I am about to ID as a man

[YesItsADebate]

In 1.5 hours, I will be identifying as a gay man who does not conform with male gender stereotypes. I expect my local leisure facility to comply with the Swim England guidelines and agree that I am entitled to access the men-only swimming sessions, the male showers and toilets and to wear swimming trunks. I also expect them to re-educate any other man who objects to any of the above.

In other words, I have a meeting with the local swimming pool at 10 to see whether or not I’ll be resorting to topless swimming and public nudity tonight in an effort to prove my point that the Swim England guidelines are ridiculous

Wish me luck!

Brilliant OP! This is the sort of thing that we need more of to show how ridiculous the situation is getting.

As pp have said I’d hazard a guess that reactions (both male and female) will be vastly different to the attitudes shown towards the invasion of woman’s rights and spaces.

Manstrual cycle brilliant!

OP you are a top bloke. Thank you so much for doing this. I live in rural Cumbria but would join you if I could. Solidarity!

@YesItsADebate - careful there...for most of us self identifying the possibility of never owning a hairy back could be used against us to deny us our masculinity and that we're not real men.

It's a hardship we have to live with.

What I find horrendous regarding period blood in swimming pools is that women are told to do various things to stop this from happening but when it comes to sperm ejaculate there is no worry about this as you won't get pregnant and the chemicals in the pool render the sperm harmless.

YesItsADebate you sound bloody brilliant. Cheering you on from the sidelines.

Thanks for clarification re EA

do you mean your manstrual cycle brilliant. There’s your perfect answer if anyone complains. 🤣

Good luck. Let's see how they cope. Please keep us informed.

My DP has taken the news that I am a gay man very stoically. He's a bit bemused but will be lending me his trunks if required.

He realises that he is also gay, right? Is he planning on coming out to his family, friends and colleagues before this whole thing hits the media?

Fantastic, you are terribly brave! Thank you on behalf of women out there who are concerned by the trans movement.

The suffragettes would be so proud of you.

I hope this works, OP. At this point, we have nothing to lose.

Seriously impressed with your bravery. It goes against all kinds of feminine socialisation to do this. Well done.

MrsJoshDun I have been thinking the exact same thing

Good for you op. You are a very brave man. Please don’t forget to let them know that your pronoun is emperor and if they don’t use it or misgender you in any way, like suggesting your boobs are not manly enough, you will sue them for discrimination and serious emotional violence.

How did it go??!

This is very good.

It would however be interesting to see what the reaction would be if a man turned up saying he was trans?
I agree you have behaved in a socialised female way in asking before hand and giving fair warning.

I expect a man going through this process would have had a different experience but unfortunately that would need a man to try this for us and I don't think my DH would volunteer.

I do think if a group turned up to exercise this right if they do go for self ID way then it would highlight this to men who don't want to identify as women and, as disappointing as this is, they are more likely to be listened to. IMO.

LangCleg your DH has committed literal violence against me by calling me 'she'. You can have the abusive transphobe if you want but I strongly recommend that you LTB.

Apologies to anyone who may not have a hairy back and was offended by my ill-considered remark

I've already informed DP's mum that I'm a man and that DP is ok with this. Her reaction was along the lines of "that's nice, dear" :o I love that woman.

I'm giggling in a very manly fashion at some of the comments here. 'Manstrual cycle' and 'cheststroke' are fantastic. If I don't tell detractors to 'suck my man-flaps', does that mean I'm doing self-ID all wrong?

You are amazing OP. Behind you all the way.

Watching with interest.

OP, you are the most amazing man ever. I'm bursting with admiration for you. You've got a lot more guts than me.

Bloody brilliant.
I think having a manly period in the showers will very quickly get men on our side

OP you are a genius

Because I am willing to bet that Djnoun is not actually a woman, bisexual or not.

I have a question, @YesItsADebate. It is related to some points that others have made but I'm not sure I've seen it exactly asked like this, and I don't know the answer.

Are you:

• apparently to all intents and purposes sincere?

• Or rather, being contrarian for the purposes of making a point?

If the former, is there any stage at which you'd flip over to the latter?

Presumably you have to go in as the former to have enough credibility to be disruptive.
On the other hand we do, surely, to be clear on all this, for the widest potential of rippling effect, need a moment when the ridiculousness of what you are doing can be talked about / celebrated without ridiculing YOU, as its author?

Sorry. not as clear as I'd hoped.

Anyone else wondering the same who can put it better?

your DH has committed literal violence against me by calling me 'she'. You can have the abusive transphobe if you want but I strongly recommend that you LTB

LOL! I told him that we would be divorcing but it was me that would be marrying you, not him.

OP you are a hero. Can't wait to hear how you get on.

I'm in awe op, you're amazing! Thanks for doing this