Shon Faye book

[SarahOsborne]

The review of Shon Faye's book The Transgender Issue in the Evening Standard reminds us how flimsy the accepted rhetoric is www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/the-transgender-issue-by-shon-faye-review-b954336.html

The headline used doesn't really fit the review which overall is really quite critical of the book.

Yup - the review is by Stella O'Malley who is very gender-critical. She's clearly trying to be even-handed. Presumably the headline was written by a sub whose sympathies lie with the TRAs.

Oh dear. I hadn't been following the book review threads so was interested to read the review. I was hoping for something a bit more substantial after that headline.

@OvaHere

The headline used doesn't really fit the review which overall is really quite critical of the book.

I was thinking this, too. A positive headline followed by a quite a damning article?

The lack of sources and critical analysis doesn’t surprise me, anyway.

I agree. Whoever wrote that headline either didn't read the review or wanted to divert criticism. Nice review of a troublesome book.

There is also this thread if anyone is interested in other reviews too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4333527-Book-Review-Shon-Faye-Helen-Joyce?watched=1&msgid=110674243#110674243

I wonder if it's a sleight of hand approach in order to ward off criticism of the ES? Hope that nobody notices they were being critical.

@OvaHere

The headline used doesn't really fit the review which overall is really quite critical of the book.

Yes, I thought that. It wasn't really the review I was expecting to read based upon the headline!

Fortunately.

Oooh, it pulls few punches!

This stands out to me Certain flaws in current “hostile feminist analysis” are highlighted in the book as Faye explores the public toilet issues and points out that it is not appropriate for a trans man, with a beard, deep voice and masculinized appearance, to use the female toilets, and pointing to the dire need for answers to these questions

So Faye doesn’t believe that transmen should be forced to use female toilets because of their appearance - and yet Faye also advocates for transwomen who may not have changed their appearance at all - thinks Alex Drummond - SHOULD be able to use female toilets because ‘self ID’ is the determining factor. Methinks Faye has shot themselves in the foot.

@SweetGrapes

Oh dear. I hadn't been following the book review threads so was interested to read the review. I was hoping for something a bit more substantial after that headline.

And I guess that quite a number of reviewers now have pointed out they expected something a bit ‘more substantial’ by way of evidenced thinking (emphasis on evidence) in the book they are reviewing.

What more substance did you want that would also be acceptable to be published in this political climate in mainstream media? Or which reviewer would be at a time in their career to review this book and write a in-depth negative review and have be able to put up with the call to cancel that would result?

If you have enough knowledge of the reviewer, you can draw the conclusion that this book is written with what seems like a great deal of anecdotal evidence because the facts used are not referenced and when traced, are not peer reviewed studies or fact checked at the least. And commentary about medical advice is also lacking in credibility.

Not sure what more substance you expect.

The only comment is splendid.

I also think the headline is weirdly unrelated. Maybe the ES are subtly slipping criticism in?

The headline is a paraphrase of the first sentence of the last paragraph of the review. I’d say it’s a case of lazy headline writing rather than a comment.

Good review, apart from the headline and opening and closing paragraphs that feel like they've been written by someone else! I'm particularly glad the reviewer has highlighted the way trans activism has re-stigmatised discussion of mental health issues to a young generation, after so much work was done by our generation to remove the stigma and enable open and unprejudiced discussion of mental illness. Making that taboo again has been such a dangerous step backwards for everyone.

Please let LOJ see the title and retweet it without checking the content…

and points out that it is not appropriate for a trans man, with a beard, deep voice and masculinized appearance, to use the female toilets

But what about the many gender-non-conforming trans men? Or those whose transition doesn't include medical intervention? How exclusionary.

But brava Stella! Good to raise the points of concern. This is an interesting point to pull out in the review: When Faye points out that there are only 163 trans prisoners in England and Wales, and then later, that 60 of these trans prisoners have been convicted of a sexual offence, it becomes evident, yet again, that more in-depth analysis is required.

It's a skilled and quiet skewering, I think, letting the book speak for itself. Take this comment for instance:

Despite “the increased likelihood of blood clots in combination with long-term hormone treatment” Faye is angry that transitioning patients who smoke are recommended to stop smoking and those who are overweight are recommended to lost [sic] weight as, she argues, full body autonomy should free us from these recommendations.

First the reviewer states SF's position on body autonomy being a human right. On its own, and to the uninitiated, this may sound reasonable. Until you get to the paragraph from which I quoted, which goes into what SF thinks this means in practice.

And even the uninitiated may well find themselves thinking that this is bonkers.

'everyone should have full body autonomy – no matter whether they are four-years-old or ninety-four years old – and any questioning of this is transphobic and bigoted.'

Really? Faye really says this? In these words? Has Faye ever met a four year old?

For those that haven't seen it, Brendan O'Neill gave Faye's book a good kicking recently in Spiked: www.spiked-online.com/2021/09/03/the-transgender-delusion/

Don't often agree with O'Neill but he hits the nail in the head here.

"Faye shows us that trans people are more likely to be homeless, unemployed, impoverished and addicted to drugs. They experience more sexual assault and violence, they are a higher risk category for HIV and they work in much higher numbers in the sex trade."
When I read stuff like this, I always want to ask "More than whom, exactly? Higher numbers than whom?" It's like they just make things up...

@ArabellaScott

'everyone should have full body autonomy – no matter whether they are four-years-old or ninety-four years old – and any questioning of this is transphobic and bigoted.'

Really? Faye really says this? In these words? Has Faye ever met a four year old?

Well I'd love to see Shon Faye say she doesn't agree with this?

Bodily autonomy for 4 year olds means not being forced to hug someone you don't want to. Not consenting to life altering interventions.

The combination of the agenda pushed of affirming only therapy while ignoring the need for dealing with significant underlying issues, and those paragraphs about body autonomy for four year olds, the lack of honesty about fertility issues, and calling out doctors for recommending trans people on medication do things to reduce their chances of dying including stopping smoking and losing weight if needed leads me to wonder just what these extreme trans activists believe is ‘best standard’ trans health care.

Because it seems from this that some of them are advocating for the opposite, for decreasing the quality of health care given to trans people. It all seems to be along the line of ‘let me do what I want, when I want it and don’t tell me any negative aspects to my choices’ if this book is to be believed.

But then, you see the anti-carceral agenda and it all fits doesn’t it. Freedom to be who you want, do what you want without fear of criticism, or anything more than community service to allow you to continue to be free to do whatever you want. Screw anyone else affected by it, I just want total immunity for my decisions.

Chilling really.

@IvyTwines2 I think you're right about the 'top and tail' paras. Bit of a shit sandwich for the author!

👏👏👏 to the reviewer.