Gloria Steinem and friends Open Letter

[lionheart]

This is some list

www.glaad.org/tdovletter

'In observance of Women’s History Month and Transgender Day of Visibility, we write this letter as feminist leaders in advocacy, business, entertainment, media, politics, and social justice who stand as, with, and for transgender and nonbinary people. Trans women and girls have been an integral part of the fight for gender liberation. We uphold that truth and denounce the ongoing anti-transgender rhetoric and efforts we witness in various industries.

We acknowledge with clarity and strength that transgender women are women and that transgender girls are girls. And we believe that honoring the diversity of women’s experiences is a strength, not a detriment to the feminist cause. All of us deserve the same access, freedoms, and opportunities. We deserve equal access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, recreation, and public accommodations. And we must respect each person’s right to bodily autonomy and self-determination.'

...... and you can bet that if trans women are deemed exactly the same as women in law, some bright spark will say that women don't need those protections after all (because not all women CAN get pregnant, so women DON'T need maternity protections) and there you go, Gloria. Thanks a billion.

In fact, wasn't there already a case in the US where a woman was sacked for breastfeeding and lost at tribunal because, as not all women can breastfeed, its no longer sex discrimination? What did Gloria say about that?

Yes, Ereshkigalangcleg, THE Angela Davis was a supporter of Jonestown and helped to encourage paranoia there which meant the people were easier to influence and the massacre was more readily carried out. The part she played is mentioned briefly in this article.

www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/17/an-apocalyptic-cult-900-dead-remembering-the-jonestown-massacre-40-years-on

Activists can achieve much but they often have shocking blind spots. So long as enough of the "right" oppression boxes are ticked they can support the most horrible actions and regimes.

The phrase “feminist leaders” rings alarm bells. When did feminists ever call anyone their leader? It’s never been a hierarchical movement. Even as part of the phrase “feminist leaders in advocacy, business etc”.

And Trans women and girls have been an integral part of the fight for gender liberation. Where is the evidence for this? Please don’t repeat the myth that prominent lesbians in the early Gay Rights movement were actually transmen.

And For far too long, lawmakers have worked to strip trans women of their civil liberties ... Many of these laws target the rights of girls to play school sports. ... Anti-trans sports bans are as unnecessary as they are harmful—and women athletes at both the professional and college levels support inclusion.

What civil liberties are transpeople deprived of? No one born male has the right to enter women’s single-sex spaces. Transwomen have the same rights as everyone else to play sports, just not in sports where their male physique gives them an unfair advantage or could injure female opponents. Few women athletes dare risk the consequences of speaking out.

No feminist could sign this letter. Feminism, with all its different strands and opinions, centres women. If it doesn’t, it isn’t feminism. Looks as if we’re having to fight for the word ‘feminism’ as well as ‘woman’.

@rabbitwoman

...... and you can bet that if trans women are deemed exactly the same as women in law, some bright spark will say that women don't need those protections after all (because not all women CAN get pregnant, so women DON'T need maternity protections) and there you go, Gloria. Thanks a billion.

In fact, wasn't there already a case in the US where a woman was sacked for breastfeeding and lost at tribunal because, as not all women can breastfeed, its no longer sex discrimination? What did Gloria say about that?

No there wasn't. The case you are referring to was badly argued on that point after a failure to prove constructive after the woman in question walked out because in her view her employer had failed to provide adequate facilities. They had failed to do so because she hadn't given them the notice required that she wanted that facility but they were working with her to make something available when she chose to quit.

@lionheart

On second thoughts, Sarah Paulson is trending because she's just attracted TRA attention for not putting her pronouns in her bio ...

Very transphobic, apparently.

It will be an eye opening for many to see this vitriol play out.

Perhaps for SP too given her attitude to JKR.

Do you have a link for this, Lionheart ? I fancy a bit of popcorn for breakfast. I was so disappointed in Paulson.

Paulson told JKR to "Shut up". Quote tweeted her to do it too.

It's never enough, Sarah. JKR could have told you that.

"The actress Sarah Paulson, who last year endorsed the vitriolic abuse JK Rowling received because she stood up for women's rights against trans activism, has received over 1,000 misogynistic and abusive messages in a few hours, because she refused to put her pronouns in her bio"

twitter.com/ripx4nutmeg/status/1377515791944400898?s=20

And that tweet about JKR was actually worse than I remember

(Sorry to triple post. Oh for an edit function!)

twitter.com/MsSarahPaulson/status/1377341046854541315

There is a lot of passive aggression in the replies. But I take that as a positive, those responding seem shocked that the ever-reliable tactic of public shaming has not worked in this case.

twitter.com/GoodyCorvid/status/1377394388389748739?s=19

Citation for SP's past toeing of the line.

Hey, this is fascinating. The TRAs have been deleting their posts to Sarah.

More:

twitter.com/Woke_Misogyny/status/1377359977279463424?s=20

Some really awful misogynistic abuse here

Oh, thank you SunsetBeetch !. I was aware of the SP/JKR retweet. It's very curious that she did not immediately capitulate on pronouns. Wonder why? Is she having a Leah Remini moment? I don't like any woman receiving abuse, but I hope she understands what she has helped to bring about against other women like JKR by retweeting/supporting equally misogynistic rhetoric.

That should read. aware of the JKR retweet, but not this current twitter spat.

"The actress Sarah Paulson, who last year endorsed the vitriolic abuse JK Rowling received because she stood up for women's rights against trans activism, has received over 1,000 misogynistic and abusive messages in a few hours, because she refused to put her pronouns in her bio"

Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.

Crikey, though, the TRA posts definitely seem to be fewer than all the people just effectively shrugging and telling them 'no'. That's a turnaround from a few months ago. I can sense a change in the air.

I don't know.

It seems to be those most insulated from real life that are happiest to obliviously air their luxury beliefs. So maybe it reaches the established celebs last of all. Meanwhile in the real world, things are moving on ...

Anti-trans sports bans are as unnecessary as they are harmful—and women athletes at both the professional and college levels support inclusion.

What are they saying here - have they used “woman” to mean biological women? Because obviously TW athletes support inclusion, so it looks as if they mean “actual women” athletes. (Who of course have to appear to support inclusion or get ostracised/bullied)

Oops

I saw mentioned twitter that steinham was piled on by tra's because of something she said in 2014, and so did a big about turn. Does anyone know what it was about?

Thinking of Steinem and Schlafly, there was something in Mrs America that really reminded me of now: Schlafly's campaign was dismissed as her being a, "puppet for special interests", rather than recognising her as a well educated, highly intelligent and capable woman, with genuinely held convictions. Many of us disagree with her entirely, and find many of her stances appalling, but can still acknowledge her independence of thought.

It reminded me of how on Twitter women who are quite clearly generally socially liberal and politically towards the left and dismissed by TRAs and allies as right wing puppets on the basis of this one issue. Absolute refusal to engage; so much easier to dismiss feminists as misguided puppets.

BiarritzCrackers

That is something that really bothered me too.

The trans mob have turned on the girl who asked Sarah to put pronouns in her bio.

twitter.com/MILFSCM/status/1377416489163235330?s=19

Another letter signatory, Patricia Arquette, popped up to defend Sarah against the abuse she's been getting for not putting pronouns in her bio.

How soon you forget eh Pat. It's okay for other women to face abuse for not toe-ing the ideological line, but when it comes to one of your mates...

Compare the first comment to the 2nd. The hypocrisy is staggering.

You know what? There are so many gaps here...... Don't these clever, articulate, wealthy women know or understand how to join up the gaps? What do they read, who do they follow, who do they talk to? Is someone trying to say to SP right now, see the abuse you just suffered for a little thing like not putting she/ her on an online profile!? THAT'S what JKR was talking about. Right there.....

.... Thank you for that info.....

Maybe ti's but a matter of time, tho.....?

If you're going to outsource your thinking and your ethics, you really need to do some due diligence on who is going to be speaking for you.