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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Welsh Government: Transgender people are people who are born as one sex but are the other sex

177 replies

OldCrone · 16/08/2021 14:50

This is from the new LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales: easy read version

Transgender people are people who are born as one sex but are the other sex. For example, a person who looks like a man on the outside may be a woman on the inside

This is one of the documents for the current consultation about the new LGBTQ+ Action Plan.

I decided to look at the easy read version and the young people's version since the standard version didn't seem to have any kind of glossary about the terms used. The easy read version does, but some of the definitions, like this one, don't make sense. The young people's version, like the standard version, has no glossary.

In a consultation about LGBTQ+ people, the Welsh Government appears to be unable to define clearly what terms like 'transgender', 'gender identity' and 'non-binary' actually mean.

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Ides · 21/08/2021 13:00

@MonsignorMirth

"Not to mention their breathtaking assumption that you can 'identify' someone else's innate gender in a toilet or changing room!"

I'm sure that you can't! But that's never been something I've thought of looking for, anyway. I only look for people in women's bathrooms that make me feel uncomfortable. That's generally been groups of drunken teens ... but, at age 76, I don't tend to use the same toilets as such types any more, anyway!

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OldCrone · 21/08/2021 13:09

I only look for people in women's bathrooms that make me feel uncomfortable.

Would male people make you feel uncomfortable? The Welsh Government want to make everything mixed sex. That's what self-ID means.

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 13:09

You’ve never been made uncomfortable by a man in an enclosed space @Ides ?

What a charmed life you seem to have led

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Jorrris · 21/08/2021 13:22

I only look for people in women's bathrooms that make me feel uncomfortable

Males in women's spaces make me feel uncomfortable. Particularly males who demand the right to be in those spaces.

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Ides · 21/08/2021 14:10

"You’ve never been made uncomfortable by a man in an enclosed space @Ides ?"

Perhaps I should have specified: Not in a women's toilet or changing room. No, I haven't.

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Ides · 21/08/2021 14:14

"Males in women's spaces make me feel uncomfortable. Particularly males who demand the right to be in those spaces."

As I've said, I've never seen someone I've known to be a male in a women's toilet or changing room. I've only ever looked out for people acting aggressively or otherwise doing something discomfiting for me.

Perhaps I have had a charmed life, as has been suggested. Have you often found males in the women's toilets or bathrooms you've used? I wasn't aware this was a frequent experience.

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:19

@Ides

"You’ve never been made uncomfortable by a man in an enclosed space *@Ides* ?"

Perhaps I should have specified: Not in a women's toilet or changing room. No, I haven't.

how would you feel if you were alone in a women's toilet or changing room and a man came in and started to use it?

I was pretty alarmed when I found myself in that position
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Ides · 21/08/2021 14:20

"Would male people make you feel uncomfortable? The Welsh Government want to make everything mixed sex. That's what self-ID means."

They might well do, OldCrone, if they were visiting women's toilets or changing rooms, and I were to be certain that they were male. Obviously, I'd be uncomfortable if I felt they were there to do anything other than usual reasons for being in toilets or changing rooms. Again, though, it's not something I've experienced.

It does seem that this sort of thing happens more commonly than I thought, from what people have been saying here. I'm quite surprised, really.

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Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 21/08/2021 14:23

A man identifying as a trans woman tried to get access to the communal women’s changing room at our local gym. Later convicted of sexual abuse of a girl. You can be the only girl/woman in that changing room.

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OldCrone · 21/08/2021 14:23

I wasn't aware this was a frequent experience.

I think you'll find it will become more frequent if the Welsh or Scottish Governments get their way and bring in self-ID so that everyone can choose which sex they should be legally recognised as.

How do you feel about personal care from a male who identifies as a woman if you were in hospital or became disabled? Perhaps you wouldn't mind, but can you understand that some women wouldn't want this?

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:24

in addition you seem a little fixated on toilets @Ides

How do you feel about Laurel Hubbard, a male 20 years past their peak (also with shit technique it turned out), taking Roviel Detenamo's place in the Tokyo Olympics.

Roviel is from Nauru in the South Pacific. She should've been the 1st woman from her country to get to Olympics in 20 yrs.

you cool with that?

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:27

You cool about the 9 year old girl Katie Dolotowski sexually assaulted in a supermarket toilet in Scotland? He grabbed the child by the face, shoved her into a cubical and ordered her to remove her trousers.

He was out with his carer who was all good with him using the women's toilets because it matches his gender identity.

You all good with that @Ides ?

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:31

of how about Jessica Winfield / Martin Ponting @Ides?

he was convicted of raping 2 children. He's currently in HMP Bornzefield, a women's prison. cos that matches his gender identity, innit?

of course he's segregated now he was segregated now due to ‘making inappropriate advances’ to the female prisoners who were forced to live with him. One woman prisoner threatened to self-harm to get away from him.

Is this all tickety boo with you?

be kind, amirite?

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:36

or how about Sophie Cook taking a place on the Jo Cox women in leadership training programme? Sophie is a white middle aged male, a demographic I'm sure we can all agree is woefully under represented in politics

33% of MPs are women. You good with Sophie taking the place of a woman on a programme designed to get more women into politics?

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:37

I can go on @Ides, but am very interested in your thoughts on the 4 concrete examples of the consequences of 'be kind' that I have given above.

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334bu · 21/08/2021 14:42

Katie Dolotowski was also given accommodation in a homeless women's shelter on release from prison. Wonder how the other women felt about that? Oh wait nobody bothered to ask them. Silly me!

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BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 21/08/2021 14:49

god I'd forgotten about that 334bu

a man convicted of sexually assaulting a little girl admitted to a women's homeless shelter?

what an excellent decision that was

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Ides · 26/08/2021 23:05

Those are four concrete examples ... against the thousands of concrete examples of ill-treatment of transwomen by those born as men, or as women.

There isn't any way around this: Women who are born as such are the privileged; trans women are the oppressed minority. 'Natal-women' aren't the oppressed here. They're just not. The figures prove that abundantly. Transgender women are.

Get back to me when you can show even the slightest scintilla of sympathy for trans women, hmm? :) Or at least pretend it?

Myself, and as I've said: I've never even noticed a transwoman in a women's toilet or changing room. I haven't looked out for one, either. The only thing I've ever looked out for in either situation is any sign of danger. I've had that, quite a few times, to be sure - from drunken teens, for instance - but never, ever from someone who's struck me as a transwoman, or man dressed up, or whatever other category of once-or-still male you might want to mention.

Frankly, this discussion is, for me, one of the silliest I've ever seen within the general area of 'feminism'. Trans women have always used women's loos and changing rooms. They always will, no matter what legislation. The legislation that has been passed, however, in favour of transwomen (mostly in the USA) has demonstrably not harmed women born as females. It's barely even there.

Men who want to harm women aren't going to get stopped by a sign on a toilet door. Of course they're not. Also, men who want to harm women aren't going to go to the trouble of dressing as women in order to do it. Why on Earth would they?

Enough of this utterly childish silliness. Know thine enemy. I think it's time we grew up about transwomen, don't you think? These debates, to me, increasingly look like 'Aha, though pro-transwomen legislation works in practice - does it work in theory?'.

It's risible. We aren't in danger from trans women. We are in danger from predatory men. None of those are going to give the first damn about any faux pas of going into a women's toilet in order to do their vile stuff.

Whatever. Me, as I've said: what all my senses tune into is whether or not I feel comfortable, in a women's toilet or changing room. I know if there's hostility around me. I think most of us do - we women develop that intuition - we have to.

Re that: I've never had the intuition of hostility from anyone I've recognised as male, or trans-woman, in a women's toilet or changing room. But, by god, I do get that hostility right here, on this forum. I see that a consensus was developed, long ago, and anyone who questions it in even the slightest way, is fair game for viperous sarcasm at least; blatant aggressiveness at worst.

My friend who is a trans woman - who most here seem to have forgotten, it seems, the better to make all this an impersonal sort of discussion - is one of the kindest, nicest people I've ever met. I'm never, ever going to put the hostilities of natal-women (whether they be of the radical feminist, or the simple prejudiced, conservative kind) above her simple, ordinary need to take a pee or get changed.

As I say, though: I do recognise the atmosphere of hostility, first and foremost, wherever I am. The consensus here is against trans women, and people are very clear that they're going to show it. It's not something I feel the need to engage in. So ... that's all from me. :)

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PickAChew · 26/08/2021 23:19

Gasping for air up on that soap box ides

You keep on telling yourself that women aren't disadvantaged in any way compared with men. They don't earn less. They don't get abused by men. They can't get pregnant by rape and that pregnancy doesn't come with real physical risk. There are no religious factions that make women second class citizens without agency. There are no women and girls who have their external genitals roughly sliced off so they have no chance of enjoying sex, even if it is consensual.

If you believe really hard, one day your fantasies will come true and then we may thank you for it.

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OldCrone · 26/08/2021 23:59

Those are four concrete examples ... against the thousands of concrete examples of ill-treatment of transwomen by those born as men, or as women.

Thousands are there? Could you post a link or two to some of these examples of ill-treatment of transwomen by women? I can only think of one, where Helen Islan (woman) harassed Miranda Yardley (transsexual) and took Yardley to court on a charge of transphobia. I agree, this was an appalling series of events, but I can't think of any others which have been in the news. (You won't find many people on here supporting Islan, though.)

There isn't any way around this: Women who are born as such are the privileged; trans women are the oppressed minority. 'Natal-women' aren't the oppressed here. They're just not. The figures prove that abundantly. Transgender women are.

What figures? Can you post them to support your assertion?

Get back to me when you can show even the slightest scintilla of sympathy for trans women, hmm? smile Or at least pretend it?

I was very sympathetic towards Miranda Yardley in the case mentioned earlier.

Myself, and as I've said: I've never even noticed a transwoman in a women's toilet or changing room. I haven't looked out for one, either. The only thing I've ever looked out for in either situation is any sign of danger. I've had that, quite a few times, to be sure - from drunken teens, for instance - but never, ever from someone who's struck me as a transwoman, or man dressed up, or whatever other category of once-or-still male you might want to mention.

So because you've never experienced something, that means it can't possibly have happened to anyone else? Is that what you're saying?

Frankly, this discussion is, for me, one of the silliest I've ever seen within the general area of 'feminism'. Trans women have always used women's loos and changing rooms. They always will, no matter what legislation. The legislation that has been passed, however, in favour of transwomen (mostly in the USA) has demonstrably not harmed women born as females. It's barely even there.

Tell that to the women in Californian prisons, where they are now handing out condoms because they know the women are being raped.

www.womensliberationfront.org/news/ca-womens-prisons-anticipate-pregnancy-sb123

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4298610-Good-to-see-the-California-Prison-service-is-taking-their-responsibilities-seriously-much-sarcasm

There are also men in women's prisons in the UK.

Men who want to harm women aren't going to get stopped by a sign on a toilet door. Of course they're not. Also, men who want to harm women aren't going to go to the trouble of dressing as women in order to do it. Why on Earth would they?

Great argument. "Men will rape women anyway, so why not make it easier for them". Are you Ruth Hunt?

Dressing as women? What's that? We are now told that TWAW even if they look no different from any other men. Have you never heard of Danielle Muscato or Alex Drummond?

Enough of this utterly childish silliness. Know thine enemy. I think it's time we grew up about transwomen, don't you think? These debates, to me, increasingly look like 'Aha, though pro-transwomen legislation works in practice - does it work in theory?'.

Works in practice? You think women in prison deserve to be raped?

It's risible. We aren't in danger from trans women. We are in danger from predatory men. None of those are going to give the first damn about any faux pas of going into a women's toilet in order to do their vile stuff.

And how do we tell the difference between a genuine transwoman and a man who is pretending?

Whatever. Me, as I've said: what all my senses tune into is whether or not I feel comfortable, in a women's toilet or changing room. I know if there's hostility around me. I think most of us do - we women develop that intuition - we have to.

Re that: I've never had the intuition of hostility from anyone I've recognised as male, or trans-woman, in a women's toilet or changing room. But, by god, I do get that hostility right here, on this forum. I see that a consensus was developed, long ago, and anyone who questions it in even the slightest way, is fair game for viperous sarcasm at least; blatant aggressiveness at worst.

Interesting that you don't see intelligent discussion and thoughtful arguments. Many women here started off with a similar attitude to you, but as they learnt more about what is happening they realised that there was no place for complacency.

My friend who is a trans woman - who most here seem to have forgotten, it seems, the better to make all this an impersonal sort of discussion - is one of the kindest, nicest people I've ever met. I'm never, ever going to put the hostilities of natal-women (whether they be of the radical feminist, or the simple prejudiced, conservative kind) above her simple, ordinary need to take a pee or get changed.

If this person is as nice and kind as you suggest, with empathy for women and their needs, they presumably don't use female-only spaces. I assume they are campaigning for third spaces if they don't like using the correct ones for their sex.

As I say, though: I do recognise the atmosphere of hostility, first and foremost, wherever I am. The consensus here is against trans women, and people are very clear that they're going to show it. It's not something I feel the need to engage in. So ... that's all from me.

Nobody is 'against transwomen'. They, quite rightly, have the same rights as everyone else, and nobody here wants to remove those rights. But male people don't belong in female only spaces. People can't change sex.

So now you're off because you know you don't have any evidence to back up your assertions. What a surprise.

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334bu · 27/08/2021 00:35

Can you tell me idea how many women die each week at the hands of a male person? Three a week so far this year. How many transwomen have died within the last three years? Answer none. How many women have died this year, killed by a male person who identifies as a woman ? Two.

Given the low numbers of transwomen , this number is shocking? So idea can you remind me how women are more privileged than transwomen? Also can you explain the logic of allowing a small group of males who are just as likely to be violent and or sex offenders as other males, access to women when they are vulnerable, just because they say they do not identify as men?

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NiceGerbil · 27/08/2021 03:42

Not RTFT. Going through the easy read.

Straight off they position sex as being internal Identity, body not so relevant.

Then they go on to say they will work to make sure police tackle hate crime etc against those with protected characteristics. Obviously sex is not included as a hate crime aggravator. Handily though they've positioned sex as gender ID and so can say yeah we care about all protected characteristics.

Hmm. Bit of a mess isn't it

I've not got to the end but they say they need a new HIV action plan. I didn't know HIV was an issue in Wales. Going to have a Google. Because I hope they haven't thrown it in because it sounds important... I'm cynical. They wouldn't do that.

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NiceGerbil · 27/08/2021 03:48

2020-

'I was very proud that in September of this year Cardiff officially became a Fast Track City - a scheme aimed at ending HIV transmissions by 2030 - an initiative myself and Health Minister Vaughan Gething have supported since it’s early days.'

They're revisiting that already?

Or it sounds good in an LGBT+ doc that is heavily focused on the T?

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NiceGerbil · 27/08/2021 03:59

Reading through.

I thought the born in the wrong body thing had gone out of use? Because plenty of trans people are happy with their bodies. And what your body looks like is irrelevant to whether you're a man or a woman (or male or female, which is becoming more commonly stated).

The other point is that plenty of people find the born in the wrong body stuff really iffy.

I've got a physical disability from birth. This has caused all manner of difficulties in my life. I could say I was born in the wrong body but what does that do? Nothing. Most people learn to live with it and hopefully one day accept it. It's taken me to my late 40s to even start to deal with it all. It's hard. There's nothing to be done though, it is what it is.

So yeah the idea of wrong. Is a bit iffy. People born with disabilities fight to be seen as whole and not wrong. Just different not lesser.

It's yet again a casual phrase used with zero consideration as to the implications.

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NiceGerbil · 27/08/2021 04:18

I've been in places where there were males in the bogs plenty of times.

Some had breast implants, some had beards, some had a skirt on, some had trousers.

In the old days the bogs were somewhere to get away from persistent men in clubs etc. There was an invisible barrier. Men in there if seemed dodgy etc you could tell them to get out/ get a bouncer.

Now you can't. There's no reason a woman shouldn't be in the bogs after all.

That's the problem.

Those who don't feel iffy will get a blind eye as they always did.

But the ability to get rid of an iffy male has gone.

This whole oh well men who want to attack women will do it anyway is so... It's a horrible argument. Women! You are prey! Men who want to hurt you can and will anyway. So why fuss about making it a bit easier?

And the fact that loads of iffy men can make women and girls feel threatened without breaking the law is always ignored.

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