31 Comments

The reaction we're seeing to Laurel Hubbard is exactly why many policies were implemented by stealth with no public consultation.

Expand full comment

Exactly this! The whole ideology is a house of cards teetering on the edge of a wobbly table.

Expand full comment

Smack dab in the middle of the San Andreas fault.

Expand full comment

This is depressing....

https://youtu.be/TD9XlYxfcSc

Expand full comment

As a feminist, I find it difficult to be too upset about pageants. They're sexist garbage at best. The comment section sounds familiar, men blaming feminists for our own erasure. Lib fems perhaps, but not feminism as a whole.

Expand full comment

Ah, finally, a bit of good news, even some Guardian columnists now see what's really happening. Still a slog but this year is definitely more positive. Well done people of the UK for doing so well. Ref Laurel Hubbard, this case might be the last straw and it's great to see athletes speak up. Thank you for this post. It's cheered me up.

Expand full comment

I'm glad to hear that! And I totally agree about Hubbard. Always thought it'd be sport that turned the tide!

Expand full comment

"These effectively make Sheffield a no-go area for trans activist David Paisley, who has a fear of ribbons."

🤣🤣🤣

Expand full comment

Professional comedy writers are the real victims here!

Expand full comment

Can't take the credit, I'm afraid. That was Graham's line!

Expand full comment

:-D thanks for letting me know

Expand full comment

It's the benefit of an editor who has 5 BAFTAS! ;-)

Expand full comment

I love these good news supplements, very encouraging. Keep up the good work fellow GCers!

Expand full comment

His fear of ribbons! David is ribbonaphobic

Expand full comment

Sharron Davies is another sportswoman who has Tweeted on the IOC's unfairness. See e.g. https://twitter.com/sharrond62/status/1408313930678743043?s=19

Expand full comment

Yes, Sharron has been on the case and standing up to the madness for a couple of years. A real warrior!

Expand full comment

I'm a keyboard warrior!! At last! I am banned from the Daily Mail Online!! I commented on the Daily Mail article about Professor Freedman. I said something about the moderators not letting comments through. Was that a rookie error?!! Never mind, I do need to get some work done.

Expand full comment

Banned by the Daily Mail...? Outstanding work!!

Expand full comment

Under the article by Kate Harris, I have written twice:

Repeal the "Gender" "Recognition" Act 2004. "Gender" is not defined in the Act. The Act "recognises" a trait which is not defined. But "gender dysphoria" IS defined in S25 of the Act: “gender dysphoria” means the disorder variously referred to as gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder and transsexualism". So the Act legitimizes a disorder, a very serious mental disorder. This is utterly absurd! Why was this ever approved by Parliament? In the Equality Act 2010 a mental disorder is protected as a subset of the protected characteristic "disability". There is no need for a special new protection. Remove "gender reassignment" from the list of 9 PCs. And amend hate crime legislation to suit. Again any crime which is motivated by "hatred" of a person with a disability is obviously worse than the same crime without such motive.

Those who suffer from gender dysphoria are worthy of compassion and protection in line with others with mental disabilities.

I made a similar comment under recent articles in "The Times" and the censor now lets them through every time.

THANK YOU, Graham and Kate Harris and Maya Forstater and JK Rowling, and all the good people who have changed the atmosphere so, so much that we are now able to discuss a change in the law..... to restore sanity. I may have a bit more trouble adding the last three words, but I'll try next time!

Expand full comment

"Sometimes the law is an ass", is how I would refer to the IOC's policy on trans-inclusion. Other sporting bodies are shrugging their shoulders and saying oh well, the IOC says we can allow it. 🤷🤷🤷🤷🤷

Use your brains!!!! Of course it's wrong. And unfair. And dangerous. Part of me wants Hubbard to get the gold medal. If he loses it gives TRAs ammunition to say allowing TW to compete with women has no effect.

Expand full comment

... And that TW don't have any advantage after all.

Expand full comment

I was thinking the same!

Expand full comment

He’s 20 years older than female competitors.

Expand full comment

The Hubbard affair coupled with the video from the LA Spa that came out this week is about to give a huge 1, 2 punch to this house of cards. Anyone who has touched grass in the last 5 years knows this stuff is beyond bizarre and won’t stand for it. Feeling optimistic for the first time is a long time.

Expand full comment

If a female athlete were to dope using steroids, would they be at the level of the threshold for trans athletes in women's sports?

Expand full comment

I'd like to hear some informed thoughts about this. I don't think so because the level of Hubbard's testosterone could not be matched by ingested steroids by a female. She would be advantaged against other women but not a man.

Expand full comment

And she would likely be banned from competition if tested. I can't get over how so many don't see the inherent sexism at play. One set of rules for women, another for transwomen.

Expand full comment

Nice to see my local police force has decided to pull away from Stonewall. We have a PPC who is shit hot on VAWG and it felt slightly jarring that the force was associated with SW.

Expand full comment

There was a brilliant demo in front of NZ House on Sunday by women against the inclusion of men in women’s sports. Almost all the public reaction from passers by including a large music freedom to dance march was positive.

Expand full comment

I do find it depressing how so many organisations just rolled over and implemented this stuff without any thought as to how it would affect women. It took such a long time to get the rights we have and it feels like a lot of people were just happy to drop them without question, instead of viewing them as fundamental human rights that were non-negotiable. It feels like it's a constant fight to claim any bit of ground and then once you have it you have to constantly fight to stop it being taken away again. Political trench warfare. Anyway, it's nice to have a summary of some good news.

Expand full comment

So here’s what I don’t get… Stonewall are taking money from members. They’re not giving money, they’re receiving funding. So what’s the draw? I had assumed it was a financial incentive to be a Stonewall advocate. It’s the opposite. So why are so many public services and private companies so eager to carry the name? I don’t get it.

Expand full comment