'I'd never been so proud to live on Terf Island'.

[nettie434]

I wanted to share a thread on X/Twitter by Malcolm Clark aka TwisterFilm. For those who don't know him, he's been a solid supporter of women's rights for many years. He posted a thread about going to dinner with friends last week and being warned by the host to avoid talking about sex/gender. He didn't need to. A young Gernan woman called Clara got everyone talking with her admiration for JK Rowling, Helen Joyce and all the usual suspects. What was interesting was that everyone agreed with her, except for one middle aged straight man with a 'non binary friend'.

The link to the thread is here https://x.com/TwisterFilm/status/1837953058451427699?t=CnckXodMTrdoGrF3arasLQ&s=19.

I wanted to share it because it's heartening but also because Clara was interested in why women in the UK had been so outspoken.

Clara will no doubt be delighted that JK Rowling has posted a reply stating 'I love Clara'.

Malcolm is a national treasure.

Yes - he is!

And there is a thread reader link too so anyone can read the whole thread without being on Twitter/X:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1837953058451427699.html

Enjoyed reading that, thank you!

I love Malcolm. There was also a rather inspiring thread from on twitter today. A gay man speaking up in the workplace. It's brave and rather lovely.
https://x.com/MeMyselfOnline/status/1838650963231429095

Wonderful to read! Thank you OP.

Wow, that took real courage.

For those who cant access twitter:

A few weeks ago, the company I work for issued compulsory "training", including statements such as: “Remember, if Cathi is trans, saying ‘she used to be a man’ isn't accurate. Trans women are women, and they've never not been a woman”. I shit you not. So I've waited till today, when the company hosts one of its quarterly meetings with all the top brass across several sites, in person and online, to read out a statement on exactly what I thought of this “training”.

I made reference to the precedent set when @MForstater won her appeal in June 2021, and levelled an accusation to the entire company that they are indirectly, and possibly directly, discriminating against all its employees under the protected characteristic of their freedom of belief.

You could have heard a pin drop. At first.

The result?

HR is now bricking it. The training is no longer compulsory. They're taking matters under review, and I've had so many hugs and messages off support from my female colleagues. My boss shook my hand.

It isn't easy speaking up. I've been very nervous till today. But as
@ThePosieParker keeps telling me: if not me, then who? If not now, then when?

I think it was important that someone saw a gay man stand up and defend the women he works with, and send a message that this absurd nonsense has no place being forced upon us.

I've sure I've made plenty of enemies at work today and pissed numerous people off.

And I'm glad. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat because it's simply the right thing to do.

https://x.com/MeMyselfOnline/status/1838650963231429095

Also on thread reader with a bit extra!

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1838650963231429095.html?utm_campaign=topunroll

What an inspiring thread. Love Malcom's writing - so many decent men out there speaking up .

Let’s hear it for Clara and Terf Island!
And MeMyselfOnline, too!

That almost reads like a fairy tale! Brilliantly written.

Totally agree - absolutely inspiring.

11./ From lefties like @janeclarejones, @kiritunks and @bindelj to righties like @T@ThePosieParker

I wonder why he felt to make this distinction?

Anyways, it's a heartening read. The tide is well and truly turned.

There was a thread in AIBU yesterday about a Mum wondering if her NB daughter wasn't getting jobs because she is announcing her NB status and pronouns at the start of interviews. Daughter looked female with a traditional man's name.

Almost overwhelmingly everyone on the thread said they would have no time for such nonsense and wouldn't employ someone like that as they would likely be a PITA and possible legal liability.

The general populous have no time for it now. Once those in positions get this message it will all fall by the wayside.

He was just illustrating that 'We are also lucky today there's an array of fearless women across the political spectrum.' I think, @timenowplease - I suspect he all too often comes up against people pretending there aren't.

Wheelbarrow balls, that man.

And NO, do not feed that into AI!

Yes, I suppose it's good to say it out loud.

I am not on Twitter/X whatever - it was MN that put this issue on my radar.

Very happy to be a feisty Terf Island native.

I wonder why he felt to make this distinction?

I thought that was odd too. Is the only "right wing" person he could think of an ex Labour supporter who used to be a prolific commenter in the Guardian (which was presumably her newspaper of choice at the time)?

With that in mind, I hope schools are taking notice of this, because at some point someone is going to challenge a school for forcing beliefs.

At the moment it feels like there is a situation where legally adults have this right to tell the truth, but children perhaps don't.

At the point that breaks, it will be interesting.

❤️ Malcolm and ❤️ Clara

This is why it is so important to speak and to speak loudly and proudly

the more people who talk about this in their day to day lives the better - for example - having these conversations in the AIBU on this site!

This happened because normal thinking people were shamed into keeping quiet by ideologues and activists

we should all proudly say a woman cannot become a man, men shouldn't be in womens sports - everything - all day long

I'm having a difficult week and it's truly made me feel a lot better to read this thread. It's wonderful to feel some hope about all of this.

On another thread, somebody posted a link to a fantastic report about the risks (to the company) of management encouraging a 'gender affirmative' work culture. The tide has truly turned and the people who have spoken publicly about this are heroes. I genuinely think they'll go down in history. Ironically, the right side of history!

It felt jarring I think because we're so used to women being labelled (often by men) as goodies and baddies . Like our resident scolders always looking for an opportunity to smear certain women.
Once I realised that I liked it - because this is a fight that transcends narrow political partisanship as it affects all women everywhere - and our children.

I've read it again just for sheer pleasure 😊

Great :-)

May I also add the name Marguerite Stern to the list of amazing women. A French woman with a very feisty history, who is currently and constantly targeted by trans activists. I looked her up and she's quite something!