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Set aside your assumption that concerns are 'transphobia'. It's not a hard question to answer.
1. UK was until very recently ranked by ILGA and others as the most T friendly country in the world, by social attitude and legislative framework. https://twitter.com/albinokid/status/1269620039700922369
1. UK was until very recently ranked by ILGA and others as the most T friendly country in the world, by social attitude and legislative framework. https://twitter.com/albinokid/status/1269620039700922369
Our legislative framework has included sex discrimination legislation since the 1970s, which covered trans people's rights, as was clarified for the avoidance of doubt by supplementary legislation passed in the 1990s.
Gender recognition legislation was in place by 2004.
Gender recognition legislation was in place by 2004.
Making UK one of the first countries in the world to recognise gender reassignment without requirement for surgical interventions.
A mostly uncontroversial and broadly supported state of affairs. Some concerns about the framing, including from some radical feminists.
A mostly uncontroversial and broadly supported state of affairs. Some concerns about the framing, including from some radical feminists.
And, of course, some genuinely prejudiced, socially conservative, mostly right wing or fundamentally religious people but social attitude surveys suggested less than 1-in-10. A very different situation from 70% believing homosexuality 'wrong' just over a decade earlier.
Then, in 2016, the Government accepted Parliamentary Inquiry's recommendations for changes made at the behest of trans rights organisations.
The recommended changes included what some call 'gatekeeping' and others call 'safeguards' to the process of recognition/reassignment.
The recommended changes included what some call 'gatekeeping' and others call 'safeguards' to the process of recognition/reassignment.
Parliament and government did not take any evidence or consult with any organisations representing women or women's interests. None.
Some people thought this was an important omission for legislative change which could redefine 'woman'.
Some people thought this was an important omission for legislative change which could redefine 'woman'.
Others thought it was wrong to consult only trans interests on recommendations that would alter the framework of previously agreed safeguards, and they said so.
For saying so, they were denounced.
For saying so, they were denounced.
They asked for discussions, and were labelled as hate groups. They asked for interests to be taken into account and were harrassed at work. They gathered to meet and discuss and were physically intimidated.
Some were assaulted. Others lost their jobs.
Some were assaulted. Others lost their jobs.
Yet more, like @jk_rowling were dogpiled and subject to violent threats and general vilification, mostly by men.
Quite a lot of people, more every day, saw what was happening and didn't like it. We said things like, 'free speech', 'respectful debate' and 'legitimate concerns'.
Quite a lot of people, more every day, saw what was happening and didn't like it. We said things like, 'free speech', 'respectful debate' and 'legitimate concerns'.
We said "trans rights are human rights, and so are women's rights; conflicts of rights need calibrated resolutions, not winners and losers."
We tried to engage. We, too, were vilified. Activists complained to our employers, stalked us online and in real life, too.
We tried to engage. We, too, were vilified. Activists complained to our employers, stalked us online and in real life, too.
And all the political parties, and all the mainstream organisations stayed quiet or, worse, actively colluded, even as most of them shared some of our concerns, at least to some extent.
We saw good people bullied, threatened, hounded into silence.
So we looked closer.
We saw good people bullied, threatened, hounded into silence.
So we looked closer.
Stonewall made one tiny comment on 17-09-17, the day after a 60 year old woman was assaulted by several men, including one who identifies as a transwoman, in his 20s. They said violence was not the way https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/09/18/stonewall-named-after-famous-lgbt-riot-disavows-all-violence/
And there was an outcry from trans rights activists.
Stonewall was a riot, they said!
And so Stonewall's comment condemning violence was taken down and it can no longer be seen.
Stonewall was a riot, they said!
And so Stonewall's comment condemning violence was taken down and it can no longer be seen.
And so we saw a movement that was male dominated, and which relied on threats and intimidation, lies or distortions.
A movement riddled with aggression, ignorance and with highly individualistic, anti-social ideas.
A movement that was misogynistic to its core.
A movement riddled with aggression, ignorance and with highly individualistic, anti-social ideas.
A movement that was misogynistic to its core.
A movement that co-opted the medical conditions of intersex people with DSDs, against their expressed will, that appropriated the liberation struggles of lesbian and gay people and colonised our institutions, that regularly insulted people of colour, women especially.
A movement which rewrote our histories, denied or motivations and obfuscated our language.
We saw a movement which spoke over dissenting transsexuals, described them as 'outdated' and attacked them as Quislings, Terf Pets.
We saw a movement which spoke over dissenting transsexuals, described them as 'outdated' and attacked them as Quislings, Terf Pets.
We saw a movement which did not care about the consequences it caused for gender dysphoric youth, for gender non conforming people or for transsexuals, without concern for a backlash or increasing intolerance.
We saw it double down.
We saw it double down.
We saw a movement which inspired hundreds of thousands of male people to celebrate with glee images and instances of violence against women.
What we saw was the patriarchy at work, taking women's hard won rights, resources and progress and sharing them with male people.
What we saw was the patriarchy at work, taking women's hard won rights, resources and progress and sharing them with male people.
With barely a word about trans men, or detransitioned lesbians or desisting gay men, ever.
And so we said, 'No'. This is not right.
And they replied. 'No Debate!', 'Get Over It', 'Trans Women Are Women', 'Bigot', 'Terf' and that word-which-has-become-meaningless: 'Transphobia'
And so we said, 'No'. This is not right.
And they replied. 'No Debate!', 'Get Over It', 'Trans Women Are Women', 'Bigot', 'Terf' and that word-which-has-become-meaningless: 'Transphobia'
