I’ve said it several times this week & I will say it again, I do not believe that everyone who has questions or even concerns about gender recognition is acting in bad faith. But the vitriol lashed out by many of those who oppose gender recognition is staggering in its intensity.

I RTd a thread earlier written by a trans woman in her 70’s. In it she spoke of her fear, of how she is more scared now than she has ever been in her life. I RTd it without comment other than to ask that people read it. Many replies are just awful. Utterly lacking in humanity.

It is depressing and heartbreaking in equal measure. The savagery and hatred in some of the replies. How in hell can any reasonable discussion happen if even a thread like that is met by yet another hateful pile on?

The hatred is just soul destroying. Everything and anything that is said is picked asunder and manipulated to mean something else, whatever suits the narrative to justify continuing with the hate, the toxicity, the attacks.

And meanwhile, trans people, including trans young people are portrayed as deviants, as potential predators. Kids are being portrayed as dangerous and potentially predatory. Incredibly vulnerable kids. It is beyond shocking.

I’ve heard people I love and respect say that we need to find a way to discuss concerns and answer questions that people may quite understandably have. I agree as it happens. That should happen. But that discussion must be framed in a way that protects trans people from hate.

As a starting point, we must insist that any discussion is not used to demonise trans people & trans young people. Such positions must be challenged & rejected. We’ve had more than enough of people having to put their lives, their privacy, their dignity up for debate in Ireland.

We are better than that. We do not have to import a toxic hateful discourse from another place. We can and must be better than that.