To ask about JK Rowling - can someone tell me what happened?

[christmaspigeon]

Just that really. I like her. I like how she gives so much for charity and how she put Trump in his place, but I know people's views on her have changed. Something to do with trans comments?? Can someone explain (in really simple language!) what happened? Thank you!

Oh and what is especially mark worthy is that when Rowling disclosed her painful history of abuse her little protégés like Radcliffe and Watson refused to acknowledge her pain and opted for popularity chasing soundbites.
Really galling attitude to a woman who not only made their careers but was also their friend.

Nark not Mark. Even my phone favours men.

Well menstruation is one of the issues that has been raised to support ring fencing bio sex specific services such as smear tests. Should GP’s waste resources on inviting people who don’t own a cervix to be screened for cervical cancer? It’s not exclusionary to say trans women do not have cervix’s nor do trans men have prostate’s.

Her point I think is that the new legislation would allow people to declare their gender and very swiftly have it legally declared and thus protected without any checks or balances to assess motivation for the change or any medical treatment to support the assertion of now being biologically female.

Common example of abusing the system would be to compete as a female in professional sports where they will have huge advantages over bio women in an area that’s already disproportionately underfunded.

Extreme example would be a woman fleeing abusive man is at a woman only shelter, awaiting court to prosecute. Her abuser declares he’s now identifying as female, this is legitimised legally, name is duly changed and the abuser can now legally enter the shelter and access the victim.

The point isn’t to protect women from the trans community, its to protect everyone from people who would exploit and abuse the process to victimise those it was originally intended to protect.

"Basically its transphobic to believe anything other than 'trans women are women' and should be treated exactly the same as women in all circumstances."
Except of course in circumstances where trans women are trans women.
Then they're not just women.
Like trans day of remembrance. Or trans awareness week or pride month.
Or the day for the elimination of violence against women, the perfect opportunity to remind women than trans women are not women, they are super duper special, extra oppressed women. Even though we all know thats complete bullshit.
Or when they are being awarded women in business prizes, wearing leather skirts and bows in their hair. Like any middle aged woman would be taken seriously at work looking like that.
We all know trans women are men by the way they are pandered to and plicated. .

That really is "phobic" to see transwomen as a homogeneous group of potential attackers, and then to use that fear to justify comments about trans men is bizarre, how is a trans woman in a bathroom relevant to a discussion about trans men, women and menstruation? She's lost me there.

She was responding after a barrage of responses, a couple of weeks after her tweet. Most people made it about MTF trans people, as so often happens, due to the sexist society we live in (because FTM trans people don't have the social power of MTF trans people) That's why.

They are a group of potential attackers.
Because they are men.
They have male patterns of offending.
They have grown up with male privilege.
Women know, instinctively to recognise and be wary of men. .
Its evolution.
A dress and a wig cant undo thousands of years of conditioning..
If there is an easy way to tell the difference between the bad men and the nice ones do let us know.
It would make my life easier and more comfortable and more safe.(sadly doubt many people give a shit abiut that, I'm only a woman after all)
I know for a fact the men intent on trespassing my boundaries are the ones to be especially wary of.
Im saying no.
We say no.

She’s made a series of transphobic comments.

Gardenia, I’ve read this accusation, but I’ve never found the transphobic comments. Could you post a link, please? Or quote them? Genuine request. I may be missing something.

Also it may be a stupid question but does anyone consider that the self identification could open the floodgates to other disadvantaged groups being forced to accept people identifying as their minority without the accompanying experiences of living in their shoes- ie white people claiming to identify as BAME and legally having the ability to do so, perhaps to access BAME scholarships or advancement via BAME targeted schemes like mentoring in the workplace. Or claiming First Nation heritage for the government grant and support in the us, identifying as disabled when they are in fact able bodied....

I’m not talking about those suffering with true gender dysphoria but about the people who will take advantage without actually being disadvantaged if you get me?

It's the erosion of language and identity that could allow abuse of those systems. After all, at the moment in theory a company could sidestep having to employ women by employing men that identify as women.
However, sex is not a protected characteristic so is an easier target than race or disability. I say that as someone who has a disabled son and I am obviously worried his small rights could be eroded.

They are a group of potential attackers. Because they are men. They have male patterns of offending. They have grown up with male privilege. Women know, instinctively to recognise and be wary of men

How far are you taking that
I mean, I know don't go around being scared of men at every turn.
They're just people.
Like I am.
So we should all be scared of trans people because men?

Society puts safe spaces in place because they are needed.
If you don't like it, perhaps change society.
I'd start with the predators who target period huts in Nepal. I'm sure they'd love to share a unisex toilet with you.
God I hate people who think because they've somehow escaped being abused it ceases to be a danger.
Spare a thought for women who have been abused. Do you really think they want to share a changing room with a 6 foot man?
How about those that are barred from mixing with men due to religion. What happens to them?
Happy for teenage girls to be followed into bathrooms after being dropped a date rape drug?

Men commit 98% of violent attacks against women.
Transwomen have the same offending rates as men
What makes you think that makes it ok for any male bodied person (you know, the ones with a penis, like 89% of transwomen) to be allowed in single sex spaces? Prison, changing rooms, hospital wards, rape support centres?

Also - still waiting for that link to JKRs so called ‘transphobia’
Suspect I’ll be a long time waiting...

Curiously les me to wonder about the origin of the name “gardenia” it was named after Alexander Garden according to Wikipedia

ironically the plant named for him was nothing to do with his efforts, and not even American.

I know for a fact the men intent on trespassing my boundaries are the ones to be especially wary of.

This is the crux of it. Males should respect women's boundaries. If they don't, it's a red flag.

@madmarchmare

*She showed the world how we cannot take the identity of women away by letting transgender women enter into women-only spaces, sports and research. She also showed this lot why it was hideously wrong to experiment on the bodies of young children and teens that caused irreparable damage and how parents were misled about all this for corporate benefits. She knows how to write in the simplest possible way and yet explain very clearly the concepts or philosophy behind this incredibly rogue movement that is snatching the identity of women away. She hit a nerve, refused to backdown and didn’t suffer any bad outcomes as a result of the counter-attack. For once I am proud of BBC for giving her this award and show their support in this way. We are getting there. Soooo getting there.*

Excellent summary.

For the PP saying about R Galbraith being the name of a gay conversion therapist....as if this is some sort of dog whistle homophobia from JKR......you do realise that trans rights activists are often incredibly homophobic? Lesbians being told that expressing a genital preference (as in not wanting to have sex with a trans woman with a penis) is transphobic? Transing teen girls cos it's better to be a boy than a lesbian?

She received death and rape threats for having an opinion that doesn't fit the perceived wisdom of the time.

does anyone consider that the self identification could open the floodgates to other disadvantaged groups being forced to accept people identifying as their minority without the accompanying experiences of living in their shoes

Interesting point. Currently, non-disabled people who claim disability benefits are prosecuted for fraud if they’re found out. But what if they swore they identified as disabled? It would be impossible to disprove.

Transwomen are men. Men who choose to present differently, but men.

We're already well on the way to having to accept people who are in fact perfectly healthy as having a disability if they say they have, or even want to have their body mutilated so that they will have a disability. There seems to be some debate about whether BIID is a psychiatric condition or caused by something in the way the brain is wired up.

www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/the-strange-cases-of-healthy-people-who-want-to-be-disabled-1.3757705

www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/psychologist-blinds-woman-drain-cleaner-6552282

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/chloe-jennings-white_n_3625033?ri18n=true

@TheBuffster

It's the erosion of language and identity that could allow abuse of those systems. After all, at the moment in theory a company could sidestep having to employ women by employing men that identify as women. However, sex is not a protected characteristic so is an easier target than race or disability. I say that as someone who has a disabled son and I am obviously worried his small rights could be eroded.

Sex is one of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010. Gender isn't.

@TheBuffster

It's the erosion of language and identity that could allow abuse of those systems. After all, at the moment in theory a company could sidestep having to employ women by employing men that identify as women. However, sex is not a protected characteristic so is an easier target than race or disability. I say that as someone who has a disabled son and I am obviously worried his small rights could be eroded.

Sex is a protected characteristic, just like rave and disability. A company doing as you describe would be committing sex discrimination. Unfortunately, however, lots of companies and public bodies have been "Stonewalled" into believing that self-id is law (or as good as law). There is a woman called Ann Sinnott who is trying to bring a judicial review to clarify this.

*race, not rave!

Such a disingenuous OP. I'm sure you know all about the controversy with regard to JK Rowling OP and your reason for posting is so that people who agree with her can all come on and reiterate her point of view (for the millionth time).

@Belladonna12

Such a disingenuous OP. I'm sure you know all about the controversy with regard to JK Rowling OP and your reason for posting is so that people who agree with her can all come on and reiterate her point of view (for the millionth time).

This 😂😂😂

Such a pain for you that they made these threads compulsory, BellaDonna.