Cartoon in the Morning Star

[Cwenthryth]

Kristina Harrison (prominent gender. critical transwoman, WPUK supporter) just posted this on Twitter - apparently it was published in the Morning Star.

KH wrote “This cartoon appeared in The Morning Star earlier this week @MStarOnline It is a horrific, generalised demonisation of trans people which does not belong in a civilised society, let alone a socialist newspaper. I condemn it utterly. Trans people & progressive opponents of identity politics are owed an unequivocal apology, an explanation & reassurance about what action is being taken to ensure that the line between fierce but legitimate argument and bigotry is never crossed again. Totally unacceptable. (not posting a direct link as I don’t want to facilitate any pile on against Kristina, clearly this is a sensitive personal issue for a transwoman).

Comments are supportive of KH so far. I thought it’d be a good topic for discussion here - does this ‘demonise trans people’ or does it baldly illustrate safeguarding concerns with self-ID? Is it different from the popular/accepted(?) ‘Fox identifying into the henhouse’ analogy? Hopefully we can keep things civil and respectful with no personal criticisms of Kristina.

The cartoon states a fact very clearly. It’s not anti trans. It’s showing that self-ID gives any male predator, trans or not, access to women’s and children’s spaces.

Has KH demanded grovelling apologies from every misogynist who has abused women in print or online?
Thought not.

Morning Star is a prominent supporter of women’s rights, unusual on the left. So obviously in line for criticism.

The problem (taking this literally) is that the crocodile is a similar shape to a newt, and whilst obviously bigger and stronger, both could be described as having similar superficial and physiological characteristics, however. it's not just that the crocodile might eat the newts or scare them away, because even if it's a very friendly, vegetarian non-newt-eating-crocodile, if it gets in the pond with the newts it will take up all the space and displace the water, and make it hard for the newts to do their newty things.

Spartacus, you make clear and wise points very entertainingly!

KH is offended at a cartoon.

I'm offended at men calling themselves lesbians and taking women's places on football teams and claiming it's ok because it's an over 40 team meaning that women over 40 matter even less than women under 40.

I am offended at handmaidens and those who throw women under the bus from a crumb of acknowledgment from the men who have invaded our movement under the guise of allies.

I'm offended by many things but the Offence taken at satire offends me most.

Hopefully the penny will drop for many women now.

It seems that 'GC' male transpeople like Harrison want to stop or control the debate around the safety and rights of women and girls.

I'm struggling to see the difference between GC male transpeople and MRA.

I'm struggling to see the difference between GC male transpeople and MRA.

This

It’s a cartoon. That old freedom of expression thing is permitted, you know. Even if it upsetting, even then.

They have published an apology:

morningstaronline.co.uk/article/apology-cartoon-published-last-tuesday

The judge in Harry Miller's case stated that freedom of speech applies to statements more contentious than kittens are fluffy The activists of this lobby are becoming synonymous with a determined attempt to attack freedom of speech. If they imagine this will win them allies, they are deluded.

I think the lack of context made the cartoon problematic. On the face if it I can see why it could be seen as transphobic.

The context in Morning Star is that Labour leadership candidates have signed a pledge which calls for the expulsion of members of WPUK & LGB Alliance who have criticised sex-self id.

More directly, Lisa Nandy MP said, in response to Dr Julia Long's questions, that a specifically named child rapist should be able to be placed in female prison estate & his choice of gender must be respected.
Nandy has shown little inclination to acknowledge the harm that has (& is) been done to many vulnerable female prisoners when the state locks dangerous males in with them on the basis of the males self identifying as women.
Many of the male prisoners who identify as women do so after being convicted & are disproportionately sex offenders.

I don’t think the apology is just because of KH’s tweet - there has been a massive pile-on the Morning Star from all the usual suspects as well.

There was a lot of support offered to Kristina Harrison & Debbie Hayton (who was in agreement about the cartoon) from people prominant in Labour GC circles.

Great publicity. I don't read the Morning Star. I only saw this cartoon because of the complaints.

Why would a transwoman think this cartoon was about them? Surely they would only think it was about them if they were inclined to behave in that way.

Context:

Sunday Times today, 'Critics of trans plan take heart from London news
As Conservatives drop gender recognition act, some believe the issue could damage the SNP'

(extract)
"Currently there are 11 prisoners in Scottish jails who identify as transgender, of whom only one has a gender recognition certificate. There are another five people in male prisons who are transwomen and five in female prisons who are transwomen.

Rhona Hotchkiss, former governor of the Cornton Vale women’s prison, said: “If you allow more people to reassign their gender more readily, on what basis will the authorities be able to prevent these prisoners entering into the women’s estate?”

Her view was supported by campaigner Lucy Hunter Blackburn. She said: “There is a concern about what the new law will mean — that if more prisoners self-identify there will be some increase in the number of those wishing to be housed in women’s jails, and the prison service will lose some of its control over which jails they can send prisoners to.”

She believes there is scant evidence that the Scottish government is seriously engaged in creating consensus. She said: “There does not seem to be much prospect that a version of change will be identified by mid-March that people from a range of perspectives feel they can support. The hoped-for consensus seems more likely to be around the government being right.” (continues)

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/critics-of-trans-plan-take-heart-from-london-news-9wkzl922p

So Kristina and Debbie have taken it the same way. Curious

DH tweeted full agreement with KH's reaction last night.

tweet

I'm disappointed with the Morning Star's apology. The trouble with TRAs is that if you give an inch, they take a mile. The correct thing to do would have been to make a robust and unrepentant defence of the freedom of speech.

It reminds me an awful lot of the tactics of extreme Islamists, who burn books, demand that "offensive" cartoons about the Prophet be removed and so on. If you accede on one point, it just encourages them to demand more.

Ugh. It's happened, then. The Morning Star has fallen.

Marx is turning in his grave.

The pressure came from 'GC' trans rights activists & their allies within the Socialist/Labour movement

The correct thing to do would have been to make a robust and unrepentant defence of the freedom of speech
RoyalCorgi Absolutely agree 100 per cent.

I’m sorry to hear the cartoon has been pulled. The cartoonist made a valuable point about safeguarding in a humorous way. But as always, everyone must bow to the TRAs. Their (easily) hurt feelings are far more important than women’s and children’s safety.

So Kristina and Debbie have taken it the same way. Curious

It is. Why would genuine trans women think the crocodile represented them? Seems like a bit of a stretch.

Of course it’s offensive. It isn’t clear that it’s about a predatory man rather than a genuine trans woman. I can see how it’s upsetting to trans people

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