Radio 4 29/01/18 at 1pm - Martha Kearney on World at One

[prettyusefulsometimes]

Will be discussing Labour, AWS and trans women. Didn't catch other contributors and can't find a precis.
I'm going to take some prophylactic paracetamol and wrap radio in bubble wrap/put it on a high shelf.

It's taking a long time for people to suss out Corbyn when they would only have to look at his behaviour when he was a member of Haringey Council in the 70s to see the real man beneath the carapace.

As for Lily's mum I'd wish she wouldn't come back either. What an embarrassment Lily is. If ever there was a case for tough love this is it.

Corbyn's reinvention of himself to be a kind father to the nation and a wellspring of common sense and kindness will forever have me boggling in amazement.

But then many people didn't see the state of Labour in the 70s.

I really feel for LM's mum. In her situation I would be so tempted to set up my own blog or sarcastic twitter account - something along the lines of Monty Pythons 'he's not the messiah he's a very naughty boy'.

I understand why not of course. I suppose like all parents they would like Lily to have some semblance of future credibility once they hopefully mature.

Cherno Biko, Justabunchofcunts. And yet they were still invited to speak from the platform.

Because being a trans-identified male means that you can get away with behaviour that in other people would have you sacked and ostracised. Wank into teenage girls' underwar? You are a vulnerable victim of the system! Rape a transman (ie a woman) with the express intent to impregnate her and write about committing that rape? Get invited onto the platform of the Women's March, Washington! Write about how street harrassment is sexy and cool, and women are feeble for not liking it? Get invited onto the platform at #TimesUp rally, London! Try to strangle your wife? Get invited to every telly sofa in the land to chat about how you were a boxing promoter but are now a Brave Thoughtleader! Punch a woman in the street? Have people donate to your crowdfunder!

1000% this.

Brilliant post, ArcheryAnnie. It's gobsmacking when you think about it.

I thought the piece was disappointing; self-ID was hardly mentioned and there was no clear distinction between transwomen with GRCs and men who tick a box to say that they ID as a woman.

It is heartening though that this issue isn’t flying under the radar any more.

Why would a person post this publicly? Obviously to leach sympathy and keep handmaidens at a fever pitch of protectiveness which will mean they will defend every spiteful thing he does in the future.

I can't understand it either. When I was that age and had identified the area I wanted to make my career in I observed how older, more experienced people doing that job conducted themselves and I learned from it.

How thick/narcissistic would you have to be to either not bother observing, or decide that none of the rules apply to you and you can be as immature and unprofessional as you like, while still feeling entitled to a national media platform?

YY ArcheryAnnie.

And yet, bafflingly, people seem to genuinely believe that TIMs have given up their male privilege. Not only do men manifestly not lose male privilege after transitioning (witness the way they are coddled and prioritised over actual women), but trans identity allows misogynist men to get away with behaviour that non-trans-identified men could only dream of.

LM is using the public media, politics and social media as a dear diary.

(Amused that spell check put 'messiah' for media!)

The Cherno Biko rape gets worse. They’re HIV positive (hence the transman not wanting to have unprotected sex with them) and refused to pay for the victims PrEP.

..and then Cherno Biko - the rapist - wrote in public that he blocked the text messages from the transman (ie woman) he raped because they were "threatening and unhealthy": But in April when their text messages became threatening and unhealthy I blocked their number, knowing that they would call me out on social media.

The person he raped then posted screencaps of the "threatening and unhealthy" text messages Cherno had blocked. They were text messages begging Cherno Biko for the money to get the prophylactic meds, so she would have less risk of contracting HIV after his rape of her. He did not pay.

But Cherno Biko is the victim here, according to Cherno Biko.

About time Lily got a job and stopped sponging off his mum.

Today Martha Kearney asked Harriet Harman about all-women shortlists in the Labour Party. Unsurprisingly, Harriet Harman is 100% behind self-ID for AWS. Unsurprisingly, there was no mention of the fact that self-ID for AWS (for Parliamentary elections) is not legally permitted.

ArcheryAnnie Thats horrifying. Deliberately, knowingly infecting someone with HIV is being downgraded as a crime in many places. I've seen men on Reddit state 'its no longer a death sentence, the drugs control it'.

Does anyone else think its odd that feminists are pretty much the only people interested in upholding human rights legislation?

I dont see any other groups speaking out. I've been attacked for 'speaking on their behalf' and I'm getting a bit tired of that. I'm actually from one of the groups that will be affected.
At the same time, women in the public eye are being slated for speaking out too much or not enough.

Yeah, heard the Harriet Harman piece as well. There’s just no questioning about it at all. Feeling it’s a done deal now.

I keep thinking that too, but gradually things are opening up and that is a good thing. Not long ago, there was nothing in a publication that wasn't niche, and the BBC was unquestioningly running those endless public information PR things on Today.

There is still a long way to go, but it is going the right way.

I am unconvinced that Harriet Harman actually believes that. Nor Jeremy Corbyn, nor most MPs. They think this is the best way to go at the moment, while they see how things play out.

I can't see how anyone can look at what is in the current legislation and what is proposed and see it as workable.