In light of recent open letters from academia and the arts criticising the UK's Supreme Court ruling on sex-based rights, it's possibly worth remembering that nobody sane believes, or has ever believed, that humans can change sex, or that binary sex isn't a material fact. These letters do nothing but remind us of what we know only too well: that pretending to believe these things has become an elitist badge of virtue.
I often wonder whether the signatories of such letters have to quieten their consciences before publicly boosting a movement intent on removing women's and girls' rights, which bullies gay people who admit openly they don't want opposite sex partners, and campaigns for the continued sterilisation of vulnerable and troubled kids. Do they feel any qualms at all while chanting the foundational lie of their religion: Trans Women are Women, Trans Men are Men?
I have no idea. All I know for sure is that it's a complete waste of time telling a gender activist that their favourite slogan is self-contradictory nonsense, because the lie is the whole point. They're not repeating it because it's true - they know full well it's not true - but because they believe they can make it true, sort of, if they force everyone else to agree. The foundational lie functions as both catechism and crucifix: the set form of words that obviates the tedious necessity of coming up with your own explanation of why you're one of the Godly, and an exorcist's weapon which will defeat demonic facts and reason, and promote the advance of righteous pseudoscience and sophistry.
Some argue that signatories of these sorts of letters are motivated by fear: fear for their careers, of course, but also fear of their co-religionists, who include angry, narcissistic men who threaten and sometimes enact violence on non-believers; back-stabbing colleagues ever ready to report wrongthink; the online shamers and doxxers and rape threateners, and, of course, the influential zealots in the upper echelons of liberal professions (though we can quibble whether they're actually liberal at all, given the draconian authoritarianism that seems to have engulfed so many). Gender ideology could give medieval Catholicism a run for its money when it comes to punishing heretics, so isn't it common sense to keep your head down and recite your Hail Mulvaneys?
But before we start feeling too sorry for any cowed and fearful TWAWites who're TERFy on the sly, let's not forget what a high proportion of them have willingly snatched up pitchforks and torches to join the inquisitional purges. Call me lacking in proper womanly sympathy, but I find the harm they've enabled and in some cases directly championed or funded - the hounding and shaming of vulnerable women, the forced loss of livelihoods, the unregulated medical experiment on minors - tends to dry up my tears at source.
History is littered with the debris of irrational and harmful belief systems that once seemed unassailable. As Orwell said, 'Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them.' Gender ideology may have embedded itself deeply into our institutions, where it's been imposed, top-down, on the supposedly unenlightened, but it is not invulnerable.
Court losses are starting to stack up. The condescension, overreach, entitlement and aggression of gender activists is eroding public support daily. Women are fighting back and winning significant victories. Sporting bodies have miraculously awoken from their slumber and remembered that males tend to be larger, stronger and faster than females. Parts of the medical establishment are questioning cutting healthy breasts off teenaged girls is really the best way to fix their mental health problems.
One seemingly harmless little white lie - Trans Women are Women, Trans Men are Men - uttered in most cases without any real thought at all, and a few short years later, people who think of themselves as supremely virtuous are typing 'yes, rapists' pronouns are absolutely the hill I'll die on,' rubbing shoulders with those who call for women to be hanged and decapitated for wanting all-female rape crisis centres, and furiously denying clear and mounting evidence of the greatest medical scandal in a century.
I wonder if they ever ask themselves how they got here, and I wonder whether any of them will ever feel shame.
This is a PhD candidate in sociology at York University.
So many western elites see in the Palestinian cause the great moral contest their bored little lives so desperately lack - and the only socially safe outlet for their meanest, pettiest, cruelest emotions.
It would be so so helpful if you could retweet my May botanical illustration & mental health workshop in my previous tweet if you have a few seconds. I've been unable to work since December due to a breakdown (not remotely proud of this) and I'm trying to get back on my feet so if you could RT it would help enormously. I so love teaching people how to draw & how it changes brain biochemistry resulting in better mental health 🌿
A nurse got disciplined who put up this billboard. It would be an absolute shame if this was reposted everywhere.
#IStandWithAmyHamm Shout it out!! Keep shouting it!
If you know, you know. Tell the whole world about Amy. Keep telling them!
After Stephen Ireland’s conviction, @jo_bartosch wrote in @TheCriticMag about predators and ‘queer’ campaign groups. Here she is on Free Spoech Nation tonight with @joshxhowie@GBNEWS
WRN demands that the BBC stop focusing on gender ideology and adult drag culture and instead celebrate the millions of incredible mums out there.
To feature men who were involved in prostitution in a list of mothers for International Women’s Day, adds insult to injury.
https://t.co/RafIwHxyOh
A surprising number of people are keen to tell me they once liked my books, but don't think women and girls deserve fair sport. I'm genuinely not sure what you expect me to do with that information. It's not like I was looking forward to having you over for dinner.
Inundated with messages re this.
Women, we need to rise up & just say NO.
We should not have to have males in our female-only spaces or sports against our will.
I am not interested in deluded mantras like “trans women are women” - I am interested in biological reality & safety
Yvette Cooper refused to establish a National Crime Agency unit to investigate untried rape gang members, and corrupt and complicit coppers, social workers and councillors.
But her department is investigating Elon Musk's tweets. https://t.co/2xT7LHuGKA
This man “Lucy” Clarke manages a women’s football team while dressed up as a woman. He brought in another man dressed up as a woman to be goalie. He recently danced about the women’s toilets in his frock. It’s insulting to women and particularly women in football. @FA rules are bullshit.
“Football is for everyone”
Yes mate. And women’s football is for women -
Not those of you with a penis and a bucketload of entitlement. Get your own fucking game.