Labour and Trans-rights

I am transphobic. But I think that Labour has a lot to learn from Scotland when it comes to Transgender issues.

I do not consider a transgender person to be anything other transgender. This means that I consider a TransMan to be a TransMan, not a woman, not a man, but a TransMan. I also consider one who is before transitioning to be different to one who has undergone gender reassignment surgery. The same applies to TransWomen. I do not consider them to be men or women, but I view each as a TransWoman, one with or without a penis.

I think that pronouns should be respected, but I think that it is silly to advertise your own if you do not wish to do so. I consider it rude to refer to India Willoughby as a man, she does not consider herself to be one anymore. Likewise, if someone prefers to be referred to as Ms, as opposed to Miss or Mrs, then that should be respected.

I think that in areas, such as toilets and changing rooms, where segregation has occurred by biological sex, it should be replaced by genitalia. I have no issues with gender neutral or unisex spaces existing, especially as we live in a world with multiple gender identities, but people should have the choice to go to places there they can be segregated. There are many devout followers of many religions who believe in segregation based on biological sex, and a compromise based on genitalia is, in my view, the best way forwards.

I think that sports should have the right to protect women’s sports based on biological sex and I do not consider this to be a violent act or an act of genocide against transgender people. Each sport should have the right to make its own decision on this.

I think that there are more than one hundred gender identities l and that people should be allowed to question what gender they are. That includes discussions and education about this at school, as well as respecting the choice of a secondary school student to be non-binary and for the parents not to be told. If a student wants to use gender neutral facilities, they should have that choice and accepting the risks of doing so, but segregation based on biological sex has to be available. 

I am in favour of self ID when it comes to gender identities but I as discussed earlier, I think that segregation is important.  The wait to see someone on the NHS who is an expert on gender are far too long for ID to be based on an expert view. 

I know that JK Rowling is right when she argues that “the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable.” Also JK Rowling is right that “Trans people need and deserve protection. Like women, they’re most likely to be killed by sexual partners. Trans women who work in the sex industry, particularly trans women of colour, are at particular risk. Like every other domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor I know, I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who’ve been abused by men.” In her article, she does not argue for gender neutral facilities, but I think that there should be gender neutral shelters as men can be the victims of domestic violence, and we can avoid situations like that which happened in Canada, when Desiree Anderson, 32, also known as Cody D’Entremont, was accused of assault. Or the situation of Katie Dolatowski (aka Lennon Dolatowski/Alyanna McKenna), a sex offender who was housed in a women’s unit.  “When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman” “you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside.” We have seen a person using self identification to try to expose himself to women and girls in a Seattle changing room. I agree with Emily Atack that cyber-flashing should be a crime. We should not make it legal to flash a woman in person but make it illegal to do so electronically. 

I disagree with many transphobic people about some aspects of transgender rights, but I accept that I am to be considered to be the same as them.