How should I vote

[Extrahotpleasenottoomilky]

I have a dilemma about how to vote on July 4th. The variables:

1. My eldest child (almost 18) identifies as trans.
2. I find this really, really difficult. By instinct, I'm fairly gender-critical and believe in the preservation of biologically selective women's spaces, sports etc.
3. On the other hand, after a recent massive falling out with child, I vowed to suppress my feelings and try to support them and their identity as much as I can. Relationship with child more important than my feelings, etc.
4. Now to the GE. My MP is a massive, vocal, trans-advocate. It's a safe seat and she doesn't need my vote, but any of the parties I would entertain voting for (ie not Conservative or Reform) are all v liberal on the subject of trans identity. On this policy point, I wouldn't choose any of the parties but I'm open to Labour if their manifesto reassures me that they've learned something from Cass.

However, however, the bloody MP! She'd put Cass in the shredder. Voting for her would be the right thing by my child, probably the right thing to do in relation to the bigger picture, but deeply, deeply the wrong thing by my (feminist) heart. Can't see any independents worth the vote, and I've never yet spoilt my paper. Is this the only thing I can do in good conscience?

What would you do, wise ones?

Jean Hatchet has summed up the nice selection of shit sandwiches most UK GC women will be offered this election

https://thecritic.co.uk/its-our-party-and-well-cry-if-we-want-to/

I might vote Tory fwiw. My MP wrote back after the Lis Truss Private members Bill saying all the right things. I think she's toast regardless. I've never voted for the Tories, am dumbfounded I'm even considering it but, as a protest vote, here we are. Or possibly I'll spoil my ballot. Or not bother getting out of bed that day.

It's your vote and I'll not tell anyone how they should vote. If you're really stuck and can't find a positive reason for any candidate, you can go for the least worst or spoil your ballot or stay home. I encourage everybody to vote, but again it's entirely your choice.

Good article but, sadly, she doesn’t discuss N. Ireland parties. The Labour party doesn’t run candidates here in NI but the Conservatives do, and we have our own local parties most of which are full on supporters of genderwoo so voting in NI is going to be just as much of a shite sandwich as in GB 😞 Yay <-sarcasm

I completely understand your election day dilemma 💐

Many thanks indeed for this article. Explains the problem well, and has clarified my feelings about the main parties. 🙏🏻👍🏻

Thank you for this. Yes, strange she ignores NI but includes Plaid and the Scot Nats.

A lot of people don’t realise that NI has MPs elected to Hoc, and Lords sitting in HoL, and that NI voters vote in UK general elections 🤷‍♀️ Or they do remember this but see it as irrelevant to wider UK politics for some reason.

But it was still an interesting article because it sums up how so many of us are between a rock and a hard place in terms of choosing a party to vote for in July 🙁

Seems incredible that people should not realise about the part NI plays in wider UK political life. Unfortunately, however, I have no difficulty in believing you.