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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

James Kirkup: Trans activists hate Rowling because she's a woman

33 replies

ErrolTheDragon · 16/09/2020 07:51

James Kirkup has the Times Thunderer column today. He uses it to say it clearly:

Many parts of the discussion about trans rights are complex and nuanced but some are very simple. One is that much of the anger that poisons this issue has nothing to do with trans rights. It’s about people who hate women.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-activists-hate-rowling-because-shes-a-woman-q0xnj2tx3?shareToken=ad48cd790fcab9f5b28e1663a7320e08

OP posts:
queenofknives · 16/09/2020 12:42

But JKR is one if the most famous people on this planet.

You say 'but' but I'm not sure how you're rebutting my point? Yes, it would be interesting if a man with the same profile were to make a statement like JK's essay (William Shatner? He's pretty famous?) I imagine there would be attempts to cancel them. But I doubt the attacks would be of the same nature as the attacks on JK: fake news in the mainstream press, rape threats, sexualised abuse, a twitter trend of wishing them dead. I've never seen such an outpouring of misogynist abuse in my lifetime.

Helmetbymidnight · 16/09/2020 12:53

brilliant comments, sometimes heart-warming and funny!

ArabellaScott · 16/09/2020 13:04

I can't think of a male comparator in the world of literature even.

Stephen King.

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 16/09/2020 13:25

I believe William Shatner HAS made similar remarks (recently, and far less diplomatically and gently than JK) and was met with.... silence. WHAT A SHOCK!

queenofknives · 16/09/2020 18:14

@ArabellaScott

I can't think of a male comparator in the world of literature even.

Stephen King.

Ah yes. He chickened out when he got the mildest pushback. He's soft-cancelled, I guess.
SerenityNowwwww · 16/09/2020 18:56

@ArabellaScott

I can't think of a male comparator in the world of literature even.

Stephen King.

Who was he talking about? He’s off my Christmas card list anyway...
Theluggage15 · 16/09/2020 22:34

This is a comment under the article, it’s made me feel so angry. It’s is in response to someone saying they don’t want their teenage daughter having to share a changing room with a man.

‘Yes, by all means, let's take the most extreme example and generalise it. Nothing intolerant about that at all.

If a teenage girl feels threatened in any situation, be it in a changing room with an untransitioned trans woman as you suggest, or with a rude and aggressive older cis woman in the same washroom, or maybe just in the home of a drunken relative, I would hope she has access to help and escape.

That we're expected to equate this hypothetical untransitioned trans-woman with an actual threat is, I believe, the real problem with this debate. An equivalency is suggested that is simply unfair and cruel.

Notice I did not assume the drunken relative was an actual threat. Most drunken relatives the vast majority of drunken relatives, I suggest are a threat to no-one but themselves. So, do we demand that drunken relatives must be removed immediately from young women's presence? No, we don't. We assume they're going to be just fine around sloppy Uncle Bert, and if they feel they're not that they'll find help.

By the by, my guess is a teenage girl is going to run into sloppy Uncle Bert or that aggressive cis lady far more often than an untransitioned trans woman.’

Just so offensive in every way!

TorkTorkBam · 16/09/2020 22:51

Every woman reading that will remember their own Sloppy Uncle Bert moment and instantly understand why get help is usually too late for the teenager.

Not just women. I am pretty sure almost all older men in my life would read that and rapidly spot the problem.

Yes enraging but also very peaky.

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