I was invited to deliver a few words at the Battle of Ideas party being held tonight. here is the full text of what I hope is a short speech. It was my first time attending the battle of ideas this year so it’s a particular honour to be asked to speak. Before anything else, I’d like to say how grateful I am to Claire and her team for the opportunity.
I have a letter I would like to send you which I figured would be a bit too wordy for the comment section. Is there any possibly of sending it over via an email perhaps?
I was a ‘tomboy’ back in the 70s. I could run faster and jump higher than any boy! I have 4 brothers! I endlessly played football and cricket- loved it! I looked like a boy until I was 12. But nobody, absolutely nobody, suggested that I was anything other than a girl. I am now a proud mother of three grown up kids, happily married to my husband for over 30 years.
It terrifies me to think what would have happened to me back then if the sinister trans activists of today had inveigled their sinister ideas into my impressionable young mind.
Thank goodness that my mum was a formidable feminist and ass kicker. She let me be who I wanted to be. Funnily enough I turned out to be a woman and a proud feminist, as indeed so are our daughters. Truly can’t believe how women have been relegated in society, yet again.
Some claim that George in the Famous Five was transgender. Reading the books as a child she was simply a bog standard tomboy. No big deal in the 1950s and 60s. I had friends and classmates who were tomboys. More of an issue were effeminate boys - 'cissies'. I suspect many of the were just gay, and are leading perfectly happy gay lives now.
I understand your experience very well. I found adolescence so difficult, I hated the changes happening to my body, it was a very distressing and disturbed period in my life. If I could have denied the reality of it, not just to myself but to other people in way they would listen and accept what I was saying, I would have. I hated being referred to as a girl, and responded with "I'm a person", which says a lot.
If I'd been told I could escape from it and have another kind of identity, I would have taken it. If now was then, I'd have been prescribed puberty blockers. I'm certain that at the time it's what I would have wanted and probably gone down the same route so many young girls are going down now. I remember being told that the way I felt was a 'phase', it didn't feel like a phase, I couldn't envisage feeling any different. Eventually, I did, it took time, but I had the time and I also had some help.
Those days are over, if you're not happy in your body it's because it's not the one you're supposed to be in. No need to explore what might be going on, or think about where these feelings might be coming from. What can be done to help? There doesn't need to be a radical transformation of any kind, just being given the opportunity to talk and be listened to can make a colossal difference.
God I hope so. There are already going to be a lot of 20 and 30 somethings who'll be very traumatised in the next 5-10 years. It's already happening, whatever trans activists say. But those who do admit detransitioners exist and are real, the response couldn't be more telling - 'they weren't really trans'. Yes, fucking precisely!
Petal and Radhwa Evans-Clare, I empathise with both of you. As an idealistic teenager with ascetic aspirations, I wanted to escape what I saw as the indignities of being female by being androgynous. If I'd had affirmation from the internet, my parents and unscrupulous surgeons, I too would probably have taken things to extremes.
Thanks for all the kind words!
Dennis Kavanagh has been reinstated on Twitter, you're in the next lot hopefully!
https://mobile.twitter.com/Jebadoo2
Hi Graham
Long time fan here and recent paying subscriber!
I have a letter I would like to send you which I figured would be a bit too wordy for the comment section. Is there any possibly of sending it over via an email perhaps?
Regards
Sure! Just reply to one of the substack emails
Seen this Glinner? Hopefully it's not been included in one of your / JL's updates (and I've just missed it).
2 minutes of Miriam Cates being her usual brilliant self (all about child transition): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inhelGFCVj0
Welcome Jordon. 👋
And the vindication of Graham continues!
👏👏👏
The voice of reason, thank you Graham for putting yourself on the line.
Always, yes, a thousand times yes.
What an incredible speech Graham.
I was a ‘tomboy’ back in the 70s. I could run faster and jump higher than any boy! I have 4 brothers! I endlessly played football and cricket- loved it! I looked like a boy until I was 12. But nobody, absolutely nobody, suggested that I was anything other than a girl. I am now a proud mother of three grown up kids, happily married to my husband for over 30 years.
It terrifies me to think what would have happened to me back then if the sinister trans activists of today had inveigled their sinister ideas into my impressionable young mind.
Thank goodness that my mum was a formidable feminist and ass kicker. She let me be who I wanted to be. Funnily enough I turned out to be a woman and a proud feminist, as indeed so are our daughters. Truly can’t believe how women have been relegated in society, yet again.
Some claim that George in the Famous Five was transgender. Reading the books as a child she was simply a bog standard tomboy. No big deal in the 1950s and 60s. I had friends and classmates who were tomboys. More of an issue were effeminate boys - 'cissies'. I suspect many of the were just gay, and are leading perfectly happy gay lives now.
Bravo
Graham that is superb. Thank you once again.
O so very well said
I hated being a teenage girl and if this had been around at the time I have no doubt I would have gone down this route
Thankfully it wasn’t and I dealt with it and have grown up to be a strong minded adult human female
Still with flaws but they’re my flaws and I’ll deal with them , I don’t need any butcher to assist
I understand your experience very well. I found adolescence so difficult, I hated the changes happening to my body, it was a very distressing and disturbed period in my life. If I could have denied the reality of it, not just to myself but to other people in way they would listen and accept what I was saying, I would have. I hated being referred to as a girl, and responded with "I'm a person", which says a lot.
If I'd been told I could escape from it and have another kind of identity, I would have taken it. If now was then, I'd have been prescribed puberty blockers. I'm certain that at the time it's what I would have wanted and probably gone down the same route so many young girls are going down now. I remember being told that the way I felt was a 'phase', it didn't feel like a phase, I couldn't envisage feeling any different. Eventually, I did, it took time, but I had the time and I also had some help.
Those days are over, if you're not happy in your body it's because it's not the one you're supposed to be in. No need to explore what might be going on, or think about where these feelings might be coming from. What can be done to help? There doesn't need to be a radical transformation of any kind, just being given the opportunity to talk and be listened to can make a colossal difference.
Exactly , hopefully this cruel and sadistic trend will be over soon
God I hope so. There are already going to be a lot of 20 and 30 somethings who'll be very traumatised in the next 5-10 years. It's already happening, whatever trans activists say. But those who do admit detransitioners exist and are real, the response couldn't be more telling - 'they weren't really trans'. Yes, fucking precisely!
Petal and Radhwa Evans-Clare, I empathise with both of you. As an idealistic teenager with ascetic aspirations, I wanted to escape what I saw as the indignities of being female by being androgynous. If I'd had affirmation from the internet, my parents and unscrupulous surgeons, I too would probably have taken things to extremes.
Important reminder for everyone (closing date Dec 4th).
https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/specialised-commissioning/gender-dysphoria-services/
thanks a lot, great heads up. will do it tomorrow for sure.
Thanks, will do tomorrow!
thanks, I've done it, it's not too burdensome a task also: and so worthwhile
Wonderful, I don't know why but I want to say thank you so much! 😄
This the big one. Yes indeed. Superb speech. As Goya said 'The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters'
Great speech, Graham. Really sums it up.
[stands up clapping wildly]
Absolutely! It won't be the last standing ovation for Graham!
Very powerful Graham, "I thought it was obvious" is an effective repeated phrase.
It is, and yet...
As a quote I once came across reminds us: "The obvious escapes many."
Wonderful! Hopefully, your audience will not only listen to your opening remarks, but be inspired to take action from them!
Excellent. Well done.
This is rather wonderful!
Thank-you!!
Brilliant speech! Says it all so clearly, powerfully and concisely!