I was one of the transactivists on the channel 4 documentary, I regret what I did — this is why

[OnTheDarkSideOfTheSpoon]

medium.com/@Betsulimo/i-was-one-of-the-transactivists-on-the-channel-4-documentary-i-regret-what-i-did-this-is-why-7e12350ab6d3

Someone who was filmed trying to stop the “we need to talk” session now thinks they were wrong for attempting to shut down debate and realises that they were intimidating women

Datun
To summarise,
They were bullied for being effeminate, they teased other macho males by sitting on their laptop and saying "but I really like you" and this affirmed third identity as a woman.

Esther believes they is a woman because they has a female brain.

Esther misunderstood a scientific brain-scan study and said "transpeople do have brains that are more similar to their target sex" when in actual fact the study only proved they had brains close to their target sex compared to non transgender people, but still show vast differences. Essentially the sorts of differences you will anyway see from hormones, and various human personalities.

Esther believes that we live in a deeply transphobic world, and believes that gender critical feminists believe that (sorry for the overuse of believe here...) that transwomen are "all rapists who are trying to attack women"
This is obviously not what GC feminists believe.

Esther respectfully refrained from using the term "TERF" I appreciate that.

Esther seems genuinely interested in GC arguments. And agrees with us that there are inherent problems eg Karen White. Agreed that the wrong approach is saying "No don't talk about that" it's a discussion urgently needed.

Esther aims to position themself as a reasonable trans activist, and does genuinely receive abuse from other trans activists because of thatz and also ppl from the GC side (eg being asked when are you detransitioning? From a GC person).

Esther admits they don't pass. Wants people to know transpeople are human with a sense of humour. Wants reasonable discourse, some trans activism makes people frightened of trans people. They aren't all like that.

Esther's heart seems to be in the right place, but their ideas are completely molded by trans activism. Particularly their ideas about what GC feminism is and what we are trying to say.

I warmed to them towards the end.

Wish Esther all the best.

^Laptop! Lolll
Sitting on their lap...

Having watched it all, I like Esther.

Same here. And I thought it was very sweet that Betts would be speaking eloquently and thoughtfully - very interesting stuff and would suddenly appologise for going on too long. I'd be thinking - no, keep talking!

I also have a lot of respect for Esther resisting joining a group of 'rational trans' so as not to get sucked into staying on message and toeing their line. That's moral courage - developing ones own beliefs even though it is so much easier to go where there's safety in numbers.

Vicious?

My facebook feed is full of men painted up as panto dames. They are panto dames. It's Christmas. They are advertising the local pantomime. Betts looks no different.

^ third identity as a woman (meant obvs their identity)

But that reminds me, there was a bit where Benjamin A B asked
"Would you be happy being perceived as a gender category of your own? Like the kathoey in Thailand or the (sorry can't remember) in Pakistan? Esther's reply was something like "we live in a gender binary, so no we don't have that third gender in the West so that's why I want to be a woman"

Forgetting that actually being a transwoman is or should be a recognised category in and of itself.

Let's all like Betts, then, but let's not forget that Betts demands to be legally a woman on their own say so and insists that males such as Betts be treated exactly as women for all purposes, and their only objective of having a conversation is to convert the unbelievers who are wrong about ladybrain. All explanations are soaked in stereotypes.

No discernable difference in viewpoint, just embarrassed at being caught out being so male on camera.

The only female identity Betts can see is the one Betts is in a relationship with.

No discernable difference in viewpoint, just embarrassed at being caught out being so male on camera.

Indeed. And still failing to even get a glimmer of the sex-based, class-based social capital Esther is able to call in to even get this solipsism an audience.

Not interested, Esther, sorry. The world does not revolve around you.

Not seeing much difference here;

www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/style/prada-issues-apology-after-accusations-over-blackface-imagery/ar-BBQZ6zN?ocid=spartandhp

I'm not going to pander to Betts' youthful foolishness. This ideology is doing so much damage to women. Betts doesn't grasp that Betts is part of the problem here. Why can't you be an effeminate man? Betts doesn't even seem particularly convinced that Betts is a woman.

I agree with Lang.

If Betts didn’t leave the house for two years and is now at university, Betts is not particularly young.

Bett's current view is obviously sexism incubated in a trans bubble. But there were a few points Betts will straighten out to get a solid position.

It was interesting Esther seems to be of the so called 'truscum' thinking - where dysphoria and medical gatekeeping are necessary, but at the same time is open to being convinced by a trans person without dysphoria how that is possible. If that discussion actually happens it will only throw up 'trendy' or fetish territory. Which is of course pretty indefensible.

still failing to even get a glimmer of the sex-based, class-based social capital Esther is able to call in to even get this solipsism an audience.

Indeed.

But I think Betts has only just started down this road and I have a strong feeling that Betts is going to realise these things along the way.

If Betts succeeds in encouraging other 'trans' people into this kind of enquiry, exploration and dialogue it will be a positive thing.

But what is the dysphoria he's describing? All Betts managed to describe in words is considering self to be an inadequate male in sexist terms therefore "wants" to "be" a woman.

The felling of dysphoria was just described as "terrible". So what is terrible? Not being macho? Or is it the hard to admit and reconcile with sexual arousal at the sight of your own face in red lipstick?

It just jumps out at you here I'm afraid.

Qcng

Thank you for the summary, very kind.

So I'm gathering that Betts no longer comes across as violently evil, but uninformed, self obsessed, and enjoying the male entitlement that they are probably oblivious to.

Still, I guess it's an improvement.

But what is the dysphoria he's describing? All Betts managed to describe in words is considering self to be an inadequate male in sexist terms therefore "wants" to "be" a woman.

This.

Betts did talk about the "not true trans theory" and made it clear they believed only those with true gender dysphoria are truly trans, then by extension males with dysphoria are truly women because they have "women's brains". Which puts Esther against other Transactivists who don't believe gender dysphoria is a requirement to being trans. Esther openly admitted some people who say they are trans are not actually trans.

Esther does not have the insight, yet, to see how a man saying they are trans but are basically a cross dressers or just making it up, is no different to a man with genuine gender dysphoria in any meaningful way.

Betts believes that if your mind convinces you that you really want to be a woman and the thought of being a man causes you great discomfort than this means you are a woman, because of your lady brain.

It was interesting for me to listen at length to what I usually only see as sound bites on Twitter or random comments BTL. How deeply these people really believe this stuff. I feel great sympathy for Esther. I don't think mocking them is the way forward. I genuinely feel they are on a journey to critical thinking and I'd like them to be helped, not mocked.

I feel great sympathy for Esther. I don't think mocking them is the way forward. I genuinely feel they are on a journey to critical thinking and I'd like them to be helped, not mocked.

This

But what is the dysphoria he's describing?
I read it as being spectrum-y discomfort and tension given a helpful handle.

I don't think mocking them is the way forward.

I agree. When I criticise Esther, I am not mocking Esther. I mean exactly what I say. I have neither the time nor the patience to indulge navel-gazing and I think Esther should do the woke thing and check Esther's solipsistic privilege because indulging Esther in any way will encourage social policy that damages actually marginalised people. Who, by the way, never get a platform.

Also did you notice Betts 'misgender' Karen White when speaking about perpetrating assault? Definitely 'no true transwoman' thinking.

When the penny drops for Betts that there is no objective way of identifying who is 'true trans' in such a way that is practical for women's safety and self-preservation - that will be it I reckon.

So obviously you consider me pointing out that parodying woman on personal basis, not in a professional context like clowning or pantomime dameing is "mocking".

It's not "mocking". It is seeing through the self deception. Betts believes that putting on that lipstick is "being" a woman. An external representation of internal feelings. This is the transition AGPs make, they take their sexual arousal out of the bedroom and into the world.

Is Betts ever going to figure out and accept that it's a fetish, the thing Betts describes as dysphoria?

Phil Bunce denies it is sexual, and is colluded with. He's indulged in his lady brain days and costumes. He get's women awards. That's what this is all about. Sanitisation of fetish. How is this helpful?

Why tell me to not mention the parodic nature of the presentation? Betts mustn't be offended whilst performing his sexual arousal in public?

Betts is at the bottom of the peak trans hill, but at least is considering whether to try to trek up it rather than listening to the TRAs who just scream that here be dragons it's too dangerous for them

WeRiseUp
Yes that was a Twitter banning offense right there. Esther is also on "Terf blocker" now too for lesser offenses.

You'd hope there is more of a "space" opening up now for trans people who will consider the idea that transwomen are transwomen, not women but an entity in their own right, and that we can move forward from there rather than the TWAW TWAW dictatorship who are running things right now.

Bubicpanic

I agree that for some transwomen there is a sexual motivation for transitioning but that certainly does not apply to them all and in my opinion Esther does not fit an AGP type profile.

And yet is on hormones and has grown breasts already?

Self describes as a girl with a dick?

What is an AGP type profile? Late middle aged men transitioners all describe the early onset of cross dressing.

Are you suggesting that trans porn has played no part at all in the life of someone explaining they spent two years not leaving the house during the day?

Stretching my credulity somewhat.