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Bloody hell - the trans debate on here. I'm beginning to better appreciate why the two sides are so incredibly at odds - because, typical Twitter, only the extreme positions ever get a hearing. The most sensational, simplistic tweet always gets the most approval. It's absurd.
Anyway, the following is my position. Warning: absolutely nobody will agree with all of it, plenty will disagree with most of it, and some will vehemently disagree with the whole lot (while attacking me for having any position at all given I'm male).
And Twitter being Twitter, the tweets that people disagree with will get focused on infinitely more than the tweets people agree with. But hey ho, just as long as it's not in bad faith.
Everyone has their views on this; it's complex, sensitive and mindbogglingly difficult.
Everyone has their views on this; it's complex, sensitive and mindbogglingly difficult.
1. I do not believe that someone, male or female, can just stand up one day, decide they're of the opposite sex, and everyone should just go along with it.
2. If someone's had gender reconstruction surgery, I absolutely DO believe they are then of the opposite gender and sex.
2. If someone's had gender reconstruction surgery, I absolutely DO believe they are then of the opposite gender and sex.
Yet there's people on here who deny point 2 until they're blue in the face. I find that abhorrent quite frankly.
3. I am not and will never be down with referring to myself as "cis". I'm male. Language evolves; language cannot be forced down anyone's throats.
3. I am not and will never be down with referring to myself as "cis". I'm male. Language evolves; language cannot be forced down anyone's throats.
4. When people below age 18 want to transition - or decide they're of the opposite sex or gender - I don't believe in blanketly accepting that. But...
5. I don't believe in blanketly not accepting that either. Each case and individual are different.
5. I don't believe in blanketly not accepting that either. Each case and individual are different.
Real, lifelong harm is caused when people regret having transitioned; but real, lifelong harm is also caused when people aren't allowed to transition. So, when it comes to young people, it's case by case: all considered carefully, seriously and with the utmost sensitivity.
6. Women have very real concerns about loss of rights and loss of safe spaces. They must be engaged with and listened to. But:
There's people on here who seem to dismiss completely:
- All transgender people
- All men
- The majority of women (who disagree with them totally)
There's people on here who seem to dismiss completely:
- All transgender people
- All men
- The majority of women (who disagree with them totally)
Who does that leave? "The only people who count in my world are the minority of women who agree with me"?
You can't say "how dare you, a man, think you know better about what constitutes a woman" - then systematically ignore the majority of women as well!
You can't say "how dare you, a man, think you know better about what constitutes a woman" - then systematically ignore the majority of women as well!
7. Those who deny that a man who transitions through surgery into becoming a woman is now a woman are transphobic.
I don't know why those who do that don't just admit it. They're plainly scared of trans people; they're phobic about them. Simple.
I don't know why those who do that don't just admit it. They're plainly scared of trans people; they're phobic about them. Simple.
And that phobia and stigma causes the most staggering harm. Which is unimaginable to almost all of us. In Uruguay, where lots of legislation has been passed to deal with this horribly serious issue:
- The average life expectancy of a trans person is between 35 and 45 (in a country where life expectancy as a whole is 77)
- 25% of trans people leave their homes before 18 due to family rejection
- 87% do not finish secondary school and are discriminated against in education
- 25% of trans people leave their homes before 18 due to family rejection
- 87% do not finish secondary school and are discriminated against in education
- 67% become prostitutes because they have no other means of income
- 75% have been expelled from the education system
- Just 23% have access to formal employment
That's why Uruguay has passed laws which include:
- 75% have been expelled from the education system
- Just 23% have access to formal employment
That's why Uruguay has passed laws which include:
- Reparations to transgender people persecuted and tortured under the dictatorship here in the 1970s and early 1980s
- Mandating that transgender people receive at least 1% of public and private education scholarships
- Allowing minors to change gender with parental consent
- Mandating that transgender people receive at least 1% of public and private education scholarships
- Allowing minors to change gender with parental consent
