£10,000 prize for arguing both sides of trans debate

[IcakethereforeIam]

This could be interesting. I expect to see FWR being cited 😁

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/10k-essay-prize-for-arguing-both-sides-of-trans-debate-vvfgmbc8k

https://archive.ph/NzNEy archive link

Although, the journalist quoted seems to have transwomen/trans women mixed up.

Transmen are, once more, conspicuous by their absence.

Never mind undergraduates, it would be interesting to see if some on here could write the essay.

If your instinct is to scoff or criticise the organisers, then I suspect not.

So you are saying that the quote is not a correct quote and that the by line journalist has made the mistake? You are saying Kapil has been misquoted?

That the byline journalist has got the quote arse about face? Not the organising journalist?

Have you seen a correction? What do you base this on?

Kapil Summan, 35, a journalist in Scotland, is one of the competition organisers. He said that trans activists used transwomen as one word because it implies that men who transition become women. He acknowledged that radical feminists were more likely to put a space between the words.
“It makes no sense for us to use ‘trans women’ since it affirms the point we’re asking entrants to argue against,” he said. “It is true that ‘transwomen’ affirms the opposite,” he conceded, “but we have to choose one.”

I agree, it's an interesting thing to do, and I hope it attracts many entries from people with all points of view, and is even-handedly judged. Probably constructing entries here is not helpful to the running of the competition, but if it flops or gets cancelled, I'd be game for having a go after the closing date! Not with my real name attached, though, sadly.

Why would you think that?

I expect many of us could write this essay.

I'm really puzzled as to what is going on here. Am I having a brain failure? It seems to be quite clear. The indirectly reported speech, "He said that trans activists used transwomen as one word because it implies that men who transition become women. He acknowledged that radical feminists were more likely to put a space between the words." is not a quotation. It is Ames' interpretation of what Summan said, and it's backwards. The directly reported speech, "“It makes no sense for us to use ‘trans women’ since it affirms the point we’re asking entrants to argue against,” he said. “It is true that ‘transwomen’ affirms the opposite,” he conceded, “but we have to choose one.”" is, by normal journalistic conventions, what Summan said, and it is fine.

Trans activists insist that there is a space in the word trans woman. Feminists use the term transwoman, because a male is not a type of woman as the space leads one to believe. As in tall woman. Trans is not an adjective for woman.

I don't think I, even if I were an undergraduate, could enter this competition. My essay would be laughably one-sided. So, it would seem, I could benefit from reading the entries, I might learn a thing or two.

Thank you, for the link upthread to the free speech YouTube. Kafil speaks very well and there's no doubt on which side of the debate he stands. That does make me concerned that the competition might be drowned at birth.

I'm curious about the PhD student?

Having re read it I agree with @JoIsBraverThanIAm

Kapil is wrong. He is organising this event and he is wrong with this basic fact.

What on earth makes you think I don't understand that? Now I am actually convinced you are the one who is confused. More coffee all round perhaps!

Hang on. Do you have the original source of what Kapil actually said?

If not, you have assumed the by line journalist has made the error. I no longer make those assumptions because they are so often wrong. If you have the original source, please post it.

I think it's Ames that got it wrong, his set up makes Kapil's quote confusing. And this is assuming it wasn't a type setter at the Times that got it bass-ackwards.

I think the journalist who wrote the Times piece has got confused. As @JoIsBraverThanIAm says, the direct quote makes more sense.

The OP admits that they would struggle to write an essay that wasn’t laughably one-sided which I think is particularly honest.

So it would be an excellent exercise.

I could write it, and many of us could.

I could try now. Transwomen are women because.....? Anyone help me out?

We were going to have a "steel manning" thread recently. There are lots of FWR posters who know TRA arguments inside out.

Given that the opening sentence by Ames is that the competition "will ask undergraduate students to settle the issue" I give his analysis of what's going on no credibility at all. The contest very clearly isn't setting out to do anything of the sort!

Maybe put it in for the currently-empty FAQ? https://edinlight.net/

I didn't read that thread @Ereshkigalangcleg I'll give it a look. And, if this competition goes ahead, I'll read the essays. Some of them at least.

I, too, think it would be an excellent exercise.

“It makes no sense for us to use ‘trans women’ since it affirms the point we’re asking entrants to argue against,” he said

Isn’t the point that they are meant to be arguing both sides?

I really think we should leave the field clear for the undergraduates for now though!

Almost worth signing up to the Open University or similar on a part time Certificate of High Education (£3642 per year) to be able to qualify for this..... 😁

I think my problem is twofold. I know the tra tropes, I know them for vacuous nonsense. My mum raised me not to lie.

FWIW, I think the principle of encouragingly properly reasoned and balanced debate is laudable and this could see some interesting work in future. It could genuinely be an excellent essay prize to have on your CV.

It's a damn shame the organisers failed to make their own opinions similarly balanced when talking to the press.