What has ‘gender’ ideology taught us? To trust very few. That people are gullible. That people are cowardly. That people are willing to inflict harm on others, even children, in order not to challenge the status quo. That the courageous are few in number. That dangerous ideologies, after inflicting untold damage, will self destruct. In time. Thank god for the brave ones. We owe them the world.
I am appalled by what is happening in the publishing industry, in which a small but misguided and ill informed group appear dominate decisions not only about what may be spoken but also what may be published.
Unfortunately this is not dissimilar to what has happened in so many other organisations and institutions where gender ideology has taken hold, either because people are unaware of its implications or because people with malign intent disguise their true objectives.
The parents of children who have been caught up in the false notion that it is possible to change from one sex to another deserve our sympathy and support. But when those parents fail to question their children's beliefs and instead use their influence to perpetuate these false ideas, they must be called to account.
The cost to the publishing industry is particularly sinister. We must be grateful to those writers, journalists, publishers and agents who dare to speak up, of which you are one.
Thank you, that's very kind. None of us are. I am planning to post the speeches which we recorded prior to the meeting & I'd love to see anyone find any bigotry in them. Particularly the FoS one
Today's NY Times article on how "besieged" the "trans community feels now" is a case in point. We've just seen a senior US Energy Dept official caught in felony thieveries twice and not resign, a times convicted male murderer with three proven murders on his record (Dana Rivers) be designated to serve time in the female estate and now, the most insidious of all: the American Girl doll company, subsidiary of Mattel, produce a line of 'trans' books for young girls, promoting puberty blockers. Those of us who publish about the medical malpractice and overreach of this "movement" are openly called fascists, bigots, haters, white supremacists &etc. It's going to be a slog. As described in my memoir, this deceptive, aggressive, misogynistic sector has been sneaking their ideology into law, education and society for 3 decades.
Ute Heggen, author, In the Curated Woods, True Tales from a Grass Widow (iuniverse, 2022)
Thank you for your candour and courage Julia. Standing by your principles and speaking out on behalf of the ‘little guys’, particularly in the face of such blatant hostility, was obviously not easy and is truly admirable.👏👏🙇🙇
I was terrified before I spoke but fired up on rage & adrenaline. It was horrific, but also liberating. Relieved it wasn't in person. There would have been a lot of heckling. Funnily enough, it seemed mainly men speaking against us. Though there was one brave soul who stood up for us after the FoS vote& became our instant hero. Also LOVED the fact that the last speaker of the meeting resigned then and there. We got 20% of the vote. Not everyone is captured.
"'Courage calls to courage everywhere, and its voice cannot be denied' is often cited as a quote from a speech Fawcett made in 1913 about Emily Davison, the suffragette who died after she ran on to Epsom racecourse and was trampled by King George V’s horse."
Though seems that Fawcett didn't actually make that statement, and felt that Davison's act was somewhat "pointless" and a "senseless loss of life":
Yes indeed. As it happens I live very near the hospital where Emily Davison died. There is a credible theory that it wasn't suicide. She wanted to disrupt the race but not die in the process. She had a return train ticket in her pocket. We have a lovely statue to her in our town centre. I've laid flowers on it.
Thank you so much, Ms. Williams, for doing this work, withstanding the slings and arrows, and for making the sacrifices you've had to make. I now count you among the heroes of the "movement."
That's very kind. I am just one small voice and there are many braver folk who've been at this longer & suffered far more than I have. I am lucky my husband supports me & I could walk away if I had to.
Why, if the trans activists et al are on the "right side of history", is there such a tendency to use underhand methods to achieve their aims? Surely if they were so right, they would not have to bully and cheat? They must therefore know they are wrong, or not give a damn and just like bullying women, which is distinctly possible.
It is strange how often "technical issues" come to the aid of their silencing efforts. At an online party conference for the Liberal Democrats, during the debate on a motion that could have hampered the trans activists efforts to control the party had it not gone well for them, the entire group of people speaking against the motion found a "technical issue" stopped them speaking. This technical issue was then cleared up and the vote was taken without the conference hearing anyone speak against. Liberal Democrat democracy in action. Trans activist rights taking in action.
They are liars and the cheats, and they know it. I guess they identify as honest?
To be fair Amanda's tech issue was her internet went down so she couldn't give her speech. However they rushed us & though I was given "time" to get hold of it, it was all very frantic & not conducive to staying calm. Although when tech issues with the video they were showing occurred early on, they swapped stuff around till the issues were resolved. Felt like one rule for them... It also felt at times that they were delaying less important stuff to give us less time.
Very good essay. You and your "compatriots" are to be commended for taking a stand and sticking to your guns. 🙂
Reminds me though of a passage from Ibn Warraq's "Why I'm Not a Muslim", particularly on "The Rushdie Incident" where Warraq referred to Julien Benda's book, "La Trahison des Clercs" (The Treason of the Intellectuals or The Betrayal by the Intellectuals):
A NY Times book review (archived) of Paul Berman's "Flight of the Intellectuals" on the same theme:
"Over the past 10 years, Paul Berman has been exploring a theme: the repudiation by liberal intellectuals of their values and ideals. ....
It is a good theme, and it has attracted the attention of other writers too — the British journalist Nick Cohen, for example, examined it in his estimable 2007 book 'What’s Left? How the Left Lost Its Way.' Indeed, so fertile is this idea, so appealing is it as an object of inquiry, we may even speak of a distinct category of recent books devoted to elaborations of it. ....
The masterwork, however, is still Julien Benda’s 'Treason of the Intellectuals.' This book, written in 1927 by one of the leading French intellectuals of the early 20th century, may be regarded as the inaugural work of the line. ....
For Benda, the intellectual betrays his vocation when he compromises his commitment to universalist values. The temptation to make such compromises, he argues, lies principally in the appeal of national sentiment, to which intellectuals are quick to subordinate themselves. And the role they assume as nationalists is to conceptualize political hatreds. ...."
Far too many "intellectuals" these days seem to be "missing in action" -- if they ever made it to the front lines in the first place. Nice to see others with some courage of their convictions. 🙂
Big big thanks to Graham for letting me post this and for the support this has received. It's very hearteningx
More like Joanne Harass.
Hmm, I am trying to keep it personal & civil!
What has ‘gender’ ideology taught us? To trust very few. That people are gullible. That people are cowardly. That people are willing to inflict harm on others, even children, in order not to challenge the status quo. That the courageous are few in number. That dangerous ideologies, after inflicting untold damage, will self destruct. In time. Thank god for the brave ones. We owe them the world.
Big big thanks to Graham for letting me post this and for the support this has received. It's very hearteningx
I am appalled by what is happening in the publishing industry, in which a small but misguided and ill informed group appear dominate decisions not only about what may be spoken but also what may be published.
Unfortunately this is not dissimilar to what has happened in so many other organisations and institutions where gender ideology has taken hold, either because people are unaware of its implications or because people with malign intent disguise their true objectives.
The parents of children who have been caught up in the false notion that it is possible to change from one sex to another deserve our sympathy and support. But when those parents fail to question their children's beliefs and instead use their influence to perpetuate these false ideas, they must be called to account.
The cost to the publishing industry is particularly sinister. We must be grateful to those writers, journalists, publishers and agents who dare to speak up, of which you are one.
Thank you. Being an old crone means I have no more f***s to give!
Me too!
One of the joys of getting older!
If you are a bigot, Julia, I would be proud to be called one.
Thank you, that's very kind. None of us are. I am planning to post the speeches which we recorded prior to the meeting & I'd love to see anyone find any bigotry in them. Particularly the FoS one
Will you post them where we can find them?
Yes. I will. Two are ready to go but there was a technical hitch with one & I waiting for the kind person who is being my tech guru to sort it!
Good for you Julia!
(Kudos to the brave soul and the person who resigned…)
Seeing people of integrity, like you, speak out, gives others courage to do the right thing… 🙏🙏🙏
Today's NY Times article on how "besieged" the "trans community feels now" is a case in point. We've just seen a senior US Energy Dept official caught in felony thieveries twice and not resign, a times convicted male murderer with three proven murders on his record (Dana Rivers) be designated to serve time in the female estate and now, the most insidious of all: the American Girl doll company, subsidiary of Mattel, produce a line of 'trans' books for young girls, promoting puberty blockers. Those of us who publish about the medical malpractice and overreach of this "movement" are openly called fascists, bigots, haters, white supremacists &etc. It's going to be a slog. As described in my memoir, this deceptive, aggressive, misogynistic sector has been sneaking their ideology into law, education and society for 3 decades.
Ute Heggen, author, In the Curated Woods, True Tales from a Grass Widow (iuniverse, 2022)
uteheggengrasswidow.wordpress.com Ute Heggen YT channel (healing movement + nature shorts)
Thank you for your candour and courage Julia. Standing by your principles and speaking out on behalf of the ‘little guys’, particularly in the face of such blatant hostility, was obviously not easy and is truly admirable.👏👏🙇🙇
I was terrified before I spoke but fired up on rage & adrenaline. It was horrific, but also liberating. Relieved it wasn't in person. There would have been a lot of heckling. Funnily enough, it seemed mainly men speaking against us. Though there was one brave soul who stood up for us after the FoS vote& became our instant hero. Also LOVED the fact that the last speaker of the meeting resigned then and there. We got 20% of the vote. Not everyone is captured.
Good for you Julia!
(Kudos to the brave soul and the person who resigned…)
Seeing people of integrity, like you, speak out, gives others courage to do the right thing… 🙏🙏🙏
Well I gained my voice thanks to the courage of people like Glinner and JK Rowlingx
"Courage calls to courage".
"'Courage calls to courage everywhere, and its voice cannot be denied' is often cited as a quote from a speech Fawcett made in 1913 about Emily Davison, the suffragette who died after she ran on to Epsom racecourse and was trampled by King George V’s horse."
Though seems that Fawcett didn't actually make that statement, and felt that Davison's act was somewhat "pointless" and a "senseless loss of life":
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/15/famous-rallying-speech-by-feminist-leader-millicent-fawcett-was-never-made-says-new-book
Still, something of a rallying cry.
Yes indeed. As it happens I live very near the hospital where Emily Davison died. There is a credible theory that it wasn't suicide. She wanted to disrupt the race but not die in the process. She had a return train ticket in her pocket. We have a lovely statue to her in our town centre. I've laid flowers on it.
👍 😊 🤗
So much for Free Speech!
Thank you so much, Ms. Williams, for doing this work, withstanding the slings and arrows, and for making the sacrifices you've had to make. I now count you among the heroes of the "movement."
That's very kind. I am just one small voice and there are many braver folk who've been at this longer & suffered far more than I have. I am lucky my husband supports me & I could walk away if I had to.
Why, if the trans activists et al are on the "right side of history", is there such a tendency to use underhand methods to achieve their aims? Surely if they were so right, they would not have to bully and cheat? They must therefore know they are wrong, or not give a damn and just like bullying women, which is distinctly possible.
It is strange how often "technical issues" come to the aid of their silencing efforts. At an online party conference for the Liberal Democrats, during the debate on a motion that could have hampered the trans activists efforts to control the party had it not gone well for them, the entire group of people speaking against the motion found a "technical issue" stopped them speaking. This technical issue was then cleared up and the vote was taken without the conference hearing anyone speak against. Liberal Democrat democracy in action. Trans activist rights taking in action.
They are liars and the cheats, and they know it. I guess they identify as honest?
To be fair Amanda's tech issue was her internet went down so she couldn't give her speech. However they rushed us & though I was given "time" to get hold of it, it was all very frantic & not conducive to staying calm. Although when tech issues with the video they were showing occurred early on, they swapped stuff around till the issues were resolved. Felt like one rule for them... It also felt at times that they were delaying less important stuff to give us less time.
Very good essay. You and your "compatriots" are to be commended for taking a stand and sticking to your guns. 🙂
Reminds me though of a passage from Ibn Warraq's "Why I'm Not a Muslim", particularly on "The Rushdie Incident" where Warraq referred to Julien Benda's book, "La Trahison des Clercs" (The Treason of the Intellectuals or The Betrayal by the Intellectuals):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julien_Benda
A NY Times book review (archived) of Paul Berman's "Flight of the Intellectuals" on the same theme:
"Over the past 10 years, Paul Berman has been exploring a theme: the repudiation by liberal intellectuals of their values and ideals. ....
It is a good theme, and it has attracted the attention of other writers too — the British journalist Nick Cohen, for example, examined it in his estimable 2007 book 'What’s Left? How the Left Lost Its Way.' Indeed, so fertile is this idea, so appealing is it as an object of inquiry, we may even speak of a distinct category of recent books devoted to elaborations of it. ....
The masterwork, however, is still Julien Benda’s 'Treason of the Intellectuals.' This book, written in 1927 by one of the leading French intellectuals of the early 20th century, may be regarded as the inaugural work of the line. ....
For Benda, the intellectual betrays his vocation when he compromises his commitment to universalist values. The temptation to make such compromises, he argues, lies principally in the appeal of national sentiment, to which intellectuals are quick to subordinate themselves. And the role they assume as nationalists is to conceptualize political hatreds. ...."
https://archive.ph/f4KV9
Far too many "intellectuals" these days seem to be "missing in action" -- if they ever made it to the front lines in the first place. Nice to see others with some courage of their convictions. 🙂