Tag: Prisons

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Healthcare Media and Arts

Obviously lesbians can’t have penises

It started as bafflement at the perversion of language – obviously lesbians can’t have penises – and grew into a horrified realisation that there is a huge movement to define men as women (and vice versa), which particularly concerns me because it appears to me totally regressive, and I don’t want my children to grow up thinking they can’t be gender non-conforming, and that instead they have to ‘become’ the opposite sex.

I also see a lot of men taking advantage at the expense of women by claiming membership of their sex class, in business, in sport, in shelters, in prisons, in politics – and as a man it appalls me.

They do not seem to care that men oppress and abuse women, and that it’s not even about transwomen – it’s about the bad men who will take advantage of the freedom to ‘be women’ if that right is extended to any man.

I have written things which have had an impact on the debate. I also tweet furiously (but politely) under a pseudonym.

Businesses which were implicated swiftly dissolved their relationship with mine. I believe under pressure from their internal LGBT reps.

MC, Centrist dad

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Media and Arts

It feels like the biggest attack on women’s rights I have seen in my lifetime

This matters to me because I am extremely worried that young women in particular are being led down a medical path that includes surgery and hormones. Lots of adolescent girls go through a phase of being unhappy about their bodies or anxious about their sexuality, and instead of being helped to come to terms with that, they are being told that they are “really” boys and that they should irreversibly mutilate their bodies. I find that absolutely shocking.

I am also hugely concerned at the idea that men, simply by claiming to identify as women, should be allowed into women’s refuges or prisons, into women’s changing rooms or toilets, or to compete in women’s sports. It feels like the biggest attack on women’s rights I have seen in my lifetime. It’s horrifying.

I’ve written articles, I’ve donated to crowdfunders, I have spoken out on social media (though not much in real life), I’ve written to my MP, I’ve written submissions to public consultations (e.g. on the proposed GRA changes), I’ve attended a trial of a woman prosecuted for wrongthink and I’m involved in one of the campaigning groups for women’s rights.

I’ve had people be a bit rude to and about me on social media, but no actual threats. I am self-employed so it’s possible I’ve lost work, but I can’t be sure.

Hannah, Writer

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Media and Arts

I refuse to be told that black is white

As a writer, I refuse to be told that black is white. The truth is important to me, the safety and dignity of women is even more important to me. Combined together, I would go to prison to defend them.

I’ve basically gambled my career on it.

I’ve lost two major jobs, I’ve been sued, I’ve been visited by the police. Various forms of harassment that have continues over the last two years.

Graham Linehan, Comedy writer

Categories
Voluntary sector

I’m dismayed that decent people who think they’re being liberal and welcoming are unaware of the cost to women.

This matters to me for many reasons. Because women are being erased and redefined, reduced to their bodily functions, recategorised as a sub section of their own classification, having their rights removed and their ability to stand up for and protect themselves reduced. Because I worry for especially young women who are learning who they are and taking drastic actions which they live to regret. Because I’m seeing an increase in homophobia. Because there are troubling safeguarding issues for my daughters.

Because the males who are impinging on women’s protected spaces are affecting vulnerable women and certain religions and because asking why there’s a male in your safe space isn’t protecting women it could get you arrested for a hate crime. Because I’m dismayed that decent people who think they’re being liberal and welcoming are unaware of the cost to women. Because I see so much aggression and vile comments aimed at level-headed women just trying to raise awareness of the issue.

I’ve not done much. Discussed it some with family. Chat in private groups of like-minded women. I was sharing stuff on Twitter but I’ve dialled back on that because I’m freelance and I’m working currently with a third sector organisation and they are notoriously ‘woke’.

A year ago I was right there on the Trans Women are Women side of the fence, but then I started to see how simply raising legitimate concerns and questions about how we could accommodate male bodied people into women’s and girls’ safe spaces got you instantly labelled as a TERF.

And I started to see male bodied people using their self ID to access and beat women out of female specific awards and sports and scholarships that were there to redress the male focused opportunity and privilege, and then I started to see rape crisis centres have their funding cut for trying to protect traumatised women from sharing a safe space with a male bodied (ergo more physically powerful) person, and Jessica Yaniv and male bodied people who self ID abusing vulnerable women in prison. (Obv, not all Trans people.) And again when women tried to raise legitimate concerns about these things – whilst still trying to find a way to support trans people and help them to find a way to live their lives as they want to, safely and free from abuse and incorporated and welcomed – still being shouted at and labelled transphobic. And then I saw lesbians being called bigots for being same sex attracted. And then I saw people trying to pretend that actual biology ergo science was not a tested, provable thing which is a very dangerous route to take. Then I’m afraid my position shifted somewhat.

I started out just asking simple questions about safeguarding and was called transphobic and a TERF very quickly. I saw the same pattern repeated again and again with pleasant, caring women who showed concern for trans women and wanted them to live safe happy lives but not at the expense of women feeling safe and secure because of opportunistic men taking advantage of self ID, being threatened and called bigots and then I realised there was something very wrong with the TRA movement.

Shiv, Woman, mother, freelancer, feminist

Categories
Healthcare Students

I care about women’s boundaries

I care about women’s boundaries in prisons, changing rooms, etc. I also am against children being taught that gender stereotypes are more important that sex.

I have got rape and death threats in social media.

Ana J, Spain

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Healthcare Others

I am a lesbian and object to being told that same-sex attraction is no longer “valid” and is transphobic.

I care because children and young people are being lied to by being told they can change sex. I care that female victims of abuse in refuges and prisons are being further abused by men claiming they are women.  I care because I am a lesbian and object to being told that same-sex attraction is no longer “valid” and is transphobic. I care because young lesbians are being told they are really boys. I care because of the tragic stories of young detransitioners.

I use my real name on Twitter to publicise the issue and history of transgender politics. I have attended meetings and demonstrations. I have supported crowdfunders. I have demonstrated with other lesbians at Prides. I have, with others, organised the 2019 Lesbian Strength march in Leeds. I have talked to friends who knew nothing about the issue. I responded to both the Westminster and Scottish governments’ GRA consultations.

I was suspended from Twitter for asking a question about DNA at a crime scene.

I have lost friends.

I have been asked not to discuss the issue at family gatherings.

I avoid talking about the issue on my Facebook which is mainly family and old friends and restrict my discussion of this to private groups.

Dr Lesley “Ancient Dyke” Semmens , Radical Feminist, Retired Academic

Categories
Academics and researchers

An unethical, dangerous absurdity

Widening the legal definition of ‘woman’ to include men, particularly intact males, is an unethical, dangerous absurdity.

Voluntary social inclusion of transwomen by women is fine and good; coerced imposition by male people, regardless of presentation, on female people in situations where they are or expect to be able to be vulnerable (prisons, shelters, health care, changing rooms) is totalitarian and abhorrent.

Destroying fairness in women’s sport and wider representation makes a mockery out of women and our achievements.

I campaign on social media (Twitter) anonymously, I discuss the matter one-to-one with friends and colleagues.

I have not received any negative reactions in my private life, or from individual colleagues I have spoken with. I am careful, of course, but there is broad agreement among the people I have spoken with. I have received abuse on Twitter (like anyone does who speaks up) and I went to one WPUK (Woman’s Place UK) meeting that was mobbed by an angry, kicking, shouting crowd of trans activists.

‘Blob’, Academic anonymous

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Academics and researchers

It feels as if all of my struggles for equality have been thrown in the bin

I have been a feminist for forty years. I have had to share a work bathroom with a trans person who is a stereotype of femininity and gets lauded by colleagues for their stiletto shoes and fishnet tights and mini skirt. It feels as if all of my struggles for equality have been thrown in the bin. I care about the safety of women and girls in sport, prison, school, the toilets . . .

I have engaged lightly on social media, I have spoken fully with friends and have attended women’s meetings behind closed doors.

I know one of my colleagues (a ‘trans-ally’) is aware of my views and I’m sure has been responsible for tearing down flyers I have put up outside my office (from Women’s groups such as WPUK) and replacing them with trans flag flyers.

TREA, Lecturer

Categories
Academics and researchers Healthcare

This movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile

I care because the pro-gender lobby is hugely sexist, and aims to trample women’s rights – our rights to safe, female-only spaces, our rights to self-definition and even discussion of female reality and biology. I care because of the huge safeguarding concerns for women in vulnerable situations e.g. prison and hospital, and also the danger to children’s health and wellbeing.

It is cruel that gay, autistic, gnc etc children are being taught they are in “the wrong body” and must undergo a lifetime of medical alterations by adults who seem to gave forgotten their own childhood. I care because this movement has truly shown that women are at the bottom of the pile, considered less important than male feelings.

I have spoken with family about this, who said they wouldn’t have been aware otherwise. I have posted gender critical (but fairly mainstream, approachable) articles on social media for friends and coworkers to see (and had a few surprise “likes”).

I responded to the Scottish GRA. I researched gender ideology and the many areas of concern, and wrote a well-sourced email to my MP (Labour MP Cat “3 homes” Smith – useless, says transwomen are women, believes I am wrong and didn’t care about any of the quoted articles or stats in my letter).

I also wrote to Labour leadership and deputy candidates (apparently Kier’s team had nothing to say about women’s rights or protecting Equality Act 2010, but promise to protect non-binary people in whatever that means). I wrote to Tory women’s minister and got a better response from the GEO (that the Equality Act 2010 was safe, women’s rights matter).

I donate regularly to causes such as lawsuits, campaign groups. I vocally opposed my employer (a uni) changing ladies and gents toilets to unisex by virtue of simply changing the sign.

Our male union rep (Unite) said he wasn’t fussed and it was more important that non-binary and trans people don’t feel like “the odd one out” by using the other, single uni unisex toilet already available in the same corridor. Women’s safety didnt matter.

Thankfully more powerful women than me pushed back and the sign was quietly changed back.

I have had very uncomfortable arguments with colleagues and union reps and received very dismissive replies from politicians. Mostly it is just stressful because I have anxiety anyway. I am afraid of speaking out and losing my job at a uni that works closely with Stonewall and Gendered Intelligence. I am more afraid, however, of not standing up to bullies.

G

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Others

I ran a marathon while carrying a flag that said “SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS”

As a woman, I want privacy and safety when I use public bathrooms, locker rooms, etc. I want sports to be fair; I want young female athletes to benefit from them the same way I did, and I want elite female athletes I look up to to have the wins they deserve.

I fiercely believe that everyone has the right to choose the circumstances under which people of the opposite sex see them undressed as well as the circumstances under which they see members of the opposite sex undressed. This is true for situations that affect me, such as public bathroom usage and the sex of the doctor who performs my pap smear, as well as for situations that don’t and hopefully never will, such as having to share a prison shower with a biological male or being pressured to wax male genitalia.

I will steadfastly defend this right to choose not only for myself, but for women everywhere.

I ran a marathon while carrying a flag that said “SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS” as well as the dictionary definition of the word “woman” (“ADULT HUMAN FEMALE”).

I’ve written to my government representatives. I’ve researched and written speeches, which I’ve delivered at school board meetings of a school district that opened locker rooms to opposite-sex students. I’ve attended demonstrations at athletic events of that school district, distributing flyers and holding up large signs/banners.

I boycott companies who support gender identity ideology. I’ve written to those companies to explain why I’m boycotting them, and I explain my boycotts to others. I’ve signed petitions and used social media to urge others to do the same. I’ve given an interview for a feminist radio show and written an op-ed that was recently printed in a newspaper.

I have been dogpiled on on social media. I’ve been called garbage/trash, a TERF, sh*t, a c*nt, and “the f*cking genitals police.” Someone commented on one of my posts with a picture of an anime girl pointing a gun at the viewer captioned, “SHUT THE FUCK UP TERF.” I’ve been told to STFU, and someone commented on one of my posts with a picture of super glue captioned, “Finally, a line of lipstick made exclusively for TERFs.” Someone commented on one of posts with a meme including an emoji holding a knife that read, “Why be transphobic when you can just DIE.” I was told to “die alone.” Someone told me they hoped I lost “every sponsor or scholarship [I] ever apply for.”

For objecting to male people competing in female sports, I was accused of being “mediocre,” “a terrible athlete,” and told I needed to train harder. Many people insulted the way my parents had raised me, and I was told that I shouldn’t have kids myself. I’ve been accused of having “internalized misoyogny[sic]” and of having the patriarchy “ingrained deep” in me.

Emily Kaht, Just a normal woman who’s finally had enough, USA