Thank you. It was such a RELIEF to hear this discussed on the BBC in this way. It felt extraordinary to hear people using the terms "male" and "female" and accurate pronouns without hesitation or censorship.
I'll never forgive the BBC for obscuring the complexities of this debate. They have frightened me more than any other contributor to it - they've shown me how vulnerable freedom of speech and democracy are. The BBC, of all things, have shown that! They should be utterly ashamed.
And as for Tatchell's, "Well, one TW I know says they're an awful lot weaker"?! I honestly thought he'd do better than that, at least. It just sounded... well, I'm fighting not to use Kathleen Stock's word of the moment, because, seriously, who wouldn't listen to that and think, "You don't say. But what's that got to do with anything?!" Does he not understand that somewhat-weaker-than-before-male does not equate to female? Does he not hear how childishly simplistic that sounds? And how utterly offensive? And to present it so very weakly, with that peevish little, "Well, why does that one person say that"? Tone, content, the emotive focus on one person sez? It felt like playground bickering at teacher for calmly saying break's over now.
And so good to hear trans men's ongoing participation in female sport highlighted. That gives the lie to male demands for inclusion, and highlights the inbuilt misogyny in the ideology, in one fell swoop. No one was thinking of them 'til now, were they? And, meanwhile, they weren't demanding extraordinary concessions for themselves, either, but just quietly getting on with things. It really sums it all up.