Has anyone considered the impact on women's mental health?

[teentantrums]

I know that there is a real and compelling argument for shutting males out of female spaces as a physical safeguarding measure but I wondered whether there has been any research into what this immense change being foisted on to us is doing to women's mental health? I spoke to a young activist this week who insisted that women should just accept that trans women are women and be prepared to shower and change with them - how?? This never seems to be addressed. How are we meant to override our instincts even if we all agreed that overriding them would be good for everyone (which it clearly is not!)

On a personal level, gender ideology and the way it attempts to rewrite what being female means and the aggressiveness with which it seeks to eliminate free thought has had a very negative effect on my own mental health. And it seems that it is very difficult to even seek help regarding this as so many therapists will not discuss the issue or worse, actively assert that it is wrong not to believe TWAW. Just wondered whether the psychological impact on women is discussed at all.

It's covered a little in 'Hounded' by Jenny Lindsay - she does a great job at analysing the harms caused to women by the gender movement.

The book is really clear and readable (although you'll probably be more angry once you've read it! )

I'd add to any list of recommendations for 'literary therapy' (is that a thing?), a new book called 'The Vital Spark: Reclaim your Outlaw Energies and Find your Feminine Fire", by Jungian analyst, Lisa Marchiano.

You might have come across her on the Gender a Wider Lens podcast or at Genspect conferences.

I had followed and respected her for many years on the "This Jungian Life' podcast, and was so relieved to discover her also discussing transition and detransition through a Jungian lens.

I think she has written this book as a much needed, timely gift for all women- both the older ones fighting their 'be kind' social conditioning, and the younger ones feeling powerless and turning away from womanhood.

If you've ever read, and loved, 'Women who Run with the Wolves' by (Clarissa Pinkola Estes)- which I'd also recommend- you'll love this. And if you have any interest in the power of myth and fairy tale to tell universal truths (It's always struck me how many fairy tales are centred around female characters).

But just too, if all that's been happening has made you struggle with the conflict between how you feel, what you really believe, or k ow to be true, , and how you act.

Reading it doesn't make me feel angry or disempowered- absolutely the opposite. I have been craving something to read that makes me feel empowered - to find those things in myself that I have been witnessing so beautifully in all the women standing up that we discuss on here.

If I had a daughter, I would give it to her to read.

I am finding this particular book such an excellent antidote to the instability I've experienced like many on here, and wonderful food for the 'late onset feminist' beast that was awakened in me these last few years.

"Before there was Eve, there was Lilith" ...

What's not to love about a book that starts like that?

We've had threads about this before OP. I think it was worse when it was the era of #nodebate, where we were getting banned from Twitter ( myself included)and and other places, for saying men were men, the media was hardly reporting it at all, women were getting arrested for tweets and violent men were assaulting women trying to hold talks about this. It's much more mainstream now, the Sandie Pennie case has had massive publicity and we've had a lot of success in the courts.

But yes I agree, it's hugely worrying and depressing that this is where we are as women in 2025. Women's rights across the world seem to be going backwards...

Yes. I believe that those running rape crisis centres are now being trained to spout this line and way of thinking. Sadly, she isn't an outlier. A number of her friends are in this area and have similarly misogynistic views (esp the women, I'm afraid), and are generally extremely sneery about women who disagree, talk about fears of walking home late at night, want single sex spaces etc, erroneously claim we don't care about DV etc. They are all hardened TRAs (some trans themselves) and big fans of Judith Butler et al.

The whole area has been deliberately infiltrated with this bollocks. It is absolutely horrific and upsetting to listen to as they are very zealous. The gaslighting misogyny they spout and lack of empathy for other women makes me feel physically ill. And of course, in their self righteousness, are dealing with women who are very vulnerable.

https://millihill.substack.com/p/chimamanda-and-refusing-to-talk-about

A thoughtful post from Milli Hill.

''It is estimated that some 100 women per year are delivered into psychiatric care as a direct result of their experiences.''
The Psychological Effect on Wives and Partners of Transsexuals, Diana Aitchison, co-ordinator, Women of the Beaumont Society Gendy Conference 1998.

https://archive.fo/FgPPu

Thanks for that.

Tip of the iceberg.

And that's 'admitted into psychiatric care' - so really very severe cases. Even in 1998 you had to be pretty bad to be admitted.