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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

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Original poster

Heriott Watt Student Union appears to have dropped the T from LGB?

16 replies

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 26/02/2018 08:37

See thread below.

twitter.com/HWUnion/status/967044128390434816

There is a link to minutes which shows they have created a new transgender officer separate from the LGBQ+ officer.

Anyone know anything else on this?

OP posts:

Patodp · 26/02/2018 08:44

Gosh a quick read down the comments and they are real interesting.

One trans ideologist coming out with the usual "but trans people are LGB too" (well, yes so if they are they will be included as a gay/lesbian/bi on that merit alone)
And "we still need equal rights!" (Can you name a right you don't have that LGB people do?)
Anyway the usual shite being challenged by many many more LGB people than T people.

Patodp · 26/02/2018 08:45

*real interesting? I'm not a swathy American...

Really interesting

Patodp · 26/02/2018 08:46

Definitely the start of something happening here. Even if small.

SweetGrapes · 26/02/2018 08:48

Nope... but the discussion on the twitter thread looks encouraging. Sensible decision....

KochabRising · 26/02/2018 08:52

Good on them. I know the place well ;)
TRAs are homophobic - their attitudes towards lesbians in particular are despicable.
A separate officer seems a good move.

TerfyMcTerface · 26/02/2018 09:03

How interesting. As someone who works in a university I have been really despairing of students' groupthink on trans matters. However, I'm not very optimistic of feminist student groups coming to similar conclusions, simply for the reason that feminism seems like a very different project to a 20-year old than it does to women who have experienced patriarchy more fully.

SmurfOrTerf · 26/02/2018 09:04

Glad to see this

Newscoliosismum · 26/02/2018 09:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FairfaxAikman · 26/02/2018 09:21

Christ - quote from one reply "Us Trans students have more of a right to be in the community than any other"

Erm no, no human being should have any more priority over another in terms of rights.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/02/2018 09:28

I'm not sure it's that positive actually...

"MOTION FOR TRANSGENDER OFFICER

ED explained why she felt the need for a Transgender Officer as well as an LGBT+ Officer. ED informed the meeting of current thinking within NUS Scotland and UK. DC asked how she imagined the two Officers remits would be structured and how it would work within the Student Union. ED gave her thoughts on this matter and AF explained her thoughts.

6.2 Various questions were asked by the Officers at the meeting and discussions ensued on how it would work and why this Officer role is needed.

6.3 Exec were advised that we cannot change the roles and remits mid-term and that the new roles would need to wait until the next Election in June. The changes need to be made from a democratic standpoint.

6.4 Executive agreed to change the LGBT+ Officer role to LGBQ+ and create a Trans Officer"

So they've dropped the T and added a Q which sounds very much more like the T demanding special individual attention, than the LGB asking for removal of the T.

Original poster

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 26/02/2018 09:32

Yes I didn't know what to make of it ItsAll. Mixed responses on twitter too. Also, delayed reaction as decision was made last August

OP posts:

Popchyk · 26/02/2018 09:35

Hmm, I'm not sure that they want to drop the T, really. I read the minutes. I think it comes from a place of thinking that trans people are so oppressed and so voiceless and so special that they need their own separate representation.

This just makes sure that trans people have as much as a voice as LGBQ people, despite being much fewer in number.

They will have a separate LGBQ officer and a Trans officer.

But, it is a good thing nonetheless. At least the LGBQ people can talk about things without everything being trans-centred. If trans does come up, they can refer it to their Trans Officer and get on with their own issues. Having separate Trans Officers rather puts the spotlight on them, they can't hide behind the LGB. I'm all for anything that shines a light.

ArcheryAnnie · 26/02/2018 09:57

Usual TRA trotting out the nonsense in that twitter thread that the fight for gay rights "was started by a tanswoman of colour". No it wasn't. If you are talking about Stonewall, it was started by a Black lesbian, but since lesbians don't appear to count in the TRA world, then I can't really be surprised.

CertainHalfDesertedStreets · 26/02/2018 11:04

OMG sensible students.

AngryAttackKittens · 27/02/2018 06:13

Christ - quote from one reply "Us Trans students have more of a right to be in the community than any other"

Some animals are more equal than others! I guess we've reached the no need for subtlety stage of the takeover.

KochabRising · 27/02/2018 08:27

Us Trans students have more of a right to be in the community than any other

Grammatically nonsensical as well. whips out red pen

Clearly not an elite member of academe, that one

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