Sat. February 12 and Sun. February 13
Current news and opinion from a Gender Critical perspective
This day in Herstory: Sarojini Naidu, born February 13, 1879 (died March 2, 1949) was an Indian political activist and poet. A proponent of civil rights, women's emancipation, and anti-imperialistic ideas, she was an important figure in India's struggle for independence from colonial rule. Naidu's work as a poet earned her the sobriquet 'the Nightingale of India', or 'Bharat Kokila' by Mahatma Gandhi because of colour, imagery and lyrical quality of her poetry. (more)
Andrew Doyle: 'You can’t force others to share your beliefs on gender identity' - YouTube
Feb 13, 2022
“Let’s just leave the kids alone.”
Transgender rights: Samaritan denied foster role in row over puberty blockers
Volunteer claims she was ‘cancelled’ by Scottish charity for expressing her concerns about hormone treatment
From The Times (UK)
By Mark Macaskill
Feb 13, 2022
A volunteer with the Samaritans was rejected as a foster carer by a Scottish charity and a local authority after she expressed misgivings about hormone treatment for children with gender dysphoria.
Mandy Neeson’s hopes of providing a loving home for a child were dashed when she expressed “gender critical’ views to the Aberlour Child Care Trust, including concerns about medicalising young people.
The Stirling-based charity, which has received Scottish government funding and signed up to a diversity champions scheme run by the LGBT charity Stonewall, said her views on gender and diversity did not align with its values. … read full article
Viking hordes ‘may have been trans’
From The Times (UK)
By Mike Merritt
Feb 13, 2022
Transgender warriors were among the Vikings who ransacked Scotland more than 1,000 years ago, a leading historian believes.
Sacha Coward, who specialises in gender and sexuality, said it would be “a mistake” to believe that Viking society subscribed to traditional gender roles, after recent discoveries suggested that some celebrated warriors were female. … read full article
SNP ready to make concessions on gender reforms ahead of May elections
From The Times (UK)
By John Boothman
Feb 13, 2022
Plans to let people officially change gender quickly without providing medical evidence of gender dysphoria could be watered down under concessions being considered by Scottish ministers.
The Sunday Times has learnt that members of the government have not ruled out changes to their proposed reforms, including keeping the minimum age for obtaining a gender recognition certificate (GRC) at 18.
Ministers, who will publish their proposals this week, have previously suggested this be reduced to 16, while some groups have been pressing the government to reduce the age limit to 12. … read full article
Midwife who took pics of women having C-sections and filmed sex act in loo suspended
Midwife Paul Johnson has been suspended and faces being struck off over allegations of "bullying, harassment and sexual behaviour" at Hull Women & Children's Hospital
From The Mirror (UK)
By Susie Beever
Feb 12, 2022
A midwife who took photos of women having caesareans without their consent has been suspended and faces being struck off over allegations of "bullying, harassment and sexual behaviour" at work.
Paul Johnson was told he showed "little remorse" for his actions after trying to shift the blame during a three-week misconduct hearing, which came to close on Friday afternoon. … read full article
Stonewall’s disgraceful attacks on the EHRC
From The Spectator (UK)
Feb 12, 2022
Whatever happened to the brilliant gay rights movement led by people like Ian McKellen, Simon Fanshawe, Matthew Parris and Angela Mason? For people of my baby boomer generation, one of the miracles of the late 20th century was the speed at which public prejudices against lesbian and gay people evaporated.
Those prejudices haven’t disappeared; but it is now accepted as common sense that LGBTQ+ people should be treated equally. When I started work that kind of statement seemed like generations away. The advocacy of the original founders of Stonewall changed attitudes to such an extent that a Tory Prime Minister – David Cameron – could boast in a conference speech that he supported same-sex marriage, not in spite of being a Conservative but because he was a Conservative – and be received with an ovation from his elderly, right wing audience.
Today, that gay rights movement seems a shadow of itself, preoccupied by the intricacies of a language despotism that has emerged from the faculty lounges of minor North American universities. The latest step, a call for the UN to revoke the status of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, of which I was the founding chair, is baffling. Who could have imagined that LGBTQ+ campaigners would so contort themselves that they are petitioning a body which is advised on human rights by countries that stone women and imprison gay men? … read full article
House of Lords is latest to say no to Stonewall after mother of all rows
From The Times (UK)
By Caroline Wheeler
Feb 13, 2022
The House of Lords has abandoned a workplace inclusivity programme run by Stonewall following a row about the use of gender-neutral language in legislation.
It has become the latest organisation to pull out of the charity’s Diversity Champions programme under which participants pay for advice on creating a supportive working environment.
A spokesman for the Lords said the decision followed an assessment of the “costs and benefits of the programme”. … read full article (share token)
"Gender Neutral" Male Arrested After Sexual Assault of Woman
From REDUXX (USA)
By REDUXX Team
Feb 13, 2022
A Scottish man who repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman has been jailed for 23 months for his crime.
Laura Miller, a biological male who identifies as "gender neutral," was sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court in Scotland on February 11 after pleading guilty to the charge of sexual assault on the day his trial was set to begin.
As first reported in The Press and Journal, which uniformly referred to Miller by 'they/them' pronouns, the incidents took place in 2017 at a property on the Isle of Skye. Fiscal Depute Martina Eastwood told the Court that "on several occasions" Miller had sexually assaulted the woman while she was in a state incapable of giving consent.
On at least one occasion, Miller filmed himself while he was assaulting the woman. In the video, he is described as being seen "removing [his] victim’s clothing, exposing her private parts and touching [her] breasts." He is also making vulgar sexual remarks of an offensive nature towards her. Details on Miller's relationship to the woman as well as how he had access to her are currently unknown. … read full article (and please support REDUXX on Patreon!)
Violent Trans Activist Who Kicked Lesbian out of Pride Org. Quietly Detransitions
From REDUXX (USA)
By Genevieve Gluck
Feb 13, 2022
A male who identified as a lesbian and had the sole lesbian representative removed from Baltimore’s LGBTQ Commission while pushing lesbophobic sentiment in 2018 has quietly detransitioned.
Kodah Pipitone, once known as Ava, was instrumental in having lesbian advocate Julia Beck kicked off the commission and shunned as a “TERF”, then sponsored an event in which he advertised that “exclusionary” lesbians would be “hung [sic] by their necks." … read full article (and please support REDUXX on Patreon!)
Sex Matters: Why Lia Thomas and Transgender Athletes Must Not Compete Against Biological Females
Nancy Hogshead-Makar knows all about being a champion in the pool, and championing for the rights of female athletes. A four-time medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Hogshead-Makar has long fought for equality in women’s sports and is the head of Champion Women, which advocates for girls and women in sports. Hogshead-Makar wrote the following editorial in response to the controversy surrounding transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
From Swimming World (USA)
By Nancy Hogshead-Makar
Feb 12, 2022
Inclusion and fairness are two vital values in the world of sports.
Transgender women should be allowed to compete in women’s athletics, so long as these individuals can show that they’ve mitigated the athletic advantages that come with male puberty.
As an Olympic champion and as a civil rights lawyer, I can assure you that there is nothing fair about transgender woman Lia Thomas competing for the University of Pennsylvania in NCAA swimming.
Worse, her domination of the ‘women’s sports’ category is doing nothing to engender greater empathy for inclusive practices throughout society for the trans community.
I swam on the U.S. National Team for nine years, from 1976–1984, the same years that East German swimmers dominated women’s competitions by cheating with anabolic steroids.
I was able to win three Olympic gold medals and a silver medal because the East Germans boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. … read full article
School said boy, six, would be transphobic if he expressed confusion over classmate
Christian parents launch legal challenge to guidelines
From The Times (UK)
Feb 13, 2022
Officials at a primary school warned the parents of a six-year-old that he would be deemed “transphobic” if he expressed confusion when a pupil he knew as a boy was wearing a dress.
Sally and Nigel Rowe have released a letter they received from a Church of England school on the Isle of Wight after they had raised concerns that their son was confused by the behaviour of another pupil.
The letter from the school’s head teacher and the chairwoman of the governors warned that pupils would be viewed as transphobic if they demonstrated an “inability to believe a transgender person is actually a ‘real’ female or male”.
Children would also be regarded as transphobic if they exhibited “feelings of discomfort and inability to trust or connect with someone based on their transgender status” as well as a refusal to use an “adopted name or using gender inappropriate pronouns”, the letter stated. … read full article
The academic taking on the trans activist bullies at Bristol university
From The Spectator (UK)
By Julie Bindel
Feb 12, 2022
Raquel Rosario-Sanchez’s case may prove to be a landmark one in the current war on women. She is a PhD student who is taking a civil action against her university, Bristol, on the grounds of sex discrimination and negligence.
She is arguing that the university failed to tackle transgender activists who subjected her to a two-year hate campaign. The case, held in the Bristol Civil Justice Centre, is being taken as a last resort: Rosario-Sanchez previously attempted to resolve matters with the university through the usual channels.
It all began in 2018, when Rosario-Sanchez was invited to chair a meeting of the socialist feminist organisation, a Women’s Place UK (WPUK). She was asked for good reason. Her feminist credentials are impressive. By the time she came to the UK from the Dominican Republic aged 28, Rosario-Sanchez had two degrees in women’s studies, had worked in the women’s sector, and was involved in the campaign to end male violence towards women and girls. … read full article
Gender-neutral parental leave can undermine mother’s unique role
From The Riot Act (Australia)
By Ian Bushnell
Feb 14, 2022
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency last week reported that three-in-five employers are now offering paid parental leave, with most making paid leave equally available for both parents.
The growth of parental leave is to be lauded. WGEA Director Mary Wooldridge said access to paid parental leave had significant health and wellbeing benefits for families and the community. …
Normalising men being more involved in the raising and caring of children is a good thing, for them, their partner and society in general.
But this increasingly fashionable suggestion that the roles of mother and father are interchangeable despite biological realities and the scientific evidence is disturbing.
It suggests that somehow a woman who has carried a child and given birth, who is the only one who can provide the best protection and nutrition for her baby and whose bond with that baby is paramount to its development of self, can be seamlessly replaced by dad.
She can’t be. … read full article