Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Steve Reed (Shadow Justice Secretary) knows what we are

37 replies

tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 18:14

On GB News this morning, Steve Reed (Croydon North) was asked if he knows:

"Oh my goodness me, of course I know what a woman is. Why are you even asking that? A man has a penis and a woman has a vagina. If that's not clear enough for you then I'm afraid it's your issue and not my issue.”

Clear enough!

OP posts:
Moppincraxy · 27/04/2022 18:20

Why didn't he publicly stand up for Rosie Duffield then?

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 18:22

I don’t know. Maybe he was scared.

OP posts:
Redshoeblueshoe · 27/04/2022 18:24

He did say that but I thought his attitude stank.

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 18:29

I thought it was poor as well. But it’s probably the way it’s going to go with a lot of people. “Of course we know! What a stupid question [eyeroll].”

OP posts:
JustSpeculation · 27/04/2022 18:43

Hmmmmmm. There's a mayoral and council election in Croydon (Reed is MP for Croydon North), and the Labour party has a lot of staggering mismanagement to live down. Croydon North is a Labour safe seat, but there are bits of Croydon which are not. The Labour candidate is going for a "sensible and tight ship" approach. Might be part of that.

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 18:52

Sounds likely. He couldn’t have sounded more certain. I reckon if you go down to Croydon High St and start asking men whether they can breastfeed, you might get a smack in the mouth.

OP posts:
Peregrina · 27/04/2022 18:57

Why did it stink? How would you define a man or woman then?

Georgeskitchen · 27/04/2022 19:00

They are obviously waking up to the fact that women are not going to roll over and take all this nonsense , oh and aren't the local elections imminent?

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 19:00

It was the way he pretended he didn’t understand why he was being asked. That minimises the extent to which this debate has affected the lives of women who have been forced to defend their self-concept against an aggressive, undemocratic attack.

OP posts:
ResisterRex · 27/04/2022 19:23

They're still on the "goodness me what a silly question!!" instruction then.

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 19:25

But he answered it, and that’s a shift.

OP posts:
Lynnthesearesexnotgenderpeople · 27/04/2022 19:29

The faux surprise at being asked such a 'ridiculous' question is a pretty shitty considering what Rosie Duffield has been subjected to recently. I wonder if Steve will be on the receiving end of similar abuse......?

nepeta · 27/04/2022 19:32

Lynnthesearesexnotgenderpeople · 27/04/2022 19:29

The faux surprise at being asked such a 'ridiculous' question is a pretty shitty considering what Rosie Duffield has been subjected to recently. I wonder if Steve will be on the receiving end of similar abuse......?

Most men are not directly inconvenienced by the erasure of our sex. Maybe he didn't pay any attention as is often the case when it comes to female matters in politics?

Motorina · 27/04/2022 20:38

Lynnthesearesexnotgenderpeople · 27/04/2022 19:29

The faux surprise at being asked such a 'ridiculous' question is a pretty shitty considering what Rosie Duffield has been subjected to recently. I wonder if Steve will be on the receiving end of similar abuse......?

Doubt it. He’s a penis person.

I’d like to see the follow up: “are there any circumstances in which people with one genital type should be allowed in the space reserved for the other?”

Truthlikeness · 27/04/2022 21:03

He's my MP and I'd been unable to find anything he'd said either way in the gender debate. I'd assumed he was keeping a low profile until it was safe to come out as it was easy enough to parrot TWAW.

Original poster
tabbycatstripy · 27/04/2022 21:05

I think you’re right, Truth. I googled all the Labour front bench people and he was an exception to the rule.

OP posts:
Truthlikeness · 27/04/2022 21:05

Truthlikeness · 27/04/2022 21:03

He's my MP and I'd been unable to find anything he'd said either way in the gender debate. I'd assumed he was keeping a low profile until it was safe to come out as it was easy enough to parrot TWAW.

I should add I spoilt my ballot in the last election and wrote 'Adult Human Female' on it.

thistimelastweek · 27/04/2022 21:16

Have I got this right?

The bloke gave the right answer to the question but he did it on the wrong way.

derob · 27/04/2022 21:17

It was a bit aggressive and gaslighty. Pretending he didn't know why he was even being asked the question Confused

Can't they just admit they judged it wrong, they've had a little think, and here's what they're proposing?

Motorina · 27/04/2022 21:24

@derob thank you for that.

Having watched it, whilst I get the concerns on tone, I’m happy with the words. No prevarication there.

Given his role, I really hope someone asks him about prisons and crime stats in light of that…

derob · 27/04/2022 21:28

This is interesting (Reed at no 23 in the 2011 list of most influential lesbian and gay people - ahead of Tatchell. I think things might have changed a bit since then! https://lgbthistoryuk.org/wiki/PridePowerrList2011

FannyCann · 27/04/2022 21:51

*It was a bit aggressive and gaslighty. Pretending he didn't know why he was even being asked the question

Can't they just admit they judged it wrong, they've had a little think, and here's what they're proposing?*

Seems to me the RespectMySex if you want my X campaign has made them have a rethink. I remain suspicious. Just because they now admit they know what a woman is doesn't necessarily men they will RESPECT our sex.

FannyCann · 27/04/2022 21:51

mean not men.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 27/04/2022 22:08

Just imagining the memo from labour HQ.
Now we know Keir said nobody should say only women have a cervix & we know that Lammy called women refusing to strip in front of random men "dinosaurs hoarding rights" but it would be ever so helpful if you could roll back a little from this position (as we've discovered half the electorate are pretty pissed off with us).
So - if asked you can agree that yes a woman has a vagina and a man has a penis. Now, where that man is allowed to wave that penis around is slightly more complicated...... Confused

Swipe left for the next trending thread