Sorry I'm crap at responding to comms right now. I could well be hallucinating but I think I gained 10K followers in last few days, and my phone is also melting. THANK YOU to the wonderful people who keep me going. I appreciate every single one of you. I'll answer messages soon.
Just here wondering whether any of the academics who have spent four years mocking, ridiculing, defaming, and mischaracterising my views feel any regret, now a scandal about puberty blockers and child transition is emerging in the mainstream.
I see the latest celeb to say something sensible about child transition has now recanted. Please: if you're tempted to weigh in, only do it if you aren't going to apologise. Ever. They won't accept it, you'll look weak, and they'll be emboldened to intimidate others in future.
Really struck by how older generation of retired elite woman athletes are standing up publicly to fight incursions on women's sport from trans lobby. Day after day their ranks increase. Stark contrast with other career paths, especially academia. Warriors versus church mice.
Quick explainer: If a woman smiles as masked men surround her in the street shouting "FUCK [insert her name here}", she must have enjoyed it and has no cause to complain. If she cries, she's weaponising her tears. I think that covers it.
To the socialist men who diligently kept their heads down as impoverished, abused women were put in jail with rapists, looked-after children were (still are) rushed through transition by social workers, and ordinary families vilified for wanting to let kids be kids - i see you.
Facile, grossly irresponsible propaganda playing on fear not evidence. If every mental health professional in any position of authority pushed back publicly against this, they would never dare do it again.
@edballs
@Madz_Grant
@GMB
Ed - seems to me you occupy the (to most people, incoherent/ confusing) position still beloved of uni grads that transwomen are male, but women anyway. So there are male women. This a) makes you transphobic according to Stonewall and b) makes no sense. Please read my book for why
Reminder for brave, resilient types who think they can bear to face my ideas on gender identity - my book is on a kindle deal for 99p at the moment.
(NB Extra counselling is available for Oxford students affected by this news)
My talk at the
@OxfordUnion
is now online (NB edited to omit the protest during the talk, a few minutes in - which is fine by me because I'd rather viewers focused on the actual arguments we were having). You can watch here
These people are disgusting ghouls. Even when the judge specifies that transphobia was not a factor, they don't care. They have been making money from needlessly terrifying kids and parents for years, and now they are DESPERATE to concretise the monster, no matter what the facts.…
Heartbroken for Brianna's parents, facing Christmas without their beautiful girl. For Corei's mum, wrapping gifts to send to the trans youth who are still here. For Alice's parents, speaking out with such bravery. Trans youth deserve to live full, happy lives. Transphobia kills.
Seriously. If this isn't the time for a no-holds barred journalistic dive into the totally amoral, ideologically bonkers racket that is Mermaids, I don't know what is. They held the Tavistock ransom for years. They are still going. They are crazy. Children's bodies are at stake.
Hi
@OULGBTQ
this statement contains several falsehoods and though I’m not a lawyer, I think it is probably defamatory. Also, it makes you look utterly ridiculous.
Well, would you look at that 😁. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me!
“From a list of 50 top thinkers we presented in the summer issue, our readers chose the philosopher Kathleen Stock as the winner—and by a significant margin”.
Transactivists: transwomen aren't men. So any objection to putting them in women's spaces must be because they are trans, not because they are men.
Rest of world: transwomen are men. Objections to putting them in women's spaces is because they are men, not because they are trans
If, three years ago, you thought Mermaids staff could look into the eyes of “girly” boys and “tomboy” girls and accurately discern a permanent gender identity within them justifying irreparable medical intervention, you were naive. If you still think they can, you’re barking mad.
Very happy to have prompted lots of robust discussion amongst feminists on my ST column. However - if you're threatened to the point of wild emotion or deep personal offence simply by my differing from you about something - probably best find an echo chamber that suits you…
Two things can be true at same time: a) women not men formed majority of early critics of gender nonsense b) women form majority of its cheerleaders in organisations now. In any case, I don't care to win the points for women, or lose them. Let's just get this lunacy gone.
We are totally shocked and appalled that our business model of hawking puberty blockers to desperately unhappy kids and their worried parents is now imperilled.
Fantastic news for anyone in Universities tempted to be that bit braver about talking about biological reality and women's rights. Enormous thanks are due to
@JoPhoenix1
for fighting on your behalf - now thank her by standing up and saying something.
have received the Tribunal’s judgment in my case against the OU today: I won! The Tribunal found that I was discriminated against and harassed because of my gender critical beliefs, and that I was constructively dismissed.
Those "gay men meet their freshly-baked newborn for the first time" reels - no sight of the bleeding mother next door - are uncomfortably close to unboxing videos
it's a funny old world where lesbians try to have a peaceful, quiet meeting on their own, and a convicted kidnapper, torturer, and attempted murderer joins in a disruptive, noisy, and smoke-filled protest of the event, and the lesbians are still said to be the "divisive" baddies
“I don't have repeatable words for the BBC right now.”
The BBC need to "stop participating in these ridiculous confected outrages" says Kathleen Stock as they drop Róisín Murphy from 6 Music over her comments on puberty blockers.
@Docstockk
|
@StigAbell
Just thought I'd say for record - I think Posie Parker's activism is highly astute and very effective. I admire her for it. I was critical in past but have since changed my mind. She doesn't have to like me, for me to say this (am fairly sure she doesn't!). There's room for all.
If you're someone who used to automatically label all critics of gender identity ideology as transphobic- and now you're starting to think maybe some of it has gone too far - you should revisit the "transphobes" you initially slandered. Chances are they said what you think now.
All I'm asking is that every ambitious journo whose editor wants a hatchet job on Rowling by Monday morning tries to picture the state of the discourse on "trans kids" in five years time, takes a long hard look in the mirror, and asks herself: do I feel lucky?
A genuinely single-sex violence service for the women and girls of Edinburgh, funded by
@jk_rowling
is fantastic news. And there are no downsides for any other group either, no matter what the cynical may try to spin here. Truly a good news story for Christmas.
UCU Edinburgh, helping stop the screening of a film on their own campus. Academic freedom of thought is just of no interest to these people. They are a disgrace.
@Amandycat
I dunno what they teach at Cambridge these days but most people realise “x has a right to y” doesn’t automatically mean “y is aspirational”. You, for instance, have a right to talk total crap but it’s hardly aspirational.
That thing that never happens in academia, happened again.. Presidents of
@AMericanAnthro
and
@CASCATweet
deplatform a conference panel on biological sex in anthropology, on grounds of "harm to Trans and LGBTQI". An open letter from those deplatformed follows in next tweet.
I'll be off twitter for a bit, from today. I'll tweet out my
@unherd
columns plus any other bits I do - other than that, it's time for a break (for everyone 😉). Have a good summer!
Some days are especially cool and yesterday was one of them. After eating steak tartare at the oldest bistro in Paris, I testified at a hearing in the French Senate. En français, en plus. Here’s me hanging out before the hearing in an understated adjacent location.
Still pinching myself - apparently I've been shortlisted for Columnist of the Year at the Press Awards. Very grateful to my editor
@jacobfuredi
and all at
@unherd
for allowing me to have such brilliant fun writing for them every week.
Am speaking at Cambridge Union tomorrow. The motion is nothing to do with transactivism. There’s protest against me/ event planned anyway (not gonna link). It’s clear from accompanying rhetoric they don’t have a clue what I actually think. To quote a Twitter cliche, I’m tired.
This is a
#GenderWars
appreciation post for
@bindelj
- whose brave principled work for women, massive big heart, sense of humour, relentless work ethic, and refusal to let the many bastards grind her down are an inspiration to me. And this is a review she just left for my book
I'll be writing about this, but yes - the refusal of existing NHS gender clinics to participate in the provision of evidence to Cass that would help better understand a vulnerable cohort of kids is an absolute scandal. The heads of those services should be hauled into an inquiry…
I regret to discover that GIDS clinicians refused to participate in this necessary and urgent work. The full set of excuses they worked up are included in Appendix 4.
Johnny-come-lately men who suggest it was our tone that was wrong all along can - and please note this departure from my habitual reasonable persona - fuck right off.
Sorry to see that
@ucu
has deleted tweets featuring Jo Grady and Owen Jones defending academic freedom. If either of you want tips about how to be more resilient online when turned on by people you thought would support you, let me know 😉
Victim-blaming is terrible. Rapists are solely responsible for what they do. But telling women how better to defend themselves from dangerous men isn’t always victim-blaming.
If all goes to plan, I'll be testifying as an expert witness at Amy Hamm's virtual hearing in British Columbia today (Tuesday - their day, my evening).
There are so many university-educated, vaguely left/ centrist types in powerful positions across UK, sitting back letting others take flak for principles they themselves would admit after a few bottles at a dinner party. BBC, Royal Colleges, Universities ... really quite pathetic
I'll tell you what, people who think I should get lighten up about jokes involving words "Kathleen Stock: I got stabbed". Give me a) your real name and b) a photo. I'll circulate both in conjunction with hysterical distortions of your views. Then let's make that joke about you.
Am quite hardened these days but I feel very emotional reading this. I knew much of this stuff in 2018 because two Tavi staff contacted me then to tell me. They were trying to tell everyone. All those who spoke out about this were treated diabolically.
The wives and partners of suddenly transitioning men (“trans widows”) have their own important story, shamefully neglected by mainstream. Often an distressing or even unbearable one. This film is going to focus on them. Support it here.
@limesodafilms
and
@Vaishax
is about to release the documentary Behind the looking glass, featuring transwidow voices.
Give a donation, buy merch and of course, get ready to share the film:)
Here is the trailer:
I love writing for
@unherd
. They let me write whatever I want, and the editing is only ever in the service of deepening the piece, not any prior political agenda. I’m in there with too many ridiculously interesting writers to count. It’s the antithesis of the Guardian these days…
@ValhallaPump
@metpoliceuk
Here it is on video! Recorded by
@dazed
and reposted by London Trans Pride on Instagram.
Convicted kidnapper and torturer, Sarah Jane Baker, on the Trans Pride stage, saying “If you see a TERF, punch them in the fucking face!” to a cheering crowd :)
Fantastic to see such informed scrutiny of Stonewall from
@BethRigby
- hope other broadcasters follow suit. (It's funny to hear Anderson "challenge"
@AllianceLGB
to talk to Stonewall - I was there when LGBA wrote repeatedly to the Stonewall board, and were rebuffed each time).
As someone who has been regularly trolled by Benjamin Cohen and his Pink News team of clickbait warriors for four years now - including in the article
@kemibadenoch
refers to here - I enjoyed this a lot.
A very strong start from new Minister for Women and Equalities
@KemiBadenoch
"The Equality Act is a shield, not a sword, it is there to protect people of ALL characteristics, young or old, male or female, black or white, gay or straight"
Thanks for the question
@AJRichardsonMP
One day I'll drop my reasonable persona for 24 hours, have a lord of misrule-style spree on twitter/x, and name all the BBC execs, Oxford heads of colleges, MPs, peers, distinguished consultants, etc who have told me they agree with me 😉
Fffs
@guardian
editors, it's not 2015 anymore- you can't just publish inaccuracy and smearing of sensible women and hope the world won't catch on.
@bindelj
did NOT liken transpeople to Savile, she was obviously talking about doctors; and FYI she is not a member of CAN-SG, she…
I am glad this is now declared. It's more honest. At least two other high profile people, both very fond of the word "transphobia", have undeclared trans-identified offspring. They are not unbiased. It is relevant information for onlookers.
I'm proud to come from Scotland. I stand with
@ForWomenScot
and the women protesting outside the Scottish parliament today. With them, I say
#NoToSelfID
Nicola Sturgeon's blind refusal to stick up for sex-based rights is a catastrophe for Scottish women and girls.
Who could have predicted that in the 21st century, so much time would have to be spent typing out the phrase "humans are not sequential hermaphrodites"?
Many fish can switch sex, yes. This reinforces the binary because they only ever switch from male to female or female to male. There is no third or additional sex they switch to. It’s therefore not a spectrum.
Furthermore, humans are not sequential hermaphrodites. We are…
@RayAlexWilliams
"Continue to be impressed"? This you? You significantly contributed to the complete trashing of my reputation amongst academic peers. You also intermittently sucked up to me by email, then trashed me in public. Leave me out of the new grift, please.
If I'm your hero, and Emma Watson is your villain, or vice versa, you really ought to watch more superhero films. This is a very boring fictional universe.
I knew we'd get there in the end, Nancy! (PS Trans lesbians aren't lesbians, they're opposite-sex-attracted males. It's really important for organisations claiming to represent lesbian interests to know this basic fact, because the needs and interests are different in each case).
To make it easier to exclude trans lesbians from lesbian support groups.
To make it easier to exclude trans women from women’s book clubs
To make it easier to exclude trans women from women only shortlists
A Labour council is attempting to stop a woman putting gender-critical posters on her *own front door*, threatening criminal consequences if she does not comply. Every time I think I have heard it all..
Sarah Vine KC, of Doughty Street Chambers, has agreed to represent me PRO-BONO at my hearing to Defend my Innocence at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wed 14th Feb at 10am! This is fantastic news! Please support my other legal costs for the solicitor etc.
I wrote for
@unherd
about Ed Balls, Matthew Parris, so-called extremists, real extremists, and how I am not the sole acceptable face of the movement against modern transactivism
So far Pink News has published EIGHT angry pieces about Channel 4 allowing Kathleen Stock to appear on air alongside a bunch of trans people, yet not a word about Billy Bragg's all-day anti-lesbian rant 🤔
I have lots of arguments against this stuff, of course, but at the end of the day, the basic point is: Grow a spine. Be proud and strong, not supine. Back yourself. Send that message to women and girls everywhere, instead of this performative self-harm, you idiots.
I’m pro-choice. It may surprise some to know I talk to people who are positively pro-life. Not just their pro-choice political allies, who you also revile. But the full-on pro-lifers. They have fine qualities. I refuse to do this splitting. A person - yes, even you- is a mix.
You might think that democratically elected representatives can freely meet with people to hear their reasonable concerns, without the unelected transactivist lobby getting a veto. You would be wrong.
@AddiHD02
This is awful, and you know very well (or you would do, if you ever engaged with what I think) that I condemn it wholeheartedly. Now you've experienced this, do you reconsider decision to defame me with total lies and distortions, increasing likelihood of retribution against me?
Any staff or students
@ICMPLondon
who face discrimination or harassment because of your gender-critical views: this is the exhibit to put on page one of your tribunal bundle
#WorthyofRespect
#PageOne
Extremely powerful piece from UCL clinician on the ethical failures of gender doctors - no punches pulled. So pleasing to see uncompromising, joined-up scrutiny emerging from new and authoritative places. There's a reason transactivists don't want it.
Thanks to all who were positive about my speech in Cambridge debate tonight. You can watch here for full event. Can't say I had most fun evening but I respect free speech of protestors and those defaming me in the chamber. Interesting points made on both sides. Also, we won.
Thinking of all the women raising their voices for the interests of women and girls today in Belfast, as they have every right to do - solidarity with you all
#LetWomenSpeakBelfast
It's interesting to see this degree of chumminess between the supposedly neutral Chair of
@Commonswomequ
and transactivist lobbyists. When our organisation The Lesbian Project approached
@carolinenokes
for an introductory meeting, she refused to meet with us.
As if the Commons’ Women and Equalities Select Committee hadn’t done itself enough damage with yesterday’s woeful attempt to ambush Kemi Badenoch, here are its chair and two of its loudest rainbow groupies posing for pre-meeting selfies with leading Stonewall ally Jayne Ozanne
In other exciting news, someone has drawn my attention to this interview with Judith Butler, in which the Pope, Putin,
@jk_rowling
and me are identified as the central figures of the "anti-gender movement" 😀
“Where are we looking at the anti-gender movement, are we looking at…
A few corrections. I used to be a trustee for the (marvellous) LGBA but I resigned two years ago. I believe lesbians need their own data, research, and associations, rather than being lumped in with a huge amorphous group of all-comers. I'm clearly not a fascist and I wasn't…
One of UnHerd's main writers is none other than Kathleen Stock, a TERF forced to quit Sussex University for transphobia after an uproar from students. She’s also a trustee of the LGB Alliance, a group that wants to break up the LGBT+ community by separating the LGB from the T+.
Playground politics by
@UKLabour
, making them look deeply unserious. Yes, some bullying malcontents are obsessed with punishing Rosie Duffield on slightest pretext - but why side with them, for god’s sake ?
Rosie Duffield MP has been omitted from the Labour Party’s approved list of candidates to stand at the next general election, for liking this tweet. Labour's national executive committee, which includes Keir Starmer, has reportedly deemed it "antisemitic"
"Take a look at the graph below: the line in blue tracks google searches for “anorexia”; the line in red searches for “transgender”.
Now imagine that the response to the anorexia trend had been to open diet clinics across the country and put diet coaches in girls’ schools."
Today's a big day for Julie Bindel
@bindelj
and me! Over a year ago, Julie asked me if we could set up an organisation for lesbians together. Today we launch. Here's a piece about our new organisation in
@Telegraph
- later on today I'll be talking to
@BBCWomansHour
about it.
We at The Lesbian Project are delighted to have Martina Navratilova
@Martina
as our patron.
In the
@Telegraph
today: find out more about our vision for this new organisation for lesbians.
Transactivists' strategy of making every criticism of their politics '"transphobic" doesn't work on external critics like me - but on other hand, it *does* effectively stifle internal criticism from within, even of terrible behaviour by individuals inciting violence.
#awkward
Saying
#ThankyouAllisonBailey
for the burden you’ve taken on, for all of us. Wishing you all the best tomorrow - whatever happens we are always grateful
@BluskyeAllison
Appreciation post: there is wonderful bunch of people in my mentions at the moment, patiently and doggedly demanding evidence for wild claims made about me, arguing carefully in the face of crazy hyperbole, and standing up for intellectual standards, and I really do love you all