The Gender Dissidents SurveyI am a health visitor with a caseload all under 5. Seeing children in this age category social transition concerns me greatly. I have not came across this professionally but it is possible in the future, my own personal opinion is at odds with NHS policy.
I’ve spoken with colleagues but we all feel unable to speak up due to fear of repercussions. I have only discussed with trusted colleagues after testing the water.
M
I fundamentally believe that individuals who experience dysphoria and distress due to issues with their biological sex and how they feel about it, must be given access to appropriate forms of support and assistance to allow them to understand the causes of that distress and move on with their lives. This is not happening in any meaningful way before these individuals are sent down a medical pathway which does not resolve their distress nor address its psychological causes.
I am suspicious of the politicisation and co-opting of this issue by fringe groups who seek to infringe women’s hard-won civil liberties and protections; and I deplore the actions of former gay rights organisations (e.g. Stonewall) which, rather than disbanding after social equality for us was achieved recently, has embraced the political project of individuals who appear to be little more than men’s rights activists cosplaying as women.
I work with autistic young people, and I am aware that this group is vulnerable to the influence of ‘transgender’ activism insofar as confusion over sexuality interacts with rigid thinking (e.g. I am a boy and I like other boys, therefore I must be a girl). This has the possibility of causing real psychological and social damage to such individuals.
I am extremely concerned that ‘trans rights’ activists will not discuss their wants or concerns with wider society. Gay rights were won through openness and understanding; ‘trans rights’ (whatever these may actually BE) appear to be advanced via stealth: institutional capture; policy change; shaming of concerned voices; silencing concerned individuals by demonising them as phobic or ‘TERFs’. There also appears to be absolutely no empirical basis to this movement. Is ‘trans merely a manifestation of developmental distress (which is a natural aspect of puberty) interacting with other psychological or psychiatric factors? Is it a cultural phenomenon?
I have shared my concerns with my manager at work, and shared GC content with her. I have asked questions on Twitter (and never received an answer) of trans rights activists. I have challenged a team of researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University, who are running a survey on gay men’s sexual health, over their use of Stonewall’s unscientific terminology and highlighted this as a source of potential bias in their research.
DM, Gender sceptic from Edinburgh
I care because I am a teacher, parent and Girlguiding leader and this goes against all the safe guarding I have ever been taught. This matters to me because the safeguarding and single sex spaces exist for a reason and they are trying to be removed with no proper debate. From single sex toilet, changing and sleeping provision to irreversible medical intervention to women and girls being pushed out of sport, I care and I object to women and children and lesbians and gay people being overridden like this.
I have written to my MP and MSPs. I have taken part in the Gender Recognition Act consultations in Scotland and the wider UK and shared them with friends. I have discussed this with friends. I came to it from the idea that it was like gay rights and we should all just be nice but then I read and learnt more and was horrified. Some people I really respect still post things like “Trans Women are Women” and I can only assume they haven’t yet educated themselves properly about it because I know they are not homophobic nor anti women and children’s rights. But it is very hard to persuade them.
Some I have persuaded, others we’ve agreed to disagree for now and some have stopped being friends on social media (those I knew least). As they have been told I am a bigot for thinking like this, it makes opening the conversation harder than it ought to be. There are also many people I have not dared discuss it with (I am a teacher and Girlguiding leader) as if I openly disagree with Girlguiding, I will be removed as a leader. I admire the courage of those who have stood up to them.
As a teacher I try to keep the pupils’ minds open if it comes up (it rarely does with my subject).
Saying “I think all gender stereotypes are bad” caused some discussion though and I thought that was a safe statement. I do not think young people should do anything irreversible and hormones and “puberty blockers” are just that.
We need far more support with mental health and the wider difficulties of being a teenager in general. It’s a hard age to be.
Only a couple have stopped following me on social media. As I have a protected account I have been limited use and had limited harm.
If I were to speak out within Girlguiding, I would have to stop volunteering.
I admire those who have spoken out but haven’t done it myself as I’m scared for the consequences.
EB, Teacher, parent, Girlguiding leader
This matters to me as someone who was subjected to years of sexual abuse as a girl, as well as a lot of sexual harassment since my teens, and who has subsequently relied on single-sex spaces to get through life. I want to protect female-only spaces for all the girls and women who need and want them for whatever reason and I try to speak up because I know what it is like, when as a child you are unable to speak up for yourself.
I think that it is deeply wrong of organisations to disregard the needs of vulnerable, previously abused girls by making them choose between the trauma of sharing spaces such as changing rooms or bedrooms with males or facing the consequences of speaking up when they do not feel able or ready to.
Girls’ trust in others’ ability to safeguard them will be diminished.
I have campaigned by handing out leaflets. I requested to speak to a long-established women’s group who then invited me to present the issue. Following my presentation the group expressed deep concerns about the situation. I have written to my MP and then met and discussed it with him twice – he was fairly dismissive of my concerns of the first visit and chose to centre the needs of one group over the needs of others. On our second meeting he was very rude to my friend who had come to support me. I have helped with women’s groups and with children’s safeguarding groups who have been campaigning. A photo of me, but not my name, has appeared in a main stream newspaper and also appeared in a less main stream media outlet.
I have had a very small amount of verbal aggression in public and have also been shouted at when attending meetings. When an organisation that I was involved with held a meeting, the Grade 1 listed building was graffitied with the words ‘T*RFS F*CK OFF’ which was designed to intimidate attendees. A photo of me appeared in a non-mainstream media outlet where the position of safeguarding group I support was inaccurately linked alongside far-right groups. I have not yet had any issues with my work but this is mainly because I have been very careful about keeping my work life, as a hospital-based nurse (RGN) separate from my campaigning. I have no doubt that if they were linked then someone would try to have me removed.
C
I care because I see the need for sex based recording, security & resourcing. We need to be able to have balanced, caring conversations in order to find solutions that respect lived experiences, fears & needs. Transwomen are important & in need of support, but they are not women. Also concerned that this ‘solution’ to gender dysphoria is not easy, simple or effective.
Why aren’t we helping people to be happy with who they are?
I have used social media to amplify GC accounts, tried to have conversations with people who think GC is the enemy, talked to feminists who only saw the trans perspective & shared concerns & examples of behaviours that damage both women & girls & transwomen. I regularly report accounts which are abusive to women & use hate speech.
I am on a block list & regularly find that accounts which used to be mutual have blocked me. I feel unable to speak because the conversation is abusive & accepts no nuance or need for discussion. I’m a middle aged peri menopausal feminist with teenage children, male & female – my perspective is not represented by any of the conversations I see.
Al, Solution driven
I care because children’s well-being is at stake and they are the future of our society!
I have spoken up, written to MPs, DofE, written for medical journals.
I have not had any negative consequences so far but am aware it is always a significant possibility.
Julie, Parent, Paediatrician, School Governor
This matters to me because I’m a medical doctor who swore to do no harm and to protect general public from harmful ideologies and political influences that seek to harm and profit from their healthcare. Because I saw the medical scandal unfold and institutions being complicit. Because I’m a rape survivor and a refugee, and I know first hand how important single sex spaces are to the safety of women and girls.
I’ve written extensively from a medical, feminist, ethical and philosophical perspectives. I submitted responses to all the relevant enquiries.
I petitioned politicians and medical regulatory bodies. I collaborated with colleagues to reverse damaging guidances from various medical institutions world-wide.
I have experienced worsening of my physical and mental health symptoms due to highly threatening and inflammatory environment transactivists have created and I have to take regular breaks from all this in order to keep well. None of this would be necessary in a respectful debate, which I normally quite enjoy.
la scapigliata, doctor, radical feminist
I care because women as a sex class are fundamentally different to men and the language used recently erases these differences.
The reason women face sexism is due to us having the majority of the reproductive burden and to suggest men could claim to be a woman and face the same thing minimises it.
Finally, I worry for the long term effects that this ideology will have on children as no enough research has been done in this area.
I have spoken to some friends and family regarding these issues, particularly the effects on children. I follow many gender critical people/organisations/communities to stay up to date and educated on the topic.
When speaking to one family member about the topic, I barely scratched the surface before they started calling me a “TERF” and saying they were disappointed in me. I haven’t touched on the topic with my family since.
L
This matters to me because my eldest son was very gender non conforming. He had an all-female friendship group at school; hated sport; did four dance classes a week; wore bright colours and nail varnish; and dressed-up as female characters on World Book Day and the Golden Jubilee – he made a lovely princess!
We always told him there’s no right way to be a boy and celebrated his confidence. His two best family friends were ‘trad’ boys and they are still his best friends today. He is now 16, wears mainly black and navy and alongside his one remaining dance class, he does weight training and plans to take up American football! He’s had a girlfriend, has a diverse friendship group and loves his life as a teen boy. He is horrified when he reads about gender non conforming kids like him being told they are the really the opposite sex. When I read about Mermaids CEO Susie Green’s child, who sounded just like my son as a toddler, my heart breaks. I firmly believe that you don’t really get to know yourself until after puberty.
If an adult wishes to transition, I hope they get the best care and support but children need to be allowed to grow up without being manipulated into fulfilling someone else’s idea of what is normal.
I have written to my MP and various Labour leadership candidates; signed petitions; attended Women’s Place UK and argued gently with friends (either young women or older men in the tech industry) although most of my friendship group and their children agree with me.
A friend from my MA course challenged me about liking ‘transphobic’ tweets. We had a brief, polite discussion and she unfollowed me.
Vee, Teacher
Why so I care: so many reasons! Because it poses a seismic threat to women and children. Because it is so blatantly misogynistic. But also because it is so crazy and baseless! The sheer madness of it – I’ve never seen anything like it!
What have I done? Mainly stuff on social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Also Instagram.stories which are great because I see the same ppl looking at them – people I wouldn’t expect to be interested!
Have i faced any consequences? Yes loads. A very close friend and his husband no longer speak to me. One of my daughters is angry with me about it and refuses to talk to me about it. Other ppl.have called me mad and obsessed.
Keren, Angry old feminist
The Gender Dissidents Survey