BBC: Trans man says he locked himself away over period

[RoyalCorgi]

I love and value the BBC. But in what sense is this a news story? Not only is it not news (ie it is about as consequential as reporting 'Middle-aged woman says she struggles with the remote control'), it is also exceptionally stupid.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c704pngr33yo

I don't think it's great to mock someone for being ill, if they are, or for how they look, etc but it is OK, and I would argue necessary, to pick apart illogical and false claims being made in a news report, especially when they are part of an ideology currently behind changes to law, education and policies that harm women, children and gay people.

The claims being made here are nonsense, and top of that, they aren't even internally logical or consistent. Why is the BBC, which is supposed to have good standards of evidence-based, fact-checked journalism, promoting and platforming stuff that makes no sense?

Mockery or laughing at the logic fails and easily disprovable lies of gender ideology is a perfectly reasonable response to them IMO. We have satire for a reason. To highlight and challenge when something is a load of bullshit.

That doesn't mean people don't genuinely have dysphoria about their sexed body. They do and they should have help for that. And even news stories about it - no problem with that if they're factual and well-researched.

But a person being encouraged to believe they have to suffer and have every day be a terrible "battle" for them and hide at home because there are no suitable non-feminine underpants to use a pad with, is just wrong. It's not true. As PPs have said a 5-second google will find exactly what this person wants. As well as being a lie, it is deeply unhelpful to this person to encourage them to feel like a victim and to publish their claims which contradict each other and don't add up, making them look really clueless and confused.

Gender ideology is harmful and nonsensical and it's taken over previously factual, sane outlets like the BBC because so many people think it's "bigoted" not to swallow it whole, because they've been told that, by... gender ideologists. The whole situation is a circular, unevidenced mess and we should be picking it to pieces in order to move on and return to news being rational and meaningful.

You could ask the BBC 'Why does this article exist? Simply to mock him for bringing up a succession of non-problems as if they were objectively significant?'

Solutions have been given here for every point raised, from having to pretend to having a deep voice when shopping to coping with periods (which taking testosterone doesn't stop - I suppose that fact alone could justify the existence of the article, as a useful piece of information for any woman who believes that taking testosterone will literally turn her into a man.)

As far as harm is concerned, taking testosterone for non-medical reasons is potentially harmful, and breast-binding has that potential too, so have you considered self-harm?

There are also wider definitions of harm, which could also be taken into consideration, such as the effect of someone imposing their unsubstantiated definitions of sex, and far-reaching demands based on those definitions, on their community and the wider society,

But basically, it is Jay-Harley's own words that are doing the most harm.

I have sympathy with those who feel they are in the wrong body, but this sort of self-absorption is a bit of a pain. I am in the wrong body - the one I have does not work properly and I am plagued with pain and and physical limitations - but I don't go off into a mood about it - I just get on with life.

If you feel you are in the wrong body and want to act as the other gender, then just get on with it. That is fine - it won't be perfect, but (I will let you into a secret) life ain't. End of.

You think seriously mentally ill people can't have intent and purpose? You must have led a sheltered life. Lucky you.

fully female and I’m wearing boxer-brief style period pants right now. Highly absorbent and super comfortable. No uncomfortable elastic or chafing. Almost all the pairs I own are nice neutral colors because they don’t show through clothing, though I will pick up a garish color on clearance because I love a perfectly functional bargain.

..coping with periods (which taking testosterone doesn't stop..

Actually in this case it has stopped them, so Jay-Harley doesn't face this "problem" any more. From the BBC story:

"After taking testosterone, (Jay-Harley) said: "I'm very lucky my periods have stopped, but they could come back, I won't know or have any warnings."

As to breast-binding having the potential for harm, in this case it's not just potential, it's actual harm. Jay-Harley wore a binder for up to 18 hours a day which lead to bumps developing on Jay-Harley's ribs from the compression. That's also in the BBC story.

There is no need to be patronising.

You said "suggest that people struggling with dysphoria do considerable harm to those around them, and that empowering themselves to be coercive and controlling is deliberate" which I took to mean you thought everyone with dysphoria (or anorexia) are being deliberately coercive and controlling.
Some may well be, but many are not. This does not mean that we have to accept that behaviour or disregard it because they are unwell but it guides how we treat that person.

We come down pretty hard on people who are being coercive and controlling. I don't think that would be an effective way to treat someone with anorexia.

Coming down hard may take the form of family or friends stepping back and leaving the mentally ill person in the care of professionals. Some of whom may be pretty blunt.

I am so confused, is this woman moaning because she pretends to be a man and can't find knickers that she can use because she stuff her keks with a false willie and bollocks ? Surely i have got this wrong ?

"It's terrifying to go and use a public toilet, they're not safe. You don't know who you're with," he said

So that would the Human's With Penis toilet?

And yet will be pushing an agend where with penis humans get to free access to all public toilets?

At a guess the agenda will include bullying the LA to put period products rather than male incontinence products in the mens?

Aye right

As we often say: she is free and welcome to use the ladies with the rest of us

Yes, male toilets will generally be less safe for a female... because they're full of men. That's why we have female toilets. (Or used to)

Amazingly, a female in the male toilets is at risk from the males, but when a male goes in the female toilets, it's still the females who are at risk from the male. That's because of the differences between the sexes.

No one has to be trans or identifying as the opposite sex for this to be true. As a female in the male toilet, you're more likely to encounter a dangerous offender, than if you went in the female toilet.

As someone who has worked extensively with people with serious mental illness, I can assure you that many DO exhibit deliberate, manipulative, planned and harmful behaviours. Often the result of said mental illness, but deliberate nonetheless

If you compress your ribs, you can't take a proper breath as I discovered when I was properly fitted for a bra (eg tighter than I'd ever worn). I spent a year feeling anxious for no reason until one day I went braless and floated thru the day with no anxiety. Once I realised this, it really wasn't worth the suffering in the name of aesthetics so I swapped to crop tops.

Perhaps people need to consider how the binding of breasts is not just a physical thing but can further exacerbate the sensations of anxiety that can come with mental health problems.

That's interesting @Sortumn . I need a bra but always wear one with a band that would be described as too loose. Maybe the 'rules' are wrong.

If you can't breathe properly then the bra doesn't fit. It should be tight to provide support but not so much that it affects breathing. It could be that the band is correct but the cup too small as that will make it seem tighter

Agree. Shortness of breath affects the heart rate. This can cause anxiety-like symptoms. Binders should be banned.

Gosh, I knew there was lots of evidence about the damage binders can do to ribs, skin, breasts etc, but I hadn't considered how enforcing shallow breathing would contribute to feelings of anxiety. It makes sense though - I think it's well-recognised that slowing and deepening your breathing is very effective to calm yourself down, so it's logical that the opposite could apply.

Low oxygen intake would have a knockon long term impact on the heart.
Plus i suspect the reduced mechanical.chest movement impacts circulation too.

Ladies smelling salts was a thing for a reason.

What an idiot. Trans friendly underwear??? Why can't he just wear boxers with sanpro?!Insanity.

And these physiological changes start to feel psychological. If you're body is stuck in fight, flight, freeze mode then mentally you will be too. It's a feedback loop.

It can soon result in feeling like a less resilient person.

Meanwhile, women in other parts of the world have real problems. Those in developing and emerging countries are compelled to use all sorts of inadequate and unhygienic items as sanitary protection. They have to deal with the complications and pain of menstruation in various hazardous situations, e.g. war, drought, famine.

I have no time for the self-absorbed behaviour in this article.