I am so pleased this is being taken up by you and your colleagues. I am the mother of an autistic 17yo girls who has been on the Tavistock waiting list for 5 years, and offered no counselling or support in the interim because the affirmative approach is enshrined in schools, social services, GP practices and CAHMS - even though, privately, all those we deal with disagree with the approach, especially in my child’s case. I cannot speak out for fear of being labelled transphobic. To complicate issues, I am about to start a PhD in creative writing (including writing a novel) on the theme of ‘representations of mothers and motherhood in domestic noir crime fiction’, and even my supervisor worries that we will not be allowed to used terms such as ‘mother’ or ‘motherhood’ in my final dissertation. I cannot speak up publicly as to do so risks alienating a child who has yet to realise they cannot changed sex and that gender ideology is a poisonous cult that may, ultimately, harm them. It puts my future employability within the academic arena at risk as I may not be hired in academia as a ‘gender atheist’. But, lastly, I have two novels I have almost completed as part of my MA, for which I have received distinctions and encouragement to submit to agents. I cannot risk tainting my reputation by vocalising my opinion that, whilst I firmly believe all persons who have transitioned medically and who qualify for a GRC should be offered compassion, protection and the freedom to live their lives safely, I also know that biological sex is immutable and that a balance needs to be achieved between ensuring the rights of transitioning/transitioned individuals against those of biological women. That I cannot expect the SoA or other bodies to support me should I imply my position on this - or other issues - at any point is an insidious erosion of my right to speak freely as I know I have no safety net, no support and no protection should I become the target of bullies and receive threats. The SoA’s conduct, its refusal to condemn the tweets and conduct of its Management Ctee Chairperson, has just proved that we do not have free speech, regardless of the laws which are supposed to protect us.
Hi, I went back to university (Surrey) as a mature student and studied English literature about 5years ago. Gender and sexuality was a compulsory module and I could see then the indoctrination of younger students. If you want some advice or just someone to talk to in confidence please email me at local@standingforwomen.com
That’s where I’m doing my MA. I am probably studying with some of your BA cohort. And they, lovely, bright, caring and sweet people though they are, are completely indoctrinated by the gender ideology movement. You have to tiptoe on lexical eggshells in every academic debate.
Please feel free to email me, maybe we can meet for coffee. I am sure I know some of the women (sadly) captured by this ideology. We can have a chat on the phone or zoom chat first for safety.
Thank you so much for commenting at length BusyMummy.! I really appreciate knowing a little more detail on a personal level about what continues to unfold on the ground around this and I applaud your discretion as I am trying to figure my own way through this. Things have gotten quite violent recently in a community nearby to me around this gender equality issue. It is frightening to hear that elderly women who just want to shower without a biological male in the room with them, are being physically attacked for simply speaking up.
It appears to me that everyone,; and women and children in particular, are being made to feel afraid of pretty much everything and being massively coerced and bludgeoned into silence about this and other concerning issues. The covid narrative forced us all into isolation and told us to be afraid of each other, even our own family members. In the US we have been punished into being afraid to dissent in any way with the current fanatical woke rhetoric; irregardless of color, sex or ethnicity. In otherwords, even the black folks who speak up about the craziness of re-introducing segregation into our schools here in the name of 'social justice'; are immediately shouted down with dirty names, called traitors to their race and labeled as white aligned.
I am old enough that I lived many of the fights for women's rights and equality for all races. It is beyond devestating to watch the rapid erosion of the many rights we fought so long and hard to legalize and to normalize. I do not understand many of the new young feminists jumping on board the trans rights wagon in such an egregious way. They seem to have lost basic human decency and common sense. While I am sad for your personal suffering; I am also glad to find others like yourself and Julie who are in this struggle with me in some way.
Thank you for sharing. I am stunned by this movement. I was adopted at 4 by my stepfather - an extended family of Iranian refugees fleeing the oppressive and misogynistic regime that would have rendered both my aunts unable to access an education and being forced to arranged marriages. My elder aunt graduated from Leeds uni with multiple degrees and ended up being a consultant to NASA. She was a ‘materials specialist’ and her PhD project concerned the heat proof properties of ceramics, enabling them to build a flame proof launch pads (ie so every time a rocket takes off it does not leave a burnt out crater). None of this would have been possible in Iran. Her rights as a women, free of oppression, to have an education, make choices in her life as to a career, her freedom to speak freely were invaluable. The idea that she, and muslim - or even other devout christian and Jewish women - are now expected to change and shower in the presence of men who self identify as women seems heinous. Women’s need for privacy are rooted in so many factors, yet their right to dignity and privacy - and their right to speak openly, safely and without fear about those needs - are being removed. And if you state this, you are considered transphobic.
I too have been stunned with the rapidity with which this insanity was implemented at the highest levels. And you are so right; it is heinous and must feel especially so to those of certain ethnicities and faiths. It seems like a living nightmare to those of us who have direct visceral experience of the tyrannical oppression and hatred of women. Many of the older feminists in my crowd really have no clue what is happening and the propoganda machine has managed to frame things in such a way that they are not even questioning. They think that the current trans inclusive feminism is just like what we used to believe and do in the old days with just a handful of discriminated against trans-sexuals thrown into the mix.. The clever presentation and evil genius around all this has been quite disturbingly effective. The outspoken feminist lawyer, Kara Dansky has talked about the money trail behind the gender equality movement here in the states. Million dollar grants being given to trans activists to promote this. It did not arise out of nowhere. It did not evolve organically and imo, has an underlying agenda among the movement leaders at the very least; of disenfranchising women. I do not believe that this was just an unintended consequence. It apears to me that they have managed to find a whole new way to win the war against women. Unfortunately when one digs, not even very far underneath, pretty much every one of the latest seemingly progressive woke movements; one finds incredible darkness and corruption. It is sickening and I wonder why I even bother to try to figure it out. But I also feel a responsibility to the young to at least attempt to sort out the tangle and address it directly in some way.
I so appreciate your sharing of your personal experience, and wish you the very best. Oh and thank you also for your post on the use of puberty blockers and cross sex hormones by Planned Parenthood. I am passing that along carefully as fanatical support of Planned Parenthood has turned into a religious cult around here. I used to support many of these seemingly woman affirming groups that I now cannot even bear to look at much less pretend to believe in.
As a writer and literature worker, I believe that everyone involved in the industry should enjoy the freedom to express themselves creatively and feel able freely to debate matters of social and cultural concern. I think disagreement is a sign of a healthy democracy - and should not be readily ascribed to hatred, fear or be seen as evidence of a need for some kind of 're-education.' The chair of the organisation that represents all authors officially, needs to enjoy the confidence of a broad spectrum of writers. They must also be willing to advocate actively on behalf of those whose views differ from their own.
“Twitter does not list “sex” among its protected characteristics, and has frequently suspended and banned users, most of them women, for simply asserting that sex is real, or referring to a person’s sex in situations where sex, not gender identity, is relevant, such as sport.”
Just another thing to point out—sex is a protected class in the United States where the company is based. I think someone can make an argument that this would qualify as sex-based discrimination.
I am the father of two young adults: a son who is a he/him and a daughter who is a confused emotional wreck. She was in a committed relationship with a young man who, two years into their courtship, decided to 'transition'. My daughter stuck with him/her for a further three years before being dumped hard. Her own sense of identity remains shattered.
I agree with your robust defence of your open letter and agree there has been a muddle at the top of SoA between personal views and the views that should be standard for a tremendous organisation.
I am so pleased this is being taken up by you and your colleagues. I am the mother of an autistic 17yo girls who has been on the Tavistock waiting list for 5 years, and offered no counselling or support in the interim because the affirmative approach is enshrined in schools, social services, GP practices and CAHMS - even though, privately, all those we deal with disagree with the approach, especially in my child’s case. I cannot speak out for fear of being labelled transphobic. To complicate issues, I am about to start a PhD in creative writing (including writing a novel) on the theme of ‘representations of mothers and motherhood in domestic noir crime fiction’, and even my supervisor worries that we will not be allowed to used terms such as ‘mother’ or ‘motherhood’ in my final dissertation. I cannot speak up publicly as to do so risks alienating a child who has yet to realise they cannot changed sex and that gender ideology is a poisonous cult that may, ultimately, harm them. It puts my future employability within the academic arena at risk as I may not be hired in academia as a ‘gender atheist’. But, lastly, I have two novels I have almost completed as part of my MA, for which I have received distinctions and encouragement to submit to agents. I cannot risk tainting my reputation by vocalising my opinion that, whilst I firmly believe all persons who have transitioned medically and who qualify for a GRC should be offered compassion, protection and the freedom to live their lives safely, I also know that biological sex is immutable and that a balance needs to be achieved between ensuring the rights of transitioning/transitioned individuals against those of biological women. That I cannot expect the SoA or other bodies to support me should I imply my position on this - or other issues - at any point is an insidious erosion of my right to speak freely as I know I have no safety net, no support and no protection should I become the target of bullies and receive threats. The SoA’s conduct, its refusal to condemn the tweets and conduct of its Management Ctee Chairperson, has just proved that we do not have free speech, regardless of the laws which are supposed to protect us.
Hi, I went back to university (Surrey) as a mature student and studied English literature about 5years ago. Gender and sexuality was a compulsory module and I could see then the indoctrination of younger students. If you want some advice or just someone to talk to in confidence please email me at local@standingforwomen.com
That’s where I’m doing my MA. I am probably studying with some of your BA cohort. And they, lovely, bright, caring and sweet people though they are, are completely indoctrinated by the gender ideology movement. You have to tiptoe on lexical eggshells in every academic debate.
Please feel free to email me, maybe we can meet for coffee. I am sure I know some of the women (sadly) captured by this ideology. We can have a chat on the phone or zoom chat first for safety.
Thank you - will get in touch!
Thank you so much for commenting at length BusyMummy.! I really appreciate knowing a little more detail on a personal level about what continues to unfold on the ground around this and I applaud your discretion as I am trying to figure my own way through this. Things have gotten quite violent recently in a community nearby to me around this gender equality issue. It is frightening to hear that elderly women who just want to shower without a biological male in the room with them, are being physically attacked for simply speaking up.
https://www.porttownsendfreepress.com/2022/08/16/women-seeking-civil-rights-stand-up-to-mob-hatred-and-intimidation-in-port-townsend/
It appears to me that everyone,; and women and children in particular, are being made to feel afraid of pretty much everything and being massively coerced and bludgeoned into silence about this and other concerning issues. The covid narrative forced us all into isolation and told us to be afraid of each other, even our own family members. In the US we have been punished into being afraid to dissent in any way with the current fanatical woke rhetoric; irregardless of color, sex or ethnicity. In otherwords, even the black folks who speak up about the craziness of re-introducing segregation into our schools here in the name of 'social justice'; are immediately shouted down with dirty names, called traitors to their race and labeled as white aligned.
I am old enough that I lived many of the fights for women's rights and equality for all races. It is beyond devestating to watch the rapid erosion of the many rights we fought so long and hard to legalize and to normalize. I do not understand many of the new young feminists jumping on board the trans rights wagon in such an egregious way. They seem to have lost basic human decency and common sense. While I am sad for your personal suffering; I am also glad to find others like yourself and Julie who are in this struggle with me in some way.
Thank you again for sharing your reality.
Thank you for sharing. I am stunned by this movement. I was adopted at 4 by my stepfather - an extended family of Iranian refugees fleeing the oppressive and misogynistic regime that would have rendered both my aunts unable to access an education and being forced to arranged marriages. My elder aunt graduated from Leeds uni with multiple degrees and ended up being a consultant to NASA. She was a ‘materials specialist’ and her PhD project concerned the heat proof properties of ceramics, enabling them to build a flame proof launch pads (ie so every time a rocket takes off it does not leave a burnt out crater). None of this would have been possible in Iran. Her rights as a women, free of oppression, to have an education, make choices in her life as to a career, her freedom to speak freely were invaluable. The idea that she, and muslim - or even other devout christian and Jewish women - are now expected to change and shower in the presence of men who self identify as women seems heinous. Women’s need for privacy are rooted in so many factors, yet their right to dignity and privacy - and their right to speak openly, safely and without fear about those needs - are being removed. And if you state this, you are considered transphobic.
I too have been stunned with the rapidity with which this insanity was implemented at the highest levels. And you are so right; it is heinous and must feel especially so to those of certain ethnicities and faiths. It seems like a living nightmare to those of us who have direct visceral experience of the tyrannical oppression and hatred of women. Many of the older feminists in my crowd really have no clue what is happening and the propoganda machine has managed to frame things in such a way that they are not even questioning. They think that the current trans inclusive feminism is just like what we used to believe and do in the old days with just a handful of discriminated against trans-sexuals thrown into the mix.. The clever presentation and evil genius around all this has been quite disturbingly effective. The outspoken feminist lawyer, Kara Dansky has talked about the money trail behind the gender equality movement here in the states. Million dollar grants being given to trans activists to promote this. It did not arise out of nowhere. It did not evolve organically and imo, has an underlying agenda among the movement leaders at the very least; of disenfranchising women. I do not believe that this was just an unintended consequence. It apears to me that they have managed to find a whole new way to win the war against women. Unfortunately when one digs, not even very far underneath, pretty much every one of the latest seemingly progressive woke movements; one finds incredible darkness and corruption. It is sickening and I wonder why I even bother to try to figure it out. But I also feel a responsibility to the young to at least attempt to sort out the tangle and address it directly in some way.
I so appreciate your sharing of your personal experience, and wish you the very best. Oh and thank you also for your post on the use of puberty blockers and cross sex hormones by Planned Parenthood. I am passing that along carefully as fanatical support of Planned Parenthood has turned into a religious cult around here. I used to support many of these seemingly woman affirming groups that I now cannot even bear to look at much less pretend to believe in.
As a writer and literature worker, I believe that everyone involved in the industry should enjoy the freedom to express themselves creatively and feel able freely to debate matters of social and cultural concern. I think disagreement is a sign of a healthy democracy - and should not be readily ascribed to hatred, fear or be seen as evidence of a need for some kind of 're-education.' The chair of the organisation that represents all authors officially, needs to enjoy the confidence of a broad spectrum of writers. They must also be willing to advocate actively on behalf of those whose views differ from their own.
Bravo. As a recently and permanently booted from Twitter for using the word dude sort of homo: solidarity. Your work and voice is so important.
It's laughable that Harris and the SoA think that being suspended or banned from Twitter is proof of anything bad.
Great letter Julie. I have shared it on the Local Standing for Women’s twitter page
“Twitter does not list “sex” among its protected characteristics, and has frequently suspended and banned users, most of them women, for simply asserting that sex is real, or referring to a person’s sex in situations where sex, not gender identity, is relevant, such as sport.”
Just another thing to point out—sex is a protected class in the United States where the company is based. I think someone can make an argument that this would qualify as sex-based discrimination.
Thank you. That's all ... thank you.
Worth a read… ‘A Manifesto for Humans: On Art, Writing, and Life.’ By Con She https://con-she.com/2022/08/16/a-manifesto-for-humans-on-art-writing-and-life/
Love that manifesto. As a professional artist "of a certain age", I could not agree more.
I am the father of two young adults: a son who is a he/him and a daughter who is a confused emotional wreck. She was in a committed relationship with a young man who, two years into their courtship, decided to 'transition'. My daughter stuck with him/her for a further three years before being dumped hard. Her own sense of identity remains shattered.
I agree with your robust defence of your open letter and agree there has been a muddle at the top of SoA between personal views and the views that should be standard for a tremendous organisation.