Milli Hill: I will not be silenced

[TheFleegleHasLanded]

I love Milli Hill’s work and know many other women on here do too. Check out her latest blog:

“But too many women have been silenced, and I don’t want to join them. There are conversations about women’s rights, women’s bodies, and the words we use to talk about women’s issues, which need to be had, but which have been made taboo in our current culture. And this is not healthy. Worse still, women like me have been used as an example to others of what happens to you if you raise questions. And others have seen these public draggings, and decided to keep quiet themselves. This kind of behaviour, in which dissidents are made a public example of in order to ensure compliance to dogma, does not have very good historical precedents. And yet it currently describes itself as ‘the right side of history’.”

www.millihill.co.uk/2021/07/10/i-will-not-be-silenced/

If we're doing repeat comments:

Yes Pumpkin Milli is saying how she won't be silenced by the abuse she has received. That's great, isn't it? A strong woman speaking up.

Blimy, these people are absolutly bonkers aren't they.

Even if you truly believed all this nonesense, the level of vitriol is insane.

Its almost like they dont actually believe at all, and the freakouts are them trying to cope with the cognitive dissonance (or just being terrified of being bullied themselfs).

Cowadice is never appealing, it's always cringy and a bit icky.

Its almost like they dont actually believe at all, and the freakouts are them trying to cope with the cognitive dissonance (or just being terrified of being bullied themselfs).

Quite.

twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1415631382068535296

Nice to see JK back on Twitter to show Milli some support

[quote TheFleegleHasLanded]I love Milli Hill’s work and know many other women on here do too. Check out her latest blog:

“But too many women have been silenced, and I don’t want to join them. There are conversations about women’s rights, women’s bodies, and the words we use to talk about women’s issues, which need to be had, but which have been made taboo in our current culture. And this is not healthy. Worse still, women like me have been used as an example to others of what happens to you if you raise questions. And others have seen these public draggings, and decided to keep quiet themselves. This kind of behaviour, in which dissidents are made a public example of in order to ensure compliance to dogma, does not have very good historical precedents. And yet it currently describes itself as ‘the right side of history’.”

www.millihill.co.uk/2021/07/10/i-will-not-be-silenced/[/quote]
I think there is a difference between being silenced and being challenged for a viewpoint. Freedom of speech is important, but also is challenge of that speech.

Gotta love JK. No shits given.

I ❤️ JK Rowling. That is all.

@MishyJDI

I think there is a difference between being silenced and being challenged for a viewpoint. Freedom of speech is important, but also is challenge of that speech

Except when women do the challenging, we're the ones getting the rape and death threats. Also, talking of our own, lived, biological experiences isn't just a view point either. It's reality.

@Mollyollydolly

Gotta love JK. No shits given.

I absolutely love her and her stance in the face of that the shit that is thrown at her.

And that is part of the point.

That one telling Milli she should have learned her lesson from what was done to JK Rowling, they were basically saying she should have known to keep her mouth shut if she didn't want the same treatment.

Shut up woman, or we will do to you what we tried to do to her. And it will be your own fault.

If posting on Mumsnet (or anywhere else) is so ineffective, why are people trying to stop women from doing it?

If posting on Mumsnet (or anywhere else) is so ineffective, why are people trying to stop women from doing it?

It’s a real thinker, that one, isn’t it

I have found my tribe! Thank goodness! This craziness is everywhere - I work in a university and many of my family members and left leaning friends have bought into this utter crap! (I also consider myself left-wing but am apparently now a racist for questioning the subject). The climate around it all is so so unhealthy- the cancel culture and bullying needs to stop.

Sorry typo. Facist not racist!

Does anyone really think that the perpetrators of the awful abuse and injuries suffered by the people helped by the likes of Birthright thought for one second they were inflicting that trauma on anything other than a woman? That’s why they’ve ended up needing Birthrights’ support…because they’re women, with female biology, in a uniquely vulnerable position that only women can ever experience.

(NB: I presume I can speak about women suffering abuse without being accused of “weaponising trauma”. I know TRAs are very hot on that sort of thing, but other people on the thread have referred repeatedly to traumatised trans and NB people so I assume it’s okay to mention it…unless it’s different when it’s women suffering the trauma. I can’t keep up with the rules, TBH.)

Article about Milli in the Times today:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0431a0e6-e890-11eb-baaa-861dba20d87a?shareToken=a246a38cdd970a62967ac1202154fe9b

@PumpkinSpiceWoman

"Silenced" across the national media - she's going to milk the grift for all she can get out of it.

'Grift'...you keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

It really is Facism disguised under the term 'progressive'. Ronald Raegan said something similar I believe (not a fan but...) Grift????

Well done Milli, you join a list of respected, strong women

Excellent article @Igneococcus. How sad that people like Milli can word their concerns so carefully and yet still be on the receiving end of such hate.
Where is the fury about the vile threats from TRAs? How is the sort of language they are using not hateful.
I despair sometimes.

Thanks for the share Igneococcus

Another good article from The Times

It is awful to think what Milli went through but I genuinely believe that more midwives, breastfeeding counsellors and doulas will feel able to speak more freely because of her courage in standing up for woman centred language in childbearing. Courage calls to courage. How can we not stand with her, we cannot let her stand alone against the bullies.

Full cream milk has written in support of Milli Hill too

fullcreamweb.blog/

[quote DaisiesandButtercups]Thanks for the share Igneococcus

Another good article from The Times

It is awful to think what Milli went through but I genuinely believe that more midwives, breastfeeding counsellors and doulas will feel able to speak more freely because of her courage in standing up for woman centred language in childbearing. Courage calls to courage. How can we not stand with her, we cannot let her stand alone against the bullies.

Full cream milk has written in support of Milli Hill too

fullcreamweb.blog/[/quote]
That is a fantastic, thoughtful, nuanced blog post on the reason why retaining “mother” as a sexed term is so fundamentally important in relation to babies/children. It really does demonstrate, without saying anything offensive, just how self-absorbed this drive to make language “more inclusive” actually is. If you’re putting the child’s needs first, then you understand the importance of and retain the sexed use of the word “mother” (and by extension/implication, “woman”). If you’re not prepared to do that, then you’re not putting the needs of the child first.

That's a great blog. Retaining the word mother is so important, it affects women's rights regarding maternity leave and issues such as surrogacy. And that is precisely why there is this move to erase sexed language such as mother. When women are just carriers and anyone can be a parent, who is thinking about the needs of new babies and women recovering from birth and adjusting to motherhood? Whatever you call those women, however widespread the use of surrogate mothers becomes, it will still remain a fact that the majority of babies will be born to women who will continue to mother the babies they have given birth to, and the needs of those women and those babies deserve to be protected.

Sorry wrong thread.

Are there really FtMs who would really insist on being referred to as a man, even as they're about to pop? I can't see why any medical professional should have to indulge them in their fantasy...
I don't think TAs care about FtMs anyway, it's just about getting one over on women at all times....

[quote PandorasMailbox]@MishyJDI

I think there is a difference between being silenced and being challenged for a viewpoint. Freedom of speech is important, but also is challenge of that speech

Except when women do the challenging, we're the ones getting the rape and death threats. Also, talking of our own, lived, biological experiences isn't just a view point either. It's reality.[/quote]
Quite right Pandorasmailbox

The silencing of Milli and trashing of her reputation is clearly evidenced. But it's best ignored if you want to try (and fail) to persuade others that it is Milli in the wrong