Radio 4 - Any Questions

[ThinkForAMinute]

I was disappointed with answers on Radio 4 to the question “Does gender supersede biological sex?” - it seems that we all just need to be nice.

I’ve not posted on the topic before, but follow with interest and would be interested to hear other views. In my view it was a missed opportunity to debate the issues and the MPs from all parties were vague in their opinions and reluctant to say what they really think.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0015vmf

It was the last question starting at around 37 and a half minutes.

Lots of evading the point here.

It’s all ‘be kind’ until (as the interviewer asks) can elected politicians absent themselves from the discussion? Or, what specifically should happen in X situation?

Answer: they can continue to evade the specifics, but women will vote them out.

And no, I don’t want to live in a more “inclusive” society, per se. I want to live in a fair society. And it’s not going to be fair until politicians stop saying fair, respectful debate and actually engage with what women are saying: that the situation has become unfair to women.

Why won’t the interviewer let Jenrick answer?

Have sent a comment to the BBC - others might do the same. Four people saying roughly the same thing - the interviewer should challenge more and it should be given more time and more probing questions.

Nobody disagrees trans people deserve respect. That isn’t the debate.

I also listened to any answers which followed and completely ignored the topic. Cannot believe no viewers called in with questions. Agree, total failure to address gender/sex and given Jenrick was only given seconds to answer, his was a bit of a none answer but not given time to develop it

And no, I don’t want to live in a more “inclusive” society, per se. I want to live in a fair society. And it’s not going to be fair until politicians stop saying fair, respectful debate and actually engage with what women are saying: that the situation has become unfair to women.

Exactly.

The BBC isn’t doing its basic job when it closes down the first answer that touches on specifics.

‘Women’s toilets’ (according to Jenrick) are legally not female-only spaces. It is true that transwomen can use them. I am not breaking the law if I go in a man’s toilet (although I think a service provider could ask me to leave the premises?).

What Jenrick did was ensure organisations couldn’t build new mixed sex facilities.

What we need (and what the EHRC has been reported to the UN, in part, for trying to provide) is clear guidance about when a space can be single-sex. If that sex is ‘female’, it doesn’t mean transwomen.

Absurd and irritating evasions from the speakers. Of course we should all be kind, but what about the thorny issues of unaltered males in women only spaces? Or the difficulties of levelling a playing field in sport? No politicians dared speak. I do not know how to vote to show my concerns about this issue. I will begin by writing to my MP Tulip Siddiqu to see where she stands on this issue. She is Tulip Siddiq.

Ed Davey thinks it should all be left to sporting bodies. I think this abdication of responsibility (government sits above sporting bodies) is what makes Davey unfit to be PM.

Not one of them was brave enough to speak out which I probably shouldn't have been that surprised about. My 14 year old son was listening with me - if he understands I fail to understand why elected officials have such issues.

I haven't had chance to listen to all of Any Answers yet - I'll give that a go today to see if anyone called in.

I listened. If anyone called in, it was clearly ignored.

Time for Radio 4 to invite some guests with a 'dictionary and a backbone'. (JKR's perfect phrase)

Cannot believe no viewers called in with questions.

I suspect they probably did. But it's a dangerous thing to put anyone unvetted on live radio on this subject. They might do something as taboo as stating the blindingly obvious.

I agree that Any Answers must have restricted listeners who wanted to comment - the disappointing part for me was that MPs from all parties were saying the same thing - no one was brave enough to speak out.