Excellent article on the problem of transphobia

[crispbuttyfan]

www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/opinion-perspectives/mumsnet-transphobia-online/

"Regardless of intention, it seems to me that Mumsnet has allowed transphobia to become associated with their brand through their inaction. These boards have now become nothing short of echo chambers, spaces in which anti-trans rhetoric is continually employed with little objection."

The evidence is apparent throughout the feminism board.
Where lies are spread with abandon and the truth is slandered as 'gaslighting'.

LangCleg!!! Was that an "I told you so!!!!????

Upstanding I think we'd actually finished the science and the thread would have died a natural death, stuffed to the gunnels with useful info for next time!

I do indeed hope they were in good faith, and that they can get the help they obviously need in RL.

(I just worry when I see a group of women, socialised as we all are to look after others, rushing to the aid of a name on a screen when we don't actually know the full story - hence the importance of RL support).

CuriousaboutSamphire I think you're right.

Thread closed!

Psst. Samphire. Gunwales.

I know bugger all about biology, really, but a gunnel is a fish, whereas a gunwale* is the top edge of a ship and probably the thing you meant to stuff.

Or maybe not

*You can spell it both ways, but spelling things the way they don't sound is a fine English tradition.

You re quite right Lancelottie I must have been on that thread about weirdly pronounced place names for too long. I did mean gunwale

Please don't correct the first word of that... I have no idea where my ' went

I’ve also heard it pronounced ‘ginnels’ in Yorkshire. It’s only just dawned on me reading that that it’s a contraction of gunwales #themoreyouknow.

My husband isn’t british and while his English is almost perfect I do often have to explain idiom to him. Swinging the lead came up the other day - and reflecting on it it’s amazing how many of our sayings are naval in origin. Sling your hook for example. Three sheets to the wind, chock a block, in the offing.

The primary meaning of "ginnel" in Yorkshire is a back lane/narrow alley/passageway. Different thing from a gunwale.

Perhaps it is burnout. I heard that term more times than I could count during my training. I believed naively I'd know when it was happening though. I'm new to teaching and sometimes I don't know wether i'm happy as a bean, going to blow a gasket or burst into tears.

I'll contact my support network and Samaritans & thank you actually good advice. What I won't do is call who I consider my sisters to be men. You can all see them how you wish but I ask you allow me the same courtesy. My workmate doesn't deserve any of the c**p she gets just for being born differently and that's just how I feel on the subject.

Sorry to have gone to such a dark place but a lot of this has been building for a while and I'm ready to admit I need some support.

Ginnels are alleyways to me, too. I'd vaguely assumed it was connected with canals or channels.

LangCleg

The primary meaning of "ginnel" in Yorkshire is a back lane/narrow alley/passageway. Different thing from a gunwale.

They’re ‘snickets’ where I’m from but I know the word has many variants even in Yorkshire - that’s why the saying has always confused me - stuffed to the ginnels.

Maybe it’s a family mishearing? I have to find out now!!

Never bet against the house, Bewilderness.

Actually I think you're right, Bowl - in Yorkshire dialect, ginnel (back lane) and gunwale sound the same. I'd never really thought about what that expression would look like written down, but I'm guessing "stuffed to the gunwales" rather than "stuffed to the ginnels."

Ginnels are alleyways in Cheshire and Lancashire too.

it’s amazing how many of our sayings are naval in origin
That and cricket.

Mumtobe25

No-one is asking you to call your workmate a man, you don't need to ask for that as a courtesy.

If you take on the mantle of persuading everyone on the internet / in your class / in the world that they are wrong and you are right, you will fail and harm yourself in the process. When people disagree with you, you need to be able to take that in your stride, they won't change their mind because it is upsetting to you that they don't agree. Part of building resilience is knowing when it's time to stand and fight and when it's time to run away so you can fight another day.

Yeah I bet that’s it. It’s a diminution (contraction? Bastardisation? I’m sure there’s a correct term) of gunwales. Well that’s my discovery for the night

Language is fascinating isn’t it? Yes cricketing metaphor as well I always tell dh that it’s virtually impossible to speak English so that you sound like a native without anyone being able to tell, even though English itself is quite easy to pick up the basics of.

Not that much of a bastardisation - sound clip here, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gunwale
and Oxford Dictionary even gives gunnel as an alternative spelling.

Different etymology though - "Late Middle English: from gun + wale (because it was formerly used to support guns)" versus "Early 17th century: perhaps from French chenel ‘channel’." Woohoo, that's my internet find for the night.

Yes, language is fascinating!

There's an excellent guide called 'The Snickelways of York'- very useful too if you're ever visiting and want to get around using the little alleyways rather than getting caught in the crowds!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snickelways_of_York

Ah I love York. Tea at Betty’s :)

The queue at Betty's last time we were in York was ridiculous. I used to love the little one in Northallerton when we lived over that way.

There are some lovely cafes near to Betty's (without the queues) on one of the snickelways mentioned... Grape Lane- previously named 'Grope Cunt Lane'.

Can I sneak in a quick thank you to all of you for your insight, wisdom, and unique combination of expertise and humility?