Guardian back into the fray

[Kit19]

With a sorrowful piece from a TW about how what’s going on the media doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground & TW & feminists are really allies fighting the same battles

It

Imagine saying this to any other group.
To gay people- we are going to take away your right to marriage but come on we are all fighting the same oppression.
To people with disabilities- we are going to take away legislation relating to disability discrimination in the workplace but come on show some compromise.

Meanwhile in the Guardian:

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/07/how-coronavirus-is-widening-the-uk-gender-pay-gap

At the centre of women’s predicament is the expectation that they will sacrifice their own economic viability to provide care at home.

This is a long and detailed article that makes absolutely no sense if 'woman' is just an identity.

And also, the Guardian editorial line: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/05/the-guardian-view-on-the-pandemics-impact-on-women-sound-the-alarm

And again: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jun/23/the-coronavirus-backlash-how-the-pandemic-is-destroying-womens-rights

You have to wonder about the cognitive dissonance.

This

We’re comments enabled on the article?

Not that I could see. In so-called "Comment is Free" this is their policy with trans articles, I think, and has been for some time. Because I think they know that a substantial chunk of their readership doesn't agree.

They love the whole "cis" crap because it also includes gay people, so they are then also oppressors too because even though they are homosexual, they are happy being their sex.

The Guardian seems to think they need to run a piece about trans voices, programmes, struggles, initiatives, misrepresentation etc... almost every day. I guess they feel they need to 'make up' for Suzanne Moore and Hadley Freeman. Always happy to read all points of view, but these pieces - like today's - are so light weight. God, it's tedious.

Those pieces always read like they should be on someone's blog, which creates a rather painful contrast with the work of actual journalists like Moore and Freeman.

Exactly. The sit at 0 and 10 on the intellectual scale.

"ripples of commentary" is an interesting euphemism for "rape and death threats from trans activists", isn't it?

"Trans and feminism have certainly had a wobbly relationship over the years" - a professor of sociology doesn't feel it's necessary to clarify that 'over the years' what 'trans' means has changed drastically. Hmm.

That was a lot of words to say 'Hold our hands, feminists, or choke on dick'.

That was written by an associate professor of sociology and published in a national newspaper?

Dear me.

I guess they'll let anyone be a professor these days.

To return to my starting point, as a trans woman I have found little but warm regard from feminist colleagues, students and friends of all ages.

Anything else is either classed as "illegal" or subject to intimidating cancelation and abuse. The subject of your article in fact.

You have to wonder about the cognitive dissonance.

I know. I do wonder at it.

Another word for it is "stupidity".

Those pieces always read like they should be on someone's blog, which creates a rather painful contrast with the work of actual journalists like Moore and Freeman.

Yes. They could easily ask for a piece from Kathleen Stock or Jane Clare Jones or Julie Bindel or any one of a number of brilliant female writers but they don't. They fill up their comment pages with absolute crap from TRAs who wouldn't otherwise stand a hope of being published anywhere.

"Women whose ability to remain employed depends on being warm towards me are warm towards me."

They could easily ask for a piece from Kathleen Stock or Jane Clare Jones or Julie Bindel or any one of a number of brilliant female writers but they don't.

Or Karen Ingala-Smith. They are happy to talk to her about DV.
Her barring from Labour membership is a hell of a story, I would have thought it would be right up the Guardian's alley.

kareningalasmith.com/2020/01/20/the-importance-of-women-only-spaces-and-services-for-women-and-girls-whove-been-subjected-to-mens-violence/

kareningalasmith.com/2020/06/27/why-i-was-rejected-for-labour-party-membership-and-my-response/

I remember cooking meals for my spouse's boss who was at home on his own after SRS, because his family had left him, and he probably did think it was warm regard from a lovely young feminist mother.

Actually, spouse had begged me to cook some stuff, because TW was making everyone at work's life hell, sending people to HR for microaggressions, and blaming it all on his feminine hormones. So we figured if we did the meals and dropped them off, it was two birds, one stone - firstly, we weren't letting a post surgical person on their own starve! And secondly, it might get him off spouse's back on return to work, at least so that spouse could finish out the year.

But you know, he probably remembers us fondly. Maybe. We were just scared he'd make spouse's life a misery.

Oh God, I just remembered! He asked spouse to visit at bedside after surgery to 'meet him as a woman'. I made spouse go!

It would help if the trans women I see didn't all look like a caricature of a porn star. Is that really what they think 'woman' is?

That's quite a story Heist.

Oh God, I just remembered! He asked spouse to visit at bedside after surgery to 'meet him as a woman'. I made spouse go!

This kind of situation is where my inability to bite my tongue gets me into trouble. "But I already know you, mate" is the most polite I can imagine managing.

@FantaOra

That's quite a story Heist.

I know. Scouts honour though. They both worked in arts.

This is maybe 12 years ago? 13? Long before Terf wars. I think he bought me some cooking mags as a thank you.

@TheProdigalKittensReturn

Oh God, I just remembered! He asked spouse to visit at bedside after surgery to 'meet him as a woman'. I made spouse go!

This kind of situation is where my inability to bite my tongue gets me into trouble. "But I already know you, mate" is the most polite I can imagine managing.

I'm really cringing at the memory of making spouse go. It was literally the day after surgery too. I'm sure he had his good points. I wouldn't have cooked for him otherwise. Guess I've just repressed my pre-terve days.