Kirkup in Telegraph on Victoria Atkins

[jgrobinson]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/27/victoria-atkins-deserves-praise-not-vilification-speaking-transgenderism/

This post was edited by MNHQ

Great article. And so desperately needed.

Is there a tipping point? I do hope so. But this gravy train is very well funded and those promoting this have a lot to lose financially if the growth in their consultancy / training / and income stops. It will only be when those in power (politicians, medics, headteachers, local goverbment etc) understand that if they continue to fund and promote something that is doing so much damage to children they will be the ones in the dock facing the charges as the law suits roll in. This might stop them.

People claim to be "frightened" but I bet that if it was men being harmed in the way that us women are by all this then many more of them would be finding a way to overcome their "fear" and put a stop to it all.

Well said, James. And it's good that this is in the Telegraph. His Spectator pieces have been brilliant, but I imagine they reach a smaller audience.

I guess many of us are more motivated to overcome that fear (than the cabinet) because we recognise that we are fast approaching the point where the fear of what will happen if we stay silent is greater than the fear of what will happen to us if we speak out. I’ve come ‘out’ at work and had a really unpleasant talk with a senior HR person, but implicit support from managers. I won’t say precisely what was said to me, but there was a threat about taking this further and on sending me on training to understand these vulnerable women. Given that I used to actually run the frigging training with ‘these vulnerable’ people, I think I’m good, thanks, for understanding the issue. I’m nearly ready to out myself on social media, but so aware of the risks to my career. It’s a tricky balance, trying to work out what will have the most sustained impact.

AAK

You asked who is pulling the strings

This article was linked on another thread. It's really long and I'm only part way through, but it answers that question for the USA

Who is pulling the strings

Thanks for linking that article, Lady. About 3/4 of the way down, if I remember rightly, there is a small reference to UK organisations.

I went clicking and found a few GPs linked to organisations that receive funding from US transgender lobbies. And that was only after a few minutes of clicking through several links, googling, etc.

The US funding is here.

I agree about the comments. That is the problem when the Telegraph and Daily Mail report these things. Because I some of those people commenting are definitely transphobic (not to mention homophobic, sexist etc).

But excellent article James. WAKE UP POLITICIANS AND DOCTORS before we sterilise any more young people in the name of progress.

We have a highly regarded and well-regulated medical profession who I pray can hold the line and withstand pressure from lobbies, those that can't presumably are rubbing their hands in glee.

Out of courtesy, can the OP be deleted, with just a link to the Telegraph article.

This. James Kirkup has asked that we not reprint the entire article.

The thing I like best about JK's pieces is that he is constantly prodding pusillanimous politicians to speak up. And, with each piece, he's getting more and more direct about it. To that end, my next post will be to repeat what I said on the scouting thread.

I know that opinion formers and politicians and their researchers read this forum.

LOOK AT WHAT IS BEING SAID.

Our safeguarding procedures are not comprehensive and often fail as it is. Yet extremist transactivism wants to dissolve and/or weaken them further. We evidence this here over and over. And yet government and big third sector money (hello Comic Relief, hello Children in Need) continues to be funnelled to these lobby groups even as they issue guidance which in some cases is unlawful.

FUCKING DO SOMETHING.

Thank you, James Kirkup, and Victoria Atkins, for saying what most thoughtful, sensible people would say if they weren't scared.

I had a conversation yesterday with someone who asked me who on earth would want to go into public life these days knowing the abuse they would receive daily on Twitter and social media. This came as a result of our local MP, a woman who is very involved in her constituency and a good communicator, making an innocuous statement that, yet again, received a torrent of abuse.

Sadly journalism 'enables' the twatteratti by reporting what they say. How often do you read lazy journalism that creates a story from a few twatter points. That makes it seem as if these views then represent everyone while often nothing could be further from the truth.

I am certain that this is how TWAW and other delusions have gained such traction that even government ministers parrot them - despite us all knowing that Penny Mordaunt et al don't believe it.

You don't get to the point where cabinet ministers are scared to speak on the backs of a few Twitter warriors. Someone/some group is putting pressure on in a sustained, strategic way to attempt to suppress dissent even at the highest level

I don't know about the media, but for politicians I think a large part of the fear is of well funded hackers? Few politicians or public persona have nothing to hide, or nothing embarrassing in their pasts. Especially men. It's known that narc rage pushes TRA and MRA beyond the norm in terms of smearing those who endanger them (look at Rose McGowan). Also known that TRA are talented techies and hackers, also known that billionaires fund the movement. Any MP that speaks up, they'll be looking through old messages and emails and Facebook, private stuff for anything that could discredit them.

I think lots of politicians are not speaking up simply because it’s not really on their radar yet.
I work for an MP. We’ve had 2 emails about Trans stuff in the last few years. That’s all.
It’s just not high on the agenda yet,

MPs get abuse all the time. It’s part of the job. When my MP goes ‘public’ about his view on trans stuff, yes he’ll get abuse. He expects it. But at the moment there’s no reason to go public. There’s other stuff that is higher priority tbh.

And he’s not worried about being hacked. Not had an exciting enough life!

Just out of interest, LongWeek, at what point is your MP prepared to go public? I ask partly because my MP has said similar to me - that she's not prepared to discuss trans issues publicly at the moment, though she has been discussing them with various people behind the scenes. But I find myself wondering if these people will ever speak up, or whether they will allow changes to the GRA to be passed without saying a word.

Somewhat off-topic but is anyone else finding their previous Guardian-reading selves taken aback that they now have subscriptions to Telegraph, The Times and Spectator because they currently seem to have women's backs more than the papers who'd like to pretend that they do?

Like Stonewall, Amnesty, the major political parties and WEP, Oxfam, so many others - the Guardian places its complacent trust in its halo and belief in its moral compass.

Yes, but I think that’s a good thing. Much better to have a wide variety of news sources - though I draw the line at Breitbart

Ladybird, a really illuminating article.

Dont forget that in the UK people must be making a lot of money from providing 'diversity' training/awareness to big corporations and the public sector. Not wrong in itself, but based on a small sample of acquaintances the trans lobby seemed to have captured a disproportionate share of the 'market'.

A great article, it feels like a tipping point in awareness is being reached and I agree it is on the back of a lot of persecution of women.

A cabinet minister? A fucking cabinet minister??

I don't get it. These people are running the country. There aren't many of them. Just get together and collectively decide that you can say don't be silly now, there's no way a rapist can be locked up with vulnerable women who can't escape.

For a start.

I mean come on. The cabinet??

This doesn't surprise me.

The same thing has happened with Brexit. Anna Soubry did a speech at one point in which she said that she had been told by a least one female MP they wouldn't vote they way they should because they were too scared too, because of threats to their family. Regardless of your position on Brexit, thats appalling and is a threat to democratic decisions and debate.

There are definitely members of the Cabinet who have been silent out of fear of extreme politics being able to get a foothold - which is just letting it get a foothold.

And don't forget the case of labour MP Rosie Cooper and the plot to kill her.

Its telling that May started out with more women in Cabinet, but reshuffles have meant that more men have been added in again.

The main force in politics atm IS various forms of bullying and intimidation over open and honest debate.

Its not a shock to me. There are numerous other examples too.

Sadly.

Yes, but I think that’s a good thing. Much better to have a wide variety of news sources - though I draw the line at Breitbart

Me too. One of the reasons it is so important to be able to have a sensible, middle ground discussion about this is precisely to avoid the kind of extreme and unpleasant coverage and views you get from places like Breitbart. The Guardian, Stonewall, etc should be helping to facilitate reasoned debate, not snuffing it out.

The same thing has happened with Brexit. Anna Soubry did a speech at one point in which she said that she had been told by a least one female MP they wouldn't vote they way they should because they were too scared too, because of threats to their family.

That's awful and so, so wrong.

Breitbart isn't news. In any way.

Its just pure propaganda.

To an extent far greater than all of our established press or media.

Please do not ever legitimate it by referring to it as news.