Tag: language

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Media and Arts survivor

He uses women’s facilities. He’s a danger to all young women and girls

I’m a woman and I care about women’s rights to privacy, safety, and definition as a class of people; female. When I was 16 I was groomed online to provide sexual favours for a 21 year old man who lives in the UK. He probably still has illegal photos of me.

For nearly eight years he made me believe that he loved me and we would live together. He lied to me to get close to me and use me, then throw me away when I stopped being useful to him, When I started asking hard questions. He gaslighted many women in the same way. He told me he treats all of his female friends the same way. I didn’t see him for the predator he is until he was out of my life.

He’s an invisible predator and right now he is still abusing young women and girls and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. He uses women’s facilities. He’s a danger to all young women and girls. There’s no justice for me, or my lost sanity. His collective lies drove me mad and nearly killed me for a time. I’m better now, but nothing can make up for what he put me through. I want predators like him barred from impersonating women. I want all of the women he meets to be warned of his guilt everywhere he goes. He is not a woman.

I mostly talk with my family, I comment and share things on social media. I sign petitions and write to government and some organizations to oppose gender identity.

I literally have no friends left, but one of them was my abuser, so good riddance.

Hanna, artist, writer

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law

I appreciate as a lawyer that sometimes the rights of different groups can come into conflict with each other

I care as a woman, as a lawyer, and as someone who studied physics and believes in the value of science – of independently verifiable facts. I care about the meaning of words, particularly the definition of terms used in which have a direct impact on people’s legal rights and self determination. I care about consultation in a democracy. I care about women and girls’ voices being heard and respected, as so often in the past this has not been the case. In particular I want women and lesbians to be consulted – and heard –  if there is to be a change in the accepted definition of ‘woman’ and ‘lesbian’. I have genuine compassion for those experiencing gender dysphoria. I appreciate as a lawyer that sometimes the rights of different groups can come into conflict with each other. This is not uncommon. In such situations I believe in open, rational, respectful debate as a means to find a fair and reasonable compromise. I strongly oppose bullying, shaming and ‘cancelling’ people for simply having a different view on such issues.

I have read articles and blogs and essays to try to educate myself about the issues, then spoken to trusted family and friends.

I have ‘liked’ a few tweets and articles where I have agreed with the views being expressed, and ‘followed’ those posting them, several of whom are trans women, trans men or desisters. But I tread very carefully as I am fearful of the consequences.

There are some friends and family I will not raise these issues with as I am afraid they will think – quite wrongly – that I am  transphobic. I am not.

I have recently found myself blocked by the twitter accounts of people who I do not know. I suspect I may be on a block list somewhere for ‘liking’ certain tweets of which they do not approve. It makes me sad and fearful. I will never raise the subject at work. I am too scared of the consequences as they are very heavily and publicly influenced by Stonewall.

I have tentatively spoken to two good friends outside of work who each indicated at an early stage that they disagreed with my position that trans women remain biologically male. We are all politically on the left and they seemed shocked and disappointed in me. I now avoid the subject with them. Fortunately I have other friends on the left who share my view and understand it is rooted in science and not in any way hateful. I would never wish harm on anybody. I simply want to protect the existing rights of women and girls. 

Jenn, lawyer and former scientist.

Categories
law

Training organisations and lobbying groups are providing incorrect guidance on law

I am a discrimination solicitor. i am concerned about firstly that training organisations and lobbying groups are providing incorrect guidance on the current law re equality and diversity with regard to how to address potential conflicts between rights of trans people and those of people who fall within different protected classes and the exceptions relating to sex based rights in the Equality Act. In addition with regard to proposed amendments to Gender Recognition act no proper discussion or analysis was done to consider any adverse effects of law change on who came within definition of women in s 11 Equality Act and consequently on any impact on ability to prove sex discrimination and equal pay claims

I am vocal on social media trying to put my interpretation of the law and related policy. I have spoken at the Womens Place Conference on how to properly undertake Equality Impact Assessment

I have been the subject of two formal complaints to my employers, Trustees of a respected local charity which I manage.

These resulted in correspondence and short considerations before being rejected by the Trustees. Another complaints were made to our largest funder, the National Lottery, who after considering my personal twitter feed took no action.  Finally a complaint was made to my charity’s national network group. This is despite me not making direct reference to my employer in my twitter profile. I also left a local feminist group when it was made clear that people who were gender critical were not welcome

Audrey Ludwig, Practising Solicitor

Categories
law Lesbians

I care about this issue because women’s oppression is a direct consequence of our biological sex

.  If sex is redefined to mean sex role stereotypes in language and law sex-based discrimination will not end but our linguistic and legal tools to address it will disappear. 

I have taken part in demonstrations, gone to meetings, spoken to friends, strangers and work colleagues, raised the issue at work, written letters, contributed to government consultations, written to all-party parliamentary groups etc.

I have been socially ostracised. I have lost friends, been banned from lesbian events, as well as, online and offline lesbian spaces and lost a job.

Jess Silverstone

Categories
Education Healthcare

It makes me sick to see a man on the top of the podium with two elite female athletes

I care most of all about the violation of women’s sports with the entry of males. It makes me sick to see a man on the top of the podium with two elite female athletes alongside. All women’s spaces should be safeguarded. I also want to stop the medical transition of children, and the changing of our language. The word “woman” should stand alone to mean adult human female.

Mostly I have preached to the choir on the sidebars of other people’s tweets. I have written letters to Lambda Legal, CNN, and a Japanese journalist who wrote a slanted article for a Japanese newspaper. I didn’t hear back from any of these. I have signed petitions!  I have tried to convince my sister to no avail. I have donated to LGB alliance so my money can work for this cause.

I live in Japan, and my part time job is secure. I have such a low profile that no one takes the trouble to send unkind tweets.

Barbara, GC lesbian feminist, Japan

Categories
Education

I spoke to my political party, I was ignored

I worry about long term consequences ; safeguards, protections in law changing, blurring of definitions.

I have entered into conversations that have usually become tense and intimidating, I spoke to my political party, I was ignored. Stood my ground but listened and tried to see the other sides point.

I’ve been made to feel like a bad person, called a bigot, intimidated and threatened online, often felt like I’m shouting into the wind and being mocked by people who use quite childish and nasty tactics. And men trying to bully and silence me. It can be scary. And exhausting.

Gertz, Tired

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Others

We are losing rights to sex segregated spaces

This matters to me because the language policing of trans activism is making it harder for women to talk about their lived reality and experiences (oppression , biological issues etc) without repercussion. This matters to me because we are losing rights to sex segregated spaces , which puts women and girls at risk of sexual violence.

I have talked about the idea of “what is a woman?” on social media.

I have been accused of being transphobic and have been blocked by people who I thought were friends.

R

Categories
Healthcare Others

I struggled with my discomfort and thought I was being intolerant and bigoted

I care because I’m a woman and a lesbian. After the T crept onto the end of LGB, I struggled with my discomfort and thought I was being intolerant and bigoted, but thankfully radical feminism and attendance at a meeting of WPUK in Sheffield, where I heard Michele Moore speak with passion and compassion, changed all that.

I care because definitions matter. Sex matters. Being same SEX attracted matters. I care because gender needs to be eradicated as far as possible, not cemented in an ideology that constrains us all and forces us into rigid stereotyped roles. I care because adolescence is hard enough, but telling children their discomfort is because they’ve been born in the wrong body is homophobic at root and conversion therapy at worse.

Many of my friends, including my partner, would have been ‘transed’ as teenagers if they’d grown up now. I care because women’s oppression is because of our sexed bodies and it’s not something we can identify out of.

I’ve attended WPUK meetings, spoke about the Labour Women’s Declaration at the meeting in Leeds in November 2019 and I attended the WPUK conference last October. I have leafleted for Women’s Place UK. I spoke to a small and partially very hostile local Labour Party women’s forum on this issue. I have raised the issue at a Labour Party-run Women’s Development Programme.

I have peak transed a number of friends who thought they supported self ID through discussion and argument, in real life and online.

I am a founder member of Labour Women’s Declaration and remain part of that working group, writing social media posts as part of that group and on my own Twitter and FB accounts in order to raise awareness and share information.

I have met with my local MP about the GRA reforms and written to government ministers, the Labour leadership and other bodies about this issue. I’m part of a local Resisters group; we petitioned our local council and spoke at a council meeting about same sex facilities. I attended a Resisters residential gathering in September 2019, and am a member of a number of secret online forums. I am part of my local feminist network and am setting up a local group of gender critical women in the Labour Party across my city to support getting motions through CLPs (on hold currently because of Covid 19). I have had face-to-face discussions with someone I know who moderates a national Labour Party forum about ‘my problem with trans women’ but whose mind I have yet to change.

I’ve had tweets reported to and removed from Twitter and for which I’ve refused to apologise, so have had to serve out my suspended sentence. I’ve had posts either not shared or removed from national Labour Party forums with no explanation, and I’ve got into protracted arguments with trans activists on Twitter and FB on this issue, including Morgan Oger. But the worst consequence was a spat within my local CLP FB Forum on which a local Labour Councillor less than half my age (who consequently signed the Trans Labour Pledge) told me to f*ck off out of the LP, called me a transphobe and a bigot, set her mum and her partner on me and the result was that I left the forum and I no longer engage at all with local LP politics; I put what energies I have into the national LWD campaign because I am frightened of this becoming too personal. I admire those women who do put themselves out there locally and receive a great deal of trouble for their trouble.

Flabuless, a socialist realist, I worked in higher education for most of my working life and lament the ‘safe space’ it has become in order that no one’s feelings get hurt or brains get challenged

Categories
Healthcare Others

I’m from a relatively poor country (India). Girl children are killed at birth

Sex based protection of women is so important to me.

Biological facts are important to me. I’m from a relatively poor country (India). Girl children are killed at birth. Ultrasound sex determination is illegal. Life is often misery for girls and women since they are born. Only the privileged can afford to lose the definition of “woman” diluting it to something as offensive, arbitrary, and irrational as a “feeling” or “emotions” or “assertion” (“if someone says they’re a woman she’s a woman”).

I’m tired of it. I’m exhausted. I’m losing hope for the future of left-wing and liberal thought in India.

I approached the discussion with two of my closest friends, both very liberal. One refused to reply at all. Saying my fears are “cis paranoia” (does she not see waving away my doubts as misogyny?) and transwomen are literally dying because of cis women’s paranoia. After gaslighting me for my worry about losing laws, reservations, protections under the definition of the word “woman”, she stopped replying. I doubt we have a friendship any longer. Other friend told me she’s shocked and uncomfortable with the discussion. I asked her to define the word woman and she said she didn’t know how to define it. An educated woman unable to define the word woman out of fear.

Doubt either will want to be my friend any longer. I spoke to my family about it. They agree. They live in the real world not on twitter so to them it is obvious women are women, and transwomen are transwomen. One of my friends accepted my position and understands deeper that gender stereotypes are a human creation to maintain the patriarchy.

Tired of men, tired of feminine socialization, tired of fear, India

Categories
Self employed / entrepreneurs

I’ve seen male people with money using claims about “gender identity” and “transphobia” to weaponize those sentiments

I’ve understood since I was twelve or so that women and girls are treated unfairly, and been involved in efforts to ameliorate some of that in sport. I’ve similarly understood how the poor, racial and sexual minorities are often discriminated against, and worked to ameliorate that. Although cloaked in the language of “equal rights,” I’ve seen male people with money using claims about “gender identity” and “transphobia” to weaponize those sentiments in ways which cause observable harm to others in sport, social social services, etcetera.

I owe a great moral debt to women and GLB people who have stood up for civil rights, and so see my activism as returning a favor AND ALSO just the right thing to do.

I’m active on social media and have brought it up in a variety of groups I am part of.

I’ve been ejected from local political and online groups for defending female-only spaces, and drummed out of two non-profits which were important to me over these issues.

I write my legislators about issues such as male colonization of female sports, and do such things as letters to the editor which note that sexism and homophobia was the key issue in a local killing, not “transphobia.” A man who hoped to get a woman drunk and rape her freaked out when they discovered “she” was really a man, and what that might mean about the attacker.

I’ve been kicked out of SEVERAL groups for my alleged “transphobia,” although I’ve known and worked with scores of trans people of many ages and both sexes over 20+ years. It has cost me many casual friends, and I’m sure it has cost me business as people avoid or gossip and ostracize me. This is nothing compared to the violence women and Blacks receive, or that I saw against gays and lesbians from the 1980’s forward, so I take it in stride. As a self-employed white man I have a lot of privilege, and can afford to take these hits for many years. I have little fear of male violence, and am not easily intimidated.

Rory Bowman, feels a strong moral debt to feminists and earlier GLBT activists, USA