To think the gender and sex Ed wars are created by tories

[Unexpectedlysinglemum]

The tories have totally messed up the country recently I think that people who did or didn't vote for them can see they are doing an awful job and they have no reasonable expectation of winning next general election..... EXCEPT now the Tory press has created this total obsession about

1. Sex education and
2. Gender and trans issues.

They are painting them selves as the only party that will save us from the wokes who want to identify as a dog or teach 12 year olds how to have anal sex... this is what the Tory tabloids are claiming is happening in schools.

What does everyone think?

Lol no worries, that answer is more than enough to explain your position ✌

@ArabeIIaScott - I did nicely out of Brexit and still do. Even a mess is an opportunity if you look at it the right way.

I am richer, but in a much poorer country. Purely for my wallet I will be delighted if people continue to vote Conservative. From a societal perspective, it's a disaster.

As you’ve got it so right so far - any thoughts on next US Presidential election?, just out of curiosity

It's a bit too early to say. I think it might be a bit clearer when the nominees are confirmed.

Well you originally said a specifically right wing insult, which is certainly isn't. (A comparison is something like "libtard", which clearly is)

Ring/left wing aside, I've seen the same pattern in many subcultures / fandoms. FWIW I was specifically thinking about goths, but I've seen it in punks, rockabillies, skiers, programmers, guitarists, trekkies, wild swimmers....

Fundamentally, it's easy to gain social status in an insular, single interest group by calling out (maybe spitefully, maybe just affectionately) those who aren't matching up to the "perfect" ideal of the group. In most situations - the trekkies, the swimmers and so on - that just results in sadness. In political movements and revolutions it can go as far as violence and death.

I don't agree that identifying a negative pattern in a situation is automatically insulting those caught up in it. It may be an unwelcome observation but it's not insulting.

Some situations are simply not healthy and we should not pretend they are because those caught up in them find that truth uncomfortable.

You might find these books interesting. The political scientists agree that globalisation has been a disaster for working class people.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/despised/paul-embery/9781509539994

https://www.waterstones.com/book/values-voice-and-virtue/matthew-goodwin/9780141999098

@FOJN - wouldn't disagree. But of course, the issue about Brexit was "what do I get?".

The answer is nothing, and now a far bit less in terms of spending. Okay if you are well off, not great if you depend on public services.

Professionally, it's the gift that keeps on giving. There is no end of mess to be considered.

Vote Conservative. 300 million for the NHS. Gender laws changed, and one free swipe at a confused teenager that you can call woke to keep you warm this winter.

it is factually accurate to say there has been reporting that is Sunaks electoral strategy to focus on wedge issues like trans rights to win the election. It is factually accurate to say the Conservatives are at least as culpable as any other party with respect to the current gender identity mess. It is factually accurate to say they are in power with a huge majority so could do something about it if they wanted to.

It is also factually accurate to say that Labour could defang this evil Tory strategy entirely by simply committing to

• repealing the GRA
• confirming in law that women are adult human females and that trans women are adult human males who wish to live socially as they believe women do but are not themselves women regardless of any surgeries or dysphoria they may have
• confirming in law that trans women of course have the right to be free from violence, abuse and discrimination because of how they present, but no right to be included in any provisions that are women-only.

Dear god, they could probably defang the whole thing just by saying they are prepared to consider it if they were to make the language they used as clear and unequivocal as that!

If they wanted to.

The problem is you assume you know why people voted for Brexit, usually it's because they are stupid, racist or gullible enough to believe a message on the side of a bus but that only represents a small proportion of the people who voted leave. Those with different reasons didn't bother making their case because remainders just insulted them and everyone ignored the left wing case for leave.

If you're on the bones of your arse then of course you are going to be considering the benefits to you because you don't have the luxury of being able to prioritise the greater good.

I'm glad I've got under your skin enough for you to spend time c&p quotes from me out of context, to make it look like I believe something I don't.

Here's my full post:

Yes I agree
I just really hate they are now forcing the "left v right" culture war when they are as complicit in the capture as anyone else. That's what I mean about being adults. Labour as much as the Tories. The "I'm voting conservative because they know what a woman is!!!!" only encourages the culture war approach.

By making it a "left v right", "with us or against us" issue, I worry we will end up with a Conservative government who can claim a mandate to treat women differently to men. And then use that to fuck us over. Similar to what's happened with Brexit.

The political pressure and reporting has forced Labour to say they will protect women's rights. So let's keep that up prior to the election, on them and other parties.

The answer as feminists is not voting conservative. That's like turkeys voting for Christmas.

I don't have "complete contempt" for anyone with right leaning views. I have completed contempt for the current conservative party and the voters who think they are a good option. In my opinion the Conservatives have destroyed our country and I'm terrified of where we will be after 5 more years of their utter incompetence.

Brexit, Trump etc happened because cynical populist politicians campaigned on people's fears, and played to the "fuck you" vote. Those voters did fuck us all over (mainly unintentionally), because what they thought they were voting for was never on offer. And yes, they are entitled to vote how they like in the upcoming election but I don't have to pretend that people voting for Brexit unicorns/conservative feminist utopia have any kind of credible point.

Populism a totally irresponsible approach by (mainly right wing) politicians and the current Conservatives are doing it again with the "at least Rishi Sunak knows what a woman is!!!!" ridiculousness.

People who voted to remain in 2016 somehow seem to now be responsible for the Brexit clusterfuck, because we didn't "listen to concerns" from leave voters. And now people like you are implying that somehow if the Conservatives win it'll be because left wing voters are on a purity spiral. Come on. It'll be because right leaning voters are putting their ideology over assessing who actually is competent to run the country. This conservative cabinet lie, break the law repeatedly, funnel money to their mates and do nothing to help anyone except themselves. Anyone voting for them as a "fuck you" to a party who haven't been in power for 13 years needs their head read.

and one free swipe at a confused teenager

Is this meant to represent the whole GC position?

The SDP.

@FOJN -
People need to own their vote. I don't care how you voted, but Brexit was an unbelievably stupid idea because there was no plan for what happened afterwards. That's like jumping off a cliff and wondering if there is soft landing.

Globalization does not stop with the EU. Britain is simply doing it differently (higher levels developing country immigration) but it's certainly not making plans for its own people.

@StefanosHill - no. I'm gender criticial but that does not mean I'm content with giving the Conservative Party a free run. Thanks to them there have been rapists pretending to be women in prisons. They did that.

Its curious that some are incapable of considering that views other than their own may be due to anything other than stupidity.

Seems like an attempt to bolster the ego and emotionally driven rather than rational.

But the only reason we all care so much about the gender stuff is the total catastrophizing in the Tory press

Oh OP, no.

The reason I care so much about "gender issues", is because I care so much about child protection & the safety, dignity, privacy & rights of women.

Yep, women have been trying bloody hard to raise this issue for many years. Long before the 'tory press' had anything to do with it.

I completely agree Arabella, and with your earlier post about it would be good if it was as simple as left/right

I've lost friends over my "transphobia" for saying women have vaginas, not penises. Yet on here I get painted as some kind of social justice warrior by culture war fans. Its infuriating and makes me fighty

Well said

by culture war fans

Who is this even about?

Why paint posters in this way when it’s just GC women wanting to defend their rights and safeguard dc

Do you take much notice of the situation in other countries and gender taking over?

@StefanosHill - I don't. You know why I raised the prison example. It's the same reason that TRA wanted it.

The placing of male sex offenders in women's prisons was a positive choice. It had to be signed off by a Minister.

So. Deeds not words. Damn the Conservatives for what they did. Now they have some words.

I’d recommend it. Gender is a massive issue in many western countries atm. The SNP, Labour in Scotland and Wales are also worth looking at closer to home.

The media is often fully captured, which isn’t the case here and there is very little in the way of debate eg the recent WM debate. So in some ways we are moving away from the full on gender path.

Then there’s international law which we are part of

I think we can row back but it’s not a certainty by any means. A GE could set us on path similar to other countries

Basically FWR is a good place to start. Threads on sports o/s or politics come up. It’s huge but worth the time and the fight imo

Why do you think voting Conservative is going to "defend your rights and safeguard your DC"
At the moment the police are so underfunded, by this conservative government, they can't take action against all the men they know are watching child sexual abuse online.

Social services and schools are so underfunded and over stretched they can't act effectively reported safeguarding concerns and children have been murdered as a result.

There is so little capacity in children's mental health that unless your child actively tries pretty hard to kill themselves, you'll get no support

How exactly are the Conservatives a good bet for safeguarding children?

@AdamRyan
This isnt about Labour you say - while telling us all we must not even think of voting for the conservatives, So who do we vote for if there is no communist or SDP candidate in our constituency?

I can believe that they will legislate on workers rights because they get funding from the trade unions. I dont trust them on childcare until i see where the money is coming from. I dont believe they are at all interested in helping women but we have to keep workers in work to pay MPs salaries.

I can not trust Labour to do anything about violence against women and girls while they cheer violent criminals promoting violence against women. Nor will I forget that they whipped Scottish Labour to vote for rapists in womens prisons.

This is great - so I'm copying it.
"Imagine telling half the fucking planet that we must give up our words and rights because a few men have an issue with their own body, a mental illness called dysphoria or get sexually aroused wearing knickers."

How can I trust Labour on anything?

So no answer on culture war fans

I mean if you find posts coming back at you feel off it’s probably those types of posts that do it

If you recognise you are speaking to GC women first you’d probably get better responses.

I didn’t mention a party in that post, interesting you did, I’ll take the least gender ID party. l’d like more done in that direction and we’re not there yet. I’ll keep pushing for it as it’s all I can do.