Event in Bath: Transphobia in the UK: confronting anti-trans fear mongering

[Prawnofthepatriarchy]

Here's the description:

This seminar addresses the transphobic character of opposition to proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), 2004.

On 22 October the Government formally closed its public consultation on reforming the Gender Recognition Act. The consultation was opened in July of this year, and over the summer the issue of transgender rights was brought to the forefront of public debate. With this came a vociferous opposition from some feminists, who sought to repeatedly discredit and damage efforts made by trans-activists. This small, but nonetheless vocal minority has been at the forefront of spreading myths and scare stories about potential reforms to the GRA. Most notable among these were allegations of a supposed threat posed by transgender people to women-only spaces. These oppositional voices have been able to make themselves heard, having been given prominent platforms on radio and TV programmes, and in the press.

This is a free event at Bath university on Wednesday, 14th November.

It's being held at:

3 East, 2.4
University of Bath
Claverton Down
Bath BA2 7AY

Sadly I'd find it very difficult to attend but I'm hoping someone will be able to go and report back.

I was sent details of this event by Terfulike, who's banned from MN but would like to be remembered to FWR regulars. She's looking forward to seeing us in London later this month.

I'd offer to send them some biscuits but I really worry about the consumption of sugar by children.

I've seen the Christian right mentioned on Twitter. Being totally unable to grasp the fact that women have our own money now, the AWAs say (or pretend) that British grassroots feminist groups are funded by American Christian zealots

Is it about funding though? Or just alliances?

Having been a relative newbie feminist (at least in terms of activism) in the 80s I do remember some odd alliances between some radical feminists and the Christian right over porn. In fact, this is what Atwood writes about in the Handmaid's Tale and it is the basis of Gilead (the bit at the start of the book where feminists burn the porn).

I know I stand differently from most on here, but I do remember that period and I am wary of who I ally myself with and I also remember that the Christian right is pro-patriarchy and anti-woman and that the kind of future they want for women is very different to the kind of future I would like. I've also seen some groups where feminists and women from the Christian right have been allies and I've been very uncomfortable with what I have seen as a lack of debate and capitulation to Christian right perspectives.

I adore the notion of expressing our support through some decent lunchtime catering As long as it's Toothkind Ribena we can probably find some appropriate comestibles based on the excellent suggestions so far.

I can even see our little Approved by Mumsnet lunch bags - maybe a few cheery phrases, "It's good to talk", "There's no such thing as strangers, just people you haven't met yet", Civil conversation is the cornerstone of democracy .

However, I have a bad feeling they'd have to sequester our care parcels as they'd affect to misconstrue the contents.

send them some very nice tea-bags

With 'woman = adult human female' printed on the tag bit that you hold?

Is it open to the general public? It's not student only?

Is it open to the general public? It's not student only?

Fully open to the public. However, there is a contact person who can clarify:

Stuart Bennett
[email protected]
01225 386179

For people in the Bristol area - there is this upcoming evening event with Heather Brunskell-Evans: The Political and Moral Corruption of the Academy

This is a ticketed event. Tickets are free for members and £3 for non-members.

Venue/Timing
Venue: Queen's Building, 1.15 Small Lecture Theatre, University Walk, BS8 1TR
Type: Society
Start Date: Wednesday 21-11-2018 - 18:30
End Date: Wednesday 21-11-2018 - 20:00
Capacity: 130

www.bristolsu.org.uk/groups/bristol-free-speech-society/events/the-political-and-moral-corruption-of-the-academy

I would definitely attend the Bristol event if I had any chance of being able to get back home without the need for an overnight stay :)

About that right-wing funding, it's interesting that in the US it seems that in:

Wall Street Journal exit polling, transgender Americans are almost twice as likely to vote GOP than lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans

twitter.com/tomhfh/status/1060979705170542592

YetAnotherSpartacus, in the USA there is an alliance between feminists and religious people called Hands Across the Aisle. It uses the slogan "Biology, not bigotry".

The women involved are very clear that their alliance covers just this one issue. In other ways, abortion for instance, they are in direct opposition.

But they are working together against trans ideology because they both need all the back up they can muster, and both groups stress the urgency of preventing changes to law and policy. I entirely support this.

Haha yes, “Christian right” Christians being the one religious group that they feel free to slag off . Try telling Muslims or Orthodox Jews that males and females should share changing rooms etc. It won’t go down well. I hope they get some students from assorted religious groups pointing that out. Britain is not America. We have gentle, tolerant C of E Christians on the whole. Who are the “Christian right “ here ?
We also have a large Muslim and Jewish community, who surely have as much right as all other women to be able to use public spaces ? We will end up with public female only spaces that will be colonised entirely by men, which no women will want to use.

I've seen the Christian right mentioned on Twitter. Being totally unable to grasp the fact that women have our own money now, the AWAs say (or pretend) that British grassroots feminist groups are funded by American Christian zealots

I've just learnt about Wadsworthy attacks. Seems apt here (from Wiki, sorry):

"The anti-suffrage movement focused less on the issue of suffrage and began to spread fear of radical ideas and to use "conspiratorial paranoia."[80] Suffragists were accused of subversion of the government and treason.[81] They were also accused of being socialists, "Bolsheviks" or "unpatriotic German sympathizers."[81] The Texas branch of the NAOWS accused women's suffrage groups of being linked to "socialism, anarchy and Mormonism."[82] Accusations of being associated with unpopular radical movements was named after the second president of NAOWS, Alice Wadsworth, and called "Wadsworthy" attacks.[83] In addition to associating suffrage with radicalism, the antis also felt that they were oppressed and had lost much perceived political power by 1917.[83]"

I get really angry (like there's not enough else to get angry about) when I see these stories about 'alliances' between right-wingers/evangelical Xtian groups and GC feminists. My stock reply is " I despise Piers Morgan, for too many reasons to list, and wouldn't normally even give him the time of day, but I totally support his views on gun control".

Perhaps people could also sit back and think about how views on Brexit are not split on party lines.

Some of the evangelical churches, indeed some that are allied with student Christian Unions, are rather ‘right’ in my view.

Few women in leadership roles
Women as helpmeets, men as spiritual leaders
Not tolerant of homosexuality

I would not be keen to link with them but I would be interested to know what they think of all this.

The more interesting connection, in my opinion, is the high incidence of TRAs who come from a fundamental religious background and / or a military background - both groups who tend to lean to the right politically

Christians being the one religious group that they feel free to slag off

Actually, Sikhs, Romanies and Muslims would not dare to put their heads about the parapet on this issue. They would just be called mediaeval and told to get re-educated or go back where they came from.

I know a number of Christians who think the trans issue is fine and dandy. I equally know others who see right through it, some of whom have been massively damaged by it.

Where do Catholics stand on this, a very strict Catholic friend says they believe you should love the body God gave you & not try to alter it...

For fundamental religious groups, trans is a perfect "get out" clause for homosexuality. Hence the stance of places like Iran (be gay, face the death penalty; transition and have a place on the national sports team). And why the prominent trans people I'm thinking of (like Paris Lees, Eden the doll, Cass Clem, Shon Faye) are in or have had same sex relationships

happydappy2, well, my views about the reality and immutability of biological sex, partially informed by my Catholic faith, are no secret on this forum. Other Catholics think differently, but I would think are unlikely to be particularly theologically conservative. The UK bishops have been silent on the issue as far as I know, but the Pope has said some fairly openly anti-transgenderist things in the past, though he has rather a lot of other things to occupy him right now.

Hands across the aisle actually means Republicans and Democrats working together.

The aisle in this case represents the ideological divide between politicians of different parties, especially those who serve in state legislatures or in the federal Senate or House.

Meme time. The first one is a reworking by Lily Maynard, I think, but it's been around a while. The second one is one I've seen repeatedly on Twitter.

Who are the “Christian right “ here

The religious right exists and always has, although i agree not as piwerfully as in the US. It wasn't that long ago that I saw a post here from so so e saying something to the effect of now understanding Mary Whitehouse. There are also protestors outside of abortion clinics, a rise in fundamentalist churches and in parts the Catholic Church is both powerful and very conservative.