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 cannot get my head around the argument that trans women are vulnerable in men spaces but these same men who attack trans women can easily self identify (just by issuing the words "I am a woman") and enter women spaces is scaremongering.

I am drafting a letter to the guardian telling them why I've abandoned them - after 20 years - for the times. Deleting gender critical, polite comments is dreadful.

Bluebolt - 100%.

Bigkids - Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment really. I stopped reading after the Cologne debacle (another shocking example of a progressive publication crapping on women and their concerns) but drifted back. I've found the moderation on CIF quite crazy. Polite, reasonable, decently argued comments that don't fit their narrative getting zapped while personally abusive, nasty ones remain.

Ah, maybe I should write to the Guardian too, as I have also abandoned them for the Times. One gets old fashioned sexism now and then in the Times, but that is at least based in a sound understanding of biology (the source of woman's oppression). I am sad that McEwan felt obliged to take back some of his comments, though.

The Guardian is not really a progressive publication when it comes to women

No, its relentless sucking up to misogynistic Islamists on one hand while airing the most frivolous feminism-lite in its columns on the other is pretty alienating and depressing.

Email the readers editor to say so

I did after the Cologne Gaby Hinsliff piece. The crazy thing is that judging by the comments, the vast majority of their readership take a contrary stance to them on all these issues. The Guardian Pick of most comments is never something with a high number of "recommends". It's awful but kind of fascinating in a trainwreck kind of way.

I read through quite a few pages (not all) and despite the Guardian pick I think there was a reasonable spread of views. There was one well written comment about women in sport. I wonder if it was a mumsnetter as it seemed like a summary of the IOC ruling thread on MN.

I'm guessing Ian McEwan has had some fairly vociferous backlash to deal with in the past few days. I'm guessing he regrets putting his head above the parapet (or had no idea what sort of hot water he was stepping into). I noticed that the comments more in line with his original statement were getting quite a lot of up votes.