Being the daughter of a Transgender person I have found myself over the last two weeks systematically laughing and swearing at social media sites. My parent was known to me as "Christine" since I was 15. I loved this person dearly and I have always been raised to embrace individuality and see beyond "labels".
Therefore I find it incredulous the amount of time taken up by supposed intellectuals condemning the Transgender community over the last couple of weeks.
Forgive me, in my naivety (or is it common sense), that I refuse to recognise the labels of CIS, TERF, and Trans (and believe me there are more, equally as stupid and made up in some ivory tower academic institution).
My parent experienced first-hand what it was like to be thrown out of a "ladies" toilet, it was on a cruise ship (she was nearly arrested as well). She experienced hatred from women and men, which went far beyond just words on a social media site. She contemplated suicide, she tried to be "cured".
When I hear supposed "feminists" calling Trans people "fakes" and "frauds"; when I try to engage with them in an attempt to understand their hostility, when I think about how awful society can be to anyone with a perceived difference be it colour, religion, sexuality or gender. I sincerely wonder why these supposed privileged few are trying to create further hostility.
If my children could understand and embrace my Transgender parent I do wonder what sort of people we are dealing with who are so empty and devoid of emotion, just fuelled by anger, but not sure anymore what it is about. I wonder if perhaps they would like to come and speak to my children, about how much they loved their "granddad?"
Two weeks of a cacophony of noise about nothing; with major newspapers continuously giving space for these people to engage in their nothing speak. Each side becoming more hateful and more indignant about being bullied and harassed. It stems from some letter signed by "those who know more than us". Crusty academics who sit in universities making up names for people, pigeonholing and stereotyping.
Because they never go out!! They do not walk amongst us mere mortals!!
"Those who know more than us" also have insurmountable amounts of time to sit being hurt, offended and fearful for their safety; when us mere peasants question their positions.
They claim the Trans community fell upon them like a mob and were aggressive. I have read through the posts and apart from one, most were questioning. Having been brought up in the community for over 30 years, I can tell you that most Trans people are too busy working, leading normal lives, just like us all, to get upset over another nothing conversation.
What the community does get annoyed about and rightly so, is how they are portrayed in the aftermath of 'Nothinggate'.
My parent was always very keen not to get involved with "those who know more than us". Indeed, it is all well and good in the protected environment of a university to be espousing mad claims about those we don't understand. Try working 12 hour shifts, you will find you just don't have the time from angry debacles on social media!
Most of us are just getting on with life. Sorry but you are all so boring. We are not lab rats to be placed into boxes by virtue of what one person with a string of qualifications but no common sense, sees us as.
What you say when you open your mouth is what defines us as human beings. And from what I have seen of supposed "human rights campaigners" and "supporters of Transgender people", along with "Radical Feminists"; is a lot of talk about nothing. With a smattering of pomposity and a sprinkle of downright disdain. This talk about nothing led to offence being taken over nothing, to "some" being "scared for their lives". This is where I stopped being angry and fell over laughing......
Especially considering that those from the LGBT community are 40 times more likely to contemplate suicide; why these intellectuals don't spend more time writing about this than attempting to silence feminists who makes statements designed to shock, but are in effect saying nothing. Perhaps their theories were important at one time, (indeed in their circle), but in the real world cleaning down the back of the sofa takes precedence over getting indignant on social networking sites.
Being vocal and supportive of marginalised people should be a natural thing. Standing up for inequality (whether you identify with that group or not) should not come with standing ovations and the sense of entitlement certain individuals seem to display.
Those in these positions should now and again take a back step and realise how privileged their position is; they stand on the shoulders of many ordinary people who have lived absolutely awful lives and many others who in the face of prejudice and discrimination, ended theirs.