Horray for Wings Over Scotland

[AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth]

Brilliant brilliant article

wingsoverscotland.com/the-law-that-nobody-wants/

Please - anyone on twitter, can you retweet this and copy in Nicola Sturgeon @NicolaSturgeon

We need to get the Nationalists AND the Unionist talking about this.

Is there anything to suggest his views come from intolerance rather than evidence?

He is very acerbic, especially on twitter. However, his blog posts are always fully referenced so you can independently check what he says.

Those virulently against him tend to be on the other side of the Scottish independence debate.

'Savage but accurate' is my impression of his article on trans activists. According to my pro indy friends, that's his style. My unionist friends/family despise him. I do think his article was savage but accurate and I'm going to judge him, on this issue, like that.

For me, this is not the time to be partisan. And anyway, I'm fucking sick of the independence stuff, on both sides

About 'Reverend' I assumed it was ironic. I've been known to dub myself Empress when the whim hit.

The article is spot on. Regardless of his political leanings it will be annoying if another ally turns out to be a bigot. I'll spend a short while on his site to see what I can find aside from the Scottish independence issue.

He has a huge audience, so his voice, in this debate, I welcome.

He's not the only controversial person who is brave enough to shout about things which many shy from.

But he's quite popular with the Scottish Government. Or perhaps they're just horrified and keeping an eye on him!

He's not an SNP voter (what with living in Bath an' all). He's not an SNP member. No reason the Scottish Government should pay him any heed.

Apart from those ever-increasing reader numbers, of course.

I think it’s important to engage with the politicians rather than Wings. Looking st Mhari Hunter’s reply to him it seems that they think they are being progressive and that not much will change for anyone except transgender people.

It’s very important that they hear the concerns of ordinary individuals and not just people with a high profile twitter account.

It’s very important that they hear the concerns of ordinary individuals and not just people with a high profile twitter account

Definitely. I don't expect or want Wings to be some sort of spokesperson, I'm just glad he's got the issue out there.

Tiny
I disagree. I'm going to take the support of all people with sense on this issue.

One might be vehemently opposed to Scottish Independence, but the pro indies are hardly fascist. It is no time to be partisan on this issue. I will welcome voices and opinions from across the political divide.

The extreme partisan politics of late are least part of the reasons we are in this bloody mess

I will draw the line at Milo types.

From the comments

Arbroath1320 says:
3 January, 2018 at 12:56 pm
As a member of the “community” being discused here I’d just like to say that none of those brainfucked deid brain moronic ignorant twats come anywhere near to be a representative of MY “community.”

People who suffer from Gender Dysphoria go through years and more often than not DECADES of heartache, despair, suicidal thoughts and yes even attempted suicide all because they have no one that they know who can help them to:

a) understand their medical position
b) understand their psycological situation
c) find people who they can turn to for help
d) find out what can be done about their situation

Being TG is no easy life especially in the begining, you encounter assaults, abuse, family disowning you etc on almost a daily basis. The LAST thing any TRUE TG person needs, be they male to female or female to male, is for s bunch of thugs pretending to be something they are clearly not standing up and shouting about how “female” they are and how butch they are causre they beat up or threatened to beat someone who was lucky enough to be born in the body that matches what their brain tells them they are.

As for the actual law that has instigated this discussion I have to admit this is the first I’ve heard about it but there again I do not read any unionist papers and have not seen any of the attrocious batshit twitterstorms going on. As far as what I think all I can say is that I have no problem with checks being in place to ensure that I really am who or what I say I am. However any law that means any Tom, Dick or Hariette can change their gender unchallenged is a step too far for me but hey that’s just me you local Wings nutty brain

I don’t care about his political affiliations but Twitter is a terrible platform on which to have nuanced discussion- and this is what is required.

Politicians already talking about taking ‘sides’ in this debate which online yet again has come down to toilets.

There is so much more to this whole debate especially around children and young people, it has far reaching consequences which I don’t think have been fully explored.

My main concern is that teenage girls will be forced to share toilets, gym showers, changing rooms, dorms with biological males. And any concerns they have - at a vulnerable time in their development as young women - will not be voiced because these views will be regarded as bigoted.

aahbump I would think the comments are aimed at all the ‘punch a terf’ / ‘suckmyladydick’ type transgender people who lets be honest are pretty repugnant in their misogyny and violent threats towards women.
I think anything that raises awareness of this proposed law is hugely important. Most people know nothing about it! At this rate it will be rushed through before the general population is even aware of the problem

The Rev/WIngs is a bit like a Scottish Guido Fawkes political blogger. Huge readership. Not everyone's cup of tea ( yoons , establishment politicians and traditional media not fans) but he can be very thought provoking and entertaining and I enjoy a browse on Wings.

He did some great fundraising a few years ago for the woman who got prosecuted for stealing a Mars Bar(?) and raised thousands of pounds for her. Even for those who dislike his style or his indy politics, he's can't be all bad and getting the message out to a predominantly younger ( and male, specially on Saturdays when it's all football "bantz") can only be helpful in raising awareness .

barracker have you just outed a previous user name? I hope so, I love empress (you as well!)

My main concern is that teenage girls will be forced to share toilets, gym showers, changing rooms, dorms with biological males. And any concerns they have - at a vulnerable time in their development as young women - will not be voiced because these views will be regarded as bigoted.

And to me, this is a matter of consent. How can you teach young people about sexual consent while simultaneously enforcing an environment where consent vis a vis bodily privacy is verboten?

I can’t stand Wings as a person (yes I have had the misfortune of being in his company professionally more than once) I’ve been on his block list for years on twitter. I’m pro-Indy. There are many more like me.

That said his research and investigation pieces are usually well done and his highlighting these issues is important and high profile. It may well be coming from a place of bigotry, he’s not known to be an advocate of equality, but at this stage when people are so scared to speak out surely it’s the message rather than the messenger that’s important?
(I can’t believe I’m sticking up for that wings twat)

Not I Quentin, although i'm also a big fan of Empress Mumsnet!

More of an Empress in RL when my children want something from me and I want them to tidy their rooms.

Sticky, thanks for that. I'm following it all on Twitter, if his reasons come from bigotry he's hiding it well. I'm not sure what piqued his interest, he's been a bit "terfy" for a few months though was slagged for transphobia a couple of years ago for saying he basically had no interest in the subject. Once he gets his (expensively and extensively treated) teeth into something, he doesn't give up.

if his reasons come from bigotry he's hiding it well.

It is always impossible to tell with the rev.

The response I had from my SNP MSP on this issue was appalling. Joanna Cherry, I am looking at you. Not only was it the only time I have written to an MP/ MSP and they didn't even bother to reply in their own name (an office aide wrote the answer) but it completely ignored everything I said and stated the SNP are committed to the most progressive legislation in the world.

Why can't he call himself a reverend if he feels like one?

The response I had from my SNP MSP on this issue was appalling

Go and see her, much harder to fob her off face to face.

Fob you off