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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Disability Rights: 50% of trans people are disabled

205 replies

Pluvia · 27/04/2025 13:53

The full statement is here:
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disability-rights-uk-opposes-uk-supreme-court-ruling-‘biological-sex’?srsltid=AfmBOooL_DLt2ICsIzkNI8RfYmVptrvAcV4Z6sTZCnqR3o97kzFnwEFH

The opening paragraph is this:
Disability Rights UK is deeply saddened by the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that declares trans women are not 'biological women'. As part of a movement that has always called for ‘nothing about us without us’ – we’re particularly concerned by the court’s exclusion of Trans voices in their decision, and their failure to be led by the lived experience of one of society’s most silenced groups. Decisions about any group’s rights should never be made without the involvement of those most impacted.

Later it says:
Around half of Trans people are also Disabled. Government policies already place disproportionate barriers on accessing vital healthcare, and now this ruling also erodes their protections against discrimination.

Can it really be true that half the T population is disabled? All those strapping young men and women who've turned out to hiss and spit and threaten over the years would suggest otherwise. So would the huge, angry TW who has cut a decimating swathe through every woman-only service in my area, or the men in pink at last week's trans rights march moaning about the loos at Waterloo.

Is this lining up disabled loos for TWs?

Disability Rights UK opposes the UK Supreme Court ruling on ‘biological sex’ | Disability Rights UK

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disability-rights-uk-opposes-uk-supreme-court-ruling-%E2%80%98biological-sex%E2%80%99?srsltid=AfmBOooL_DLt2ICsIzkNI8RfYmVptrvAcV4Z6sTZCnqR3o97kzFnwEFH

OP posts:
Pluvia · 29/04/2025 08:57

Many of us on Feminism Sex and Gender are only here for the discussions on this board. We may occasionally stray into AIBU for a random post, but this board is the one that brought us here and we tend to know what we're talking about.

OP posts:
ItisntOver · 29/04/2025 09:13

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 07:48

@MarieDeGournay I didn't imply you were lying, I genuinely found it hard to believe that someone taking part in discussions on this board had not seen many examples of TRAs laying claim to disabled toilets.

Taking part in A discussion that came up on Active and commenting on disability. I genuinely find it hard to believe that you think "this board" is the only thing people read - or even that people choose to read it routinely.

Raises hand as one who does that and resembles Pluvia’s description.

Kindersurprising · 29/04/2025 09:42

badskinkid · 29/04/2025 03:48

I know it's probably unlucky to make that comment on a thread where someone with disabling eczema, admittedly rare, would see it, but still:

Eczema very much can be a disability if you have it so severely you need regular antibody injections, have suffered a lifetime of infections and antibiotics, fail to hold down a job due to constant pain and doctor's appointments, months of steroid withdrawal, insomnia from ceaseless itching, never-ending open sores across your full body, and you cannot regularly use a shower due to the pain. There has also been shown to be a significant psychological impact on sufferers. So let's maybe not play the "disabled can mean anything these days" game when you don't actually understand how chronic illness can impact people.

I know most people don't consider it, so this really isn't getting at you in particular, it just really bothers me still that people throw these "mild" illnesses around as an example of a fake disability when I know from experience just how disabling it can really be. This is exactly why other disabled people on this thread have been saying not to make assumptions about what any one person's disability does and does not entail.

Edited

Of course I do, I am chronically ill. But in 99% of cases eczema is not a disability. Let’s be clear and not play the ‘everything is as severe as each other’ game because it’s what has lead to this mess.

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 10:42

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 07:48

@MarieDeGournay I didn't imply you were lying, I genuinely found it hard to believe that someone taking part in discussions on this board had not seen many examples of TRAs laying claim to disabled toilets.

Taking part in A discussion that came up on Active and commenting on disability. I genuinely find it hard to believe that you think "this board" is the only thing people read - or even that people choose to read it routinely.

Still determined to pick a fight with me, eh?
I take it it's a 'no' to my offer of a truce and a handshake given that we both so passionately believe in the rights of disabled people, and in particular that accessible toilets are only for disabled people..
Oh well..😑

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 10:43

And that is fine and your choice. It doesn't change that me and others don't. You don't own "feminism" or the board, and whether you know what you are talking about is an opinion that not everyone shares or shares in the same way. Pretty sure that I have been a feminist since before most of you were born, and fought for many of the things that are often now taken for granted. I accept that views on many things will be different - and that is to be expected. But when able-bodied people stray into disability and start giving away the things we have fought for, I will not stay silent any more than I will stay silent in people try to take away what we have fought for.

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 10:44

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 10:42

Still determined to pick a fight with me, eh?
I take it it's a 'no' to my offer of a truce and a handshake given that we both so passionately believe in the rights of disabled people, and in particular that accessible toilets are only for disabled people..
Oh well..😑

You seem to be determined to take it personally. I am not having a fight. I am experessing an opinion on a thread. I have responded to a number of people, and I really don't care about whether comments are yours or not.

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 10:50

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 10:43

And that is fine and your choice. It doesn't change that me and others don't. You don't own "feminism" or the board, and whether you know what you are talking about is an opinion that not everyone shares or shares in the same way. Pretty sure that I have been a feminist since before most of you were born, and fought for many of the things that are often now taken for granted. I accept that views on many things will be different - and that is to be expected. But when able-bodied people stray into disability and start giving away the things we have fought for, I will not stay silent any more than I will stay silent in people try to take away what we have fought for.

You make many assumptions about me.

I think it's likely I've been a feminist as long as you have.
I have not 'strayed into disability'.
I am disabled.
I think and live and act and struggle and post on MN as a disabled radical lesbian feminist.

I enthusiastically agree with your statement that
I will not stay silent any more than I will stay silent in people try to take away what we have fought for.

I try to do that with respect.

KnottyAuty · 29/04/2025 11:05

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 10:44

You seem to be determined to take it personally. I am not having a fight. I am experessing an opinion on a thread. I have responded to a number of people, and I really don't care about whether comments are yours or not.

No I don’t think @MarieDeGournay is the only one taking offence to some of your sweeping generalisations while telling us off for our perceived generalisations. If you’ve not been on these threads the expected behaviour is good humoured debate. I’d love to hear more of your POV but not if you’re going to be so strident [bows out]

UrsulasHerbBag · 29/04/2025 11:19

The subject of the conversation was the disability rights charity making a blanket statement about trans people not disabled trans people. For a charity that is supposed to be fighting for the rights of disabled people I would prefer they focussed on our rights, needs and our visibility in society before they put their resources into other groups.
“But when able-bodied people stray into disability and start giving away the things we have fought for, I will not stay silent any more than I will stay silent in people try to take away what we have fought for.”
Exactly. Don’t assume the women here are able bodied and have a lesser voice than you.

BlueTitShark · 29/04/2025 11:44

Pluvia · 29/04/2025 08:57

Many of us on Feminism Sex and Gender are only here for the discussions on this board. We may occasionally stray into AIBU for a random post, but this board is the one that brought us here and we tend to know what we're talking about.

Hmm… it’s also a place where you can’t actually express an opinion different from ‘THE LINE’ because clearly, if you do, you don’t know what you’re talking about….

Except that, if anything, this thread is showing that feminism is nowhere all inclusive. Inclusive of disability for example. Or lesbians etc….

Plus I’m sorry, but if you ‘know what you’re talking about’, truly do, then spend time explaining your point clearly instead of insulting people, which is far too common on these threads.

Im on this thread because I’m disabled. And there are many answers that have deeply disturbed me.
Your answer somehow says it all about the ‘culture’ within the Feminism threads.

BaileySharp · 29/04/2025 12:06

The trans people i know (one MtF, one FtM) both were technically disabled before transitioning. One does use disabled as they did sometimes before, they look to male for the ladies but havent had their bottom surgery so dont feel manly enough for the mens. Not sure on other i suspect they use the women's (the MtF)

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 12:14

KnottyAuty · 29/04/2025 11:05

No I don’t think @MarieDeGournay is the only one taking offence to some of your sweeping generalisations while telling us off for our perceived generalisations. If you’ve not been on these threads the expected behaviour is good humoured debate. I’d love to hear more of your POV but not if you’re going to be so strident [bows out]

And don't think that I am the only one taking offence at the attitudes towards disability on display here. I adhere to the site rules. Not the ones that you just made up to silence people that you don't want to hear from. I have seen more than enough of the toxic "good humoured debate" on these boards to usually stay away from them. I won't be responding again. Not because you think I should adhere to your rules, but because it is pointless.

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 13:09

PhilippaGeorgiou · 29/04/2025 12:14

And don't think that I am the only one taking offence at the attitudes towards disability on display here. I adhere to the site rules. Not the ones that you just made up to silence people that you don't want to hear from. I have seen more than enough of the toxic "good humoured debate" on these boards to usually stay away from them. I won't be responding again. Not because you think I should adhere to your rules, but because it is pointless.

What a disappointing reaction, but not unusual.

I've been thinking about this kind of interaction, and I think it may arise from people joining in a discussion on the Feminism: Sex and gender discussions [FS&G, formerly known as FWR] in the middle of things, possibly joining in from AIBU or, as in the case of PG, from the Disability thread.

So they come on and make statements like 'I've never heard of a TRA suggesting able-bodied trans people should use the disabled toilet' . Nobody who has followed the discussions on here would not know that that's exactly what TRAs have been doing for ages.

When they are made aware of this, they get defensive, or in the case of PG, goes on the offensive.
I've no problem with challenging ableist assumptions about what 'a disabled person' looks like, as forcefully as you like.

But making assumptions about posters and misjudging the entire nature of the discussion is what happens when you land in the middle of something and impose your own ideas of what you think all the posters on the board think.
PG was damned right to tackle the occasional ableist post, but not right to spray around assumptions about all of us.

it would be a bit like an able-bodied poster on FS&G dropping in on the Disability board and saying 'Well,I've never heard of abled-bodied people using the disabled toilet' - you can imagine the justifiably outraged reaction.

It's a pity PG is gone, because I was going to make one last good-humoured attempt to say 'pax', because she and I agree completely about disability rights.
I notice she never replied to my post where I pointed out that I'm disabled, just like she is, she replied to Pluvia instead. Interesting.

PG behaved like one of those TRA 'ploppers' who come on in the middle of a long discussion, have little awareness of the backstory or the context, assume we are all transphobic/ignorant/straight/dinosaurs or in this case all able-bodied and ableist, and then leave the discussion with a parting shot about how horrible we all are.

Although she's gone, I hope PG's posts, about how it's wrong to cast doubts on the reality of people's disabled status just because they appear to be able to carry out some activities some of the time, have struck home; and for the last time I agree with her wholeheartedly about adapted toilets being for disabled people only, although agreeing with her didn't seem to make much difference!

Pluvia · 29/04/2025 13:26

BlueTitShark · 29/04/2025 11:44

Hmm… it’s also a place where you can’t actually express an opinion different from ‘THE LINE’ because clearly, if you do, you don’t know what you’re talking about….

Except that, if anything, this thread is showing that feminism is nowhere all inclusive. Inclusive of disability for example. Or lesbians etc….

Plus I’m sorry, but if you ‘know what you’re talking about’, truly do, then spend time explaining your point clearly instead of insulting people, which is far too common on these threads.

Im on this thread because I’m disabled. And there are many answers that have deeply disturbed me.
Your answer somehow says it all about the ‘culture’ within the Feminism threads.

I'd say you're welcome to voice any opinion here on Feminism Sex and Gender if it's relevant to the board. The people who post here regularly have, in many cases, been doing so for years and are mostly female, feminist and independent thinkers who, for the last decade and more have been questioning Gender Ideology and a great many other things. Many of the posters here are specialists in their field and can quote/ post evidence to support their arguments. Many of us know far too much about trans issues and gender ideology than we would like, but it's a battle that's been brought to us, not one that we started.

If you can voice your opinion clearly and support your argument with decent quality evidence rather than yelling, you'll do well here. I'm a lesbian and though not currently what I'd call disabled, am certainly heading in that direction. I'm also a radical feminist. I don't see the problems that you do, clearly.

If there have been responses here that deeply disturb you, the best thing to do would be to take it up with the people who voiced them.

OP posts:
MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 15:20

Pluvia · 29/04/2025 13:26

I'd say you're welcome to voice any opinion here on Feminism Sex and Gender if it's relevant to the board. The people who post here regularly have, in many cases, been doing so for years and are mostly female, feminist and independent thinkers who, for the last decade and more have been questioning Gender Ideology and a great many other things. Many of the posters here are specialists in their field and can quote/ post evidence to support their arguments. Many of us know far too much about trans issues and gender ideology than we would like, but it's a battle that's been brought to us, not one that we started.

If you can voice your opinion clearly and support your argument with decent quality evidence rather than yelling, you'll do well here. I'm a lesbian and though not currently what I'd call disabled, am certainly heading in that direction. I'm also a radical feminist. I don't see the problems that you do, clearly.

If there have been responses here that deeply disturb you, the best thing to do would be to take it up with the people who voiced them.

Well said, Pluvia.

I would just add that when people like BlueTitShark and PhilippaGeorgiou complain that they aren't allowed express their own opinions here, I think it would be more accurate to say their own facts, and as the old saying goes, they are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

Arriving with a dearth of facts in the middle of a long-running discussion - like PG saying that she had never heard of able-bodied TRAs demanding to use the disabled toilet - leaves the 'ploppers' exposed to a range of responses, some more patient than others.

It's hard to find a 'kind' way to say 'You're entitled to your opinions, but those are not opinions, they are incorrect facts. You really don't know what you are talking about, because there are pages and pages of stats and facts and figures available on this topic, which you obviously have never seen, whereas we have.' Awkward!😒

In the case of PG it's complicated by the fact that her anger at able-bodied people judging what is and is not a 'real' disability was justified, but even when I tried to agree with her, I was just another brick in the wall of ableism.

BlueTitShark also expresses things that are factually incorrect, and she would know they were incorrect if she had read a bit more on this board:
Except that, if anything, this thread is showing that feminism is nowhere all inclusive. Inclusive of disability for example. Or lesbians etc….

Are we supposed to say 'That's your opinion, and you are completely entitled to it' when in fact it is factually incorrect, as BlueTitShark would know if she was aware of the lesbians, disabled women, an even <gasp!> disabled lesbians! who post on here.

It's almost as if PG and BTS aren't interested in facts, and stayed just long enough to voice their opinion of the feminism on this board - entirely straight and entirely able-bodied, according to them - before heading off to repeat that ill-founded but unchanged opinion elsewhere.

KnottyAuty · 29/04/2025 15:40

Well that’s a shame. I wasn’t sure but I decided I’d take PG’s advice and do a formal report. The authorities can judge. I’d have expected to get flamed for shopping someone but I’ve learned something new. I would have liked to understand her other points a bit more but I couldn’t “hear” through all the angry bits. Shame

(ETA I’ve had to develop the hide of a rhino due to DS’ issues which everyone. Literally everyone. Thinks they know better on!)

BlueTitShark · 29/04/2025 15:51

Look you might want to look back at the many threads on the feminist board and how you react to people. By shutting them down.

It’s something that has been raised many times. Not by me btw! 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

The fact you’re getting upset about it and feel it’s ok to come up saying you hold THE truth and all the reasons why says a lot about you.

But what I noticed is the way disabled people have been brushed aside once again. What I noticed is the ableist talk on here (yes including towards trans people).
And it’s crap because the way you speak about transpeople reverberate on disabled people too. And I dont agree either that.

WinterBones · 29/04/2025 15:56

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 15:20

Well said, Pluvia.

I would just add that when people like BlueTitShark and PhilippaGeorgiou complain that they aren't allowed express their own opinions here, I think it would be more accurate to say their own facts, and as the old saying goes, they are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

Arriving with a dearth of facts in the middle of a long-running discussion - like PG saying that she had never heard of able-bodied TRAs demanding to use the disabled toilet - leaves the 'ploppers' exposed to a range of responses, some more patient than others.

It's hard to find a 'kind' way to say 'You're entitled to your opinions, but those are not opinions, they are incorrect facts. You really don't know what you are talking about, because there are pages and pages of stats and facts and figures available on this topic, which you obviously have never seen, whereas we have.' Awkward!😒

In the case of PG it's complicated by the fact that her anger at able-bodied people judging what is and is not a 'real' disability was justified, but even when I tried to agree with her, I was just another brick in the wall of ableism.

BlueTitShark also expresses things that are factually incorrect, and she would know they were incorrect if she had read a bit more on this board:
Except that, if anything, this thread is showing that feminism is nowhere all inclusive. Inclusive of disability for example. Or lesbians etc….

Are we supposed to say 'That's your opinion, and you are completely entitled to it' when in fact it is factually incorrect, as BlueTitShark would know if she was aware of the lesbians, disabled women, an even <gasp!> disabled lesbians! who post on here.

It's almost as if PG and BTS aren't interested in facts, and stayed just long enough to voice their opinion of the feminism on this board - entirely straight and entirely able-bodied, according to them - before heading off to repeat that ill-founded but unchanged opinion elsewhere.

i think you're being a little bit disingenuous with what BlueTitShark said, after all, there were a few of us prompted to post after a seemingly able bodied poster on here declared it was ok for Trans Folk to use the disabled bathrooms.

They may only be one poster, but they are representative of a small group of feminists who aren't being intersectional and considering the plight of disabled women who may well now have to put the battle armour on to protect ourselves and our rights as disabled people.

I'm happy for the supreme court decision.. i am not happy that people seem to think that the disabled loo is an acceptable alternative third option for trans folk who are, on a whole, able bodied.

HelenHywater · 29/04/2025 15:57

The charity sector is completely captured by this and this isn't the only (non-trans focused) charity to post about the SC ruling. Disability Rights mission is to support/campaign for disabled people not to make blanket statements about trans people. You don't see them posting about other causes where there may be a cross-over with disabled people. They do have plenty of things they should be focusing their energies on.

BlueTitShark · 29/04/2025 16:23

BlueTitShark also expresses things that are factually incorrect, and she would know they were incorrect if she had read a bit more on this board:
Except that, if anything, this thread is showing that feminism is nowhere all inclusive. Inclusive of disability for example. Or lesbians etc….

Now my take on the feminist board position of trans people…. (I’ll ignore the dig about ‘reading more threads on here’ as if this was the only source of information 😂😂😂)

For many years, the idea was that transwomen shouldn’t be in women’s toilets. No discussion about the difference between self identified and those who had surgery. The really recent ‘converts’ and those who have had surgery 30 years ago. The push has always been to take men out of women’s toilets.

What hasnt been there? One question: once this is in place what will happen?

Because there has been no thought about other groups involved, the consequences haven’t been thought out.

1- only women in women toilets. How are we going to know who is a woman and not a man in a dress? Can you tell?
The real world is saying that lesbians are been told to get out or have to prove Theyre women because ‘they don’t pass’. It’s been said for a while despite the many claims on here that ‘it is so obvious. You just have to look at the Adam apple’ etc… In reality, those who are questioned are often ‘male looking’ lesbians.
And then of course, you also have trans men. Who are supposed to now be in women’s toilets right? Again, how do you know if Theyre transmen and not a more feminine looking man?
How are you supposed to police that and implement it? How is that supposed to make women safer??
Do you really think that if these ideas had been put together with gay and lesbians they woukd have created a situation where homosexuals are more likely to be questioned??
It doesn’t even solve the issue if men looking people in women’s toilets. Rather it creates tension. Are you a woman or a woman dressed as a man? Can you prove it? Putting all the responsibility onto a category of women. But I suppose that’s ok and no big deal vs safety of women right?

2- as transpeople, of both sexes, are pushed outside the usual toilets, where are they going to go?
Lots of talks about single sex toilets, how dangerous they are. How there should be gaps at the bottom of doors etc…
Plus ofc Theres reality. No way anyone (workplace, public buildings etc…) are going to have single sex toilets on the top the normal ones when it’s taken years of advocacy to get disabled toilets??
So what’s happening? Disabled toilets are now also the reasonable answer to the trans issue.
Again, if people had sat down with disabled groups, do you think they’d have agreed to that?
But I suppose it takes transwomen out of women toilets. So problem solved right?

And that’s wo going into the whole ‘trans people are just faking being disabled’ etc… seeing in this thread which feeds into the whole rethorics about benefit scroungers and disabled people aren’t really disabled etc….

Does it mean I think transwomen should use women loos in all cases? Nope.
That transwomen should be in female category in sorts? Nope

But don’t come and tell me you were thinking of how other groups, who have needs conflicting with the implementation of the ‘all or nothing’ approach have been considered.
Thats what I mean about not being considered. It’s having such a tunnel vision, very black and white thinking that anyone else needs are pushed aside. It’s not involving them.

For your information, the same thing is happening when it comes to disability right and/or accommodations. Often thought out by abled who have no direct experience and either no input of the disabled community.
And then when it doesn’t work? It’s disabled people being awkward.
In reality, it’s simply ableism at play and the felling that ‘I know better than you and I have THE truth/solution’ (oh it reminds me something….)

BottleBlondeMachiavelli · 29/04/2025 16:30

AnotherAngryAcademic · 27/04/2025 15:04

Yes, this is my position as well. And I find the idea that one can “identify” as disabled as offensive as the idea that one can “identify” as a woman.

Absolutely.

As if I would be stupid enough to “identify into”this level of pain and dysfunction.

Disability Rights UK can sod off too. Stick to the brief.

BottleBlondeMachiavelli · 29/04/2025 16:32

HelenHywater · 29/04/2025 15:57

The charity sector is completely captured by this and this isn't the only (non-trans focused) charity to post about the SC ruling. Disability Rights mission is to support/campaign for disabled people not to make blanket statements about trans people. You don't see them posting about other causes where there may be a cross-over with disabled people. They do have plenty of things they should be focusing their energies on.

Yes. There are also plenty of sane people in the charity and disability sectors doing their best to quietly sidestep the idiocy and get on with the real job. The problem is the intersectional twerps are louder.

Pluvia · 29/04/2025 16:46

BlueTitShark · 29/04/2025 15:51

Look you might want to look back at the many threads on the feminist board and how you react to people. By shutting them down.

It’s something that has been raised many times. Not by me btw! 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

The fact you’re getting upset about it and feel it’s ok to come up saying you hold THE truth and all the reasons why says a lot about you.

But what I noticed is the way disabled people have been brushed aside once again. What I noticed is the ableist talk on here (yes including towards trans people).
And it’s crap because the way you speak about transpeople reverberate on disabled people too. And I dont agree either that.

Which you are you addressing?

OP posts:
SnoozingFox · 29/04/2025 16:51

DS - not trans - has an official diagnosis of ADHD and dyspraxia, which is also called developmental coordination disorder. That allows him to tick the box on employment forms saying he has a disability.

MarieDeGournay · 29/04/2025 17:00

WinterBones · 29/04/2025 15:56

i think you're being a little bit disingenuous with what BlueTitShark said, after all, there were a few of us prompted to post after a seemingly able bodied poster on here declared it was ok for Trans Folk to use the disabled bathrooms.

They may only be one poster, but they are representative of a small group of feminists who aren't being intersectional and considering the plight of disabled women who may well now have to put the battle armour on to protect ourselves and our rights as disabled people.

I'm happy for the supreme court decision.. i am not happy that people seem to think that the disabled loo is an acceptable alternative third option for trans folk who are, on a whole, able bodied.

Edited

. i am not happy that people seem to think that the disabled loo is an acceptable alternative third option for trans folk who are, on a whole, able bodied.

Absolutely - that's what I've been saying on this and any other thread that will have me!

Oh no, it looks like another bout of totally agreeing with each other has broken out Grin
PS please take that in the light-hearted spirit it was meant , WinterBonesSmile