MP comes out as transgender

[poshme]

A male Tory MP has released a statement on Twitter that they are transgender, and also that a couple of years ago they were raped.
It's a brave statement.

If "US scientist" PZ Myers dismisses you as "crank academics" - well!

I have a feeling that the Jockey Club doesn't use surgical interventions to reclassify a horse from gelding in order to allow trainers and owners to enter such for a filly race.

@littlbrowndog

Private eye

Wow. How many more like this are there on the green benches, one wonders?

Rape is vile, but you have to question why someone would hook up with a random man online, and put yourself in a position of being alone with a stranger with whom you intended to have sex with.

I'm genuinely shocked to read this on a feminism board. Any person can withdraw consent to sex, for any reason, at any time. "You put yourself in a risky situation" is an appalling, victim-blaming position.

This man has told the country he has been raped. There is huge stigma for men who admit this (no doubt due to toxic masculinity). Of course that requires bravery.

@Innocenta Agreed, I'm derailing! No need to go looking, happy to agree to disagree, it just caught my attention!

I'd leave it at I'd hope this MP wouldn't seriously be worried about encountering homophobia from his party in this day and age and that that wouldn't be a factor.

I'm sorry he was raped but he's not trans he's just another sad, delusional man.

Two things to say:

1. Jamie has stated that his pronouns are he/ him. There is no need to use "they/ them".

1. What does this story have to do with feminism? Shouldn't it be on the politics board or something? I can't see anything in this story that's related to women and girls, unless I'm missing something?

Can someone explain how he can be trans if he’s not changing his pronouns or appearance in any way. I don’t understand?

After following this for years I've come to the conclusion that in its modern meaning to be "trans" needs at a minimum one single thing:

1. A belief that you are "trans" and that doesn't even need a declaration to others, although you would do that to be recognised by others as "trans".

"Trans" itself is a personal matter and so long as someone believes in gender identity ideology, what it means to them personally is not to be defined or questioned by others.

They're obviously going for the 'differentiate ourselves from Labour on women/trans issues' angle. Will it work? I can't decide.

My main thought about it is I can't quite decide whether to describe it as a 'Look! Squirrel!' or a dead-cat bounce.

I'm genuinely shocked to read this on a feminism board. Any person can withdraw consent to sex, for any reason, at any time. "You put yourself in a risky situation" is an appalling, victim-blaming position.

Agreed. And was this always on FWR rather than AIBU?

I'm sorry Jamie was raped and hope they can get appropriate help specifically from people of the gender/sex they would prefer ( i.e with no re-education being required).

Call me heartless cynic for thinking this is a godsend to Boris et al. They can state a belief in the importance of biological sex and at the same time demonstrate how kind and supportive they are to trans colleagues.

@Blossomtoes

I hope you're right and he does lose his seat but please don't say that's because "blue rinses" will be annoyed by him.

That implies that it is only stuffy old farts who will be angered by this shit.

It feeds into the myth that anyone who is appalled at this hero-making of "trans women" are just behind the times old farts with pursed cats' bum faces who don't want people to be happy.

I'm genuinely shocked to read this on a feminism board. Any person can withdraw consent to sex, for any reason, at any time. "You put yourself in a risky situation" is an appalling, victim-blaming position

Agreed.

It matters not a jot whatever else we may or may not agree with a person over, sex to any degree without consent is rape. Whatever the circumstances and whoever the victim or perpetrator.

Women fought long and hard for this.

There's a few things going on here in this statement.

1. Revealing identity after being blackmailed previously - no worries. Be your best you. My issue isn't with Trans people existing on any level. My issues are with certain goals of TR activism. If you don't share those goals, then hey - you do you!

2. Rape victim - my unreserved sympathies. That sounds horrific.

3. Running from a (severe?) accident - really crappy behaviour. PTSD as an excuse doesn't make it 'right', merely mitigates a small bit. I'm also not sure I believe it, but we'll never know.

4. Owning a Sugar Daddy website - pretty gross and misogynistic, encouraging women to play into submissive and depowering gender roles. Why on Earth would the Tory party keep someone on with that side-gig?

@nauticant

Can someone explain how he can be trans if he’s not changing his pronouns or appearance in any way. I don’t understand?

After following this for years I've come to the conclusion that in its modern meaning to be "trans" needs at a minimum one single thing:

1. A belief that you are "trans" and that doesn't even need a declaration to others, although you would do that to be recognised by others as "trans".

"Trans" itself is a personal matter and so long as someone believes in gender identity ideology, what it means to them personally is not to be defined or questioned by others.

Thanks nauticant.

But does that by him declaring himself trans he IS a woman. And even though he has male pronouns and appearance he is a woman and can access things/ provisions reserved for women?

This is the part I'm struggling with.

[quote EndaDay]@Blossomtoes

I hope you're right and he does lose his seat but please don't say that's because "blue rinses" will be annoyed by him.

That implies that it is only stuffy old farts who will be angered by this shit.

It feeds into the myth that anyone who is appalled at this hero-making of "trans women" are just behind the times old farts with pursed cats' bum faces who don't want people to be happy.[/quote]
Is there a threshold between blue rinses (and the implied ageism) and blue-haired (different generation)?

@ANameChangePresents

There's a few things going on here in this statement.

1. Revealing identity after being blackmailed previously - no worries. Be your best you. My issue isn't with Trans people existing on any level. My issues are with certain goals of TR activism. If you don't share those goals, then hey - you do you!

2. Rape victim - my unreserved sympathies. That sounds horrific.

3. Running from a (severe?) accident - really crappy behaviour. PTSD as an excuse doesn't make it 'right', merely mitigates a small bit. I'm also not sure I believe it, but we'll never know.

4. Owning a Sugar Daddy website - pretty gross and misogynistic, encouraging women to play into submissive and depowering gender roles. Why on Earth would the Tory party keep someone on with that side-gig?

Agree with you.

To your question in your point 4: see my post about the Tories being able to use this to score over Labour (who, it pains me to say, frankly deserve it).

@FacebookPhotos

Rape is vile, but you have to question why someone would hook up with a random man online, and put yourself in a position of being alone with a stranger with whom you intended to have sex with.

I'm genuinely shocked to read this on a feminism board. Any person can withdraw consent to sex, for any reason, at any time. "You put yourself in a risky situation" is an appalling, victim-blaming position.

This man has told the country he has been raped. There is huge stigma for men who admit this (no doubt due to toxic masculinity). Of course that requires bravery.

There is stigma around heterosexual men who are raped, but I don't believe the stigma surrounds homosexual men who are raped.

He should go to the police and report it, that way he could help prevent the perpetrator from continuing this behaviour. Yes, rape is traumatic, but surely announcing to the media and the whole world is reliving the experience (particularly as it has happened in the recent past, so much easier to provide evidence)?

I'm really wondering why he won't go to the police. I would understand why he would want to keep it private, but he's announced it to the media.
That would send a message that bravery is to report it, to stop it happening to others.

2. What does this story have to do with feminism? Shouldn't it be on the politics board or something? I can't see anything in this story that's related to women and girls, unless I'm missing something?

It has everything to do with feminism if him declaring himself as trans means we have to consider him to be a woman.

He is not even changing his pronouns or his appearance.

4) Owning a Sugar Daddy website - pretty gross and misogynistic, encouraging women to play into submissive and depowering gender roles. Why on Earth would the Tory party keep someone on with that side-gig?

The particular website made it very clear that it wanted to sign up both men and women, gay or straight. I'm not sure how it can be misogynistic when he's looking at sending out both male and female students to older men. Isn't he treating both sexes in the same way?

@HermioneKipper

Can someone explain how he can be trans if he’s not changing his pronouns or appearance in any way. I don’t understand?

He says he's trans. So he's trans. It's not really a word that has a definition or meaning.

But does that by him declaring himself trans he IS a woman. And even though he has male pronouns and appearance he is a woman and can access things/ provisions reserved for women?

It's common these days for people to declare themselves as "trans/non-binary". They can have male pronouns and appearance, or anything else.

Honestly, you have to put logic to one side and listen to what trans activists are saying. "Trans" can be anything and any restrictions put on a trans person based on anything you assume about their identity is transphobia, so if you want to escape that label the default answers you are permitted to give are "if you say so", and "yes".

@DameHelena

They're obviously going for the 'differentiate ourselves from Labour on women/trans issues' angle. Will it work? I can't decide.

My main thought about it is I can't quite decide whether to describe it as a 'Look! Squirrel!' or a dead-cat bounce.

This.

@nauticant

But does that by him declaring himself trans he IS a woman. And even though he has male pronouns and appearance he is a woman and can access things/ provisions reserved for women?

It's common these days for people to declare themselves as "trans/non-binary". They can have male pronouns and appearance, or anything else.

Honestly, you have to put logic to one side and listen to what trans activists are saying. "Trans" can be anything and any restrictions put on a trans person based on anything you assume about their identity is transphobia, so if you want to escape that label the default answers you are permitted to give are "if you say so", and "yes".

So really any man can enter women's spaces?

We have to believe he is a woman or we're transphobic?