Well done to all concerned. Yes, re meeting in RL. I'm a committed turner-upper (can't at the moment, due to a very slow convalescence from brain surgery). It's great to hear of all these students denying the gender woo and insisting on being women, not 'people with vaginas' or whatever.
These young women today have a much harder time standing up for women. I really admire them. If I were young now, I’m not sure I’d be as brave as them.
I’m in my 70s now and really lucky that I grew up in a different world. As a kid I was the classic tomboy, climbing trees (and falling out of them), very short hair, living in jeans and t-shirts, playing in the street with my friends, boys and girls who were just themselves. We lived in central London, next to Hyde Park and cycled all over the city.
Even then, I knew I was a bit different, many years later I found out that I’m autistic.
It was the late sixties, early seventies, I discovered sex & drugs and rock and roll as they say and also realised that I was attracted to both sexes.
I was an early joiner of the Gay Liberation Front and performed in the GLF street theatre group. With my then girlfriend October I went on the very first GLF Pride March in London. Later in Wales I was the convener of the Cardiff CHE (Campaign for Homosexual Equality) group and a founding member of Cardiff Gay Switchboard.
I remember hating my body when I started puberty – it seemed so unfair being a woman. Men got to do what they liked – women didn’t. Fortunately for me and my sanity – the trans/gender mania that exists now wasn’t around then or no doubt I’d have been one of those poor kids funnelled towards chemical castration body-maiming surgery.
I grew out of hating my body fairly quickly and went on have a great life and career (computers – autism is useful it seems). Now, I’m happily married to a great husband whom I love deeply. Turns out women can do anything.
Personally, I’ve never liked the term Gender Critical – I’m a sex realist. No one is born in the wrong body and no one can change their sex, and you really can’t be a male lesbian or a woman with a penis.
You can change many things in your life, your mind, your religion your hair colour, but you can’t change your sex or your race. The Gender Recognition Act conflates Sex and Gender – they are not the same thing and never were, the whole thing needs to be reviewed, revised and possibly repealed.
How would people feel if there were a Race Recognition Act, whereby say a White person could claim that they were really Black and get a certificate issued to say they were a different Race and then demand that everyone acknowledge and affirm them as being “Black”. That would be so wrong on so many levels that it beggars belief, but it’s no different to the current situation regarding Tans identities.
People leaving rooms when these splendid women come in, whispering behind their backs and -most irritatingly of all - filming them in the streets, is so pathetically immature. How do the 'empathy sessions' that go on in schools translate into this?
I'd like to know the extent to which these women-only university groups are growing and if they have any idea as to when a tipping point might be achieved. I also look forward to seeing Maeve, Connie, Serena, Thea and Eloise in powerful leadership positions across the board in future. What sane organisation wouldn't want to employ them?
Your wondering about tipping points reminded me of Extinction Rebellion (XR) which, based on (whose?) research in social science, aims to mobilize 3.5% of the population to achieve significant social change.
The research indicates that when this level of public participation is reached in nonviolent movements, success is highly likely.
But for broader social change in group norms and behaviours, a committed minority of about 25% can shift public attitudes and behaviors effectively.
Both percentages highlight the importance of mobilization in achieving social change.
"all I did was turn up and talk" has meant everything to so many of us Helen. Thank you for being you, and above all thank you for giving space here to commend all these incredibly courageous and oh, so, smart young women.
This brought tears of hope! It may just be a trickle on my cheeks right now, but these young women of such fine mettle are the ones we have been waiting for. It will take the best and brightest and most determined young people to break through this on another level within academia. Even on TERF island where you've succeeded beyond the rest of the world (thanks to you in part!), it still takes so much courage. Hoping for similar women's societies in the US at our universities. Your point about meeting IRL, never knowing what connections may happen or how people will be moved to act is also so important. I have made dear friends in the hush-hush sex-realist meetings I have attended, and I have been called to action in my own way. Thank you, Helen.
Wow. Going to that Oxford Literary Festival event has ended up being such an important moment for me. I'd told myself beforehand that it was my "last hurrah" before I'd retire from TERFing altogether and move on with my life. Needless to say, it was not.
I remember your advice about being cautious until after graduation...but I swear I also remember a suggestion that, if we had a few friends in it with us, maybe we could make something happen. I guess the three of us paid a lot more attention to the latter.
Thank you so, so much for that event. I know it was years of struggle in the making, but it really was the tipping point for so many of us. I met so many wonderful people that day, many of whom have become some of my closest friends. It created a complete shift in my mindset around speaking out about this issue--not only was it not necessarily life-destroying, but it also could introduce me to some of the best people I've ever met.
I was deeply moved by your account of your ordeal at the University of Oregon in Eugene that forced you to leave -- in your words: " the unspeakably beautiful place". I'm glad to learn that you're on your feet, thriving, I hope, despite the crap that continues. And to meet Helen Joyce! And to find your brave, smart cohort. Keep on...
Delighted on two fronts: that you didn't 'retire' and that you have found lasting friendships through this struggle. It's easier for older women, like me, who no longer have organisations to upset, to speak up, but we desperately need young, intelligent, articulate people such as yourself to be brave and truthful. You have my complete admiration.
Love the Cambridge Women! They are resurrecting and advancing the feminist movement of the 70s, when “womyn” learned how to set boundaries and support each other in safe settings deliberately free from men and their opinions and their threats and their protests. And, like young feminists today, we got a lot of grief for it. This resurgence of feminism is also happening among high school and college female athletes, who are finding each other and offering each other strength in the fight for female sports & locker rooms. A few, for now. And more, let’s hope, over time.
Maeve’s speech went viral and reached us in the other side of the world in New Zealand where genderwoo is firmly entrenched. It’s heartening to see young women like her and her friends who are able to think for themselves and have their courage not to remain silent.
And Helen’s visit to New Zealand last year greatly heartened us downunder terfs
Well done to all concerned. Yes, re meeting in RL. I'm a committed turner-upper (can't at the moment, due to a very slow convalescence from brain surgery). It's great to hear of all these students denying the gender woo and insisting on being women, not 'people with vaginas' or whatever.
It's great to see!
These young women today have a much harder time standing up for women. I really admire them. If I were young now, I’m not sure I’d be as brave as them.
I’m in my 70s now and really lucky that I grew up in a different world. As a kid I was the classic tomboy, climbing trees (and falling out of them), very short hair, living in jeans and t-shirts, playing in the street with my friends, boys and girls who were just themselves. We lived in central London, next to Hyde Park and cycled all over the city.
Even then, I knew I was a bit different, many years later I found out that I’m autistic.
It was the late sixties, early seventies, I discovered sex & drugs and rock and roll as they say and also realised that I was attracted to both sexes.
I was an early joiner of the Gay Liberation Front and performed in the GLF street theatre group. With my then girlfriend October I went on the very first GLF Pride March in London. Later in Wales I was the convener of the Cardiff CHE (Campaign for Homosexual Equality) group and a founding member of Cardiff Gay Switchboard.
I remember hating my body when I started puberty – it seemed so unfair being a woman. Men got to do what they liked – women didn’t. Fortunately for me and my sanity – the trans/gender mania that exists now wasn’t around then or no doubt I’d have been one of those poor kids funnelled towards chemical castration body-maiming surgery.
I grew out of hating my body fairly quickly and went on have a great life and career (computers – autism is useful it seems). Now, I’m happily married to a great husband whom I love deeply. Turns out women can do anything.
Personally, I’ve never liked the term Gender Critical – I’m a sex realist. No one is born in the wrong body and no one can change their sex, and you really can’t be a male lesbian or a woman with a penis.
You can change many things in your life, your mind, your religion your hair colour, but you can’t change your sex or your race. The Gender Recognition Act conflates Sex and Gender – they are not the same thing and never were, the whole thing needs to be reviewed, revised and possibly repealed.
How would people feel if there were a Race Recognition Act, whereby say a White person could claim that they were really Black and get a certificate issued to say they were a different Race and then demand that everyone acknowledge and affirm them as being “Black”. That would be so wrong on so many levels that it beggars belief, but it’s no different to the current situation regarding Tans identities.
People leaving rooms when these splendid women come in, whispering behind their backs and -most irritatingly of all - filming them in the streets, is so pathetically immature. How do the 'empathy sessions' that go on in schools translate into this?
I'd like to know the extent to which these women-only university groups are growing and if they have any idea as to when a tipping point might be achieved. I also look forward to seeing Maeve, Connie, Serena, Thea and Eloise in powerful leadership positions across the board in future. What sane organisation wouldn't want to employ them?
Your wondering about tipping points reminded me of Extinction Rebellion (XR) which, based on (whose?) research in social science, aims to mobilize 3.5% of the population to achieve significant social change.
The research indicates that when this level of public participation is reached in nonviolent movements, success is highly likely.
But for broader social change in group norms and behaviours, a committed minority of about 25% can shift public attitudes and behaviors effectively.
Both percentages highlight the importance of mobilization in achieving social change.
"all I did was turn up and talk" has meant everything to so many of us Helen. Thank you for being you, and above all thank you for giving space here to commend all these incredibly courageous and oh, so, smart young women.
This brought tears of hope! It may just be a trickle on my cheeks right now, but these young women of such fine mettle are the ones we have been waiting for. It will take the best and brightest and most determined young people to break through this on another level within academia. Even on TERF island where you've succeeded beyond the rest of the world (thanks to you in part!), it still takes so much courage. Hoping for similar women's societies in the US at our universities. Your point about meeting IRL, never knowing what connections may happen or how people will be moved to act is also so important. I have made dear friends in the hush-hush sex-realist meetings I have attended, and I have been called to action in my own way. Thank you, Helen.
Wow. Going to that Oxford Literary Festival event has ended up being such an important moment for me. I'd told myself beforehand that it was my "last hurrah" before I'd retire from TERFing altogether and move on with my life. Needless to say, it was not.
I remember your advice about being cautious until after graduation...but I swear I also remember a suggestion that, if we had a few friends in it with us, maybe we could make something happen. I guess the three of us paid a lot more attention to the latter.
Thank you so, so much for that event. I know it was years of struggle in the making, but it really was the tipping point for so many of us. I met so many wonderful people that day, many of whom have become some of my closest friends. It created a complete shift in my mindset around speaking out about this issue--not only was it not necessarily life-destroying, but it also could introduce me to some of the best people I've ever met.
I was deeply moved by your account of your ordeal at the University of Oregon in Eugene that forced you to leave -- in your words: " the unspeakably beautiful place". I'm glad to learn that you're on your feet, thriving, I hope, despite the crap that continues. And to meet Helen Joyce! And to find your brave, smart cohort. Keep on...
Delighted on two fronts: that you didn't 'retire' and that you have found lasting friendships through this struggle. It's easier for older women, like me, who no longer have organisations to upset, to speak up, but we desperately need young, intelligent, articulate people such as yourself to be brave and truthful. You have my complete admiration.
Love the Cambridge Women! They are resurrecting and advancing the feminist movement of the 70s, when “womyn” learned how to set boundaries and support each other in safe settings deliberately free from men and their opinions and their threats and their protests. And, like young feminists today, we got a lot of grief for it. This resurgence of feminism is also happening among high school and college female athletes, who are finding each other and offering each other strength in the fight for female sports & locker rooms. A few, for now. And more, let’s hope, over time.
So glad to see the future is bright with advocates like Maeve coming behind those strong women who came before her.
Lovely piece, Helen.
As a 68 year old Terf citizen journalist I am delighted to see this.
Have cross posted
https://dustymasterson.substack.com/p/the-lost-weekend
Dusty
Maeve’s speech went viral and reached us in the other side of the world in New Zealand where genderwoo is firmly entrenched. It’s heartening to see young women like her and her friends who are able to think for themselves and have their courage not to remain silent.
And Helen’s visit to New Zealand last year greatly heartened us downunder terfs