Jess Phillips is FUCKING LOVELY.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Despite the webchat.

I met her tonight along with GinevraFanshawe and Venusinscorpio. She was being interviewed by Helen Lewis to promote her new book.

I asked whether she had concerns about the proposals in the Private Members Bill to make gender equality a protected characteristic & the only criterion for changing gender self-declaration by downloading a form from the web. And she got it. She was clear that it couldn't be allowed to be that simple and that there are definite differences between women and transwomen.

We introduced ourselves afterwards as MNers who'd been on the webchat and explained that a lot of us are worried about this. Her message was, Don't stop fighting.

Incidentally it was fabulous to meet up with other Spartaci!

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans

I was actually about to PM you in case you got banned, but it was too late!

It is incredibly frustrating. And it doesn't show how the questions are fully representative of what people on here are thinking.

I would almost more prefer an answer that said I'm sorry I can't answer at the moment, we are still thinking about this one.

That Webchat was a total damp squib, I think it's the worst I've seen on here. Catherine Meyer said nothing that would inspire me to either buy her book or look into the WEP.

I thought the Web chat was hilarious "BUY MY BOOK! ALL THE ANSWERS ARE THERE! "
Not any more inspired to vote WEP

Quentin it was funny for all the wrong reasons. I did genuinely laugh at ego's comment regarding the paltry number of questions answered within the hour. The lengthy periods of radio silence were very awkward.

I'm almost tempted to accuse them of trolling us.

I was disappointed with Jess's webchat, but then there were glimmers of hope there and I'd heard good stuff about her so it seemed worth going along to her event to ask a question in person. And I was so impressed that I bought her book.

Various members of WEP, however, are now blocking me on Twitter because they don't like my questions.

www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com/whatson/jess-phillips-catherine-mayer/

Can anyone attend this? It's on 23 April. Unfortunately, it's too far away for me.
Jess Phillips and Catherine Mayer in conversation with Helen Lewis. Another chance to raise concerns?

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans

They're actually blocking you?

Sorry Datun, I admit I'm exaggerating. Most of them are ignoring me.

I've been blocked by Stella Duffy, one of the founding members. Which is disappointing because she used to be one of my favourite authors.

I note that Catherine Meyer answered my question about what gang of four song was her favourite, I only posted it for devilment.

Thing is, if Jess Phillips understands the differences between women and transwomen and has implied that we should 'keep fighting', what on earth does that say about the people who represent us in parliament?

How many other people think that, but are too afraid to speak? Is it because it's not politically correct, or is because they are really frightened? Or maybe it's the power transactivists wield. I struggle with that last one, because every time someone speaks out, the backlash and calls for censorship only provoke more people to peak trans.

The 'transwomen are women' mantra is being disseminated across the west like some kind of Twilight Bark and is used to counter each and every speck of dissent.

Every single argument eventually distils down to that one area of dispute.

And yet, and yet there can't be a single person on the planet who actually thinks a man is a woman.

There can't genuinely be anyone who actually believes it can there? Every time I see or hear it I want to demand in what sense is a trans woman a woman? I need an answer. There isn't one.

The question is never properly answered. It generally goes like this: you ask why are they a woman, they bat it straight back and say in what way are you a woman? You reply with something along the lines of chromosomes, and they start going down the intersex route to counter it. Or you talk about women's biology and they counter that with the handful of people on the planet born without a vagina/uterus. Or the one that really gets me, are you saying that a woman who can't have children isn't a woman!

It's never a proactive description of them, it's a reactive response to you.

I'm wondering if the next time someone says how do you know you are a woman, you say because I wasn't born with a penis, whether that would work?

The onus to disprove inclusion is turned on its head by proving exclusion.

Although, I suppose they could then ask if a man born without a penis is a woman? You could counter with I don't know you have to ask him. It's a far less onerous task to say that.

It's amazing how easily we seem to accept that the definition of a women isn't an adult human female. When mps and representative from WEP cannot come up with a definition, how the hell are we supposed to believe that they are both willing and able to fight sexism and male violence against women.

I've been told that women is nothing to do with female, it's a concept, it's how others perceive you or how you perceive yourself. I've been told that MTT route to womanhood is just as, or even more, vaild as mine. Which begs the question why do male adults change their birth certificates to female? And also what does the state think a female is?

I think it's interesting that there is no definition of MTT. Anyone who says they are, are. Nobody questions it. We're surrounded by male violence and nobody dare question the motives of these men.

Sorry if this is on the wrong thread, doesn't make sense, or I'm just repeating what everyone has already said. But I'm just shocked how much power this small number of men have, and the total bollocks that goes unchallenged.

But I'm just shocked how much power this small number of men have, and the total bollocks that goes unchallenged

Yup. And still everyone knows how we reproduce. It terrifies and enrages me in equal measure.

BigDeskBob

I think it's interesting that there is no definition of MTT. Anyone who says they are, are. Nobody questions it. We're surrounded by male violence and nobody dare question the motives of these men.

Very succinctly said.

Transwomen are men. They just are. I know they are heavily invested in pushing that they are women. No one is questioning the motivation.