I have been away from this thread for a while. In part because it got me thinking.
What on earth is going on? And what do we do about it?
I am goal oriented. I suspect Posie is too. I respect those who stand by their principles. Though despair when people start suggesting they are true feminists especially when they go on to complain that they are marginalised.
So what is happening? Why did this all suddenly appear, and all over the Anglophone world?
I assume that various prominent transgender people, perhaps networked via medical (the sort of conference Susie Green attended in the autumn) or academic links, started discussing how they would achieve greater acceptance. Each reviewed the situation in their own country, and in the UK priorities were a legal lobbying base (TELI - formed in 2016), a societal lobbying base (get Stonewall - with its strong reputation and its massive reach to add the "T", which it did in 2015), and a political lobbying base (Stephen Whittle apparently says they have Labour in the bag. The tweet seems to have disappeared but earlier this week whilst complaining about the appointment of Ann Henderson to lead Labout LGBT, LM seemed to be saying that the Tory LGBT were far more helpful, specifically mentioning David TC Davies as a common concern).
Encouraged by the example of the way the origional Gender Recognition Act passed without comment, the tactic seems to have been to try to effect changes by using networks, rather than opening up public debate. Not least because a Stonewall survey suggested that 83% of the population were opposed. Plus the tricky fact that the original Act only involved 5,000 transexuals whereas Government estimates for those coming under the wider "trans" umbrella and likely to self-ID are 200,000 to 500,000.
Luckily in the UK a mix of experienced feminists, some articulate right of centre journalists, some brave individuals like Posie and Glinner, plus ordinary MN mums (thank you Justine and the mods - one day I would love to hear the full story) have woken up to the dangers and the #nodebate tactic and the snowball is rolling down the hill gaining volume and momentum. Oddly groups that might have been expected to be in the forefront, like conservative religious groups, do not seem to have been particularly visible, though I noted a protest by Muslim mums outside a Birmingham primary school yesterday.
America is different. I dont know that much, but it looks as if Obama sold the pass, and it has been difficult for GC liberals to find a platform, with the only effective voice belonging to the Christian right.
I assume:
- In neither country, nor in Canada, Australia and NZ, do TRAs want the 83% (and I assume the proportion of Americans who are sceptical of the concept of lady-dick is reasonably high) to wake up, find their voice and start opposing.
- We need to work together, or at least in parallel. Some will feel comfortable making "Hands across the Aisle" arrangements where the common goal is identified and areas of irreconcilable disagreement are parked - others wont. Its fine. People will have a range of concerns: safeguarding; free speech; medical ethics; social contagion; religious. All fine. The depth and diversity of our voices is our strength.
- Tactics are different if you lobbying for something, rather than trying to protect what you have. The TRAs have, via Stonewall, the Democratic Party etc, made astonishing progess both within national and international organisations. Sunlight is our ally. There are major concerns. People understand this. The more brave people who speak up, the more others will feel empowered to do so. (Which means I think Posie made the right call, which in no way negates Jean's personal views.)
- Things will be difficult. TRA tactics to close down debate will come close to bullying. We speak up, we speak out. And we recognise that our diversity is our strength.
One real positive for me to to get to know (on line mainly) people I would not normally come across, and with whom I may not have much in common, but whom I really admire. RoseofDawn, Maniacmagpie, David TC Davies, Sandydrawsbadly, Jean Hatchet, Venice, James Kirkup, Rosa Freedman, Fionn Orlander, HarrytheOwl and more, might now form my ideal dinner party guest list, with an expectation of intelligent, interesting but respectful discussion.
FWIW, I think the free speech angle will wake up most people, and the really big peak-trans moment will come at the next Olympics. (I think the TRA movement has scored a bit of an own goal on sport - people understand women don't compete against men and admire top women athletes, but won't be interested in seeing transwomen dominate.) I think Posie and others are right to go to the US now and demonstrate that ordinary women can speak up. Even if the only available platforms are shared with the political right - so be it. They can agree on this issue as affects everyone.