Ben on twitter

[youkiddingme]

has some interesting things to say

twitter.com/BenWlv

I’m seeing increasing numbers of GC men on Twitter. Not sure if they are increasing faster than GC women, but I notice them more than anonymous GC accounts because they’re still relatively rare.

Ben certainly knows how to articulate very well and get the points over. As he says, facts are a solid foundation for any argument.

Knowing what reality is shouldn’t need a name. Gender critical is so obscure, it makes us sound like a minority when we aren’t.

Gender critical men have the advantage of having not spent a lifetime being expected to “be nice” to everyone, they are also (largely) avoided by the mass reporting TRAs.

His Twitter bio makes me laugh every time I see it.

Husband. Dad of five. No, our telly isn't broken. Yes, we have worked out what's causing it.

I like Ben's twitter a lot.

He's taking the ghastly McK to task - McK has been making the most ridiculous statements about transwomen being real females. (Nope.)

Phew I thought you were talking about wee-Ben-Ben-scared-of-a-Venus-sign (account now protected apparently). Yes I’ve seen this Ben before!

Ah no, not that wee Ben.

Lots of Bens around. Aren't there two Bens at Pink News?

Good Bens are a rare animal

(I sense a re-branding of Venus razors in 3, 2, 1....)

How, indeed.

‘Babes’ what are they channeling Pat Butcher now?

Gah. I'll swallow the 'woman as a social signifier for a group that's inclusive of biological and self identified yada yada yada' change of term if I have to. Not willingly, but ok.

Trying to appropriate the word 'female' is plain silly and pushes the whole argument to the point where it just looks ridiculous. No, someone born male is not female, any more than they're a duck or a chair.

So interesting the comments about how refreshing it is to see the facts without it being 'angry', so readers can engage with it.

It's the exact same tone and information you see from GC women. From women that's perceived as off puttingly angry. From a man, it's perceived as calm and rational good sense.

He's my brother, all t*rfin' my own work 😁

I forced him to read Robert Jensen's Radical Feminism for Men

Top t**fin Girl Scout !

What FUCKS ME RIGHT OFF about Ben (and a thousand other people who have waded into this), is the way they preface their thoughts with a statement that they wish people no harm. Like, duh? Did anyone think you did? The TRAs don't bother with such sheepish, handwringing, hence the way they have managed to capture opinion with their "woe is me, i'm just a weak little laydee-victim!" act.

It falls straight into being defensive, a la the "I'm not racist, but..." trope. By prefacing comments with an apologetic caveat, we weaken and dilute the facts. It subconsciously makes people go "hang on, why have they even raised the idea of transphobia if they aren't being transphobic?"

(Similarly I have made a conscious effort to stop saying "sorry" unless I am actually apologising. All those posts which start "Sorry, but..." now just annoy me. WHAT are you sorry for? Having an opinion? get a fucking grip. )

STOP "SORRY, BUT"-ING YOUR RIGHTFUL, HONEST, LEGITIMATE OPINIONS.

Your opinions are allowed, and you have based on evidence and science and facts. There is no need to pre-emptively apologise for them, by pointing out you aren't being beastly about things. When the accusation of transphobia! inevitablycomes, refute it under sunlight with those facts and evidence. Don't sheepishly set it as the opening standard.

(To be clear, I am massively fucked off with the societal expectation Ben at al feel the need. I thank them personally for standing up and speaking out. Angry typing rarely makes for clear text )