Metro letters page

[yint]

A bit of a back and forth on the Metro newspaper letters page on trans this past week. Starts with someone completely clueless about the FWS judgement, ends with the most condescending and entitled letter from a man who thinks he's a woman.

I'm convinced the letters editor just published this for the drama, it's ridiculous.

Good to see that there’s some debate being published tho…

Be kind to the men in frocks and ignore the women and girls then.

I saw that third one today on my lunch break, and was muttering and huffing over my salad. "My biology is no longer that of a male, darling, it is that of a woman." Piss off mate. You have no idea.

Of course, this is the Metro, maybe the editors wrote the letters themselves.

All those "my dears", could he sound any more condescending 😆

I've encountered him on social media, I'll try and dig out a link.

I follow the Metro Facebook page, for monitoring purposes, their posts are shocking; thankfully they get some great, robust comments.

Yurgh, that last one is so creepy. Operation 'Let them speak' in action.

That letter from the TIM is hilarious. He couldn’t sound more camp gay man if he tried.

I didn’t realise you could be killed by your own gender. I think I might have to lock mine in the shed at night. Who knows what might happen.

They're all written by AI or kids on work experience. Do you honestly think that anybody cares enough about a freesheet to write to it?

Modern journalism exists ONLY for eye balls. Either you’re advertising based (Metro) or subscription based (new scientist, new statesman).

the Metro deliberately print things like this FOR EYE BALLS nothing else. Don’t fall for fake controversy.

Mia, if Mia actually exists, is a patronising, mansplaining prick.

And a man.

No trans facilities? Get off your arse and campaign and fundraise, then. Like women did.

I used to be a journalist and I can assure there's no shortage of people who write in to all sorts of publications, from The Metro to The Times via The Sun

"where would you like et go when I get touched up on the street for being a woman who is transgender? To the trans specialist rape clinic and all its funding? There isn't such thing" (sic).

This argument really gets my goat.

Do you think rape clinics just sprung out of the ground fully staffed and funded? No, women had to campaign and fundraise for them! If you think there should be trans-specific services (no argument with that!) then WORK FOR THEM! Don't just come in and steal the efforts of the thousands of women/disabled people who fought for decades to get appropriate toilets/changing rooms/crisis services and commandeer them for your own, "dear."

Not to mention most women would unfortunately consider being 'touched up' (i.e. someone pinching your bum or something) on the street an unpleasant, and potentially distressing, but sadly not hugely noteworthy event - not something it would be appropriate to receive counselling at a RAPE CRISIS centre for!

Ooh, was my letter about flags in Epsom published today or yesterday? And the lack of Metro newspapers in Epsom? I'd find out myself but Metro seemed to have stopped delivering to Epsom Station for the last fortnight, which imo is a blow because it was a useful source of liberal or left-wing opinion. I've had several letters in it over the years, largely on the subject of adult social care.

I used to get letters printed in the Surrey Comet but they don't have a Letters page anymore - it was shut down in lockdown and never reactivated, while the Surrey Advertiser has never published anything I've sent in.

Mia might be living under the delusion that he’s “biologically” a woman now, but he absolutely screams pompous blowhard male in his writing style.

The funny thing is, that with all the "my dears" and "my darlings" he probably thinks he sounds like a woman, not a massively patronising (pun intended) male!

"where would you like et go when I get touched up on the street for being a woman who is transgender? To the trans specialist rape clinic and all its funding? There isn't such thing" (sic).

I literally don't GAF*, as long as you're not inserting yourself into women's facilities.

Yes, I know that sounds harsh, but I think its fair. Where are all the trans women lining up to campaign for facilities for raped women, dear?

Why does 'be kind' only ever go one way?

*Clearly, this is not the same as saying I'm glad if trans women get assaulted, or they should get assaulted, etc. I'm not. But neither is it women's problem to solve. I just can't get my head around the thinking: we want your stuff, if you don't give it to us it's your responsibility to ensure we get it another way.

No. No, it's not.

Completely agree. I'm so sick of the "but what about the poor trans women" nonsense. I personally do not give a fuck about these entitled predatory men. They can bugger off and find their own solutions.

Me, me, I wrote in to the Metro once. They even published it!

“When I get touched up on the street”. It sounds like they’ve given that some thought. It reminds me of Paris Lees enjoying being catcalled.

“When I get touched up on the street”

Ha ha, yes. Today in "Things that didn't happen, but which feed my sick fantasy of being a shexy woman..."

I thought that too. Male fantasy. Also a dismissive idea of what he thinks rape counselling services are for. Mate, find me an actual woman who hasn’t been “touched up on the street” or on a bus, train, in a nightclub or at a concert at some time or another.