Simon Callow article in The Times

[AnyOldPrion]

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/actor-simon-callow-attacks-stonewall-the-lgbtq-group-over-trans-self-identification-6l3nd7hw3

Sorry, no share token, but pleased to see another significant figure speaking out.

Try that again...

"Stonewall said: ”We are working towards a world in which all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are able to thrive as themselves. We’re very proud of our work towards trans equality, as well as our work for all lesbian, gay, bi and queer people. From LGBTQ+ inclusive education to equity in healthcare, our work helps all LGBTQ+ people.”

That's just it though isn't it? Lesbian, gay and bi people are NOT THRIVING. pre-LGB kids are TAUGHT that they're not themselves. LGB don't want the 'Q'. Queer is a slur. Heterosexual celebrities claiming to be queer. Social Workers trying to protect children are suspended or sacked. Women losing their jobs. Women self-selecting out of jobs in the public sector and woke companies. Men's sexual fetishes around female bodied trauma prioritised in rape crisis centres, breast-feeding classes, still birth groups. Males forcing their way into women's groups and all women short-lists. MRAs Taking over political parties like scottish greens demanding the 'right' for males to be forensic examiners of rape victims, objectifying women's bodies, making women THINGS. SNP and Scottish Greens forcing self-id. children TAUGHT that their masculine or feminine traits mean 'wrong sex'. American Pharma thriving with every child on the train. MRAs are thriving. Men wanting access to women and children are thriving. . The rest of us? No, not thriving. Not thriving at all.

Couldn't be happier❤

And so it begins, women thanking Simon Callow are accused of hate and he is not.

When you see the difference in replies to female and male, you see that sex matters and you can't unsee it.

Absolutely bloody fantastic. I really hope this makes a difference.

So that's Mathew Parris , Simon Fanshawe , Simon Callow , plus Bev Jackson and Kate Harris. The dam is breaking. If we could only get Oscar Wilde on a Zoom call. He'd make bits of these Stonewall spoofers.

What a brick.
I know the stonewall clique get called woke, but it is really like seeing people waking up. Assuming Stonewall are right is the lazy take. Engaging brain and thinking things through for yourself and having the courage to put that out in public when it might affect your bookings. Applause.

Well done that man.

Shame it’s just in the Scottish edition - the Times should run it nationally, as it’s relevant across the whole UK. Although granted, Sturgeon and co are enforcing this crap when Boris is not.
Does anyone have a link to Callow on Twitter? I’d like to read, but I’m not a Twitterer.

It's excellent when sensible people spell it out in sensible ways.

The professor (forgotten who) who commented on radio 4 pm a while ago is absolutely right; all this has been blown up by social media, twitter and YouTube and to an extent Facebook too.

Everyone's now so polarised in their views though that the times is immediately written off as bigoted. Luckily someone with his respect is heard.

When someone senior, respected and who spent time at the actual coalface of gay rights in the dark days says "it's time for a rethink" I'd like to think reasonable people might listen.

The reasonable people aren't in charge any more sadly.

Brilliant, well done and thank you Simon Callow.

When people like him and Simon Fanshawe speak out against this, it's harder for them to be dismissed, given their work and history. Helps that they're men too, not ''hysterical women'' making a fuss over nothing.

So far, the only counter argument I've seen to this is ''he's got maggots in his brain''. Quality argument from the 'no debate' side, as ever 🙄

Shame it’s just in the Scottish edition - the Times should run it nationally, as it’s relevant across the whole UK

Indeed. Labour leader pressured shadow equalities minister to meet Stonewall and only Stonewall. So many examples of this.

Assuming Stonewall are right is the lazy take.

Very lazy and these days disingenuous when policy and HR staff KNOW there is an issue with SW

A reason to love him more.

Thanks, Simon.

When it impinges on women’s rights, hard-won women’s rights, the right to exclusive spaces for women, away from any threat at all — I think that’s a very serious issue.

Thank you Simon Callow. Yes, it is serious. And it's not as complex as you think. Because it's built on a house of cards.

It's interesting that there are a lot of gay men who are recognising the problems.

I wonder if it's because they now see Stonewall as a main player and being against gay rights, rather than representing them.

It doesn't get more undermining than to tell homosexual men or woman, that their orientation must now include the opposite sex, whilst simultaneously pretending that you are advocating for gay rights. And then claiming the moral high ground as Nonny and FindtheTruth have said.

The hypocrisy is a real mindfuck.

Extremely well said- especially the bit about women's rights.

The gender zealots demand respect for their endless gender identities but refuse to respect homosexuality and bisexuality. I am biSEXual and not ashamed of my attraction to both sexes. Leave my sexuality alone you fuckers! Get your own bloody words instead of changing ours!

Hear, hear!

It's great to see Simon Callow speak out.

Fantastic to read this.

It's courageous of Simon Callow to speak out.

As Sex Matters says, it should take courageous to have conversations about topics that affect so many people.

Shame it’s just in the Scottish edition - the Times should run it nationally, as it’s relevant across the whole UK

I would put good money on it being followed up by other outlets like the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph. And I bet there'll be at least one columnist writing about it.

This bit sums up the difference in approach. The liberal stance on how social change should take place. It is such a loss to us that this has stopped being the majority opinion (or so it appears). It was such a rare thing if you think historically and globally, we should have treasured it and passed it down the generations more effectively.

"I shouldn’t have to fear in that way,” he said. “This is just tyranny and that’s what we’ve fought against all our lives, people saying, ‘this cannot be discussed’. Yes, it can be discussed. Everything can be discussed. I’ve always been perfectly prepared to discuss homosexuality with anyone on reasonable terms. I can form a conclusion about a person’s attitudes but I don’t for one second think they shouldn’t have them.”

Callow has written for index on censorship magazine so it's obviously something he considers important.

Bravebananabadge
i wonder if this is part of a wider promo interview as I'm not a fan of editor's extracting comments like this for a stand alone story, always seems like a bit of a 'gotcha' - although Callow knows how the game is played I suppose, and it really does bring sunlight in.
I agree and it's a worry that people answer one question honestly, and then the article is "man has opinions on controversial issue" rather than "man has show on fringe". But I think post jkr they must know what will happen if they even put a toe in that water. I seem to remember grayson Perry saying basically "I'm not going there" but then that was the storey!

Well done to him anyway. Much needed and good to see.

@NonnyMouse1337

"Stonewall said: ”We are working towards a world in which all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are able to thrive as themselves. We’re very proud of our work towards trans equality, as well as our work for all lesbian, gay, bi and queer people. From LGBTQ+ inclusive education to equity in healthcare, our work helps all LGBTQ+ people.”

You know what really angers and upsets me about Stonewall and other gender zealots? The utter betrayal and undermining of the L, G and B.

The gender zealots are not content with making up their own definitions for trans, queer and the other trailing alphabets. No, they are determined to break any link with SEXuality for lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Already on the Stonewall website, it claims homosexuality is an outdated and offensive term. (Newsflash: it's not) They want to brainwash younger generations by avoiding the connection between the terms lesbian/gay with homosexuality. So now lesbian and gay no longer means same sex attraction, but same gender attraction.

Bisexuality was the last remaining one with links to SEXuality. First, the gender zealots pronounced that bisexuality is an attraction to two or more genders. But the SEX in bisexual was an awkward reminder of reality. Observe now that bisexual has morphed into bi. I've even seen some bisexual groups overrun by gender zealots who call it bi+. I mean, what the fuck does bi+ even mean?!?

This is a sinister assault on the reality of sex underpinning homosexuality and bisexuality (and by extension heterosexuality). They want to obscure and break any link or reference of human sexuality to reality. Younger generations are being g***d into thinking terms like lesbian, gay and bi are frivolous labels that are based on some nebulous feeling rather than a factual term for describing the nature of sexual orientation. It's so upsetting.

The gender zealots demand respect for their endless gender identities but refuse to respect homosexuality and bisexuality. I am biSEXual and not ashamed of my attraction to both sexes. Leave my sexuality alone you fuckers! Get your own bloody words instead of changing ours!

With you all the way, Nonny. Stonewall has turned on its core constituency and is out to destroy it.

Hear, hear, Nonny.

Good man. That was wonderful to see I really appreciate that he's made the point about women's rights (& spaces) alongside his (presumably more personal) concerns about the homophobia.

[Did everyone else hear his voice as you read the quotes? ]

Stonewall - We are working towards a world in which all lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are able to thrive as themselves.

Excepting all the female ones, and all the homosexual ones. Nice little sound bite, but pants on fire over there.

Bravo Mr Callow. It's very good to hear someone who did such work against section 28, at a time when for an actor to be publicly out was the kind of same risk women take these days to publicly stand up for women's rights, speak out and make clear: no it is not the same. At all. In fact it's yet more sounds jolly nice but pants on fire.

The Independent have already nicked in

www.independent.co.uk/celebrity-news/simon-callow-stonewall-transgender-b1908390.html