Boris Johnson on Sky

[tabbycatstripy]

Johnson “sad” about the reaction from LGBT groups, says he’s 100% committed to a ban on gay conversion therapy, but there complexities and sensitivities about the area of gender, and he thinks there are things that need to be worked out.

Determined to tackle prejudice.

Re. trans conversion therapy, it wasn’t something he thought he would have to consider in great detail. These are novel concepts. He doesn’t think it’s reasonable for kids to be deemed Gillick competent in trans treatments. He doesn’t think males should be competing in female sports. Women should have spaces which are dedicated to women.

That’s as far as his thinking has developed, and if it puts him in conflict with others, he wants to work it out. Is sympathetic to transitioners. But these are complex issues and it takes thought to get it right.

I don’t know he isn’t lying to get my vote. I know Starmer is telling the truth, though. I know Labour wouldn’t fix these issues. So, given it’s a choice between voting for something I find unconscionable and taking the risk that Johnson does actually think what nearly every reasonable person thinks, I’m going with that.

@Iggly

Please find the time to answer my question though.

How do you know Boris isn’t lying to get your vote?

He’s lied about so much and even lifted covid restrictions early to try and get out of political hot water.

He lied about Brexit (famously he had two views on it and plumped for the popular option).

How do you know he’s not lying and plumping for the popular option again…..

Given how important this is, why on earth would you take his comments today as gospel?

This.

He’s spotted a weakness as the sunlight hits the TRA/Stonewall agenda. Labour are sticking with the ridiculous notion that men can become women, so of course he is going to come down on the side of biological reality as more and more women turn away from Labour.
He wants those votes. Stating biological and safeguarding reality will get him many of those votes.

@Iggly

Please find the time to answer my question though.

How do you know Boris isn’t lying to get your vote?

He’s lied about so much and even lifted covid restrictions early to try and get out of political hot water.

He lied about Brexit (famously he had two views on it and plumped for the popular option).

How do you know he’s not lying and plumping for the popular option again…..

Given how important this is, why on earth would you take his comments today as gospel?

Well no one can guarantee that he's not lying.

But Starmer is telling a bigger lie by saying that men can be women.

What is required here is that Starmer shows an interest in protecting the safeguarding of women and girls.

Until he does that then women have a safer bet voting Tory than Labour.

And that is something I never thought I'd say.

@tabbycatstripy

I don’t know he isn’t lying to get my vote. I know Starmer is telling the truth, though. I know Labour wouldn’t fix these issues. So, given it’s a choice between voting for something I find unconscionable and taking the risk that Johnson does actually think what nearly every reasonable person thinks, I’m going with that.

What a risk to take for something so important

I'm sure the fuckface doesn't give a shit about women or trans people. He knows an election winner. He knows how to divert attention from the NI rise of today. And this is still on Labour.
You can change the NI rate back when you get in power. But once self-ID is enshrined in law we will have no chance of protecting women or ensuring fairness for us. Look at how difficult it is now in Ireland to unpick this misogynistic crap.
If you vote Labour, you will get self ID. It's that simple unless Starmer gets control of this.

But Starmer is telling a bigger lie by saying that men can be women.

Labour is an evident risk, made clear in statements now.

If self ID comes in it will be hard to revert.

How do you know he isn’t lying about this just to get your vote

What might he be lying about? That he actually thinks it’s fair for men to compete with women? Or that he thinks children do have Gillick competence for experimental medical treatments.

The Tories were all set with these laws to look really progressive and right on. They’ve done a U turn because they’ve realised that the issue is more complex than they first thought. It seems quite straight forward really.

And the same in the USA. Trump or his acolyte will get back in unless Biden stops this stupid shit. But he won't. And the US is doomed to Trump #2

Until he does that then women have a safer bet voting Tory than Labour

I’m not sure how you can say that when we are under a Tory government and have been since 2010.

The Tories have not actively done anything on this really as far as I can see, unless I’m missing something.

This has become a growing issue because of what is happening now under the Tories - why would we be safer under them? If they had this right, then why are we having these debates?

@Signalbox

How do you know he isn’t lying about this just to get your vote

What might he be lying about? That he actually thinks it’s fair for men to compete with women? Or that he thinks children do have Gillick competence for experimental medical treatments.

The Tories were all set with these laws to look really progressive and right on. They’ve done a U turn because they’ve realised that the issue is more complex than they first thought. It seems quite straight forward really.

Some people do think it’s fair - it’s been happening on his watch!?

This isn't transphobia - it's safeguarding children and women's rights.

@iggly I'm old. I've seen this shit before many times with Labour. They think hatred of the Tories allows them to be bat-shit extremists and they'll win. They won't. They don't need to lose all women but if they lose enough with this nonsense, our FPTP system means it will be another Tory government. Despite being criminally incompetent. This is on Labour.

@Iggly

Until he does that then women have a safer bet voting Tory than Labour

I’m not sure how you can say that when we are under a Tory government and have been since 2010.

The Tories have not actively done anything on this really as far as I can see, unless I’m missing something.

This has become a growing issue because of what is happening now under the Tories - why would we be safer under them? If they had this right, then why are we having these debates?

As the mother of an autistic gender non conforming girl I can categorically tell you that my daughter is at greater risk of harm under a Labour Government than the current government.

[quote bellinisurge]@iggly I'm old. I've seen this shit before many times with Labour. They think hatred of the Tories allows them to be bat-shit extremists and they'll win. They won't. They don't need to lose all women but if they lose enough with this nonsense, our FPTP system means it will be another Tory government. Despite being criminally incompetent. This is on Labour.[/quote]
Honestly, stop letting off the conservatives.

You don’t know that @lifeturnsonadime

The Tories are in power now…

Blimey. I go do some work and this happens!

@achillesshield

This isn't transphobia - it's safeguarding children and women's rights.

Who said it was?

I think Labour are not single minded on this issue nor do I trust the Conservatives on this because they’ll say the right things but I wouldn’t trust them to do them.

So I wouldn’t trust Boris after a few weasel words today and I’m stunned that people are - just because it sounds good. Especially knowing his track record.

Madness. As soon as he crosses that number ten threshold after the election, he’ll drop the issue.

@Iggly , he may well drop the issue. But as long as he doesn't lead self-ID into law, I'm ok with that.

@Iggly

You don’t know that *@lifeturnsonadime*

The Tories are in power now…

And the Cass Report has been published under the Tory Government which urges caution with gender reassignment.

The Labour Government is committed to the Biden approach to affirming health care.

No thank you. My daughter is a girl. She has the right to grow up to be a woman. The Labour Party will encourage her to believe that gender non -conformity means that she is a non-girl potentially with dire consequences.

The labour party is simply dangerous.

It needs to back pedal now or the Tory party will get back in.

I suspect that he does understand the situation and speaks as he thinks - in this case. It must make a pleasant change from all that duplicity.

‘What a risk to take for something so important’

It’s a completely sensible risk to take.

I know Labour (led by their chief Mermaids supporter, Rayner) will encourage childhood transition. I have reason to think Johnson won’t.

I know Nandy, Sobel, Thornberry, Lammy etc. will further undermine women’s rights through the pursuit of self-ID. I know Johnson won’t (because he would have done it).

The easy options of passing the laws the LGBTQ+ lobby want are the options Johnson is rejecting.

So I am going to vote a

"Honestly, stop letting off the conservatives." Said every single Labour activist instead of addressing people's reasonable and legitimate concerns.
No prizes for second place in Westminster elections.

If people haven't learned from castigating the voters who wanted to leave the EU, or stay in the Union by now then they never will.

Wagging fingers at people who know that once self-ID becomes law, all bets are off, won't change their minds. It absolutely will not change my mind. Why shouldn't I vote to protect myself from males in women's spaces and sports and services? What exactly is wrong with that? Why can't women vote to protect themselves, children, and vulnerable people? Why can't dads want their girls to be safe?

It would be great to see the opposition parties really listen and genuinely change their minds. It would be brilliant. It just feels highly unlikely at this point.

@ResisterRex

That was a good performance from Boris. He says he hasn't thought too much (to paraphrase) but he has. He definitely has.

Yeah, I think this is true, he was very careful with his language in a way that says he understands the implications. He's not, despite what people say, a stupid person, and while I don't know if he "cares" as some as suggested, I do think he's capable of seeing that ignoring biological reality is not a viable way of organizing society. Which to me is more important than being caring, we see where that sentiment gets us when it's unmoored from pragmatism and rationality.

Under the conservatives, we’ve seen cuts to the NHS, cuts to mental help, cuts to SEND funding in schools.

Providing safe spaces for women and safeguarding children takes money and investment. They won’t do it. They’ll say it but they won’t actually do it.

What what they do not what they say!.

Please don’t fall into the trap of Boris Johnson uttering the right words.