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Original poster

Trans rant to local Labour agent. Help me not to feel like I have embarrassed myself!

78 replies

SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 15:49

Was contacted by the agent for a local Labour councillor candidate yesterday. I had offered to help with campaigning as the candidate is a great guy who has already done a lot for my small town.

I was limited in the help I could give because I rescinded my Labour Party membership over the throwing of women under the bus re all women shortlists.

Explained this to the agent who replied that "Labour have always been against discrimination" and they work with a transwoman, but would go away and find out more.

I then proceeded to.....well.....rant a bit, about Labour discriminating against women and Trans women with a GRC, by accepting anyone who "Identifies" as a woman onto the shortlists. I told him about Labour losing women's votes by supporting a policy which would allow "Barry with a beard and a leer in his eye" to bathe elderly women in care homes if he said he identified as a women, every bit as much as a genuine transwoman with a GRC. And if the woman refused = hate crime/transphobia.

I told him women weren't scared of genuine Trans women, but of perverts and chances using loopholes as a way to access women.

He didn't reply.

I now feel so embarrassed as he made me feel I was being transphobic Blush

Have I made a knob of myself and have I been transphobic?

OP posts:
Quietlife333 · 15/04/2019 16:47

The more people like you on doorsteps say things like this to them the better. They are living in Cloud cuckoo land if they think the majority of the electorate agree with them on this nonsense and frankly dangerous regressive stance. I know my labour councillo thinks it’s madness, the people in the party need to have the backing of normal people so they can stand up and be counted. Good on you.

RepealTheGRA · 15/04/2019 16:51

The more people like you on doorsteps say things like this to them the better. They are living in Cloud cuckoo land if they think the majority of the electorate agree with them on this nonsense and frankly dangerous regressive stance

Yep! The average member of the public thinks its utter bollocks. They don’t even seem to bother being polite about it, have you seen some of the comments on the daily mail/sky news? Shock

whambamIamaman · 15/04/2019 16:54

Thank you! Thank you for speaking out. I too left the Labour party of this but remained friends with many of the people. Most of my Labour friends 'get it' to some degree but believe that it's not an issue that people 'raise on the doorstep'. I know and like my local candidate and I know for a fact that he has been made aware of this because of me and since then has had this raised 'on the doorstep' more than once. The more people who speak up about this (however awkwardly) the less they can claim the issue does not matter to voters. Just think of all of the people up and down the country doing the same thing in the run up to the council elections. Maybe you're the reason they will think twice before replacing 'sex' with 'gender' in Council policies? Well done.

Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 16:56

@SirVixofVixHall

I think the framing of trans as “genuine” or not, isn’t very helpful. I see it a lot on the boards

I think I know what you mean. By genuine, I mean people with gender dysphoria who have or are in the process of getting a GRC.

But I do feel uncomfortable with penises being around women in sex segregated spaces. I guess a DBS check would make that ok in some care work, but I wouldn't be happy with my daughter's personal care being done by someone with a penis. But then I know that the operation is very physically taxing so don't want to tar all Trans women with a penis as a risk.

Gah, I don't know!

OP posts:
MsMcWibble · 15/04/2019 16:56

Op - it was a while ago now - I think it was the lib dems at Goldsmiths. Said that all us txrfs should be sent to the gulags for reeducation. And that actually the gulags weren't that bad. Apparently they had book clubs and everything.

Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 16:58

RepealTheGRA - the system is being gamed? Oh God. That puts a different light on it. Well in that case, no I don't want anyone with a penis bathing my mum. Without a penis seems fair enough.

OP posts:
Toorahtoorahaye · 15/04/2019 16:59

What is a genuine TW? I’d vote to repeal the GRA.

KatvonHostileExtremist · 15/04/2019 16:59

I lost it with the membership guy who made the mistake of ringing me after I didn't renew. I was very impassioned. Ahem.

He was sweet actually.

I probably haven't made it onto any hit lists from that route.

Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 17:02

MsMcWibble - Apparently they had book clubs and everything Shock

There is not a lot you can say to that level of stupidity is there?

I still like the definition of TXRF as being "Tediously Explaining Reality to Fantasists". Whoever came up with that was a genius Grin

OP posts:
AlunWynsKnee · 15/04/2019 17:04

I had a very similar conversation with the chair of my CLP (minus Barry with a beard) after I resigned my membership. I was quite wobbly after I'd done it.

SirVixofVixHall · 15/04/2019 17:05

All a clear DBS check shows is that someone has not been caught doing anything wrong. It doesn’t meant that they have never committed a crime, or that they won’t do in the future.
Having a GRC does not require genital surgery, or any medical treatment at all. It is as meaningless as the term “ living as a woman”.

RepealTheGRA · 15/04/2019 17:10

All a clear DBS check shows is that someone has not been caught doing anything wrong. It doesn’t meant that they have never committed a crime, or that they won’t do in the future.
Having a GRC does not require genital surgery, or any medical treatment at all. It is as meaningless as the term “ living as a woman

👏👏👏👏👏👏

MsMcWibble · 15/04/2019 17:15

The lovely lawyer apparently has a GRC. Nuff said.

Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 17:15

All a clear DBS check shows is that someone has not been caught doing anything wrong. It doesn’t meant that they have never committed a crime, or that they won’t do in the future that's true. But also true of anyone who works in an environment with vulnerable people.

How do we get the line right between keeping everyone safe (most important) and not stigmatising "Hayley from Coronation St who doesn't have a penis and is zero threat, but used to be a man"? I genuinely don't know the answer.

Having a GRC does not require genital surgery, or any medical treatment at all. It is as meaningless as the term “ living as a woman”

Good God. I thought people had to have medical intervention, and a diagnosis of GD before a GRC is issued? If that isn't the case, then where are the safeguards? Has the GRA actually come in now and that's why the GRCs are meaningless?

OP posts:
Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 17:16

The lovely lawyer apparently has a GRC Not sure who that is?

OP posts:
MrsSnippyPants · 15/04/2019 17:20

MsMcWibble

"I actually shouted 'gulag' at him as he scurried back up the driveway"

On a shitty day you have made me laugh so much there are tears Grin. Thank you!
(Wanders off to put the kettle on shouting 'gulag'!)

BettyDuMonde · 15/04/2019 17:21

Stephanie Hayden has a GRC and Seven Hex does not.

sevenhex.com/home/about/

I no longer have any faith in the GRP and GRC process. If convicted murderers and rapists are allowed to apply for one from prison it is completely meaningless in terms of who should be trusted in women’s spaces.

YANBU by voicing your concerns to a political party. We should all do it.

MsMcWibble · 15/04/2019 17:26

Stephanie Hayden is the 'lawyer'. Who apparently has 'no current convictions'.

JackyHolyoake · 15/04/2019 17:27

Well done, SuePerbly

We all need to do this ...

and on election day spoil your ballot paper by affixing the Woman Adult Human Female sticker to your ballot paper.

Trans rant to local Labour agent. Help me not to feel like I have embarrassed myself!
Original poster
SuePerbly · 15/04/2019 17:28

*Betty Du Monde", I didnt know rapists were allowed to apply for a GRC. That does make them totally ineffective as a means of safeguarding then.

I suppose it has to be a case that male biology cannot be in female spaces. I do feel bad for Trans women who are just trying to live their life and do no harm to anyone, but we can't jeopardise safety just to be nice.

I stepped away from the trans threads for the past six months, and feel like I have missed so much. Could anyone please help me out and give a dummies guide to the main things that have happened, please?.

OP posts:
terfsandwich · 15/04/2019 17:35

A convicted pedophile got a GRC while in jail.

BettyDuMonde · 15/04/2019 17:43

All you need for a GRC is a gender dysphoria diagnosis (which you can pay a private gender clinic for) a second doctor’s letter (which GPs will do for about £30, as long as you have the diagnosis in writing) and documents to show you have been using your new trans name for two years (so a deed poll and some dated bank statements/utility bills in normal circumstances or a deed poll and a letter from the prison saying when you started using your new name/cross sex identity if you are incarcerated). It costs about £140 to file the application papers (waived for those on certain benefits).

It’s completely meaningless in terms of safeguarding, unfortunately.
Might’ve been a little more useful back when you had to convince an NHS psychiatrist that you were a good candidate for transition but that step can be circumnavigated nowadays (for around £300-£400).

TheGoalIsToStayOutOfTheHole · 15/04/2019 17:51

I actually shouted 'gulag' at him as he scurried back up the driveway

Haha, this has made my day Grin

Mrskeats · 15/04/2019 18:03

Ian Huntley would have had a clear DBS before he did anything. They are a blunt instrument at best.