I was asked by Helleofabore a couple of weeks ago to list, in my own words, rights trans people were losing in the UK
I somewhat went beyond the original scope of that request and gave a list of ways we are currently discriminated against alongside current modes of attack to remove existing rights.
One of them was regarding 'sex by deception' legislation.
About a week later, the CPS issued a clarification that removed some of the ambiguity in the law about people who have undergone gender reassignment. I was expecting that they might be seeking to tighten the awkward case law precedents up and remove the vector by which trans people can (as is very common for marginalised groups when interacting with badly written laws) be disproportionately harmed in practice.
Instead, the CPS has seen fit to release guidance that actually makes it easier to harm trans people, and expressly provided listed examples.
It is now extremely difficult, for example, to see a scenario where (I know we don't like latin prefixes here)-passing trans women who are sexual assault survivors will be able to successfully raise a case against the men who abused them.
The law now expressly protects non-trans people who abuse trans people they don't know (or 'don't know') are transgender. It pretty much provides a roadmap for men to get away with raping us by raising counter-claims.
I'm a sexually active healthy adult and have had many partners over the years since having surgery (and some before that, though honestly that was a very long time ago and I was not a psychologically healthy person at all back due to absolutely crushing sex dysphoria so I can't imagine it was a particularly enjoyable or relaxing experience for those involved).
Since surgery, my transness just hasn't really been a relevant factor in most practical situations. I wouldn't dream of not telling someone in a sexual scenario where it would be relevant for practical physical safety reasons, and disclosure is generally a good idea in order to be able to communicate your needs and be on the same wavelength with a partner invested in you both having a good time, but (without getting too crude) I certainly haven't run into any physical difficulties there.
Given the absolute state of the world right now and the horrifying, ongoing nightmarish revelations coming out of France, the timing of the release of these amended guidelines feels extremely pointed. How can you possibly raise legitimate concerns about badly written laws that embolden rapists and perpetuate a notion that trans women - who are enormously vulnerable to abuse and incredibly unlikely to ever see justice in the courts for it - are inherently deceitful and predatory and undeserving of protection?
It may in this case just be an unfortunate accident but it is difficult not to see it in context as part of a slyly executed ongoing strategic ultimatum directed toward all trans people - especially trans women.
We must choose between safety and sexuality. We must be cloistered, guarded asexual saints untouched by worldly sin, or visible and marked as the promiscuous degenerate sex-demons that conservative media has never stopped portraying us as.
The most fiercely fought points of intense focus over the last few years are almost laser-guidedly directed toward making it practically impossible for us to assimilate into society.
If nobody is practically able to assimilate then many anti-trans attacks on our rights become much easier to justify.
Remove routes for those of us with acute, early, persistent dysphoria to actualise that assimilation; make it so that we cannot be sexually active while assimilating; remove our ability to protect ourselves from procedural breaches of privacy.
If it isn't always an active, strategic effort then it certainly looks like one, and is serving the goals of one.
This is why I give a shit. Even if it doesn't end up practically affecting me. I am not blind to what is happening here, and what has now been set in motion.