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Trans erasing lesbians! OMG!!! Stop the LGBT movement at once: I want to get off. Oh, the horror...
In the background, David Attenborough dons his waders once more, to intervene in the greatest mass extinction the world has ever seen.
In the background, David Attenborough dons his waders once more, to intervene in the greatest mass extinction the world has ever seen.
“Here we see, in 2017, a colony of happy lesbians, marked by their black leather plumage and distinctive side-cut....
“Celebrating their successful hunt...for a bar that will sell tequila slammers at 3 in the afternoon.
“Celebrating their successful hunt...for a bar that will sell tequila slammers at 3 in the afternoon.
“And today, we see the same Lesbian colony, all but wiped out by the careless distribution of trans drinking straws.”
Maybe not.
Because, as I have pointed out before, this would not be the first time the Times has pandered to prejudice on a complex issue, seemingly with zero recourse to facts or, yanno, actual figures on the actual thing.
Because, as I have pointed out before, this would not be the first time the Times has pandered to prejudice on a complex issue, seemingly with zero recourse to facts or, yanno, actual figures on the actual thing.
So here's a short little thread doing some of the background-checking that the Times seems so allergic to. Where to start?
Why not over at the Office for National Stats (ONS) which studies this sort of thing.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/sexuality/bulletins/sexualidentityuk/2017
Why not over at the Office for National Stats (ONS) which studies this sort of thing.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/sexuality/bulletins/sexualidentityuk/2017
In january, they published stats on sexual orientation for 2018. Their headline conclusion?
"Over the last 5 years, the proportion of the UK population identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) has increased from 1.5% in 2012 to 2.0% in 2017,[...]"
"Over the last 5 years, the proportion of the UK population identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) has increased from 1.5% in 2012 to 2.0% in 2017,[...]"
There is also a significant rise in those describing their orientation as “other” (up to 0.6% in the latest data), which may reflect the rise of pansexual as a category, as LGB breaks down to
- 1.3% of the population are LG and
- B, at 0.7%, is falling slightly...
- 1.3% of the population are LG and
- B, at 0.7%, is falling slightly...
But, but, obvs the Times knows something the rest of us don't.
Remember those halcyon days when nearly 10% of all UK women identified as Lesbian or Bi?
Er, no: me, neither!
Remember those halcyon days when nearly 10% of all UK women identified as Lesbian or Bi?
Er, no: me, neither!
What the ONS stats from 2012 show is that back then, just 0.7% of women identified as L....and in 2017, according to the same methodology, 0.9% of women now identify as L... https://www.theguardian.com/politics/reality-check/2013/oct/03/gay-britain-what-do-statistics-say
So run that past me one more time: an increase in the number of women identifying as L of over 25% means the trans menace are wiping out the L.
As Churchill might have put it, in one of his smuttier moments: “Some erasure! Some rubbing out!”
As Churchill might have put it, in one of his smuttier moments: “Some erasure! Some rubbing out!”
Dig a little deeper into the figures (I know the Times is allergic to doing such stuff), here are three more headline points.
First, more women than men identify as Bi and the rise in Bi identity has slightly out-stripped the rise in L over the same period (the increase is close to 100% - or double what it was five years previous).
So if you want to talk about “threat”, maybe the real threat is the B.
But such language is unhelpful and stupid (so expect the Times to get round to it some time soon). What the figures show, as a whole, is that women are increasingly confident being out and not-straight.
But such language is unhelpful and stupid (so expect the Times to get round to it some time soon). What the figures show, as a whole, is that women are increasingly confident being out and not-straight.
Whether their particular form of non-straightness manifests as L, B or even Pan is their business, not yours: we can but hope that the bad old days of discrimination against non-”Gold Star” Lesbians is over...though given the age of many gender critters, perhaps not.
Oh, yeah: age.
That is the second interesting trend here. From the ONS again: “In 2017 in the UK, 16- to 24-year-olds were the age group most likely to identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) (4.2%). “
That is the second interesting trend here. From the ONS again: “In 2017 in the UK, 16- to 24-year-olds were the age group most likely to identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) (4.2%). “
And also:
“The 16- to 24-year-olds were the only age group for which more women (4.7%) identified as LGB than men (3.7%); this was driven by a larger proportion of women identifying as bisexual in this age group than in older age groups.”
“The 16- to 24-year-olds were the only age group for which more women (4.7%) identified as LGB than men (3.7%); this was driven by a larger proportion of women identifying as bisexual in this age group than in older age groups.”
Almost like the L in the UK is not just alive and well, but thriving: and the only reason the absolute L figure is not a lot higher is because of a parallel growth in young women identifying as B.
So last point: what about the rise of the T (which plays pretty much zero part in this). Perhaps all of the figures are just Trans Men and Trans Women identifying as G and L.
Which is likely the next straw the Times/other haters will clutch at...and is just as preposterous.
Which is likely the next straw the Times/other haters will clutch at...and is just as preposterous.
Current estimates suggest something like half a million out LGB women in the UK....and this, in turn, represents a rise of well over 150,000 individuals identifying as ditto over the last 5 years. Is it remotely feasible this rise is due to Trans women identifying as L?
Well, no.
To get to that you'd have to carry out statistical contortions so severe you'd likely break your neck. You'd have to big up the numbers of OUT binary trans people by a factor of around 6.
To get to that you'd have to carry out statistical contortions so severe you'd likely break your neck. You'd have to big up the numbers of OUT binary trans people by a factor of around 6.
Though even that is not enough, since strictly you either discount those transitioned pre-2012, or assume they suddenly re-identified in terms of sexual orientation.
You'd have to explain how this increase took place while, simultaneously, a bunch of women were de-listing themselves from the L cohort by becoming trans men.
There is no way the numbers add up to L erasure.
There is no way the numbers add up to L erasure.
So what IS happening? Guess what, the clue is in the stats.
Both LGB and T have been hidden from view for a very long time. Finally they are out of the closet and guess who are most prepared to be out?
Young people!
Both LGB and T have been hidden from view for a very long time. Finally they are out of the closet and guess who are most prepared to be out?
Young people!
There is evidence that the hitherto suppressed Trans population is far higher than official figures suggest and what we have seen lately is nothing more nor less than people finally having the courage to come out.
Ditto Lesbians.
The true headline is: L goes from strength to strength.
I could have told the Times that...but then, I do get out to Lesbian Clubs and the most notable thing is just how thriving is young lesbianism (by contrast to its more closeted, surlier elder generation).
The true headline is: L goes from strength to strength.
I could have told the Times that...but then, I do get out to Lesbian Clubs and the most notable thing is just how thriving is young lesbianism (by contrast to its more closeted, surlier elder generation).
Also interesting: both in orientation and in gender, younger people are more prepared to consider options that are not binary.
Bisexual. Non-binary. Gender Fluid.
Bisexual. Non-binary. Gender Fluid.
As for the rise in Trans Men? This is not at all surprising, as anyone who has ever worked with trans groups in Europe would know.
Trans men seem to be the ones doing far more of the work, more of the running: are overall more conspicuous.
All the UK is doing is catching up.
Trans men seem to be the ones doing far more of the work, more of the running: are overall more conspicuous.
All the UK is doing is catching up.
In sum: Lesbian erasure? Don't make me laugh. Read some actual data...and ignore the usual innumerate bollocks from the Times.
That is all.
/fin
That is all.
/fin
