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

Damage limitation. They have realised how stupid they look. I don't for a moment think that anyone is sorry for what they have done. Just how it looks once it is seen on National Television. They know how it actually looked because the footage has been widely available since it happened.

"Imagine my horror when I realised... I looked bad on TV".

Yep, this meeting was in April this year.

And only now that it has been on national TV and their nan saw it they have come to realise that it makes them look bad. Which is absolutely the worst thing of course.

Plus they'll be graduating soon and the balaclava yob thing might be problematic when trying to find a job.

"people being given the platform to tell you they think trans women are all male fetishists trying to prey on innocent girls, can hurt, a lot." perhaps watching online speeches from previous meetings might have persuaded Esther that this is a gross misrepresentation of GC views?

"people like Posie Parker are being allowed to argue points ,which honestly aren’t that hard to argue against if you have any insight into the trans community" which Dr Haddock clearly doesn't have, since Posie handed him his arse on a plate, neatly garnished with parsley.

Wow.

It's been a year since I fell down this rabbit hole. I know many posters and feminist voices have been in it for far, far longer (Julie Bindel first wrote about it in 2003/4?? Earlier?) And yet it is ONLY JUST dawning on this person that it might be a good idea to engage in discussion - like they've had this massive epiphany. And they are nervous that this tactic of actually putting reasoned points across might make their 'former comrades whip out their tumblr profiles to denounce me as a trans t**f'

(I feel a bit sorry for them when they realise there aren't really any reasoned points why men should have free access to women's spaces and services. Will await a follow up piece.)

It is interesting that they have willing volunteered the information about the plan to let off a smoke bomb in a enclosed space. Can they not see how dangerous that could be and how it could potentially cause breathing problems and also panic. A panicked reaction when all the exits are blocked by your group may have ended very badly. It would therefore have been a illegal act.

sceptical: I think we should steady on with 'blackface' accusations until the person's identified...

So they didn't realise they were intimidating until it was shown on national TV
There is no middle ground here. Nobody can say TW and women are the same. Even TRAs don't believe it. Imagine the outcry if a woman got a TW role. They are only the same when it's TW taking over womens roles and spaces

I told Channel 4 that my name was Adama Berkowitz, it’s not, my name is Esther Betts and I come from London, and I’m also not that bad looking when I’m not wearing a balaclava, honest!

Might need another name change for your CV, Esther.

What a numptie.

I’d like to hear more from the charmer who shrieked “MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY YOU CUNT!” I feel sure they could make a valuable contribution to peaking the few who are still sitting on the fence.

That's exactly the person who tipped my DH over the edge and made him want to never teach students again.

10th rule of misogyny: the worst thing about male violence is that it makes men look bad.

He is now talking about taking on a big admin job at work so he doesn't have to teach students, or us moving to Orkney

Orkney can have its drama. Someone wrote a novel that people there allegedly mobilised to suppress.

To compound his misery, the writer's satirical travelogue about six years among the islanders – whom he describes as "staid, emotionally repressed drunks, stuck in the 1950s" – has so enraged inhabitants of the Scottish archipelago that it has been shelved by his publishers, after threats of legal action.

Chucking It All: How Downshifting To A Windswept Scottish Island Did Absolutely Nothing to Improve My Life was supposed to be a light-hearted warning to "smart-arsed urbanites", tempted by the idea of escaping the rat race, who thought that starting a slower, rustic life somewhere like Provence, Umbria or the Outer Hebrides would somehow find them inner harmony.

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/shelved-the-book-that-outraged-the-orkneys-1712238.html

The report from the We're Still Here conference:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3398737-We-re-Still-Here-Conference-8th-September-A-report-from-the-inside

This report speaks of James Morton telling attendees that they need to do and say things that make them appear less threatening and more likeable.

Interesting that one of the masked ones seems to be following a similar approach.

Esther's phrasing is telling. Miranda Yardley is 'allowed to speak'. Posie is 'allowed to argue.' Esther claims to have changed Esther's views on censorship, but I think it's just taking another form.

And no, a paragraph explaining what a hard life you've had for being trans doesn't excuse the desire to smoke-bomb (!) a meeting you disagree with and it taking four people to remove you 'kicking and screaming'.

Esther's new approach means not having to think of Esther-self as a 'bad person' after having seen the footage and realising how intimidating and awful Esther came across as. Balm for the conscience. Same old censorship.

And yes i also know that her pronoun is 'they' and this could be deleted

Should this say 'it's' pronoun, since saying 'her' pronoun is wrong...what is the correct terminology for 'her/his' in this context?

sack

Nope

She was a she....

Although I absolutely take your point amd though i feel its very very rude i would be hapoy to call her it if she prefers

It sounds as though they are just embarrassed at being captured on TV. No doubt looking for more opportunities to appear on opinion boards etc with this new sense of self awareness. I notice they have had nearly 200 'claps' on the post already- great way to make yourself feel better.

No, they probably attended the very recent tour of Jess 'I just want to do/show my thing' Bradley, and realised that pretending to debate with women is a better tactic than showing off your male rage on camera.

Nope

She was a she....

Although I absolutely take your point amd though i feel its very very rude i would be happy to call her it if she prefers

I know that, and you know that, but what is the appropriate terminology for that sentence?

The fact that this person, Esther, has only just realised, having watched their own behaviour on film, that their behaviour was "intimidating" and "scared people".......if nothing else, that confirms to me that they are a product of a male upbringing. No women, raised as a female, would have failed to understand the likely consequences of their own behaviour.

In fact, a woman would have thought about it BEFORE taking the actions that intimidated and scared other people. It wouldn't have taken a television documentary to make me think of that. I'm glad that Esther has had their "lightbeam" moment, but I'm not going to thank them or applaud them for discovering that they are, in fact, a dick.

I got as far as ‘my comeades’ And ‘trans women are women’ and thought, nah. More ‘I’m so special, poor wee me’ spoutage.

@JoggerBottom

Planning to let off a smoke bomb- isn't that terrorism?

In my mind it is, and there we see an admission in the link. Which is why I've reported this blog to Bristol police and I'd advise others to do the same if they think similarly.
https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact-us/report-a-crime-or-incident/#/

The fact that this person, Esther, has only just realised, having watched their own behaviour on film, that their behaviour was "intimidating" and "scared people".......if nothing else, that confirms to me that they are a product of a male upbringing. No women, raised as a female, would have failed to understand the likely consequences of their own behaviour.

It took Esther 7 months to work out that the tiny woman cowering in a stairwell was petrified that they could end up in hospital if the male rage wasn't contained? Have you seen the size of Heather? She is tiny.

They say that they have been bullied and beaten for being trans (although I suspect it’s possibly for an attitude) so they do t realise what it’s like for some guy to harass and threaten you?

Definite lacking in empathy and common sense with some folk.

I do feel sorry for them if they really have been attacked and kicked out of a house for being trans. That shouldn't happen to anyone. But I did wonder if it really was because they're trans or if it was because they're a bit of a dick?