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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Aren’t the front pages and headlines glorious!

346 replies

SameyMcNameChange · 17/04/2025 07:23

I know there is a fair amount of bandwagon jumping, but it feels like the newspapers have finally read the room and realised that the SC ruling is welcomed by FAR more people than it disappoints. And so the front pages have smiling faces and headlines that would never have been published before.

Even, for example, the Metro which has had a pretty shocking record before has a pretty clear headline and a picture of smiling women.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czd3jg60q4no

Front pages of The Times and the Daily Mail for 17 April

Newspaper headlines: 'Victory for women' and 'equity policies in chaos'

Thursday's front pages lead on the Supreme Court's ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czd3jg60q4no

OP posts:
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TertiaryAdjunctofUnimatrix01 · 17/04/2025 11:35

FeralWoman · 17/04/2025 08:20

It’s made it to Australia too. It was one of the first stories tonight on Channel 10 5pm news. It was before any mention of any politicians, even though we have a federal election coming up in about a fortnight. The story was very careful to be as neutral as possible.

I was disappointed to hear them say trans exclusionary radical feminists. Not TERFs but the full term.

Still, it’s good that the news has covered it. They mentioned that it remains to be seem what the worldwide impact of the ruling is, or something like that.

As Gender and Gender Identity have replaced Sex in the Aus Anti Discrimination Act (thanks, Julia Gillard!), it would have to be rewritten again. And what with the Women’s Commissioner not knowing what a woman is, and the Tickle v Giggle judge claiming in his ruling that sex can be changed - there’s a long way to go yet… Still, some glimmerings of hope I guess.

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

NotBadConsidering · 17/04/2025 11:40

According to the wide range of trans activists across various platforms, this ruling is either genocide or a complete non-entity that isn’t going to change anything because no one is going to be checking. The fact these two positions exist from the same side shows how absolutely nonsensical their cause is.

It’s hilarious.

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 11:41

Has anyone looked how the international press reported this? I saw an article in Spigel+ (where they called the UK "England" in the few sentences I could reacd) but I can't access it.

MarkWithaC · 17/04/2025 11:44

I enjoyed this piece in the Guardian; basically toys being thrown out of prams https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/16/supreme-court-definition-woman-judges-law

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 11:44

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

Look, I'm a biologist, MSc, PhD, two postdocs, research career for the past 30ish years, and I have been part of this conversation since the first time someone claimed that sex isn't binary and it's more complex, blah and without fail, the moment a TRA uses the word "nuanced" what follows is utter bollocks.

akkakk · 17/04/2025 11:46

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

Fortunately no-one is left in the wilderness - we just have clarity established on what has always been the law / common sense / biological fact / etc.

This hand-wringing and pretending that suddenly a sector of society is cast adrift with no home is of course nonsense - let's clarify it for those who haven't worked it out:

Man = man
Transwoman = man
Woman = woman
Transman = woman

everyone else - look up your birth certificate (assuming you haven't changed it!) - the doctors do a good job at identifying your sex when you are born and as it can't change - that is what you are still...

and as everyone is either man or woman - society is beautifully constructed to meet your needs - we have male and female toilets / schools / dormitories / sports teams / etc. some things we do together, but if we do things separately (e.g. sport where being a man gives you an advantage over women physically) then whatever you were born - your biological sex - that is your group

so there is no group without a home - transwomen (still shouting the loudest!) have a home with all other men - and we welcome them - you can be part of our teams / use our loos / sleep in our dormitories / go to our schools / join our groups - because you are men and so are we - we welcome you - you will never be homeless.

Oblomov25 · 17/04/2025 11:54

What took them so long?

RhymesWithOrange · 17/04/2025 11:58

The protected characteristic of gender reassignment still remains. People with a GRC have the same protection from discrimination and harassment as they ever did. The ruling simply clarifies who is included in protections given to people by dint of their sex.

Women should be relieved. People with a GRC will be fine, and if they aren't they should campaign for whatever they need (although not at the expense of women).

Perverts and chancers should be worried.

flyingbuttress43 · 17/04/2025 12:07

To be fair the Telegraph has campaigned on this issue for a very long time, but of course as it's seen as the Torygraph it never got the kudos it deserves from many left-leaning people.

On a different note, it's interesting to see how the TRAs are swerving their argument. Suddenly they are talking about trans men and toilets. Where were they before - mostly invisible? If not that then it's a right wing plot because Trump....they really are clutching at straws.

findingnibbles · 17/04/2025 12:14

Puttinginthemiles · 17/04/2025 09:54

The Independent headlines today are a disgrace. No mention of the clarity this brings and the potential positive impact on women's safety, dignity and comfort in any of their four headlines.

Have added photo which will be added after review by MN I guess.

Love that the definitive quote they published was from a man. I like the GLP but they’ve got it wrong on this.

Also – why does it have to entail fewer rights for trans people? I think it’s important trans people do have rights and protections, but it doesn’t mean the difference between sex and gender needs to be collapsed.

Darker · 17/04/2025 12:16

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 11:44

Look, I'm a biologist, MSc, PhD, two postdocs, research career for the past 30ish years, and I have been part of this conversation since the first time someone claimed that sex isn't binary and it's more complex, blah and without fail, the moment a TRA uses the word "nuanced" what follows is utter bollocks.

That is a very - VERY- unscientific response.

Arseynal · 17/04/2025 12:21

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

What nuanced understanding of sex do we need?

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 12:22

Darker · 17/04/2025 12:16

That is a very - VERY- unscientific response.

If you say so, it's also entirely true.

DialSquare · 17/04/2025 12:24

I’m still buzzing from it all. I always knew we were right but feel particularly vindicated now. And Arsenal beating Real Madrid again was the icing on the cake!

Shetlands · 17/04/2025 12:26

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

Wilderness? What do you mean by that?

Greyskybluesky · 17/04/2025 12:28

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 11:41

Has anyone looked how the international press reported this? I saw an article in Spigel+ (where they called the UK "England" in the few sentences I could reacd) but I can't access it.

A report in Tagesspiegel here if you read German, somewhat hidden away in their "Queer" section 🙄Unsurprisingly it focuses on the trans perspective, not women's.

Headline:
'Supreme Court Ruling: Transwomen are not legally considered women in the UK. Only "biological women" are protected in the Equality Act.'

https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/queerspiegel/urteil-des-obersten-gerichtshofes-trans-frauen-gelten-in-grossbritannien-rechtlich-nicht-als-frauen-13550743.html

JennyForeigner · 17/04/2025 12:29

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

Law drafted for 'nuance' is bad law. We don't write the law around feelings, subjective stances, strawman or special interest groups. Writing law for feelings distorts the judgement. And what a shockingly clear and obvious point of judgement this was.

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 12:35

Thanks @Greyskybluesky I do read German.
That is such a biased article, and the comments, blimey.

AprilshowersOnandOnforHoursandHours · 17/04/2025 12:41

Puttinginthemiles · 17/04/2025 09:54

The Independent headlines today are a disgrace. No mention of the clarity this brings and the potential positive impact on women's safety, dignity and comfort in any of their four headlines.

Have added photo which will be added after review by MN I guess.

I’m on the email mailing list for Independent Women, sent out by The Independent. I’m not sure if it’s acceptable to quote the whole of the comment from the Voices editor, Victoria Richards, but here are the first and last phrases in the opening paragraph:

It's never been harder to be a woman...

a startling Supreme Court ruling has effectively outlawed and excluded trans women from all public spaces.

Darker · 17/04/2025 12:45

JennyForeigner · 17/04/2025 12:29

Law drafted for 'nuance' is bad law. We don't write the law around feelings, subjective stances, strawman or special interest groups. Writing law for feelings distorts the judgement. And what a shockingly clear and obvious point of judgement this was.

Law is an artificial construct. It isn’t a measure of what is true. Law made homosexuality illegal, until society recognised that the law was inhumane and changed it to reflect a better understanding of human sexuality.

There are plenty of responses on here that show that many people believe that this is a simple matter of biology, and anyone who experiences their gender differently can be dismissed as talking rubbish or lying.

Rights come with responsibilities. The law needs to reflect that.

Fenlandia · 17/04/2025 12:46

Darker · 17/04/2025 11:36

In answer to the OP, no. It’s horrible.

We need proper solutions based on a deeper and more nuanced understanding of gender/sex. Not rulings that leave a minority in the wilderness.

This ruling has clarified that trans men are covered by statutory maternity protections regardless of whether they have a GRC or not. That is good news for that particular minority.

AccidentallyWesAnderson · 17/04/2025 12:48

Darker · 17/04/2025 12:45

Law is an artificial construct. It isn’t a measure of what is true. Law made homosexuality illegal, until society recognised that the law was inhumane and changed it to reflect a better understanding of human sexuality.

There are plenty of responses on here that show that many people believe that this is a simple matter of biology, and anyone who experiences their gender differently can be dismissed as talking rubbish or lying.

Rights come with responsibilities. The law needs to reflect that.

I’ve yet to see anyone define gender, how one experiences it, or how feeling something which is undefinable somehow makes you the sex that you’re not.

Darker · 17/04/2025 12:49

That is good news, @Fenlandia .

Although I would have been pretty shocked if that protection had been affected.

Waitwhat23 · 17/04/2025 12:49

Igneococcus · 17/04/2025 11:44

Look, I'm a biologist, MSc, PhD, two postdocs, research career for the past 30ish years, and I have been part of this conversation since the first time someone claimed that sex isn't binary and it's more complex, blah and without fail, the moment a TRA uses the word "nuanced" what follows is utter bollocks.

Yup. I'm sure we'll see the bollocks Sex Redefined article brought up next.

Aren’t the front pages and headlines glorious!