The Dentons Document, Part 2
The Tactics
Continuing @STILLTish’s deep dive into the notorious Dentons Document.
Stealth Activism
This avoidance of public scrutiny is crucial to understanding how so much progress has been made, or undone, so swiftly. Most of us were unaware of the new threat to women’s / Gay rights; because of the covert nature of the activism. It arrived clad in rainbows. While we were attending Pride Marches, singing #BornThisWay there was a new lyric in town: #BornInTheWrongBody.
Below are some of the strategies recommended:
Pass legislation under the radar,
Latch onto more popular legal reforms,
Avoid media scrutiny.
Note that Ireland passed laws allowing self-identification of ‘gender identity’ before abortion was legalised. Malta allows “self-identification” but not abortion. Similar tactics have been deployed across Europe.
In Ireland, there was no popular support for Gender Identity laws, but there was for marriage equality. The popular reforms are used as a ‘protective veil’ under which the Gender Identity laws were ushered in.
The Role of the Media
Thompson Reuters Foundation claims to “advance media freedom” yet they openly advocate avoiding press scrutiny. A well-functioning media (The Fourth Estate) is integral to a well-functioning democracy but a global media organisation recommends avoiding the press!
This document lays bare a cynical and manipulative strategy. A huge societal shift is required to believe that sex isn’t binary; that men can be women, and children should be allowed drugs which will render them sterile. Knowing the public would not be on board with this ideology, Denton’s recommended deceit.
The report doesn’t shy away from using a slur, associated with threats of rape and violence. Women’s rights campaigners are referred to as TERFs. High court Judge, Julian Knowles, made it clear he saw this is a slur used to silence dissent. A cursory check would have revealed Terf is deployed in extremely misogynist contexts.
Conversely, there is one type of media representation activists are advised to use, which is to profile personal stories of trans people to garner sympathy. This was used to good effect in Malta and played its part in getting self-identified gender legalised. The document recommends appealing to emotions in order to mobilise public sympathy.
The U.K. once again comes under criticism, for its 'hostile’ climate. This is a blatant lie as anyone checking the BBC, Channel 4 and a myriad of print media can attest. The Guardian, Independent, BBC, Teen Vogue, Pink News, Daily Mirror, Sun and the Telegraph all feature trans journalists /subjects on a regular basis. The coverage of ‘trans kids’ is near-ubiquitous and unquestioning. This is also strategic. Deploying children de-sexualises motives for transition and emphasises the narrative of “a vulnerable community”.
The document also claims the U.K. argument has been mired in confusion because campaigners want to discuss the medical aspects of Gender Recognition. Males, with intact male genitalia, are already allowed to be legally redefined as women; a situation of which few women are aware. The arguments for “de-medicalising” the process for Gender Recognition, and allowing anyone to “self-identify” their “gender” was an attempt to normalise the ‘female’ penis. This has, understandably, galvanised resistance in the U.K.
The medicalising of children, some as young as ten, by administering puberty blockers has also motivated more voices to join women campaigners. As we can see with the case of Keira Bell, teens are being placed on a medical pathway before they understand the consequences. As a result, we are seeing a spike in the rates of female de-transitioners.
Target youthful politicians.
Another tactic is to make contact with youthful politicians. Young politicians across the political spectrum have taken up the issue of trans rightswith a messianic zeal. In the U.K. Mhairi Black SNP, Nadia Whitome in Labour, Alicia Kearns for the Conservatives, Layla Moran for Liberal Democrats, Ross Greer, MSP for the Scottish Greens. Irish women tell me no Irish politician, from the left, has raised any concerns and many, like Roderic O’Gorman are enthusiastic proponents of Transgender Ideology.
Watching naive, young (and not so young) female politicians throwing away women’s rights, has been a dispiriting feature in the political discussion on this issue.
Another tactic they recommend is to get ahead of politicians. In such a fraught climate, elected representatives don’t want to be caught exhibiting wrongthink. This climate of fear means politicians are outsourcing their views to lobby groups.
