Why so much trans bashing on MN?

[leighdinglady]

I just don't get it at all.

Why do I see threads every day on MN which spout hatred and fear about the trans community. What's everyone so scared of??? Literally hundreds of posts of people talking like trans women are somehow a threat to biological women.

For a social platform which is meant to be friendly and approachable, this really stinks.

pencils

Excellent.

Do people not get that laws are being changed? And policies and guidelines in all sorts of areas, that we have far less control over?

It wouldn't matter if extreme transactivism was just 10 extremely fucked up and aggressive individuals - they are being listened to and they are setting the agenda

Do people not get that laws are being changed?

I think you've hit the nail right on the head here. I've talked to people about this IRL and they simply don't believe that any of this shit is really happening because it's all too crazy.

I was telling DP the other day about the new CPS guidelines re: transgender girls in schools and he just couldn't believe it. In fact he didn't believe it and thought I'd misunderstood somehow until I actually showed him the pack and he was just completely gobsmacked and .

I've had that too from DP, Ferrets: 'Oh, you can't be right about that, are you sure you heard it properly?' followed by 'You're not going on about this again, are you?'

which will be followed by a swift kick in the nadgers if he ever again dares to suggest that just because he didn't know about a thing and it doesn't affect him, it's unreasonable to mention it more than once.

He's normally rather lovely. I think he is worried that I'm being uncharacteristically bigoted and unaccepting, without asking himself WHY I don't feel I can shrug and say each to their own.

IAmEatingACurry - On a personal level, I don't like where trans activism is heading because it is also negatively impacting genuine trans people like myself who just want to get on with our lives. Pretty much all mental health support has been withdrawn for trans people leaving us alone and vulnerable. We have the twat activists to thank for that

Yup. We had an honour system that worked well for decades. TA's have fucked it up

I'm also very angry that trans people can't get decent MH care that isn't agenda-driven. How dare the TA's wave (dodgy) suicide stats at us while at the same time insisting that any concern for overall mental health is 'gatekeeping'?

Notmyrealname85 - I'm fully against random guys using self identification just to piss the system

Right well be afraid then because the government have committed to reviewing the gender recognition act with the aim of a move towards self-declaration. This is the exact type of law that permits Muscato to take up a place in a women's hostel.

(pages behind, sorry)

Right well be afraid then because the government have committed to reviewing the gender recognition act with the aim of a move towards self-declaration.

I thought that bill had been scrapped now

It really doesn't make any sense, does it?

On one hand we are constantly being told that trans people have it hard, they have very poor mental health, high suicide and attempted suicide rates, are vulnerable and need support.

Yet on the other hand mental health support for trans people is being withdrawn and any suggestion of any kind of therapy or counselling for them will result in you having your arse handed to you on a plate.

So trans people have poor mental health and are at high risk of suicide, but you know what, let's withdrawn all their mental health support and leave them even more vulnerable

I thought that bill had been scrapped now

Different law.

Not once has a transgendered person ever had any impact on my life. I don't understand the fear at all. To fight fear with unfounded accusations about them being 'fetishists' (as steal says) is just bizarre. It's like some of the posts are convinced they're all rapists in disguise trying to break in to our toilets

Well there has been at least one case of a 'trans woman' raping a women who happened to be born with a vagina in a ladies toilet.

If you were a middle distance runner trans women would stop you winning medals.

If you are ever in prison do you want to share a cell with a 'woman' who has a penis and a rape conviction?

Do you remember the women who died for other women to vote? Who had to fight to be in sports events such as the olympics? Who had to fight for maternity leave and equal pay?

The latest I heard was trans women complaining they were not accommodated at abortion clinics.

Women have been fighting for centuries to be thought of as equal, and now a man can come along, put on a dress and he is more important than any woman.

To add to Pencil's list.

It is worrying that my own discipline (and academia at large) is now under attack, with a journal being forced to apologise for publishing an article comparing transgenderism and transracialism.

dailynous.com/2017/05/01/philosophers-article-transracialism-sparks-controversy/

Women have been fighting for centuries to be thought of as equal, and now a man can come along, put on a dress and he is more important than any woman.

It's incredibly disempowering and upsetting to see this happen.

On a totally personal level, I absolutely HATE smear tests. The only thing that makes it even remotely bearable is knowing that I can ask for a HCP who has an understanding of what it feels like to have ones vagina prodded by a stranger. Similarly for mammograms. I am genuinely scared that in a few years I won't be allowed to ask for a female HCP. In which case I may well stop going.

Me too Amelia - it's a real red line for me, healthcare wise

"I thought that bill had been scrapped now"
Are you talking about Maria Miller's Gender Identity Bill? As far as I remember, it did not get it's second reading because there was no available time. But it's still kicking around, and I wonder if they're waiting for ot to be 'forgotten' and then they'll revive it.

Yeah that one Where

Damn

Apparently they're looking at the GRA as well, not just Equality Act and protected characteristics. I assume they'll need a bill to make changes to that too?

OP I agree, I've seen lots of comments about trans people that make me feel uncomfortable. Yes I can see where some women are coming from when they talk about self-identification and sports being taken advantage of but I think that's an incredibly small number of people ruining it for those who just want to get on with their life and be happy. Like how a small number of people get whole countries or cultures labelled as terrorists.

I suspect many people are unable to understand or put themselves in the shoes of someone who identifies as trans. I don't really understand to be honest but neither do I assume that most people go through all the hassle just to oppress women or to fulfil their fetishes. Having read some experiences I can see how growing breasts, having periods, or developing hips might be awful for transmen and growing a beard, having a penis, or developing muscles might be awful for a transwoman.

I'm not scared of someone just because they have a penis, man or transwoman. But I am scared of anyone who wishes me harm- man, woman, transperson, dog...- and I have been physically assaulted by women as well as men. I would rather know the person and not see them through the social construct of gender.

If someone's great, they're great, if they're a twat, well then they're a twat, regardless of gender, sex, sexuality, race...

I suspect many people are unable to understand or put themselves in the shoes of someone who identifies as trans.

You do realise that there is a transwoman on this thread who disagrees with trans activists and agrees with MN feminists?

Any bill that hasn't gone through now isn't going anywhere just yet: Parliament dissolves tomorrow ahead of the General Election, and there will be a new Parliament when we have a new government.

Bills that fall away can come back to Parliament, but need to start the legislative process again, and I would imagine that the business managers will be keeping out everything except the most pressing stuff in order to free up time for the raft of Brexit legislation that will be needed.

Didn't they change article 50 to centre gender instead of sex?

I might be wrong but I thought Caroline Lucas and WEP had tabled a shitty amendment?

FerretsAreFeminists I never actually said anything about activists or feminists. Some activists are twats, doesn't matter what they're chosen activism is, trans or not. As for feminists, I'm a feminist and I think trans people should be treated with respect, not fear and tarring with the same brush.

Suzie - I agree with the sentiment that if someone's a twat, they 're a twat. I suspect that the current TRAs in previous times would have found something else to be twattish about.

But you are mistaken if you think that there is "a lot of hassle" involved for self-identified transpeople who can do nothing more than say "I'm trans" and expect the world to jump and agree that they are now indeed a man or a women on their say so.

And you are also mistaken if you think that fetishes are not common amongst MTT - see this thread for example. Do you feel like this when you get dressed in the morning? I certainly don't!

I think trans people should be treated with respect, not fear and tarring with the same brush.

So do I.

So does everyone else on this thread.

However you know fine well that's not the issue.