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Under constant attack

idk

How can one continue to survive when under constant attack every day.

Mental health issues? Attacked.

Asexual? Attacked.

Trans? Attacked.

On benefits? Attacked.

And today has been an exceptionally bad day, the supreme court giving bigots a free pass to be horrible, saying horrific things, celebrating the diminishment of trans rights.

As well as the government announcing that they are looking to cut benefits again, and get people with disabilities back into work, while there is a stagnant job market.

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Comments

Slonvinton

It certainly has been a bad run of stuff like this over the past month or so.

Martinp

This country has become a state of America, run by right wing bigots. It’s a **** hole and I hate it. Just try and remember there are still good people out there. Look after yourself idk

Slonvinton

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018099#Comment_1018099

Its still left it messy though and probably in a way which will increase bigotted comments for transgender people.
It seems to me to be a lot of practical stuff that needs resolving now… whats going to happen with single sex places, sports etc? Where do intersex people stand in all this.

Ive got some thoughts on it, Im not transgender so I might not get my terminology correct here; no offence is intended- as I do think if I was younger Id be all out identifying as agender. Anyway on to my thoughts…

In my opinion what we need now are some very solid laws that allow for freedom of choice regarding gender that completely seperate it from biological sex. I think the Scottish government discussed bringing gender into it as an identifier distinct from sex before, was that with the census, but decided against it.

So many questions too. Is there any value now in having your birth certificate changed? Is it going to affect getting medical help? Where does this ruling leave trans people and the rest of us…

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018099#Comment_1018099

With all due respect, it did, and the people celebrating the ruling were definitely attacking trans people.

The ruling means that I can be discriminated against with regards to changing rooms, toilets, support groups, hospitals, etc.

Mary_Scope

Hi @idk

I hope you are okay and taking some time to look after yourself.

It was an incredibly harsh day yesterday for transgender people, do you have any support round you at the moment?

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018213#Comment_1018213

Yeah, I'm in the lucky position of having a loving family and my mum has come to take me out today.

Mary_Scope

This is good to know @idk, i hope you have a lovely time out today

WhatThe

Women are women. Transwomen are transwomen. Simple.

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018234#Comment_1018234

The protections have been diminished, the ruling means I can be discriminated against with regards to what I have already stated.

There are people gleefully queuing up to restrict where trans women are allowed to go because the ruling makes that possible now.

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018239#Comment_1018239

Cheers for proving the point of this thread.

Community_Scope

Hello everyone,

We want this discussion to continue, but we’re concerned that things are becoming quite tense and could easily escalate.

Please remember that all discussions on Scope’s online community should remain civil, supportive, and safe.

We will continue to closely monitor this discussion, but if it escalates further, we may choose to pause, close, or hide the discussion.

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WhatThe

Women's rights cannot be trumped by trans rights. I'm sorry for anyone who thought they could be.

BTW, I've never seen any interest from the trans community in supporting women's rights, only their own.

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018265#Comment_1018265

Then you have never spoken to, or engaged with the trans community.

I can tell you that we do champion womens rights, as well as our own. Separating trans woman from cis women will hurt all women, what if you don't look female enough?

I'm in a very lucky position of passing, no one knows.

But can you atleast pretend to be respectful? This community is supposed to be a safe one and I don't appreciate having to defend my existence.

Girl_No1

The way I see it is as a society we have made amendments to the law for every other minority acknowledging their status e.g. halal food for Muslims in hospital, accessible entrances/toilet facilities for disabled people, travel concessions for the elderly, official documents produced in multiple minority languages, same-sex marriages etc. etc.

Why can we not find a workable solution for transgender people?

I've never been entirely clear why there is so much outright hatred towards such a small minority of people within society.

I've heard people say there's a contagion element of transgenderism. I don't believe that to be true. I equate it more to homosexuality in terms of society's views. I'm old enough to vaguely remember when gay people were regarded with deep suspicion, bullying, harassment, and derision.

As it became more acceptable to be openly gay, more people began identifying themselves as such. Not because they were 'infected' via contagion, rather because they had to previously hide who they were from the bigots and bullies. I tend to believe that is what has happened with transgender people who remained 'closeted' (for want of a better term) and who are now feeling able to be themselves.

Also, there is, and always has been, the 'experimentation' and searching young people tend to go through in their teen years - they now just have another option to openly consider. It's gone from am I straight, gay, bisexual to now include am I in the wrong body for who I am.

Of course, there are some using their 'transgenderism' as a cover for their desire to harm others. Every sector of society has nefarious people within its cohort, it would be lunacy to deny this. Those nefarious people are always a tiny minority of any overall cohort, though, no matter what bigots tell you.

So, reason tells me transgender people will also have a small number with ill-intent amongst their cohort.

There will always be those who toy with the law for their own benefit/purposes, particularly when the tax-payer is footing the bill. Look no further than Steven Yaxley-Lennon (or Tommy Robinson to his followers) as an example of someone attempting (and failing) to hijack neurodiversity etc. for his own benefit.

Instead of focusing on the 'nefarious' element within the transgender minority, governments have allowed right-wing bigots and bullies to set the narrative that all transgender people are dangerous.

The narrative around changing rooms, single-sex spaces etc., sounds awfully like the narrative in the 70s/80s where every gay man was deemed (by bigots and bullies) to be a paedophile and a danger to children. Same 'reasoning' is now employed by bigots and bullies against transgender people i.e. male to female people are all 'rapists/perverts'.

It's shameful, really, that people are so blinded by hatred that has been whipped up by those who are setting a very false narrative.

I predict, in a few decades or sooner, people will look back at today's situation with the same horror and shame in which we currently look back at pre-80s when gay people lived horrible lives due to bigotry and hatred.

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018270#Comment_1018270

Well said, thank you, I'm not very eloquent.

Slonvinton

I dont like the fact that the term "women" has been considered as a sex denoting word rather than a gender denoting word. Female is a sex denoting word as far as I can see but Ive always thought of "women" as being a gender role sort of word.

It seems to me that if the Equality Act had used slightly different terminology we might not be here deciding that "woman" is linked to sex not gender.
Im not quite sure what transgender women are supposed to call themselves, in everyday life, now.

I think its understanable to be concerned about how this is going to pan out now. I think its quite possible that some bigotted types are going to start objecting to any transgender person calling themselves "woman" even as an addon to trans. We will have to see how it pans out of course, but I think its understandable people are concerned.

Slonvinton

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018280#Comment_1018280

Well there is a paragraph on wikipedia about that:

"The closed compound (one word) spelling transwoman is sometimes used interchangeably with trans woman, but is often associated with the gender-critical or anti-trans belief that trans women are not women, and thus require a separate word to describe them.[12] For this reason, many transgender people find the spelling offensive.[12][13] Some prefer to omit trans, and be called simply women.[10] Older terms sometimes still seen are male-to-female (MTF, M2F), but these are outdated.[14]"

Slonvinton

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018287#Comment_1018287

I think you just missed the point I was making about how transpeople are being attacked and what this might mean.

idk

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1018287#Comment_1018287

I usually give people the benefit of the doubt, but just let them know that it is used to other trans women.

WhatThe

"Then you have never spoken to, or engaged with the trans community."

I supported someone through a transition nearly 40 years ago. I was the only one in the group to do so.