a trans persons healthcare though, it’s also about how their actual bio sex effects other women. For example a woman who wants a female hcp for intimate procedures like smear tests, mammogram, even care issues like bathing and toileting. And women may have many reasons for this- being survivor of rape or just for personal dignity. There’s also things like Muslim women are not supposed to change around men- so a transwoman in the female change rooms tramples over a Muslim women’s rights to access everyday life, she is or should be allowed to tell the staff there is a man in the women’s changing rooms, that is not a violation of a transwoman’s rights. And the reality is most of the time transwomen are very visibly men, voicing this truth is not offensive. Then there’s general topics a woman like Maya might be discussing within her work that may require acknowledging the true biological sex of a person - discussing the implications of male prisoners like Karen White for example. It is not offensive to be honest about the fact Karen White is a man, especially when he used his male body to rape girls, especially when he is in a female prison. All people have the right to be honest about his sex and the implications of pretending he isn’t male. Same goes for transwomen in female refuges, shelters, hospital wards, sports, or the huge implications for women of sex being an opt in situation for women’s issues, like say how mps will now all be 50% women, just because the male mps self identify that way to side step how poor women’s representation is in politics, or in ceo positions, or in STEM, or in higher earners and so on. It is not ever a slight on anyone to acknowledge the actual sex of a person.

I agree.
#IStandWithMaya

Feels good to say that somewhere. I'd be ripped apart and potentially lose my job if I say it anywhere else.

I agree with JK Rowling. Sending her gratitude and admiration for being so brave.

I couldn't say this in public. I work in universities.

that was them, lifeinthelastlane, as I understand.

Julykit - legitimate wishes - possibly, enforceable unqualified demands? not so much..

I agree with her, and she will rise above all the twittering. She doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, she is her own woman with her own voice and I am glad she has done this. We need more high profile women to do the same.

I agree