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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

I just came out as GC at work, to the big boss and I feel a bit sick

845 replies

JustcameoutGC · 15/04/2021 12:34

I have NCed for this. I have just outed myself as GC in work to the big boss (and some others cced in).

I was asked to sign off on something that I just couldn't and I said so, and explained why.

I literally feel sick. Like I have put a big fat GC target on my back. My org is totally woke. I wonder how many times my response has been forwarded already.

OP posts:
FrancesGumm · 15/04/2021 13:54

Well done OP Flowers

MeltsAway · 15/04/2021 13:54

The misrepresentation that GC=transphobic comes from a growing theory that gender supersedes sex. That man and woman are identities unrelated to our bodies.

And also, I think, from ignoring (either through ignorance or deliberately) of the fact that women as a category or class are still structurally oppressed, and generally individually as well. And are the most oppressed majority in the world - anywhere you look, women and girls will be at the bottom of any hierarchy.

And for 50% to 51% of the world's population to be in that situation, globally and historically, is unacceptable.

picklemewalnuts · 15/04/2021 13:55

If you are a bit confused by OP's concern, do read the threads that have been linked. They explain it clearly.

If you have read the definitions of GC and can't understand why it's an alarming position to take, read the threads, or Google JKRowling who's been hounded for some truly unexceptional statements about the reality of being female.

GallopingGreen · 15/04/2021 13:55

Thank you OP- I work in a very woke firm and industry so I understand your nervousness speaking up on this topic.

RickiTarr · 15/04/2021 13:57

Well done. It’s not easy. Star

AnyOldPrion · 15/04/2021 13:57

@Shrivelled

I just though GC was that you differentiated the unique struggles and rights of trans women with the unique struggles and rights of biological women. Extreme trans rights activists think that view is anti trans but most people don’t.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but my personal opinion is not that I recognise different struggles: it’s more fundamental than that.

I do not believe it is possible to change sex. So I accept that men who claim they are women may have different struggles from other men, and might therefore wish to be seen as a separate class from other men, but that they are not women.

If they feel unsafe in spaces with other men or need additional rights to protect them, then it might be necessary to campaign for safe spaces or separate rights of their own, but moving them into women’s spaces or giving them women’s rights is not an appropriate solution.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 15/04/2021 13:57

I felt brave when I put on my employee record that I identified as other under gender and wrote "sex is female" in the free text box. Definitely well done!

R0wantrees · 15/04/2021 13:59

Feminist Current
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

'INTERVIEW: The irrepressible Venice Allan on her fight against changes to the UK Gender Recognition Act
by JULIE MOSS'

concludes:

VA: My message has always been that I’m just an ordinary concerned mother and woman. I haven’t really done anything and everyone needs to stand up — this is not the time to be worrying about our reputations and what people think of us. It’s now or never, and if these laws go through, we’re fucked. You don’t have to be an expert. Not everyone likes organizing events, but anyone can do something, and the more of us that stand up, the less they can attack us.
www.feministcurrent.com/2018/09/24/interview-irrepressible-venice-allan-fight-changes-uk-gender-recognition-act/

Original poster
JustcameoutGC · 15/04/2021 13:59

Thank you all for the support. I made the step in the summer of talking to friends and family about this. That was hard. I have many friends on the other side of the debate, and the pandemic has meant those conversations have been left hanging.

I have been really hesitant to do or say anything in the workplace. But I had to today, primarily because in my professional view there is a reputational risk of our company being associated with exclusive gender neutral language such as cervix havers or chest feeders as well as the risk of confusing the people the material is aimed at. This risk needs to be properly assessed and managed before this radical change in language is adopted. I would have been negligent not to speak up.

This is in addition to my personal views that erasure of women from language, particularly around health, is really damaging and disenfranshising.

I don't think I have ever gotten past a handful of replies to anything I have ever posted. Trending is new to me. I have never been trendy.

OP posts:
R0wantrees · 15/04/2021 14:01

I was asked to sign off on something that I just couldn't and I said so, and explained why.

Flowers and solidarity OP

Ereshkigalangcleg · 15/04/2021 14:01

But I had to today, primarily because in my professional view there is a reputational risk of our company being associated with exclusive gender neutral language such as cervix havers or chest feeders as well as the risk of confusing the people the material is aimed at. This risk needs to be properly assessed and managed before this radical change in language is adopted. I would have been negligent not to speak up.

This is in addition to my personal views that erasure of women from language, particularly around health, is really damaging and disenfranshising.

Well done OP 👏

PotholeHellhole · 15/04/2021 14:03

I8toys

It stands for gender-critical, which is an umbrella term for thinking such things as that no-one can literally change sex and that it would be unfair for Mike Tyson to compete in women's boxing, even if Mike said he'd always felt he'd been born in the wrong body.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3145470-Break-it-down-for-me

Datun · 15/04/2021 14:03

@I8toys

Sorry for my ignorance but why does it need to be said? I've never heard the term before.
Because gender ideology disagrees.

To such an extent that if a boy has characteristics that a sexist society insists belongs to girls, he must actually be a girl.

Hence the end result that male rapists are being sent to female prisons to mix with women who cant escape from them.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 15/04/2021 14:04

People don't realise how much courage this takes.

fuckyouRW · 15/04/2021 14:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Quotes deleted post

Datun · 15/04/2021 14:05

To such an extent that if a boy has characteristics that a sexist society insists belongs to girls, he must actually be a girl.

Here is a current example of exactly how this happens.

mobile.twitter.com/JesseThorn/status/1377289313101078534

Datun · 15/04/2021 14:06

@JustcameoutGC

Response from big boss, Thanks good points (I suspect he may not totally understand that there is a Pandoras box lurking here) Another colleague who in think understands the context totally supportive.

Silence from the ones I suspect will be in the other camp. One of them is a friend.

The silence might well be fear. Not disagreement.
Blackbirdonthewall · 15/04/2021 14:06

Well done for taking this brave (but necessary) stand on this issue. Thank you.

PotholeHellhole · 15/04/2021 14:06

A really good thread to read, to decide exactly how esoteric all this is to your own life, is

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

eurochick · 15/04/2021 14:08

Have a fist bump of solidarity OP.

I suggested to our head of HR a while ago that they might like to keep our links with Stonewall under review and I expected that to bring shower of shit down on me.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 15/04/2021 14:14

Well done @JustcameoutGC and thank you. It DOES take courage to do this in the current ridiculous climate and it's madness that it is this way.

I am GC on twitter but can't bring myself to be so on FB because some of my F&F are not, and I can't be doing with them trying to tell me why I am wrong for believing in biological fundamentals and scientific facts, and why their ideology is more important than my rights as a woman. The circular arguments and total failure of logic in the TRA ideology is beyond comprehension, but as the saying goes, you can't play chess with pigeons. I know it's cowardly so I very much appreciate when others take a stand and I will back them all the way.

Laiste · 15/04/2021 14:16

I started this thread not knowing what the hell you were on about OP.

I knew about the insidious erosion of biological women's spaces and rights. Sport, changing rooms, medical situations ect.

I had not heard of gender critical. I did not understand what you meant by not being able to sign something off at work.

I understand now since your last post and i admire what you have done enormously Flowers :)

How sad though, as a pp says, that this is where we are. Risk of getting the sack for starting the obvious :(

SchadenfreudePersonified · 15/04/2021 14:17

Hence the end result that male rapists are being sent to female prisons to mix with women who cant escape from them.

And paedophiles escaping jail because they are "vulnerable".

twitter.com/ripx4nutmeg/status/1382642073275408384

Laiste · 15/04/2021 14:17

stating not starting

Dressingdown1 · 15/04/2021 14:18

Datun
That Twitter thread is scary to read, poor child.