Ian McEwan on gender identity

[MoonriseKingdom]

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Article about a recent talk by Ian McEwan. I'm not sure what prompted the topic to come up but he seems quite well informed on some of the concerns that have been discussed on here. I think his description of people seeing their identity in a consumerist way was interesting. I expect he won't be invited to speak in any university debates any time soon.

I am planning on buying one of his books to show my solidarity.

www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/02/ian-mcewan-criticised-over-transgender-remarks

I never get links right!

Can I suggest you start with "The Wasp Factory".

Iain Banks wrote The Wasp Factory. He's sadly dead.

I liked Chesil Beach, it's short, more a novella. Though I was the only one in my book group who did.

Though I can understand the mix up, sorry to be a pedent.

He won't be no platformed because he's a important man. Interestingly the Times leader agreed with him.

I find his books a bit weird and with pervy themes. So I rightly or wrongly don't take much notice of him.

He won't be no platformed because he's a important man

The UK NUS no platform movement appears to have come about as a method of banning far-right activists from appearing on campuses. As far as I am aware, most or all of those activists were men - David Irving, Nick Griffin etc. Now you may quibble about how 'important' they are, but they are certainly high-profile. So the inference that no platforming is a device to silence women doesn't really ring true. The latest furore is over Peter Tatchell, although they seem to have changed tack slightly.

Elendon, I knew that!
"Well done that person, I was just wondering who'd spot that first. " ,

There is no comparison between the no platforming of the far right and the current ideological purging, primarily of women.

Why do you think that? Aren't they both examples of high-handed moralising, and deciding to curb free speech because the public are judged as unable to make their own decisions?

"Though I can understand the mix up, sorry to be a pedent."

pedent pedant

Sorry to be a pedant

Ian McEwan is a brilliant writer. I have really enjoyed his Sweet Tooth and Atonement, but even Saturday (which doesn't have much of a plot) was worth reading because of the amazing prose.

No platforming is the equivalent of a small child putting their fingers in their ears and saying La La La.

I cannot believe he is being asked to apologise because he said that men have penises.

They do, they really, really do!

This reminds me of those feminist cartoons which showing a woman saying something at a meeting & then rounding off with "and perhaps now one of the men would like to repeat it so you take my idea seriously".

I hear ya RomCom, I'm still glad that people are saying it!

I just keep thinking about that

RomCom, sadly true, but quite frankly, I don't care if eminent men and establishmenr newspapers are needed to get the point across. We know men get listened to. If some are listening to the concerns and making the argument too, so much the better.

Much, much rather that than right on men getting with the 'progressive' gender identity politics.

But yeah, the silencing of women is depressing.

I think that is a very good point romcom. However, given the rush towards rule changing and legislation I think it is good that this is being discussed in mainstream media.

Atonement was a pile of misogynistic shite. I'm not sure McEwan is on the side of women, although it was an articulate and well argued point he made. Our paths maybe just briefly crossing at this juncture .

I like Romcom's point too

This is the Punch cartoon I was thinking of.

There are other variations on a theme, including the one where the women suggests one of the men repeats it but I can't find it.

Thanks for posting this. I agree with him

"Atonement was a pile of misogynistic shite"

Even if you believe women in it were not presented in a fair light or whatever (which is not my recollection), you must have noticed that it was not "shite" in a literary sense.

I can't remember anything misogynistic in the couple of Ian McEwan books that I have read. His fault as an author imho is that he can't seem to come up with exceptional stories, but he is a brilliant writer of prose.

Again, while he was accused of being uninformed, nobody could really explain why he was uninformed.

I think that one of the problems with left wing / right wing politics is that people often put aside their critical thinking faculties and just go with the ideology of their chosen group.

RIght wingers might not feel much sympathy for feminism but they are more likely to approach trans issues in a rational way because it isn't one of their pet causes.