Read on Twitter
True story: In the 1980s, one of my neighbours was a trans woman. I knew she was trans because I'd been in the same queer youth group as her girlfriend ( #Edinburgh is like that). Otherwise, she looked just like any other lesbian: no make up, short hair, comfortable shoes, etc. /1 https://twitter.com/Blackteadrinker/status/1219173134596595717
One day, I saw her leaving the house & she was all dressed up in femme clothes - skirt, high heel shoes, make-up, etc. "Job interview?" I asked sociably, when I saw her to speak to next. "You were all dragged up," I explained.
She looked embarrassed. /2
She looked embarrassed. /2
"I had an appointment with my psychiatrist. He wants to see me dressed as a woman or he says I'm not taking my transition seriously."
I stare at her, horrified down to my dyke soul. /3
I stare at her, horrified down to my dyke soul. /3
"But," I say, handwaving to take in her, her girlfriend, me, every other lesbian in Montgomery Street (lots of lesbians lived in Montgomery St off Leith Walk back then) "we are all dressed as women because we ARE women & therefore this is how women dress." /4
I was wearing boots, jeans, t-shirt, jersey, denim jacket. No make-up, short hair cut by a barber. I can be sure of that because that *is* how I dressed in the 1980s & I was absolutely militant that this was women's clothing because I am a woman & these are my clothes. /5
I was full to the brim with cis privilege of course, but she very nicely didn't point that out.
She pointed out instead that her psychiatrist was an older male NHS consultant, his idea of how women dressed was conventional, & she had to comply with his conventions or else. /6
She pointed out instead that her psychiatrist was an older male NHS consultant, his idea of how women dressed was conventional, & she had to comply with his conventions or else. /6
Because her psychiatrist was the gatekeeper to her medical / surgical transition. Without his approval -without her "dressing as a woman" to please him, she couldn't transition.
Therefore, on days she had an appointment with him, she femme'd up & didn't dress her usual self. /7
Therefore, on days she had an appointment with him, she femme'd up & didn't dress her usual self. /7
The Gender Recognition Act of 2004 affirmed this medical gatekeeping: without medical records, without approval from a consultant - usually an older man with "conventional" ideas about women, yes - a trans person couldn't get a Gender Recognition Certificate. /8
The proposed #GRAReform ends this medical gatekeeping for getting a GRC. Trans women should never have had to perform conventional femininity for a consultant whose ideas about how women dress is skirts & make-up. That's what I've always thought: but I am a #feminist. /9
Anti-trans activists like LGB Alliance with their #PressPause on #GRAReform want to lock in the medical gatekeeping for a GRC & force trans women to perform conventional femininity to please older male NHS consultants.
I oppose #LGBAlliance as a lesbian-feminist. #LWithTheT /10
I oppose #LGBAlliance as a lesbian-feminist. #LWithTheT /10
PS: 11 hours & 1200+ RTs/Likes/Replies later, Enasdottir blocks me. (Understandably.) /11
This thread is coming to life again. If you haven't yet, please sign:
UK Media: Stop Uncritically Platforming LGB Alliance "Hate Group" https://www.change.org/p/uk-media-stop-uncritically-platforming-lgb-alliance-hate-group
UK Media: Stop Uncritically Platforming LGB Alliance "Hate Group" https://www.change.org/p/uk-media-stop-uncritically-platforming-lgb-alliance-hate-group
