Sometimes I despair

[rozk]

Somebody called Mercia - a trans woman who is a fan of Bindel's writings on matters other than trans - claims in the comments on the JB article that the demonstration on Thursday has to do with internal trans politics and ulterior motive, and cites in evidence of this, claiming that I am 'the chief culprit' my explicit disavowal of any ambition on the part of me or the other anti-Stonewall campaigners.

So, if one makes a point of saying one is not doing something - as in
I really do think that the Stonewall and PFC people see me and my small group of friends as a cabal making a power play rather than a group of friends who find ourselves acting as spokespeople for a grass roots movement and who are not in a position to make deals on behalf of that movement. We can't do the back rooms because we don't have the right or the power.
that is for Mercia clear evidence that I am in fact doing it...

I suppose that it is too much to expect someone who wishes that trans people had not been unwelcome on the counter-demo to be logical or rational.

Later I've now gone in and snarked about Mercia, dissed Stonewall and repeated a couple of the obvious things about Bindel. My work here is done - no, really not.

Comments

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

How can anyone become a radical feminist pet trans woman if they don't try to make all the other trans people look bad? I mean, it worked out so well for Jenny Roberts!

[rozk.livejournal.com]

Whatever happened to Jenny? I remember meeting her years ago at a Manchester Ladyfest and feeling so very sorry for someone who was really not going to have a very good time.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard anything since 2004, when Jenny slammed Bindel for invoking Jenny as a "trans friend who agrees with her" on Technodyke.

[biascut.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was kind of my fault. A friend linked to Technodyke, and I vaguely knew of Jenny because I lived in York and everyone knew about Libertas, so I emailed her to as if she was happy with Bindel using her name this way, and it turned out she wasn't.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

That was brilliant.

Just because Jenny was pretty radfem does not mean she'd agree with Bindel's take on surgery as mutilation or all trans people as gender stereotypes. Bindel shouldn't have invoked her name, no matter what she's said about trans women not belonging in women-only spaces.

[oatc.livejournal.com]

Many women cozy up to the more powerful in any way possible, and try to ignore their unacceptable aspects. It is never a pretty sight.

[(Anonymous)]

Not being pc, but men do that as well

[paulathomas.livejournal.com]

I am now going to state the blindingly obvious, but obviously not obvious to everyone.

Our demonstration and anger at Stonewall had nothing to do with internal trans politics. It had everything to do with careless disregard of trans people by Stonewall.

What is the subject of internal trans politics is the abject failure of the traditional trans leadership. Thus the rans leadership's failure was not the cause of the demonstration but it did make th2e lead up to the demonstration very emotional for those of us who have worked with and respected them.

That however is different from the task we face now. That task is, in part, to do with trans politics but it is also to do with wider LGBT politics. The task we face now is one we did not seek and I for one would rather not have to do it, is to build a new trans leadership that we can have confidence in, our confidence in the old leadership having been shattered. And after that as been achieved we then have to wor with the wider LGBT leadership to to, as far as possible, that a similar situation does not arise in future.

Jesuitical

[dmsherwood53.livejournal.com]

The Roman church comes that one (I can't remeber if I'm quoting DENNETT or DAWKINS) "If you run ito anyone who has unanswerable critiques of the Faith or th Church. This is prima facia evidence that this person is ruled by Satan. Advod Such!! Wash your mid of their 'Arguements'!!!! Try to Prevent having a Fair Hearing!!!!!!!!"

Comment is free

[(Anonymous)]

I'm impressed anyone actually read all the comments on a thread like that. I waded through 100-odd before my brain isisted that I must either stop or die of boredom. That said I'm glad Paula pointed out ZoeBrain's response much much further down the thread, but the article didn't really deserve such a dignified essay in response.

Anyone know if the Guardian trawl through them ? And more importantly do they respond to them in any meaningful way ? I'm sure JB does, but only to look for reasons to feel further victimised.

helen

[paulathomas.livejournal.com]

I suspect they weigh them! The more there are the more people have been exposed to the ads that fund the site.

Am I being too cynical? Sadly not!

I remember now

[(Anonymous)]

Ah yes, I remember there was a dumb writer they had on there who'd talk of being a feminist but take positions that were so anti-feminist it was a joke. After a couple or articles that generated a lot of responses the readership just began informally advocating a boycott of "not feeding the troll" on the basis that writers with a lot of replies would be encouraged cos it was good for advertising revenue..

she disappeared soon after