I think the gender self-identity issue is quite bizarre in the US. But my spouse and several of my Gen Z kids think I am foolishly "dying on that hill" over the issue if I directly object to it to those pushing the language of pronouns self-choice. But, whatever is happening here, it does not seem to hold a candle to the UK. And particularly Scotland. WTF? Seriously, WTF is with Scotland? I have this image of Scotsmen as tough, hardbitten guys, rough around the edges. Yet it seems like they might not really be "guys" at all. How would William Wallace deal with this? I am starting to think that when Wallace/Mel Gibson and his fellow warriors lifted their kilts above their arses and bent over in front of the English army, they were not mooning some disrespect, but perhaps offering something else?
For some reason, the hamsters of substack decided to post my last comment twice and then when I went to delete, deleted the whole thing. Sigh.
So apologies.
LOL on the WIlliam Wallace image.
I don't think you are wrong. And it is a very important hill.
The figures from the now closed GIDS at Tavistock make for sobering reading 96% of the children referred ended up on puberty blockers and of those 98% went on to cross sex hormones. Both interventions can have severe medical consequences. You need to compare to the pre-affirmation only figure which was only 10-20% of people who had gender incongruence went on to have full blown gender dysphoria and needed medication. In short -- the pause isn't a pause but a pathway to the cross sex hormone drug pipeline. https://archive.md/2023.01.21-040730/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/20/puberty-blockers-given-almost-children-sent-assessment-tavistock/ (not behind a pay wall)
The Cass Report said that social transition (ie pronoun changes etc) is not a neutral act and should only be done under medical supervision as it is such a powerful tool.
Finally you have Kemi Badenoch today explaining that self id allows predators to inhabit a space which was previously reserved for a group of people with a serious mental illness. It makes a mockery of those who do suffer from the condition and conflates them with the predators rather than actually getting them the help and assistance they actually need. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/badenoch-gender-self-identification-puts-women-and-girls-at-risk-from-predators/ “Predators would be able to exploit any system that says you can just say you are what you are.
“It’s also quite bad for trans people. They then get conflated and associated with the predators and people who are looking to do bad things.
“That’s why having a stricter regime rather than a loose regime is quite important.”
There is also a problem around the rhetoric, she added.
“Rather than having a disagreement on whether you think self-identification is OK or not OK, people who have a different view are then abused, insulted, called transphobic.
“That’s what has really toxified the debate, and made a lot of people scared to say what they think.”
Another scary, but outstanding, lineup this Friday Michelle.
I can't decide who's in worse shape when it comes to LGB-T issues, the UK or the US. I think it's too close to call. I will note that the letter from the FSU to MPs was *great.*
I'm especially thrilled to "hear" about the progress on Your book. Fingers crossed the copyedits are next, and fly through the process. But You're already started on the next book? Can't You let the stone rest and pick up a little moss?
TY again, Ma'am. Been having some trouble sleeping, so will read the rest after a nap. TYTY.
I am trying to be more productive this year, JT. Unfortunately I have just realised that I started the book in the wrong place and did a backstory dump -- a romance does not really start until the two protagonists meet.
The trouble is more with the T issues than the LGB if you see my meaning. And I am afraid they have been cynically used by the SNP whose main driver is independence. They seem to forget that it was the Scots who begged for the Union after an unsuccessful venture involving shipping woollen blankets to Panama.
I hope your sleeping troubles soon resolve themselves.
I haven't made up my mind which is worse. The woman who got social services called on her for asking the school not to refer to her young girl by a boys name. Continually even tho the case was closed. Or the city in Scotland asking 7-year-olds what gender they are. Thing is that the same thing goes on in the US, but You don't see many stories about it.
You're being SUPER-productive this year. And I have complete and perfect confidence Your two protagonists will meet in the end (or beginning ;-).
And, yeah, I see Your meaning. That's why I wrote it out LGB-T. Whole 'nuther animal. And I can't help but LOL. What could possibly go wrong with woolen blankets in Panama. And TYTY. Nap helped.
You get 8 free articles per month. I tend to be pretty careful about which ones I read. Spiked is always free and can have some interesting takes. I tend to like things which make me think.
Michele,
I think the gender self-identity issue is quite bizarre in the US. But my spouse and several of my Gen Z kids think I am foolishly "dying on that hill" over the issue if I directly object to it to those pushing the language of pronouns self-choice. But, whatever is happening here, it does not seem to hold a candle to the UK. And particularly Scotland. WTF? Seriously, WTF is with Scotland? I have this image of Scotsmen as tough, hardbitten guys, rough around the edges. Yet it seems like they might not really be "guys" at all. How would William Wallace deal with this? I am starting to think that when Wallace/Mel Gibson and his fellow warriors lifted their kilts above their arses and bent over in front of the English army, they were not mooning some disrespect, but perhaps offering something else?
For some reason, the hamsters of substack decided to post my last comment twice and then when I went to delete, deleted the whole thing. Sigh.
So apologies.
LOL on the WIlliam Wallace image.
I don't think you are wrong. And it is a very important hill.
The figures from the now closed GIDS at Tavistock make for sobering reading 96% of the children referred ended up on puberty blockers and of those 98% went on to cross sex hormones. Both interventions can have severe medical consequences. You need to compare to the pre-affirmation only figure which was only 10-20% of people who had gender incongruence went on to have full blown gender dysphoria and needed medication. In short -- the pause isn't a pause but a pathway to the cross sex hormone drug pipeline. https://archive.md/2023.01.21-040730/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/20/puberty-blockers-given-almost-children-sent-assessment-tavistock/ (not behind a pay wall)
The Cass Report said that social transition (ie pronoun changes etc) is not a neutral act and should only be done under medical supervision as it is such a powerful tool.
Finally you have Kemi Badenoch today explaining that self id allows predators to inhabit a space which was previously reserved for a group of people with a serious mental illness. It makes a mockery of those who do suffer from the condition and conflates them with the predators rather than actually getting them the help and assistance they actually need. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/badenoch-gender-self-identification-puts-women-and-girls-at-risk-from-predators/ “Predators would be able to exploit any system that says you can just say you are what you are.
“It’s also quite bad for trans people. They then get conflated and associated with the predators and people who are looking to do bad things.
“That’s why having a stricter regime rather than a loose regime is quite important.”
There is also a problem around the rhetoric, she added.
“Rather than having a disagreement on whether you think self-identification is OK or not OK, people who have a different view are then abused, insulted, called transphobic.
“That’s what has really toxified the debate, and made a lot of people scared to say what they think.”
Ass
Another scary, but outstanding, lineup this Friday Michelle.
I can't decide who's in worse shape when it comes to LGB-T issues, the UK or the US. I think it's too close to call. I will note that the letter from the FSU to MPs was *great.*
I'm especially thrilled to "hear" about the progress on Your book. Fingers crossed the copyedits are next, and fly through the process. But You're already started on the next book? Can't You let the stone rest and pick up a little moss?
TY again, Ma'am. Been having some trouble sleeping, so will read the rest after a nap. TYTY.
And this is a great article by Rosie Duffield the MP who was heckled explaining what has happened to her. https://unherd.com/2023/01/the-labour-party-has-a-woman-problem/
I am trying to be more productive this year, JT. Unfortunately I have just realised that I started the book in the wrong place and did a backstory dump -- a romance does not really start until the two protagonists meet.
The trouble is more with the T issues than the LGB if you see my meaning. And I am afraid they have been cynically used by the SNP whose main driver is independence. They seem to forget that it was the Scots who begged for the Union after an unsuccessful venture involving shipping woollen blankets to Panama.
I hope your sleeping troubles soon resolve themselves.
I haven't made up my mind which is worse. The woman who got social services called on her for asking the school not to refer to her young girl by a boys name. Continually even tho the case was closed. Or the city in Scotland asking 7-year-olds what gender they are. Thing is that the same thing goes on in the US, but You don't see many stories about it.
TY as always, Michelle. Always informative.
You're being SUPER-productive this year. And I have complete and perfect confidence Your two protagonists will meet in the end (or beginning ;-).
And, yeah, I see Your meaning. That's why I wrote it out LGB-T. Whole 'nuther animal. And I can't help but LOL. What could possibly go wrong with woolen blankets in Panama. And TYTY. Nap helped.
I shall have to have a look at the Bluestocking. And yes I am a BW fan.
Did you see the Rosie Duffield piece in Unherd? https://unherd.com/2023/01/the-labour-party-has-a-woman-problem/ I watched the debate live on the BBC website and found the heckling deeply uncomfortable.
You get 8 free articles per month. I tend to be pretty careful about which ones I read. Spiked is always free and can have some interesting takes. I tend to like things which make me think.