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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Libraries promoting body mutilation as “joy” in Norfolk

312 replies

CarobBean72 · 12/04/2024 09:28

Anyone here from Norfolk?

Norwich Millennium Library has a display of “Trans Joy”, apparently aimed at children & young people, which IMHO promotes body mutilation & self harm of women & girls & glorifies drug use. In the wake of the Cass Report it’s incredibly irresponsible.

It includes images of hypodermic needles for injecting testosterone, a packer & mastectomy scars, with the slogan “Self-made men play God right”.

Most disturbing is a small figurine of a woman’s lower half, cut off at waist & knees, bearing what appears to be a hysterectomy scar & what is either a pseudo-phallus ( an appendage made from a flap of tissue removed from the woman’s arm or thigh, rolled up and sewn to the groin to mimic a penis ) or a hypertrophied clitoris, one of the often painful effects of testosterone on the female body.

The display is accessible to children as the cabinets stand only a couple of feet high, designed for a child’s eye line and it’s placed next to the 8-14 book section. The cases are by the entrance - not noticeable when you go in but inescapable when you leave.

I can’t believe someone okayed this. If it was promoting anorexia or cutting or glorifying steroid abuse to children and teenagers, we’d all see it for what it is. Instead, it’s promoting self-mutilation under the banner of “Trans Joy”.

It’s especially irresponsible in the week the Cass Review revealed how poor the evidence base for so-called “gender affirming care” is and how little followup there has been to assess regret and de-transition rates.

Ive been trying to find a contact for the head of Norfolk Library Services - it’s a woman called Kerry Murray, who is also the Safeguarding Lead! But I can’t find any email listing for her.

Any suggestions?

Sharing images with trepidation: it’s a horror show!

Post edited by MNHQ

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Thread gallery
12
SinnerBoy · 17/04/2024 07:26

Arf! EDP doesn't seem to be very TWAW:

Critics took to Mumsnet on April 12 to express their outrage at the exhibition, which they called a "horror show".

One user said: "This display is apparently aimed at children and young people, which in my honest opinion promotes body mutilation and self harm and glorifies drug use. In the wake of the Cass report it's incredibly irresponsible.

"The display is accessible to children as the cabinets stand only a couple of feet high. The cases are by the entrance - not noticeable when you go in but inescapable when you leave.

"I can’t believe someone authorised this."

JeannieDark · 17/04/2024 08:02

KayMasonBillig · 14/04/2024 12:05

I am the Leader of Norfolk County Council, who are responsible for the Norwich Library at the Forum. I was very unhappy when I heard about this display. Staff have guidelines, and this exhibition seems to have been approved without realising the actual content. As soon as it came to my attention, I alerted senior staff and it was removed immediately. I apologise if anyone was offended but thank you very much for alerting us. We are open to different points of view on all subjects but there are times and places for these and we have to handle them with sensitivity and consider the impact on others, especially children. There will be a investigation into how and why this happened and staff will be issued with strengthened guidance for the future.

Thank you Kay for coming here and addressing the concerns constructively.

CorruptedCauldron · 17/04/2024 08:18

Well done to EDP for reporting on this story, and to Kay for acting swiftly to remove the display.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 17/04/2024 09:01

Good to see this getting publicity. I'm still hoping that Norfolk will undertake a safeguarding review to ensure that all council staff who created /set up or sanctioned this exhibition are reminded of their responsibilities to safeguard children in libraries.

Abeona · 17/04/2024 10:44

Good article from EDP: spells out the issues, shows the offending items, gives Cass a decent airing and makes Councillor Billig sound like a responsible adult.

Would EDP now please do another Cass-specific article and talk about safeguarding generally?

MarieDeGournay · 17/04/2024 11:13

I always make a point of saluting posters who come back and say 'sorry I was wrong' or 'sorry I got snippy with you' . It's pretty rare for people to be so open and non-defensive with their apologies and it's something I really like about MN.

So when somebody comes on here and says
I am the Leader of Norfolk County Council, who are responsible for the Norwich Library at the Forum...As soon as it came to my attention, I alerted senior staff and it was removed immediately.
it stands out as an example of someone in authority actually stepping up and admitting something went wrong on her watch, and doing something about it.
Thank you, @KayMasonBillig

When this is all turned into a Major Motion Picture, I'm imagining the scene where there's a national conference of leaders of county councils, and someone has a go at Kay [probably played by Meryl Streep], and gradually they all get to their feet and declare one after the other 'I am the Leader of Norfolk County Council'Smile

SidewaysOtter · 17/04/2024 12:10

Seems the “Trans Pride” group didn’t want to comment.

Too busy sobbing into their support animals that this is a “literal genocide” and their “existence is being erased”.

MyCosyDuck · 17/04/2024 12:33

KayMasonBillig · 14/04/2024 12:05

I am the Leader of Norfolk County Council, who are responsible for the Norwich Library at the Forum. I was very unhappy when I heard about this display. Staff have guidelines, and this exhibition seems to have been approved without realising the actual content. As soon as it came to my attention, I alerted senior staff and it was removed immediately. I apologise if anyone was offended but thank you very much for alerting us. We are open to different points of view on all subjects but there are times and places for these and we have to handle them with sensitivity and consider the impact on others, especially children. There will be a investigation into how and why this happened and staff will be issued with strengthened guidance for the future.

Why do your staff not adhere to these guidelines then?

I work in the private sector and if I stratyed so far outside the realms of acceptability in my job, I would be sacked on grounds of performance. Why are your staff allowed to do such harm, to behave so egregiously, to intentionally, wilfully and knowingly display such foul, graphic material to children? Knowing full well it is in the Easter Holidays? Knowing, again, full well, that the Cass report has come out and people will Have Some Questions??~~

Your pay comes from OUR taxes, OUR Money. Stop wasting it on this absolute guff, keep this foul nonsensense out our public spaces, and go and spent it on fixing the roads.

SerafinasGoose · 17/04/2024 13:52

MidsomerMurmurs · 14/04/2024 13:42

Yes. This is a post-Cass response to a pre-Cass piece of propaganda. We’ve all known how ludicrous and dangerous this ideology has been for years, but the Overton Window of wider public consciousness has shifted this week.

Nail on head.

SerafinasGoose · 17/04/2024 14:07

Riapia · 14/04/2024 13:30

Trans joy.
FFS.

To those genuinely afflicted with dysphoria, it sounds like absolute torment to me.

I don't care to speak of the other components of transgenderism, whether they are the ones people willingly own to, or others the mention of which results in immediate censure because 'you're suggesting that all trans people belong in that problematic group, therefore you are transphobic'. This, or 'that never happens'.

Undeniably, some trans people have a truly difficult time of it. Those who progress down the path of medical transition would probably not go to these lengths unless they a) were very serious about it, b) belonged to the 'problematic' group, or or c), were too young to grasp the full, irreversible implications of what such a decision meant. (Thank you, Hilary Cass).

In which case, how is spouting the word 'joy' and draping everything in rainbows or pastel blue and pink flags doing anything other than trivialising those people's distress? The phrase 'trans joy' is nothing short of a mockery.

Conclusion: gender ideology and its vocal activists don't give one shiny shit about trans people. a) and c) are of no importance, other than in the case of c) providing more converts in validation of their movement.

In which case: why aren't people from within that community furious about this? And if the TRA movement's end game isn't the protection of trans people, then what exactly is it? (Of course, their only point of concern seems to be for group b).

It's so clear that it's impossible not to see it unless you're being wilfully blind.

IcakethereforeIam · 17/04/2024 23:04

We all know how unhinged and vindictive tras can be I hope the Council leader is okay. Look forward to hearing the results of the investigation.

TheCoffeeNebula · 18/04/2024 00:40

Most disturbing is a small figurine of a woman’s lower half, cut off at waist & knees, bearing what appears to be a hysterectomy scar & what is either a pseudo-phallus ( an appendage made from a flap of tissue removed from the woman’s arm or thigh, rolled up and sewn to the groin to mimic a penis ) or a hypertrophied clitoris, one of the often painful effects of testosterone on the female body.

There's also what looks like self-harm scars all over the thighs (it's a fairly common location for cutting, and the scars look about right WRT length/width/orientation), which says something, though I'm not sure what. Probably not "joy".

CarobBean72 · 18/04/2024 08:48

The library staff are revolting.

No argument at all. Just anonymous “Trans activists” - who were invited to comment but didn’t - calling anyone who doesn’t let them do whatever they want all the time “bigots” & “hate groups”.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24259879.norwich-millennium-library-staff-rebel-trans-art-show/

Library staff rebel after council leader criticises 'self harm' trans exhibition

County Hall is facing a rebellion by staff at Norfolk’s main library after the council leader intervened personally to order a controversial trans…

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24259879.norwich-millennium-library-staff-rebel-trans-art-show/

OP posts:
MrsOvertonsWindow · 18/04/2024 08:51

The comments from the Greens and Labour show their contempt for the need to safeguard children don't they OP? Mind you - the Greens have form for that (A Challenor)

IcakethereforeIam · 18/04/2024 09:05

Yup, vindictive and unhinged.

FrancescaContini · 18/04/2024 11:09

I’d be quite nervous about taking a young child into a library these days. Of all the places to be tainted by gender bolleaux 🤬

MarieDeGournay · 18/04/2024 12:07

FFS - there's art and there's art, there are spaces for art and there are public libraries... This exhibition might be appropriate in a gallery where people go to see art, and are aware of the nature of the content, but it doesn't take a pearl-clutching-rightshoarding-dinosaur-TERF-bigot to see that it's absolutely not appropriate for a public library. 'Not here' is not censorship.
The council leader deserves support - maybe she should've known what was going on sooner, but her words now are strong and unequivocal, and I hope she gets lots of local and national support, as well as on MN.

CarobBean72 · 18/04/2024 12:14

Emma Corlett is no longer a Labour Councillor but an independent. Some of Norwich Women’s Rights Group canvassed with & for her back in the day.

She’s also a trained nurse who should know better & should be able to read the Cass Review.

We’ve challenged her to debate us on this. Bet she won’t…

https://twitter.com/norwich_s/status/1780884103346225485

https://twitter.com/norwich_s/status/1780884103346225485

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CarobBean72 · 19/04/2024 18:33

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/24265114.norwich-trans-pride-hold-protest-millennium-library/

Press Release 19th April

Norwich Women’s Rights Group & WRN Norfolk will not be counter-protesting the “Trans Pride” protest this Sunday.

Libraries, as the County Council Leader, the Council Safeguarding lead and Norfolk Libraries management fortunately recognise, have a statutory duty to safeguard users, which includes not promoting self harm, steroid abuse & bodily self hatred to children next to the 8-14 year olds section of the library.

Norwich Women’s Rights Group & Women’s Rights Network Norfolk are happy to meet with councillors and library management to explain our concerns, especially in the wake of the Cass Report.

Trans Pride is welcome to express their displeasure at being told “No” in peaceful protest. It will do them good to get out in the fresh air.

We hope the weather keeps nice for them.

Norwich Women’s Rights Group
Women’s Rights Network Norfolk

Trans activists plan Norwich library protest after ‘self harm’ artworks removed

Trans activists are organising a protest outside Norfolk's main library, in the Forum, this weekend amid an ongoing row sparked by a controversial…

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/24265114.norwich-trans-pride-hold-protest-millennium-library/

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duc748 · 19/04/2024 18:41

Arf! 😄

IcakethereforeIam · 19/04/2024 19:04

Brilliant 👏

Overlappingwaves · 19/04/2024 21:42

This is the council's latest response (19th April)
"We have now had time to reflect on community feedback and to review our guidance. As a result, the poster has been returned to display in the library. Moving forward, as a service, we will be taking some time and space to reflect and learn from recent events, ways to better manage difficult and sensitive subjects in the future and how we can work together to support our Trans community (and all LGBT+ people) to feel fully safe and welcome when using our services".

Nothing about keeping children safe from horrific images.

CarobBean72 · 19/04/2024 22:54

Ooof. A combination of the automatic message they sent to everyone who complained, and total capitulation.

Not good enough.

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