Topic: The UK is showing a worrying 'anti-trans' trend and it seems to be unchallenged.

[SarahEL]

The United Kingdom is currently undergoing significant political and societal changes. The decision to withdraw from the European Union has had a profound impact on the country, with feelings of discontent in the regions and increasing calls for Scottish independence. The Covid pandemic has caused severe economic damage and claimed more lives than in any other European state. These factors all risk plunging the country into crisis. There are other significant developments that must not be overlooked. These include the importation of the culture war tropes from the USA, particularly with regard to transgender individuals.

Unfortunately, a toxic discourse has emerged, and questioning the presence of trans people in the public space has become acceptable. This attitude has deep roots, particularly in the press, where coverage of trans people and issues has often been problematic, treating individuals as curiosities to be exploited. Historical progress has been made in UK trans rights, but some still feel that the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) is intrusive, inaccessible, daunting, and expensive. The debate around trans rights has become toxic in the UK, with some groups actively pushing to deny trans people their rights, demonizing them in the media. This behavior is concerning, as such demonization can sometimes become violent and always is going to be negative

To sum up, the UK is going through some significant changes, causing political and social upheavals. Amidst these changes, the issue of transgender rights has emerged as a heated debate, with TERF groups using media to push a dangerous narrative that demonizes trans people. This toxic discourse is deeply concerning and shows how far the country still has to go to truly embrace diversity and inclusivity. As someone who believes in equality and acceptance, it's disheartening to see the rights of a vulnerable minority being questioned and attacked. We need to stand up against TERF rhetoric and work towards a society that values and celebrates all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.

[Maid Marion]

Hi Sarah,

Sorry to hear things are going so badly.

At work one of the new hires is trans.  She is delighted to find out that she isn't the first at my place of employment!
I've been wearing skirts to work for over a year.  We live in Connecticut.

She felt safe enough to post before and after pics which went public on Facebook and got the usual haters.
She complained about having to delete all the hate messages. 
I haven't been brave enough to do that.
But, I have worn pink skirts out in my front yard.

Marion

[davina61]

GCare UK are fighting our rights (facebook group) , have a look. Latest news today is Eddy Issard changing name to a female one, Suzy. No doubt the tabloids will have a field day over it.

[SarahEL]

Me leaving the UK does in a way feel like I am abandoning a sinking ship.. I worry, as my daughter is deciding to stay in the UK to further her education. I know the USA is full of issues and problems.. but this is a huge country and silent majorities tend to have an overall say, eventually here.. I have never seen the UK in a worse situation than it is now.
Brexit, for what it all was sold to us as, is proving to be, in the aftermath of covid a real disability to our growth. The UK is the only country in europe with a predicted fall in GDP this year.. even Russia with all the sanctions has a growing economy.
There has always been an underlying, agnostic faction within British society.. it seems where-ever they turn their attentions things get bad.. I am thinking specifically of movements like the socialist worker and some more radicalised trade unions. These voices (the 'Daily Mail' crowd) have gotten into the right-wing feminist movements within the UK.. groups such as the UKs "Fair Play For Women" have the governments ear and yet their website is all about how many peodophiles in jail are declaring themselves to be transgender.. linking us as a group of decent people with the scum of the country.. This blatent mis-information and demonising has to stop..
The latest migrant laws that are bought in by our first Asian PM are scandalous and we have to rely on a footballer to be the UK's moral compass.. it all sounds like we are going to a fiery place in a hand cart... at least we won't have to pay the heating bills!!!

[CaelaNotKayla]

The world all over is going anti-trans.... and even in the USA the protections that we have in nominally blue states are only good as long as they aren't ruled unconstitutional by the court system or preempted by federal laws.  You will be better off than most with your new birth certificate, post surgery, with all paperwork from the start of your immigration process saying "female", married to a protective husband.

But I also believe that the only way that we can change perceptions is to not be fazed by the winds blowing against us.  We have to be out and about- we have to be ourselves- we have to be seen as the regular folks we all are instead of this generation's boogeyman by people who probably haven't ever realized they've met or know a transgender individual.

We can't hide in the shadows- not only for ourselves but for the generations to come.

Hugs!!

Caela

[SarahEL]

We can't hide in the shadows- not only for ourselves but for the generations to come.

Being out and loud is all very fine.. and there are probably braver women than I to do that. I do worry a lot about the removal of basic rights and simple access to basic standards of care. There is a minority of people this effects.. and by all historical markers, minorities only get hindsight empathy.. It is an easy target because by aligning transsexuals with rapists, murderers and paedophiles they make us demons in the general public's imagination. The 'Fair play for Women' group have on their website a story from a cis-female who woke in hospital..she says.. I woke to find a man in the bed next to me.... yeah, that sounds a bit awful, I would feel shocked too if it happened to me.. and then you read on and realise that the person in the bed next to her was a fully transitioned transwoman.. and I think they only realised her history, because at some point the lady had told her she was a transwoman whilst they both recovered...   How does that transwoman feel now that they gave up their history.. to be called a man on a government backed website.... to be held up as if they have done some heinous crime.. ??

[Tills]

Thanks for this thread Sarah.

This situation is awful.

The Daily Mail's headline last Saturday was the pits. So much hatred being deliberately stirred up against trans people who are now in the crosshairs of the anti-woke culture wars. Very very grim indeed.

[Rachel_Christina]

Good topic.
The hate I see on nearly all media relating to trans people has ramped up massively in the last Year or so.
I genuinely have a lot more fear in my being trans than I ever had.
It's hard to know what's the cause.

But its scary times. The UK seems to be slowly following the American narrative. I wouldn't dare visit in its current state of affairs. Gonna end up like Dubai

[Jessica_K]

It will not be long before there will be a trail of transgender refugees heading to Holyhead to get a small boat to Dublin!!!!
There is a lot of talk about leaving the UK

[Tills]

Contrast in parliament just now. In Questions to the Equalities Minister Conservative MP Michael Fabricant told Kemi Badenoch that he was increasingly worried that trans people are being demonised. Not a murmur in response from his fellow tory MPs.

Followed by Prime Minister's Questions when tory MPs roared with approval when another Conservative MP Tim Loughton said that Keir Starmer "didn't know what a woman was."

The situation at the moment is vile. Trans people are in the crosshairs, the No. 1 target of an appalling culture war designed to cause hatred for political gain.