Jk Rowling and trans issues... talk to me!

[bunters]

Ok mumsnet, please talk to me. I’ve noticed that the feminist section of mumsnet seems disproportionately preoccupied with trans issues and I’d like to understand it. I opened the feminism chat today and topic after topic related to trans this, gender that

It is an indisputable fact that women suffer horrific domestic violence in this country (and worldwide), at the hands of men. Women are regularly beaten, raped, controlled, murdered and otherwise abused by men every single day. It’s so standard that it barely makes news when it happens, unless the crime is truly shocking.

This whole trans hysteria feels to me like if the government were to start a huge campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of choking on peanuts, while ignoring the huge damage caused by alcohol and tobacco.

JK Rowling has started a bizarre war around the language used to refer women, in the name of women’s rights. With her money and popularity she could have done any number of things to help women in a huge way. What has this achieved, other than pitting feminists against each other? Even if you believe she has a point, surely you can see that whatever ‘danger’ trans people pose to women is minuscule compared to the very real danger men openly pose to women every day?

We all know that men have felt entitled to take what they want when they want for centuries, and they don’t need to dress as a woman to do it. The women gang raped to death (can you even imagine the horror) in India weren’t attacked by men in dresses. I’m despairing of the fact that attention has been diverted from these horrors in such an extreme way.

When I look at my beautiful, tiny daughter I don’t worry about some trans person hurting her, I worry about the very likely situation when a man hurts her. In fact, I’d worry more that she’ll be trans and be hurt by someone before I’d worry about a trans person hurting her. When I walk alone at night somewhere, my mind isn’t imagining trans people waiting in dark doorways to rape me, it’s men. Men being bloody men.

If we accept that men don’t need to be trans and gain access to women’s spaces to hurt us, and we accept that trans people are way more likely to attempt suicide than the rest of the population (and so really are in need of help and protection as much as women), why do trans issues continue to cause such anger?

And if you do feel justified, what tangible thing are you doing to help women, besides moaning on mumsnet and signing petitions?

@sunshinesupermum

JK Rowling has started a bizarre war around the language used to refer women, in the name of women’s rights. Er no, bunters - she commented on someone else's language.

Yes she simply commented on a strange resistance to use the word woman. twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1269382518362509313 The only bizzarre war is the one waged against her for that. Have you read this OP? www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/

You talk of a young daughter, imagine your daughter is very talented at a sport, works v hard for many years, more than a decade, imagine they are poised to get a place on a national team after years of toil, effort and dedication and then imagine that a boy also talented at that sport transitions to become a transgirl and within 6 months has a place on the national girls team because having gone through male puberty they have physical advantages your daughter or any girl will never have. Your daughter carries on playing at county level but will never get a chance at playing her sport at a higher level because a male child identifies as a girl.
It is not only about danger/safety it is also about fairness.

www.philanthropy-impact.org/inspiration/personal-stories/jk-rowling-obe#:~:text=J.K.%20Rowling%20is%20the%20author,combat%20poverty%20and%20social%20inequality.

Link to JK Rowling's philanthropy impact-dated but informative. OP, hope this helps you understand that JK Rowling has a long track record of helping women and children.

JK Rowling "started a bizarre war" around language?

No she didn't. She said quite sensibly and calmly what many of us have been saying for years and was horrifically abused as a result.

Words matter.

This thread might help:

Break It Down For Me

Damn, beaten to it while I was reading the thread!

I don’t worry about some trans person hurting her, I worry about the very likely situation when a man hurts her.

Interesting, so when someone trans has a 'gender' identity they turn into a fluffy cloud and lose the ability to ever hurt anyone.

Aren't there statistics which show, that proportionately, a higher percentage of Trans people with biologically male bodies in prison are incarcerated for sexual crimes than people in prison with biologically male bodies who don't identify as Trans.

I'm sure you must be right and that the trauma of rape by some cohorts of biological males is significantly lessened when they don't identify as men.

You say that "men don't need to be Trans to gain access to women's spaces to hurt women." Do you think easier access would have no effect? Should access be given for all men then if you think there is no increased safety attached to there being women only spaces. Certainly if you think that "men don't need to be Trans to gain Access to women's spaces to hurt women?"

What about men of a certain age, or impotent men, or men with disabilities? Is there any reason for them to not be allowed in women's spaces. They would be less of a threat to women that fully functional biological males, in their prime. Or as you mention suicide, maybe men with suicidal thoughts? You think men with higher suicidal tendencies are less threatening to women.

Rebecca Reilly Cooper's website is a great starting point to help you understand Gender Critical Feminism: sexandgenderintro.com/

Not sure if OP is genuine or a sealion, but I dislike the hectoring, accusatory tone of the opening post.

Seconding the suggestion that OP takes the time to actually read JKR's essay.

And also to reflect on whether, in a society where probably less than half of schoolchildren manage a pass at GCSE biology/combine science the phrase "people with a cervix" is an effective way of doing public health outreach.

And whether, when one notices that people with endometriosis get their health needs neglected, people who give birth to children get discriminated against and paid less in the workplace, people with uteruses are under-represented in politics, people with vaginas are much more likely to be victims of sexual assault (almost overwhelmingly perpetrated by people with penises), people with internal gamete-producing organs (as opposed to external ones) are at a physiological disadvantage in sport, which has, historically led to separate categories for the two groups.. whether it would be handy to have a single word to describe the curious overlap between this seemingly disparate set of characteristics.

Wompud, or something like that.

When you experience sex discrimination, OP (and you're a very lucky woman indeed if you don't), here's the thing. The clue is in the name. It's happening to you because of how society collectively chooses to treat you because of your sex not your internal liking for pink glitter sparkles.

OP, it's odd that you talk about what you consider to be legitimate reasons for feminism, like male violence, whilst simultaneously writing a long opening post about censuring women. The thousands of women on these boards, JK Rowling, etc.

You clearly haven't read anything J. K. Rowling has written about the issue. She didn't start anything. She has added her considerable voice to a campaign which has been going on for several years.

You speculate as to why she has to do this when she sold be doing something that you consider more worthy. Evidently you have no clue about her numerous charitable causes, including Lumos, a child charity she runs herself, where she makes sure that every penny goes to the cause, rather than the overheads.

It's a shame that you are reserving your scolding for women like the women here, J. K. Rowling, etc, and those trying to preserve the current law, rather than the men who send those women rape threats, death threats, bomb threats, and prevent them from speaking, and put them in fear of their very lives.

Still, there are all sorts of things that people try to call feminism, when they're not.

Have you actually read JKR essays? Or even any of the many threads detailing the answers to the questions you've asked. If you're new to Mumsnet I would do some research and start by reading the break it down for me thread.

Seeing as women are so busy moaning and signing petitions 🤨 it's quite entitled to ask us to explain it all to you. Do your own homework.

If we accept that men don’t need to be trans and gain access to women’s spaces to hurt us, and we accept that trans people are way more likely to attempt suicide than the rest of the population (and so really are in need of help and protection as much as women), why do trans issues continue to cause such anger?

The first part is rather like saying that because your house might still be burgled even if you lock your front door, you might as well leave the door wide open.

I've yet to see a reliable statistic on suicide rates, so I don't accept that part either.

The 'anger', such as it is, is wholly justified.

Anyone who accuses women of hysteria (very specifically using that word) because they are speaking or writing about a concern is rather lacking in self awareness.

'Women, explain yourselves!'

Fixed it for you OP.

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/the-controversy-of-female-hysteria

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Anyone who accuses women of hysteria (very specifically using that word) because they are speaking or writing about a concern is rather lacking in self awareness.

Well, quite.

Though I will be massively surprised if OP returns. I've seen this MO in action way too many times to think this is anything other than a drive-by woke-scolding.

@Clymene

Oh is the OP a plopper?

I should imagine so. But then, my post certainly, isn't really directed at the OP.

drive-by woke-scolding.

🤣🤣🤣

Anyone who believes males can be woman is not a feminist. J K Rowling did not start any sort of "war", women's rights have been under attack for many years and she shone a light on it.

@Clymene

Oh is the OP a plopper?

Quelle surprise

If we accept that men don’t need to be trans and gain access to women’s spaces to hurt us

We do accept that. That's one of the big reasons we are against self ID.

Would you like to go through this thread and have a ponder of whether these people are genuinely trans or not? And how we can tell?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3348290-It-will-never-happen-resource-thread

I was inclined to be sympathetic op until I got to your final sentence.

@BabyLlamaZen

And the conversation here quickly turns to how transpeople are secretly evil and doing it all for fetishism. A more balanced forum would be interesting!

Oh does it really?

This is a complete waste of everybodies time.