I'm Jack Monroe. Ask me anything.

[MxJackMonroe]

Hi Mumsnet.

It seems every time I am in the news, a MN thread about all things transgender crops up. I didn't see the last one (yesterday?) as I don't come on here very often these days - people who eavesdrop etc etc. I was cooking in a tent in a muddy field all day, having a ball, not googling myself on the internet!

The thread was deleted - which was nothing to do with me, nor my lawyer. The day I call him about a MN thread is the day I pack everything in for good. So far only the Mail and Hopkins have had legal action taken against them, and both for quite serious statements. I'm not rich enough nor quite bothered enough to call him every time someone says mean words on the internets.

ANYWAY. Threads about me tend to get deleted. So here's a new one. Because there are clearly some questions that keep coming up, criticisms that I could answer, speculation I could clarify and untruths that could do with correction.

So I'm taking questions. I'm an adult and I take an awful lot of criticism and unkindness online, on the chin. I am pretty mentally stable right now, and feel this could be a constructive discussion.

In order to stop this descending into pandemonium, using general 'chair' rules, to start with I'll take one question from each user - if it's quiet and everything gets answered, feel free to add follow up questions.

It doesn't have to be about boobs, dresses, hormones. Literally ask me anything.

MN - please don't delete this thread. I think people have valid things to say and I'm here with my big girl/boy pants on to hear them.

Over to you.

almondpudding
I did consider Jack to be a really positive role model for my teens - young single mum and out lesbian.

Then she was on testosterone and planning plastic surgery, as celebrities are inclined to do I suppose. And stupid me for expecting otherwise.'

Odd summary and a shame to go off somebody because they no longer fit your categorisation of them.

Flugelpip
Not sure why someone else's life has to conform to anyone else's standards as long as they're not directly harming anyone, or why it's a bad thing that someone wants to deal with criticism directly. Jack, you seem like a thoroughly decent person.

I second that.

magical I suggest you read the whole thread before stating what Jack has, or has not, been subjected to. In any case, how could you possibly know? How could you possibly know whether anyone else has been raped or not? Your comment was outrageous.

I have, earlier in this thread Fascicle, explained my concerns about young gender non conforming women, surgery and psychiatry. It is not a summary that came from nowhere.

I also explained in a previous thread, which Jack chose to respond to by writing an article in the Guardian, where she quoted users and claimed MN were treating her breasts as trophies. She then compared her breast reduction to other women having breast enhancements. I consider the amount of body modification presented to young women in the media to be a serious issue,

As a parent of an LGB daughter, it concerns me that there are very few young lesbian women in mainstream media.

words

I think you may have missed the context of magics statement

As a parent of an LGB daughter, it concerns me that there are very few young lesbian women in mainstream media.

Sorry, this is insane. You can't make someone high-profile conform to what you want your daughter to see in the media. That's not Jack's job. She's a human being, not a model to hold up for your daughter to copy.

I'm not asking Jack to change in any way. It's her life.

I am simply saying that I no longer consider her a role model, in response to a point another poster raised.

Almond: Can Jack be a role model to single mothers who are living on the bones of their arses and by sheer determination and bloody hard work become successful and inspirational? I hope Jack is a role model to many.

In any case, how could you possibly know? How could you possibly know whether anyone else has been raped or not? Your comment was outrageous.

That's a bizarrely literal interpretation of my comment.

Ok Jack Monroe was not raped on this mumsnet talk thread :)

MN posters challenging her views and/or behaviour on this thread is in no way comparable to a physical assault.

Very interesting thread, well done Jack. I cannot say I knew who you were or agree with some of your views but this has been an enlightening read.

Edvard, one can only hope she'll return to doing so.

Almond: Jack never stopped being a role model to many, many people.
It's normal to admire someone able to succeed inspite of such dire circumstances.

I never suggested she did.

Hi Jack, I really admire the work you've done to raise awareness of food poverty and I like how you've tried to work with Trade Unions. I like your values.

What I want to ask you is linked to your experiences in some ways. You talk about having a breast reduction and how it's linked in some ways to feeling your breasts didn't work (you mentioned not breastfeeding).

My son was born with a birth defect, he has additional body parts (not nipples before anyone queries) and we are constantly told that they serve no purpose and should be removed. But I am aware that this is only an asthetic view of his body and I feel uncomfortable making decisions about his body and how it looks (he's a toddler and if we wait it may mean complications to parts of his body he will certainly use).

Do you have any advice for me about removal of a body part when it's your child you are trying to help, rather than a decision you make about your own body?

Evening all

A reminder of our webchat guidelines - express your opinion by all means, but please do show our guests the same cordiality you'd afford them if they stopped by your gaff.

Thanks you
MNHQ

It's a shame this thread hasn't continued the original vibe, and that's the reason I haven't posted for several hours.

Unfortunately there are always some who will eventually sabotage.

U2HasTheEdge: Jack, I called you a self-obsessed navel gazer in the deleted thread. I regret that now. Thank you for starting this thread. While I know you don't give a crap about what I think about you, you have won me over

Thankyou. I do try to be a decent human. I accept I don't have all the answers. I try to do no harm, or as little harm as is reasonable. I am always interested in alternative viewpoints. I bark a lot on twitter, but it's a limiting platform. I guess I just wish for a world where all this shit didn't really matter as much as it seems to.

Such a thought provoking thread. I 1st knew of you when I was struggling for money for food & am so glad you've spoken out about many injustices. You've been starkly honest about intimate areas of your life & stuck your head above the parapet a lot. Have a lot of admiration for your honesty & decency & you are a role model for me - the worlds a better place for you. Hopefully raising awareness of gender & identity issues raised awareness for children/young people that you can be whoever you are gender/identity-wise & that you're not alone

Jack did you tell us how you pronounce Mx ? - I rather like it ( usually use Ms, which people think is 'alternative enough for the little out of the way place i live in, but i'm going to suggest to my (male-ish/ non binary ) partner that we both go for Mx)
BTW I love the idea of the David Bowie /Debbie Harry lovechild style . mine is a bit like that also ..( I recommend Live XXL 001( from boots) to get that look, if you are still being to be frugal and doing it yourself)

(oops this post sounds a bit swarmy.. ah well, )

"I guess I just wish for a world where all this shit didn't really matter as much as it seems to."

Then be a feminist and reject gender. It matters so much because we still live in a patriarchy and as long as men still have unearned privilege, they'll make sure it still matters.

... where all this shit didn't really matter as much as it seems to.

Agreed if you are referring to gender. Not so much if you mean the attempted redefinition of woman from an adult human female to anyone who identifies as such. The latter has negative impacts to girls and women.

What Basil said.

In an ideal world "man" and "woman" would just be biological descriptors and have no bearing at all on who people were, how they looked or what they did. That's what radfems are fighting for. But we can't do it without getting rid of gender.

And following on from what ED said, the more the definition of woman / girl gets blurred, the harder it is to fight female oppression. Take the activists on Twitter who complain about FGM being a transphobic term, or campaigns to get more girls into education / sport / etc. Are we talking about the ones with vaginas or the ones who identify as female?