The Times: Spanish trans law delayed by Socialist divisions

[ResisterRex]

Some of this sounds familiar. The apparent urgency, the removal of safeguards, extension of self-ID to minors. It's unpopular with conservatives but it seems like most of the problems in getting it passed come from the Left, where there's a split. Seems they're running out of time to pass it - or will run out of time:

Spanish trans law delayed by Socialist divisions

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/15161b4e-5068-11ed-b120-ca4f3ffbcdc5?shareToken=a4ad77e673553e07b191a121ce46a5c1

"the bill would allow people legally to change their name and gender without the present need for a medical report or a requirement to undergo two years of hormone treatment. Anyone aged 16 and over would be allowed to request the change without parental consent. Children aged 14 and above would need parental consent and those aged 12 and above would need to secure authorisation from the courts."

Those unhappy about it:

"Approved in June, the bill became one of the signature projects of the leftist coalition government but has since run into problems with the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which is at odds with its junior coalition partner, the Unidas Podemos.

Sections of the PSOE, which lent its full backing to the draft law last year, have said that the bill would “erase women” by “hiding the existence of biological sex”.

Members of the party are also calling for greater limits on decisions made by minors that “could affect the rest of their lives”. The text of the bill has not changed since it was first drafted."

That’s really interesting thanks for the link.

I would also point out the present need for hormone treatment in Spain. We've never said that - in effect - the state should tell people what to do with their bodies in order to have a GRC. This seems to me, to be a big difference between us and many other countries. IIRC Germany and Malta had similar stipulations that we never did.

It's interesting the rhetoric of "urgency". It's like this in Scotland too. But how can something like this be "urgent" when it is essentially something that has never previously been a massive problem outside of the last 5-10 years. One senses that the urgency is more to do with if we don't get this legislation through now we might never get it through because people are waking up and realising how reactionary and anti-women these laws actually are.

"Yolanda Díaz, the deputy prime minister and Unidas Podemos member, has also piled pressure on the PSOE. “The trans law is a key law for our country for a fundamental reason. It gives rights to people who are currently deprived of them,” she said yesterday. “It’s urgent that Spain moves it forward.”

The 'urgency' is to get so many children and young people locked into this irreversible surgical 'journey' that the trans activist lobby can whisper and threaten in private that the 'sunk costs' are now so great we can never admit that society made the most appalling mistake in allowing it to happen, and turn and point the finger of blame at the recruiters and lobbyists and parents. Do not wake the sleepwalkers, or else.

The 'urgency' is to get so many children and young people locked into this irreversible surgical 'journey'

Yes, we shouldn't underestimate how important the recruitment of children has been to this movement.

'Trans children' and their parents who subsequently feel they have to cheerlead for the trans lobby (they can't afford to think 'did I do the right thing?') have been immensely important for a movement whose main beneficiaries are middle-aged males.

But what makes women like Yolanda Díaz feel that this is so urgent? Why does a movement which mainly benefits middle-aged men (most of whom seem to hate women), damages children and harms women get so much support from women?

Yes, this is it.

Looks as if the PSOE has a large section that’s not afraid to defend women’s and children’s rights. And they’re in government, in coalition. That’s encouraging.

No sign of that in any of the left or liberal parties over here, except the SDP and Communistic Party.

There have been no high profile controversies regarding trans rights in Spain - nothing like Karen White, the Mermaids scandals or the Princess Grace Hospital debacle, no court cases like Alison Bailey's or Maya Forstater's, nothing to highlight to the public the issues with self-id and TRactivism. Society in general is not peaked, there is no high profile GC figure like JK Rowling shedding light on issues. As such it's amazing this law hasn't been passed yet.

I have a sibling living in Spain and they are utterly horrified at my GC views.

But what makes women like Yolanda Díaz feel that this is so urgent? Why does a movement which mainly benefits middle-aged men (most of whom seem to hate women), damages children and harms women get so much support from women?

I’ve never seen this explained convincingly. There’s our socialisation to be kind, and defer to men. But to the extent of giving away our basic rights? And seeing the harm done to children? That’s what is never explained.

Posted this on another thread, but relevant here. There's also strong opposition from the medical sector:

News from Spain - experts warn against proposed Spanish self-id law from age of 12.

genderclinicnews.substack.com/p/the-experts-revolt?publication_id=627677

In interviews with El Mundo, the directors of Spain’s Society of Psychiatry, Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Society of Endocrinology have gone public with their fears and objections to the Trans Law.

They join the renowned psychiatrist Dr Celso Arango and the College of Physicians of Madrid in an unprecedented call for prudence and science to take over from the haste and ideology of the draft law.

The medical society directors all see a link between the bill for self-declared sex change and mistaken trans identity claims, neglect of underlying disorders, s at odds with the right of young people to comprehensive health care.

“It is incomprehensible that the Trans Law should go ahead without the government deigning to listen to doctors and psychiatrists,” the newspaper said. “The hijacking of a key public discussion, with the excuse of transphobia, is unacceptable.”