Baby steps in being publicly gender critical - help!

[GCBabySteps]

I've name-changed in case you haven't guessed!

I've recently shared a few articles on the dreaded Facebook - Martina's article in the Times and their story on Ruth Hunt's resignation.

There's been some good-natured debate on the recent post, with both sides agreeing on the whole. But it's now being piled on by a very woke friend who is parroting the TWAW line, along with "trans woman have NO advantage over cis women" in relation to sports.

Also, in the last 5 minutes I've had someone ask what women's rights trans rights remove.

I really wish I had a quick list of rebuttals to these inane arguments. My tendency is to eyeroll and say "for fuck's sake it's common sense" but that's not very eloquent!!

On the other hand, I had one friend thank me for putting into words what she's been feeling for a while, so it's not all bad!

I also replied to a tweet by the famous cyclist.... I haven't done anything bad enough yet to be banned. But then I wimped out and deleted it

Please folks (I can still use folks can't I?), give me courage to carry on (and some helpful one liners wouldn't go amiss either!)

Maybe share the Piers Morgan tweet from today about the girls losing out to in the sprints?

This one:
twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1099803988168368129

@feministfairy
Thanks - I have already retweeted that, much though it pains me to agree with Piers Morgan!

I move in very woke circles and have found that none of it registers if I go along with TWAW even by omission. I no longer use the word transwoman, I talk about men. When I started doing this, the penny dropped for an uber-woke male friend.

Women's rights to sex segregated spaces are removed - single sex hospital wards, showers, changing rooms. Lesbian's rights to same sex partners. The right to ask for a same sex health practitioner for smear tests, mammograms etc. The right to ask for a same sex counsellor in a rape crisis centre or DV shelter

Fairplay For Women have launched a public campaign to protect women's sports. There's lots of information and data on the website:

fairplayforwomen.com/sport/

"Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee
This is the English version of an open letter to the leadership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), extended to the leaderships of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC), the International Federation of Volleyball (IFV) and the Brazilian Confederation of Volleyball (BCV) in defense of professional women’s sports by Ann Paula Henkel (Connelly)"

fairplayforwomen.com/ana_paula_henkel/

really worth reading and sharing

Please folks (I can still use folks can't I?) As long as you identify as bugs bunny :-)

I've had someone ask what women's rights trans rights remove I might suggest something like this:

None. Trans people should live free from intimidation and bigotry. They should have the same rights in law as everyone else.

Everyone should have certain sex based rights, but this is especially important for women. For example:

The right to single sex sports competition where necessary. Taking this right away and allowing males to compete would end many women's sports.

The right to bodily privacy. Many, many women are not happy with showing in front of males in areas like swimming pools. Taking this right away by making facilities unisex would exclude many groups of women from using them.

This doesn't mean excluding transwomen: some sports should be mixed; single changing rooms can be built. It's about defending women's hard won rights.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I shall use them as ammunition in the continuing fight to make people see sense. It might be a losing battle but I'm determined to try!

@R0wantrees The sporting stuff is really helpful, thanks!

Even though I couldn't give a fig about most sports, I think it could be the blatant unfairness of men competing as women which starts the tide turning.

@feministfairy Thanks for reminding me about the medical aspect in all this. I was thinking of abuse victims and religious beliefs, but I'd totally overlooked the basics.

It boggles belief that we have to remind people that lesbians want a female partner!

@donquixotedelamancha "It's about defending women's hard won rights." Totally spot on. Have trans rights but not at the expense of women's rights

I've had someone ask what women's rights trans rights remove.

DonkeySkin put it most clearly.

Mostly now I point out that this is a small, rather aggressive group of men who are demanding that women’s rights are extended to them.

These demands are being made without providing any scientific evidence that the new laws will not cause harm to women. And I suggest that the onus should be on those demanding these changes to demonstrate that they will not cause harm, before swathing changes are brought in.

Also... why these men? Why not gay men, or priests (for example). Sex segregation is there for a reason.

I mentioned GC stuff to one of my closest friends today (via email so I won't hear back for a while). I know she is very, very non-GC but I can't keep quiet about it any longer. This thread is helpful.

Also, in the last 5 minutes I've had someone ask what women's rights trans rights remove.

The right to privacy
to choose a partner with a vagina
to not see a penis in a changing room
women's sports
the right to be searched (including intimately) by a woman if you are in police custody or a prison
the right to a female only refuge if you are fleeing domestic violence
the right to have a woman perform a smear test
the right to be safe in a women's toilet or changing room
the right to swim without men crashing into you
all female shortlists for politics
female only awards / scholarships etc now being given to men
the right to pee without someone getting their rocks off

Or just one, for the men. Say that sometime in the future you have a 9 year old daughter who you take swimming. You cannot go into the changing room with her but (because it is in the future and he has been released) Ian Huntley can.

along with "trans woman have NO advantage over cis women" in relation to sports.

Post this picture. and ask 'do you need me to point out the male in this photo. If not, why not?'

Also, in the last 5 minutes I've had someone ask what women's rights trans rights remove.
'What rights do trans people not already have?

Anyoldprion, thanks for posting that extract in the picture - it is really helpful and clear.

The problem I find with providing stark reality is that a huge swathe of people blithely assume the mysterious "they" will not let things get so bad, and "they" will ensure safeguards and of course "they" would never let (say) Karen Whites happen - even where KW is a thing that already has happened, but then they blow over it as an anomaly.

There is a blind, unwavering faith in what "they" will do and nothing bad will happen because of it.

I was reading (on a thread here) about extreme trans ideology being meta physics; a belief system. There is no scientific proof that people can change sex.

I wonder if the same wokey dokey blokey bully types would have been fundamental believers in religion in the past?

Dealing with them is hard. They absolutely need to get the last word. It's in their creed.

Stick to your line and resign yourself to that. Other friends are watching and it's those you are trying to convince.

If the wokey bully descends to trf calling I'd defriend. I'd leave their comment and link to trd is a slur.

Good luck

I was waiting for my pile on but it hasn't happened yet

Thanks again all.

I've now created a GC folder in my browser bookmarks, so I can quick find all these useful articles. I've also got a GC section in my OneNote with some quick rebuttals in there ready to copy and paste in response!

The friend who said transwomen had no advantage in sport linked to a superficially scientific paper from a Joanna Harper, concluding this:

jrci.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.301/prod.4

However, I've learned from another thread on here that this was from a sample size of only 7, so I'm not sure how scientifically rigorous that is. And that Joanna Harper is MTF transgender. With only a masters degree. Take from that what you will!

lots of resources on this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3145470-Break-it-down-for-me

Not scientifically rigorous at all

I was reading (on a thread here) about extreme trans ideology being meta physics; a belief system.

It is. It's Butlerism. It's core beliefs seem to be:

1. That all human experience is subjective and only the only thing we can be sure of is the Self.

1. That acceptance of material reality is 'reductionist', 'imperialist', 'white' and 'western' therefore the only source of understanding is the experience of the Self (and the writings of Judith Butler).

1. (Deriving from 1 and 2) that all human interaction is performance and the act of performing or 'identifying as' a role is being that role. Saying the words 'I am a...' makes you that thing.

1. That to be 'oppressed' is to be in a state of Butlerian Grace. There is a clear hierarchy of oppression and the more roles in that hierarchy one identifies with, the greater the state of Grace achieved.

1. One must never, ever question the experience of oppression by a Self with more Grace than you. To question the assertions of one who is Blessed by Butler is 'imperialist', 'bigoted' or 'fascist'.

1. One must never ever question the way another Self 'identifies' to do so is 'reductionist', 'imperialist'.... you get the gist by now.

1. Anyone who is accused of one of the Sins must accept their Sin and be Educated by someone with more Grace. To dispute the need to be Educated is to risk being cast out into the Gammon.

1. Those who reject Butlerism are Gammon Nazis (that's worse than imperialist etc). Those who try to defend a Gammon Nazi are also Gammon Nazis. Those who ask too many awkward questions are Gammon Nazis. Gammon Nazis cannot be redeemed and must be destroyed.

1. There is an eternal war between the different Identities. There can be no discussion or reason with those who do not Identify with Butlerism. All true Butlerians are engaged in an eternal Jihad to defeat the Gammon.

10. For a woman to turn from Butler is the greatest Sin. Women who refuse to Perform their Identity (or even accept their role exists), but do not accept the Grace that they are Transgender cause the greatest sadness to Butler. They are TERFs and their doors must be urinated on, their buildings marked with graffiti and their employers written to. They must never be permitted to speak in public.

If men do it, it's not that bad.