Guardian article on MPs concern with GRA

[Maeb]

I'm really suprised! I hope it's in the print edition too.

Transgender law reform has overlooked women’s rights, say MPs

It is what happens in controlling relationships.
I had a boyfriend when I was a teenager who said he would kill himself if I left him. Instead he locked me in a room and beat me up for ‘hurting him’.

Controlling people are too narcisstic to kill themselves. The danger is to those who are young and vulnerable for multiple reasons, who hear this rhetoric from trans rights activists. It is chilling.

Whittle’s comment is beyond disturbing. Not only is he being irresponsible by the way he uses suicide here, but weirdly he then says... ‘ but we’ll pull ourselves together’ WTF? So there will be a flurry of suicides before you pull yourselves together? What the actual fuck kind of comment is that?

My sympathy-meter is registering zero atm.

It's about time the spotlight was focused on Whittle.

This is a turnaround for the Guardian

FPFW, TT and WPUK all referred to as 'activists'. One woman's activist is another woman's campaigner I guess.....

I see Stephen Whittle didn’t waste any time playing the suicide card. I find it interesting how often this is peddled.

They do it deliberately. A long time ago I was a Labour Party activist, and one of the tactics of the Trotskyist group known as the Militant Tendency was to repeat the same few phrases over and over again ("Nationalise the top 200 monopolies" was a favourite), regardless of the debate. TRAs do exactly the same thing: "Trans women are women", "Nearly half of young trans people have attempted suicide" and so on. They are probably being coached - I don't believe it happens organically.

Incitement to suicide?

Does that need a law?

So there will be a flurry of suicides before you pull yourselves together? What the actual fuck kind of comment is that?

Quite.

And all because it would cause a delay if women were properly consulted.

What about if the independent company analysing the results get held up for any reason. Will that result in a flurry of suicides too? Or is it just delays regarding the proper consultation of women that are likely to tragedy?

*Lead to tragedy

and just got to Whittle's comment

the Guardian absolutely should not have printed that, it's practically incitement to suicide

what the hell were they thinking?

The positive thing about the article is that it refers to women’s groups and women’s rights not having been properly considered. The quote from Maria Caulfield is enlightening- she acknowledges the focus of the enquiry was transgender people and there was no consideration of the impact on women. That is important.

Debbie Hayton @ debbiehayton
Stephen Whittle: "I am sure there will be a flurry of attempts and suicides." (If reform was delayed).

Those that have raised expectations beyond what they can possibly deliver now need to take some responsibility, not threaten (other people's) suicide.

This is classic abusive manipulation, right out of the bloody handbook.

Prof Stephen Whittle, the founder of trans rights group Press for Change, warned that many trans people would “become depressed and dejected” if reform was delayed. He said: “I am sure there will be a flurry of attempts and suicides. But in the end we will pull ourselves together and continue the campaigning. We know we have Labour behind this one, so will simply do our best to get them elected.”

Does the general public see this for what it is, and are they as tired of it as those of us who've been very much involved in the debate are? I guess we're about to find out.

In terms of the fact that the article appeared in The Guardian at all, maybe their usual editors have the week off?

And in this case I agree with Debbie. If some people are disappointed by a potential delay in the consultation and/or not getting the outcome they expected, guess whose fault that is? The people who promised them things that the general public absolutely is not on board with.

Society has been doing the equivalent of negotiating with terrorists in relation to TRAs for far too long, and it needs to stop right now.

I like the way they have written the most outrageous stuff in an understated way, massively increasing the effect.

Davies said he had been threatened with police action by another Conservative MP for holding meetings in parliament with women’s groups critical of the reforms.

An MP is consulting with women during a public consultation designed to promote discourse with women - and another MP wants him arrested.

LGBT+ Conservatives, the party’s official LGBT group, has called Davies’ comments that someone with male genitalia is “definitely not a woman” transphobic and abhorrent.

Brilliant. Should peak thousands.

“The fact that MPs can’t come and be briefed calmly and freely and without fear is appalling.”

You don't say! Talk to Maria Mac you absolute melts.

Prof Stephen Whittle, the founder of trans rights group Press for Change, warned that many trans people would “become depressed and dejected” if reform was delayed. He said: “I am sure there will be a flurry of attempts and suicides. But in the end we will pull ourselves together and continue the campaigning. We know we have Labour behind this one, so will simply do our best to get them elected

Manages to strip himself of every shred of credibility, whilst simultaneously making trans people everywhere sound like dribbling idiots, rocking back and forth, keening, and fondly imagining himself as a Very Big Cheese indeed, despite coming across as a desperate fool.

Good god.
If you don't give us exactly what we want without any consideration of others we will all get depressed and kill ourselves.
I remember saying something like that when I was 13 and wanted my parents to give me their bedroom.

Good article.

It’s the equivalent of MRA’s saying ‘ if women don’t stop with #metoo men will commit suicide’ Men have the highest suicide rate overall but, to my knowledge, nobody uses that statistic to stop people talking about men. I am so disgusted Samaritans have said nothing at all about any of this suicide talk and fake stats. What is the point of them? I had to ring them this year, and along with 5 other orgs and our GP they did sweet fuck all to help us with our daughter. Fuck them all.

Well knock me down with a feather. The Guardian.

"I find it interesting how often this is peddled. Three women a week in violent relationships commit suicide and many of the would not use a refuge that has male bodied service users, so would be adversely affected by a firther relaxation of the GRA. There are vulnerable people on both sides of this debate whose needs must be considered and rights balanced."

This

Always find the suicide thing very odd, so its not a medical condition any more, but suicidal ideation a very serious mental health issue? ?

more dissonance

So there will be a flurry of suicides before you pull yourselves together? What the actual fuck kind of comment is that?

I am trying to remember the last time I've seen such a comment in reference to suicide. It's so bizarre.

This feels quite significant.

The consultation itself won't be stopped now, but it looks like there could be a separate consultation that focuses on the impact on women and girls. And that needs to be at least as thorough as the Trans Enquiry and GRA consultation

I'm thinking we should ask for an enquiry and then a consultation.

Remind me who Stephen Whittle is again? I have a feeling he might have been involved with inviting the people who spoke to MPs before the consultation was launched, but maybe I've got him confused with someone else?

Does anyone know?

SW is responsible for so much of the mess we're in now with absolute disregard for how it would impact on the rights of women and girls.

The thread they were on earlier in the year on FWR ways an absolute eye opener.

There's a special place in hell for the likes of SW.

If the threat of suicide is so prescient and high, why is no one campaigning for better mental health services? Why isn’t THAT front and foremost of any MP agenda? Since when have mental health issues been solved by some generalised non-mental health specific legislation?

What if either the Brexit or the Remain side had threatened suicide?

Would they have won without debating the issue?

Would it have even been a factor?

'Since when have mental health issues been solved by some generalised non-mental health specific legislation?'

Beautifully put.