It's no surprise I share different views than the majority in this thread, but having seen the video above, it reminded me of some things that have always bothered me.
I think a lot of the world outside of Twitter and so on don't have a total understanding of the trans community and what it means to be trans due to all of the... add-ons. I support and actively try to use my voice to help the community, and I listen to my trans friends to understand their struggles and to hear their voices. However, I find that the trans community it is often mocked by the idea that trans is an umbrella term for gender non-conforming and non-binary people. They are not the same. I know a lot of people online who identify as non-binary and go by either all pronouns or by they/them, etc, etc. I will always respect their pronouns and encourage them to identify and express themselves in whatever way makes them happy, but I have had trans friends express annoyance at them thinking they can speak on behalf of trans people as if they are trans themselves. I often find nb people trying to include themselves in the trans community... which the majority of my trans friends and peers find insulting, as to be non-binary is not to experience gender dysphoria, nor is it to have your biological sex not match your gender. While I know there are a handful of nb people who would say they experience gender dysphoria, I know the majority don't and that's where I've noticed a lot of tension from trans people who feel like their experiences and hardships are mocked and downplayed by others who may just feel like one gender or another one day, and then something else the next. For me personally, I do find that is more to do with self-expression, and from my understanding of the people around me, none of them seem to experience the genuine struggle and pain with their biology that trans people do.
I've seen many nb people insert themselves into the agony that trans people face, with their inner battles, but then their only "struggle" per what I've heard from many, is that they do not feel particularly feminine or masculine one day, or fluctuate between the two or feel androgynous. I find it belittles the people who struggle terribly with suicide, depression, body dysmorphia, gender dysphoria, etc., due to the sex they were born into.
Thank you for this. I think you sum things up well. There is a massive difference between someone who is trans and someone who says they are non binary or gender non conforming.
I have complete sympathy for trans people, what they go through must be so difficult both emotionally and physically. I have no problem with someone who is trans using, for example, the toilet they feel most suits their gender identity. In 'ladies' toilets there are only cubicles so everyone has privacy.
I think that there needs to be a careful balance between the rights of biological or cis women and trans women and I only say this as that's where I see the most conflict. I do think that this is because historically of how women have been treated and had to fight for their rights and that fact that ultimately women know they are weaker than men (even if that man has transitioned to become a woman). Statistically women are more likely to be attacked in their own homes than outside the home but that doesn't stop us feeling nervous walking home at night.
I don't think most biological or cis women would care if a trans woman was in the changing rooms if the trans women had the surgeries they needed to present as a women, I can understand that some biological or cis women would not feel comfortable if there was a trans women in the changing room who has not had bottom surgery, I understand this discomfort more for a biological or cis woman had been the victim of a sexual assault.
I don't think someone who believes that they are trans is 'mentally ill' but I do think that counselling and therapy need to be thoroughly used before they start to transition, I have read a number of reports the last few years of people who have transitions and are now transitioning back. I appreciate that this is a small percentage of people but I feel it is significant and the damage potentially catastrophic.
I don't really understand get non binary or gender non conforming...
To me gender non conforming is just you do or do not do something which is typical of your 'biological' gender for example a biological man wears a dress. I just consider this self expression.
I struggle more with non binary. I just don't understand it at all, there are two sexes you are one or the other. You might be biologically one but have gender dysmorphia as trans people do, but to be neither. I don't get it and I am trying to learn more about it to see if I can understand it more.
I think like most people who are on this thread I'm here because if the JK Rowling thing. I am in my early 30s and fairly to the left politically. I do find it offensive that in the headline I have been reduced to a person that mensturates. As someone said you wouldn't have an article calling biological men a person who ejaculates, a person who creates sperm.
I also don't understand with the people who say that biological sex doesn't exist. If it doesn't exist then surely there wouldn't be trans people...or possibly gay, lesbian, bi or pansexual people.
I completely accept people have the right to disagree with me and I am in no way an expert on these issues but I am trying to learn more about things and my views might change. The abuse JK Rowling has received on twitter was horrific and frankly undermines the view of people who disagree with her. I don't think her post was rude or abusive but the responses to it were to the extreme. Engage in discussion with people if you want to try and change their opinion, don't abuse them.
I'm still learning too.
