Bravo Janice Turner!

[NotALabourMemberImAfraidLads]

www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/labour-s-purge-of-the-trans-rights-heretics-p32khgn36

Brilliantly cogent and concise argument. Thank you JT.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Janice. Magnificent work.

Overly demanding fairies were clearly the mosquitos of the fantasy universe from my Wednesday Addams-like childhood perspective.

I'm on the brink of a Times subscription too. Fantastic article and very appropriate analogy, thank you JT!

Great article all round.

Bex Stinson (Head of Trans Inclusion at Stonewall) has tweet-responded to this. Apparently hysterical journalists like Janice are preventing Bex from even being able to get around to talking about transmen:

We want men’s issues to be inclusive of trans guys, and of non-binary experiences. But can we get this?? No. Because of the frenzied attack against trans women. If we get chance to breathe, if you’ll finally let us be, then maybe we can talk about tampons in men’s toilets. Ffs.

FFS indeed. Might try the "hysterical female journalists stopped me" if I ever get pulled up for not doing half my job.

mobile.twitter.com/Bex_Stinson/status/959722373015572480

They are mindful of women’s privacy, aware as one wrote that “at 6ft 4in in heels I know I’d be alarming in changing rooms”. They long only to live peaceful, honourable lives.

Not all women are 5’3” (UK average). I’m a woman and not far off 6’4” in heels myself. It’s not height that’s the issue; the issue is male people in female people’s spaces.

That aside, good article.

, if you’ll finally let us be, then maybe we can talk about tampons in men’s toilets. Ffs.

Lol. Go on then, Bex. You've got fingers, eyes and a keyboard.

Should take you about four seconds. Starting now!

Let's say that in theory Stonewall persuaded every establishment to install a tampon machine in the men's toilets. How comfortable would trans men feel walking up to the machine and buying one with random men around? No use having the machines if nobody uses them.

Tory MP Nadine Dorries appears to have peaked in the last hour....

Nadine Dorries @ nadinedorries
From @VictoriaPeckham in @thetimes Not all women have a vagina.

A journalist who believes facts are sacred. Thank you Janice.

Also

Nadine Dorries @ nadinedorries
Have you read this @DawnButlerBrent Have you spoken to @LouiseEllman Have you seen how divided your front bench is on LGBT trans issues?
t.co/b1jtkJWCu6
t.co/gNgVxfFmdD

Well, I have just posted this on my FB feed. First full foray. It will be worth it.

Indeed! Bex is now arguing with some of the radfem twitterers. Surely time that could be productively spent advocating for the comfort and representation of transmen in public life.

Perhaps Bex struggles to concentrate on work tasks? I know the bloody feeling, am technically working on my business but actually, clearly on MN

I don't believe that a transman would be comfortable using a tampon machine in the gents, would they?

For a number of reasons.

Have transmen said they want tampon machines installed in gents toilets?

Nadine Dorries is awful isn't she?

With friends like these...

This is all terribly difficult for dyed in the wool lefties.

Yep not my fav mp like david tc davis. But its a foot into door to stop gra and get a debate.

In the event that a trans man passes they'd be outing themselves, which doesn't seem like a safe thing to do. Does being trans mean that you're incapable of counting days and carrying tampons with you when they're likely to be needed? Or jury rigging a solution with toilet paper until you can get some.

And now Janice T has responded to Bex Stinson:

Janice Turner
@VictoriaPeckham
Calling a woman writer “hysterical” because she respectfully disagrees with you? Not proving my argument at all then...

mobile.twitter.com/VictoriaPeckham/status/959726884945825792

And now I must do some bloody work

Please though, Stonewall. Please start campaigning loudly for tampon machines & sanitary bins in men's toilets. That just might help get the message across.

Well to be fair lots of women get caught short by their periods from time to time.

I still don't think that a tampon machine in the gents would get any use.

The ones in the ladies hardly do - they cost ££££ - I think most people prefer to buy some in a shop / ask (eg at work/school) etc if there's any way they can wait at all + of course they take exact particular coins which it's hit and miss you'll have anyway.

You see, Lily?

This is what actual journalism looks like.

I've met some trans men and I can't imagine any of them finding the idea of buying tampons in the men's toilets anything other than excruciatingly embarrassing at best.

That's an excellent article.

I want to share it, but I know the almighty pile on I'll get from my lefty gothy echo chamber.

I'm trying to examine why I'm so intimidated by being shouted at about this particular issue, when I'm no shrinking violet when it comes to an online ruck usually. I'm working up to it...

Brilliant. Thank you Janice!