Damian Barr

[AbsintheFriends]

I know there's loads going on at the moment, and Damian Barr is just one bearded misogynist in an increasingly dystopian world, but he's the one who kicked up a huge self-righteous fuss about Baroness Nicholson and got her ousted from her position at the Booker Prize on the grounds of homophobia and transphobia. Who would have imagined that such a zealous icon of ideological purity would turn out to have said things like this??

twitter.com/MLagouste/status/1278345389150662658

(Oh yes. Any one of the several million of us on FWR who has seen a bearded misogynist hiding behind a trans-rights banner...)

The worst thing about Barr's now infamous "tittering sickly" tweet isn't just only that it's how he thinks about someone so desperate about their life, but also that he wanted to use that desperation to amuse his followers.

He wanted people to think he was funny and clever for saying that, and I expect he knew that his friends would laugh with him.

Mark Damalzar's name needs to be associated with this "humorous" tweet. As he elected to stand in judgment of a woman for this man then this is his story too.

I will be making a donation to TransgenderTrends crowd funder on behalf of Damian Barr.

Young people considering transition ought to know what "sick tittering" their allies do in public.

If you had drunk a few too many pints and you saw him in the street at night, would you shout “transphobe, misogynist or ageist” at a him?

I've emailed. Horrible misogynistic hypocrite

Once the Savoy reopens I think heckling is in order. 😂

The worst thing about Barr's now infamous "tittering sickly" tweet isn't just only that it's how he thinks about someone so desperate about their life, but also that he wanted to use that desperation to amuse his followers.

He wanted people to think he was funny and clever for saying that, and I expect he knew that his friends would laugh with him.

Yes., and like him we know they all would.

Yeah - we see it like it is.

Women ask to be recognised for their biological - as a political class - as protected in the current Equality Act. We're "hateful" - I've seen women accused of causing trans people of killing themselves.

Damian actually tweets laughing at a trans person trying to themself, and that's just fine. Because Damian's now toeing the TRA line I suppose.

We see how it is.

*biological sex

Missed a word out

YY Jemima

Damian clearly thinks he is the 21st century Dorothy Parker, but sadly he has no idea which side to dress on.

Fucking hell - that is some spectacular DARVO in that apology! So we're the ones hurting trans people by circulating disgusting tweets that he wrote?! And the ones about "Thai whores" were just banter then I guess?

Yes. When did people stop being grown ups? Why’s it everyone else’s responsibility to just say nothing when the offensive crap is coming directly from the witchfinder himself? I can’t follow the logic. Why didn’t Damian Barr apologise for all the awful sexist and racialised stuff he’s tweeted?

And, If he’s not going to apologise for his part in inciting the Baroness takedown -for which the blame ultimately lies with the pathetic Booker management for removing her instead of standing up for her ... then how come Barr is not actively doing the same to urge they take down David Willetts right now? If that was the right punishment to demand of her, why not for Willetts ?

Why are Booker not sacking Willets off their own bat, if they are not sexist and are prepared to remove people based on voting records? Honestly I think they’ve completely ruined the Booker as a literary prize with this stupid mess. It can now only ever be awarded on the performative political merit of the author.
Damazer should go, because he clearly lacks judgement a which has had serious reputational repercussions. Booker should be grovellingly apologetic to the Baroness, and Booker judges and Willetts should be publicly supporting her as an anti-sexist action. The baroness and JKR should go off set up their own literary prize that has some credibility and is about literature.

Times Scotland article:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dad940b0-bcb1-11ea-82eb-1588bf47a52f?shareToken=d1154d75d22de26d13200b78b4288eec

Place marking, will write to booker when I have the time to write something coherent.

I'm not a beardy woke bro supporter, I'm a GC feminist. I'm saddened to read this thread as Damian as indeed had a difficult upbringing. One where he saw his mum abused by his violent father and he was close to his mother and sister. I think if he had read about the transgender ideology that harms women and girls he wouldn't be jumping on the band wagon.

Too ma

The baroness and JKR should go off set up their own literary prize that has some credibility and is about literature

That's an excellent idea! JKR has the money to found it and BN has the experience.

Please excuse bold and typos from my previous posts. No I don't think he fully sees the GC viewpoint that's all I think he ought to bd I'm not excusing what's done. I feel sad to hear about it as I didn't expect it of him and his horrific childhood upsets me.i thought he would stand up for women.

Times article, also in its own thread:
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dad940b0-bcb1-11ea-82eb-1588bf47a52f?shareToken=5bf81c44388fe32a0652ade6648c914e&fbclid=IwAR2lICIV1NdloUXrX6l22i3NSsAL4tP3wKeyM4Q4xyneXM1BgWHZTTMBkBY

What is notable is that he has not had the strength of character to keep his twitter account unlocked. There is a 0% chance that he has faced the degree of criticism and threat meted out to JKR and yet she has risen above and soldiered on.

Very unimpressive, Damian.

(Or the Baroness, I meant to add)

I'm going to write to Booker, not in any hope that they'll reinstate or apologise, but I'm so disgusted by their kneejerk stupidity.

'We will investigate and discuss internally' till the Twitter storm subsides. That's all they needed to do. Look at what happened with Damian Barr - all the organisations affiliated with him stfu and nothing's happened.

Worth pointing out that those 'old' transphobic tweets that are being excused as made without understanding were written when he was 32! An adult.

Having a difficult upbringing neither explains nor excuses abhorrent tweets and comments made by a man in his 30s.
Every one of my closest friend had horrific childhoods, involving CSE, death of parents, domestic violence, homelessness, I could go on. We have a lot of talks, a lot of laughs, of lot of drunken rants. Never once have we EVER mocked a suicidal person.
I get the feeling you maybe know him personally, and it is always hard when a friend, or someone we respect, shows their true colours. But really, there is no excuse for the things he has said. And there is no excuse for his woman-hating behaviour now.

@truthisarevolutionaryact

Worth pointing out that those 'old' transphobic tweets that are being excused as made without understanding were written when he was 32! An adult.

And round about the same time as the baroness was voting. Which was apparently a current and urgent issue for DB