Saturday, May 21, 2022
This day in Herstory: Mary Anning, born May 21, 1799 (died March 9, 1847), was an English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist who became known around the world for the discoveries she made in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel at Lyme Regis in the county of Dorset in Southwest England. Anning's findings contributed to changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life and the history of the Earth. (more)
‘Real Time’s’ Bill Maher Claims Rise Of LGBTQ May Be Sparked By Need To Be Trendy
From Deadline (USA)
By Bruce Haring
May 20, 2022
Bill Maher touched one of society’s third rails tonight on his HBO show Real Time, taking on the rise of the LGBTQ community in his “New Rules” editorial at the end of the show.
Noting that polls have documented an exponential increase in those who claim LGBTQ status, he asked whether people should be allowed to ask, “What’s up with that?’
It wasn’t that long ago when adults asked children what they wanted to be when they grew up. “They meant what profession,” Maher joked. … read full article
Ed. Note: By way of contrast with the above, here’s something from the GC News Gaslight Chronicles archive, stories that perpetuate lies about gender identity ideology. We want to highlight the contrast between the courageous and the craven voices in mainstream media.
The Attack on Gender-Affirming Medical Care
From The New Yorker Radio Hour with David Remnick (USA)
May 20, 2022
Major medical organizations approve the treatments for transgender youth known as gender-affirming care, but a growing political movement seeks to ban such care in many states—applying criminal penalties to physicians and parents. Rachel Monroe, who has been following the battle in Texas, spoke with one specialist who could not remain silent, despite the risk of harassment and worse. … listen to podcast
First trans peer a step closer as hereditary candidate claims seat
Matilda Simon will contest the next by-election for one of the upper chamber’s 92 hereditary seats
From The Telegraph (UK)
By Henry Bodkin
May 20, 2022
The House of Lords could shortly welcome its first trans peer and only female hereditary member.
Matilda Simon was this week given permission to contest the next by-election for one of the upper chamber’s remaining 92 hereditary seats.
If she wins, she will doubtless become the envy of peers’ daughters across the country, because the vast majority of titles may only be passed to a male heir.
However, because of a legal loophole, the candidate, born Matthew Simon in 1955, has inherited and retains the Barony of Wythenshawe, despite being in all other legal respects a woman. … read full article
Non-Binary Muslims in the West Are Queering Islam
But the liberal trend ignores the realities of biological sex and the oppression of women and gays under Islamic rule
From 4W (USA)
By Tamata
May 21, 2022
In November 2020, Oklahoma elected its first non-binary-identified and first Muslim lawmaker elected into office, Mauree Turner. Turner’s full list of identity labels is: queer, non-binary, femme, Muslim, and goes by they/them pronouns.
Feeling confused about the non-binary Muslim combo? Well, she’s not the only one claiming it.
Take British-Iraqi gay non-binary-identified Muslim drag-queen Amrou Al-Kadhi. He published a memoir titled Life as a Unicorn: A Journey From Shame to Pride and Everything In Between and did a TEDtalk in London titled "How I embrace contradiction as a queer Muslim drag queen." … read full article
Activist group challenges D65 race and gender curriculum
From Evanston Now (USA)
By Jeff Hirsh
May 20, 2022
An organization called FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism) says some of the curriculum in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 is anything but fair when it comes to certain issues surrounding gender and race.
The New York-based group says it is a “nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil rights and liberties, and promoting a common culture based on fairness, understanding, and humanity.”
FAIR says it has more than 100 chapters, including one in Evanston which is listed on the organization’s website.
In a letter to District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton, FAIR criticizes some of the school system’s lessons about gender identity and race. … read full article
GOP pols want Barnes & Noble to stop selling ‘Gender Queer’ book to kids
From New York Post (USA)
By Ariel Zilber
May 20, 2022
A pair of Republican politicians from Virginia want a court to force Barnes & Noble to stop selling two controversial books about gender identity to minors, including Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir “Gender Queer.”
Tim Anderson, a representative in Virginia’s General Assembly, wrote a post on his Facebook account this week saying he intends to file restraining orders against two Barnes & Noble booksellers in Virginia Beach. … read full article
Gender referrals for children three times higher in Blackpool
From The Times (UK)
By Oliver Wright
May 21, 2022
Children in some parts of England are up three times more likely to be referred for potentially life-altering gender hormone treatment, research has found, amid concerns of a postcode lottery surrounding the procedure.
A survey of health authorities across the country found huge disparities in the number of children being referred by the NHS for gender dysphoria.
It comes amid growing concern at the number of potentially vulnerable children wrongly being given gender hormone treatment and how health service staff deal with under-18s who question their gender identity. … read full article
Too young for tattoo is too young to change gender, says church
From The Times (UK)
By Jason Allardyce and John Boothman
May 22, 2022
Sixteen-year-olds too young to legally acquire a tattoo should not be allowed to officially change gender, according to the Scottish Catholic church, which claims ministerial reforms risk harming vulnerable people.
The church questions whether young people can give informed consent in the formative phase of their social development for a decision of such magnitude, as proposed by the Scottish government.
In a submission to ministers, it points out that under-18s are restricted by law for their own protection from buying cigarettes or alcohol in licensed premises, buying fireworks, watching any film they like or from getting a tattoo. … read full article
Mick Clifford: Misuse of Dáil privilege in trans debate
Increasingly, a fractured political and social landscape is leading to the souring of debate.
From Irish Examiner (Ireland)
By Mick Clifford
May 21, 2022
ON May 10, Mick Barry trashed the reputation of a private citizen in the Dáil. Speaking with the privilege that protects members of the house from legal action, the Solidarity TD said that psychotherapist Stella O’Malley had been invited to address an Education Training Board conference on managing gender issues in schools.
“Ms O’Malley is an extremely controversial figure among the transgender community in Ireland and internationally,” he said during Leaders’ Questions. “Why would that not be the case when she recently messaged on a gay rights advocacy group, which excludes trans people, that ‘I don’t’ think you should have any empathy, and I haven’t asked anybody to have any empathy and I don’t think you should have empathy or sympathy." … read full article
Schools are completely disrespecting parental rights with their children: America First Legal adviser
Ian Prior slams how schools are treating parents
From Fox News (USA)
May 21, 2022
America First Legal senior adviser Ian Prior highlighted the focus schools are placing on introducing children to discovering their "gender identity" and how in this process these institutions are disrespecting parents on "The Ingraham Angle."
IAN PRIOR: It's really interesting. We've seen a lot on the gender issue. And parents have a 14th Amendment liberty right to be the primary decision-makers for the health, welfare and education of their children. And what you're seeing is that schools everywhere are completely disrespecting that. … watch full interview
Top Academic Behind Fetish Site Hosting Child Sexual Abuse Fantasy, Push To Revise WPATH Guidelines
From REDUXX (USA)
By Genevieve Gluck
May 21, 2022
A Professor Emeritus at California State University who has given academic talks on “expanding the transgender umbrella” has for over two decades participated in a fetish forum that hosts and produces extreme sadomasochistic written pornography involving the castration and torture of children.
Thomas W. Johnson, a retired Professor at California State University in Chico (CSUC), is a formative member of the body modification fetish site The Eunuch Archives, which was the subject of a months-long investigation by Reduxx released on May 17. At the time, Johnson’s identity had not yet been confirmed as an anonymous user who goes by the handle “Jesus.” … read full article
Teacher reveals how schools are struggling with trans rights
Worried parents, angry teens and furious battles over pronouns. An experienced teacher lifts the lid and explains why he had to leave his job
From The Times (UK)
By Sian Griffiths
May 21, 2022
For many people, the story that emerged last week of an 18-year-old girl who expressed doubts about ‘‘transgender ideology” and was bullied out of school by her peers was no doubt a shocking one. The girl, who wants to remain anonymous, says that she was “treated like a heretic” after she questioned a female member of the House of Lords who had come to the school to speak about transphobia in parliament. The visitor used language that the girl believed implied critical theory took precedence over biological reality in defining women. The incident prompted her fellow pupils to turn on her — she claims that a crowd of up to 60 girls screamed, swore and spat at her. She has since left the school. … read full article
Trans row schoolgirl in the eye of a storm
Pupil has had a wave of support from the likes of JK Rowling, write James Beal, Charlotte Wace and Ben Ellery
From The Times (UK)
By James Beal, Charlotte Wace, and Ben Ellery
May 21, 2022
It started as a pupil challenging a baroness on gender identity and ended up as a cause seized upon by the education secretary, attorney-general and one of the world’s most famous authors.
But an 18-year-old girl who says she was forced out of her school in a transphobia row told The Times last night that she is just grateful the “important” issue is now being discussed.
Her story, revealed by this newspaper, was amplified in a post on Twitter from JK Rowling, whose opinions are a lightning rod for those on both sides of the debate on the issue. … read full article
Abolishing legal status of sex would rob women of sex-based rights and protections – Susan Dalgety
Challenging ideas are always worthy of consideration. Even the ones that seem so outrageous that it’s hard to take them seriously, without laughing.
From The Scotsman (Scotland)
By Susan Dalgety
May 20, 2022
After all, when women first started arguing for equal rights, most men – and many women – reacted in horror. Affording women and men the same privileges and responsibilities in society was surely against God’s law.
It took nearly 140 years from when Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women to full universal suffrage in 1929, and a further 40 years for the Equal Pay Act, before the law started to catch up with the idea that men and women are created different, but equal. … read full article
Civil service trying to 'erase women' with gender neutral language in new laws, ministers warn
Downing Street is preparing a crackdown on the spread of 'militant wokery' in Whitehall
From The Telegraph (UK)
By Edward Malnick
May 21, 2022
Ministers have accused civil servants of erasing women from new laws, as Downing Street prepares a crackdown on the spread of "militant wokery" in Whitehall.
This week, the Government is expected to announce that it is rewriting guidance on drafting legislation to make clear that gender-neutral language should not replace terms such as "woman" and "mother".
The move follows a cross-party revolt over a government bill last year that referred to pregnant "people" rather than "mothers". … read full article
American activist says women are right to fear SNP/Green policies with warning signs
A women's rights campaigner says there are warning signs that the Nicola Sturgeons alliance with the Scottish Greens could impact women's healthcare provisions in Scotland.
From Scottish Daily Express (Scotland)
By Jessica North
May 21, 2022
A women's rights campaigner who moved to Scotland from the USA has said women are right to be fearful of the SNP/Green government's policies.
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Express, Caroline Robertson said a recent reproductive rights demonstration in the capital reminded her of the culture in the USA where abortion rights are set to be rolled back 50 years.
In an exclusive interview, Ms Roberstson said it made her fear for the protection of women's health care provision in Scotland under the SNP/Greens who have controversial views on the definition of a "woman". … read full article