At the moment there is a huge moral panic about trans people. It’s got many focuses. That men might use cross dressing to attack women in changing areas or loos. That children are being sexualised. That ‘women’s rights’ are being eroded. 1

I’m not going to go in detail into the fact that (the minority) of men who want to attack women have habitually done so without excuses. That awareness of gender comes LONG before sexual desire. That being trans is not an easy way for people to succeed. 2

What I want to point out is that this is a panic. I remember the moral panic which created the vile Clause 28. I remember the ads about the horrors of children being indoctrinated to become gay. And people really worried. 3

They thought if they saw people like me and my wife they would instantly want what we had and be turned gay. Really. A muddy smallholding and a well-received but not financially successful book would persuade people to our brand of happiness. I’m flattered, but 4

While it’s true some of my grandchildren fancy keeping ferrets, no, sexuality has other, deeper drivers. It was moral panic. And every so often society has panics. About eggs (remember?) or witches? And sometimes there is a shred of fact at the bottom (eggs) and 5

Sometimes there isn’t (witches). It in every case, the panic is UTTERLY disproportionate. And a bit further on, it’s easy to see that. Trans people aren’t a threat. Children are not being forced into genders they are not. Puberty blockers don’t change your sex. 6

Vanishingly small numbers of men dress up as women to assault women. You already have an absolute right to report and have removed anyone threatening you in a loo - how they dress doesn’t matter. And (sadly) plenty of men will assault women without dressing up at all. 7