I don’t know where to begin really. I wanted to write about the concerted attack on Stonewall in the media concerning advice that the charity gave to the University of Essex. The advice had resulted in two academic speakers being excluded and centred around freedom of speech. It would seem that the charity did give advice that was not clear and involved a question of semantics, although the charity’s guidelines are in line with the Equalities Act 2010 which had been upheld as recently as the 6th May when the Judicial Review had made it clear that the challenge by Ann Sinott of LGBQ was unarguable at law.
I actually find it too painful. The vehemence of the attacks goes way beyond reasoned argument and leaves me feeling really quite down. It is a subject I hope I will return to when I am able to be more detached. I think what I find depressing is that my experience in day to day life is such that there is really precious little transphobia. I can go about my daily life without huge hatred being dumped on me.
If I have to I will use single sex facilities, though because of the current hysteria being whipped up by anti-trans media I choose not to, I seek out facilities available to any gender (thank you Costas etc). I do not pass sufficiently that I can go “stealth” though I do try and blend in and not make myself an obvious target. The anti-trans lobby have this obsession that pre-op transwomen have this need to attack cis women in their safe sex spaces and this must be legislated against. I do not believe this is the way forward. It will result in collateral fall out for cis women too. Unless cis women fit into an acceptable presentation no doubt the “safe sex space police” will have difficulty in identifying who is trans and who is not.
It was reassuring to see Tweets such as the one from Kathryn Bromwich which said “there are plenty of cis women who are fully aware of the threats women face from predatory men-sometimes following first-hand experience- and still 100% support trans rights.” The thread had several supporting tweets.
I know that although very vocal it is a minority. However it does feel as though their platform is gaining credence and that the government is supporting the rolling back of trans rights.
My friends and colleagues simply treat me as myself, it is of no relevance that I am trans. I just want to be able to lead my life quietly being who I am. Is that too much to ask?
It's never too late.... 