Podcasts about gender recognition act

Those taking part in the debate were: Me. Zing Tsjeng, UK editor of Broadly (the only one to mention ‘transgender', but just once). Very ‘queer' identified.Eleanor Margolis, a lesbian writer, who said, ‘I honestly remember fancying girls when I was about three.'Joe Stone, writer, calls himself a ‘plain old-fashioned gay' rather than queerAnd Matt Cook, academic, who recalls the terrible loss due to the AIDS crisis during the 1980 and beyond. Jane Garvey hosted. She did a grand job. Have a listen, and consider how the takeover of lesbian and gay culture by gender woo woo impacted. Remember, 2015, the year this episode was broadcast, was the year Stonewall added the T to the LGB, and when Tory Minister for Women, Maria Miller decided to recommend self-ID as a key reform to the 2004 Gender Recognition Act. Everything was about to change, and not for the better. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliebindel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Maya Forstater, co-founder and CEO of Sex Matters, a human rights charity focused on clarifying the meaning of sex in UK law and policy. We delve into the significant implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling in the For Women Scotland case, which challenges the definition of "woman" in the Equality Act. Maya shares her personal journey, from being an ordinary mum to becoming a pivotal figure in the gender-critical debate after losing her job for expressing her beliefs about sex and gender.We explore the complexities of the Gender Recognition Act and its impact on women's rights, particularly in contexts like public boards and single-sex spaces. Maya emphasizes the importance of basing policies on actual sex rather than "gender identity" in order to protect women's rights. We also discuss the chilling effect of current laws on free speech in the UK, where individuals can face serious repercussions for expressing gender-critical views.Throughout our conversation, we aim to unpack the broader societal implications of these legal definitions and the ongoing struggle for clarity and fairness in the discourse surrounding gender and sex. Join us as we navigate these critical issues and consider what they mean for the future of women's rights and freedom of belief.Maya Forstater is co-founder and CEO of Sex Matters, a human rights charity campaigning for clarity on sex in law and policy in the UK. They were interveners on the winning side in the recent For Women Scotland supreme court case on the meaning of woman in the Equality Act. Maya came into the gender debate as the claimant in an employment-tribunal test case on belief discrimination, when she lost her job at the Center for Global Development after tweeting and writing about sex and gender. Her case established that ordinary beliefs about the two sexes are covered by the protected characteristic of belief in the Equality Act 2010.Before co-founding Sex Matters she had 20 years' experience as a researcher, writer and advisor working on business and sustainable development including on international tax policy, climate change and green finance, and human rights in supply chains.00:00 Start[00:01:01] Gender and belief discrimination.[00:06:00] Women's rights and legal battles.[00:11:11] Definition of sex in law.[00:12:25] Women's spaces and rights conflict.[00:16:45] Women's rights and trans issues.[00:23:24] Gender Recognition Certificate explained.[00:26:27] Gender Recognition Act implications.[00:28:38] Gender recognition and legal exceptions.[00:36:09] Birth certificate changes legality.[00:39:44] Arrests for social media comments.[00:40:59] Abuse of speech laws.[00:45:56] Employment rights and freedom of speech.[00:51:58] Mental health industry's responsibility.[00:55:25] Entitlement in psychological treatment.[00:58:59] Safeguards in Gender Recognition Act.[01:01:24] Bathroom rules and discrimination.[01:07:43] Digital identity and data issues.[01:09:51] Digital identity and privacy.[01:13:32] Gender identity and legal documents.[01:19:12] Birth records and gender identity.[01:21:00] "Non-binary" gender recognition.[01:26:10] Government endorsed identity layer.[01:32:02] Schools and gender recognition issues.[01:33:27] Guidance for schools on equality.ROGD REPAIR Course + Community gives concerned parents instant access to over 120 lessons providing the psychological insights and communication tools you need to get through to your kid. Use code SOMETHERAPIST2025 to take 50% off your first month.PODCOURSES: use code SOMETHERAPIST at LisaMustard.com/PodCoursesTALK TO ME: book a meeting.PRODUCTION: Looking for your own podcast producer? Visit PodsByNick.com and mention my podcast for 20% off your initial services.SUPPORT THE SHOW: subscribe, like, comment, & share or donate.ORGANIFI: Take 20% off Organifi with code SOMETHERAPIST.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order.SHOW NOTES & transcript with help from SwellAI.MUSIC: Thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude & permission. ALL OTHER LINKS HERE. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! 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What does the law say about who counts as a woman - and who gets to decide? Unpacking the UK Supreme Court's recent ruling on the definition of “woman” under the Equality Act 2010 and Gender Recognition Act is guest Karon Monaghan KC, one of the UK's leading employment and discrimination law barristers.  See here for a link to the judgment. The discussion of this high-profile legal case tackles the legal system's treatment of trans rights, women's rights, and single-sex spaces, revealing the tensions at the heart of UK politics, human rights and equality  law.  Alongside hosts Ken Macdonald KC and Tim Owen KC, Karon explores the wider political issues in Britain, including the role of the EHRC and Stonewall in misrepresenting the law, the responsibilities of public institutions, and the rule of law in a polarised landscape. They also examine recent CPS guidance on consent and deception in sexual offences, raising crucial questions about the legal boundaries of sex, identity, and freedom of expression. With sharp analysis and expert legal commentary, this episode offers key legal system insights into the definitions of sex and gender in UK equality law, the balance of rights between different protected groups, and the future of politics and law in Britain.-----Covering the critical intersections of law and politics in the UK with expert commentary on high-profile legal cases, political controversies, prisons and sentencing, human rights law, current political events and the shifting landscape of justice and democracy. With in-depth discussions and influential guests, Double Jeopardy is the podcast that uncovers the forces shaping Britain's legal and political future. What happens when law and politics collide? How do politics shape the law - and when does the law push back? What happens when judicial independence is tested, human rights come under attack, or freedom of expression is challenged? And who really holds power in Britain's legal and political system? Get answers to questions like these weekly on Wednesdays at 6am GMT. Double Jeopardy is presented by Ken Macdonald KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Tim Owen KC, as they break down the legal and political issues in Britain. From high-profile legal cases to the evolving state of British democracy, Double Jeopardy offers expert legal commentary on the most pressing topics in UK law, politics, and human rights. Ken Macdonald KC served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008, shaping modern prosecutorial policy and advocating for the rule of law. He is a former Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, a crossbench member of the House of Lords, and a leading writer, commentator and broadcaster on politics and the rule of law. Tim Owen KC has been involved in many of the most significant public, criminal and human rights law cases over the past four decades. Both bring unparalleled experience from the frontline of Britain's legal and political landscape.If you like The Rest Is Politics, Talking Politics, Law Pod UK and Today in Focus, you'll love Double Jeopardy.

This week's Rosebud guest is Professor Kathleen Stock, the philosopher and writer. As Gyles says in his introduction, Stock has, at times, been a controversial figure in the debate about gender identity, but in this episode, we aim to get behind the headlines and find out about her life. The conversation takes us from her early years, playing games in the park behind their terraced house, to schooldays in Montrose, where she was the target of a long campaign of bullying, to her university days and the beginning of her academic career, to her first marriage and eventual coming out as a lesbian. Gyles and Kathleen then talk about the events that led to her resignation from her post as Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sussex, following an outcry over a blog she'd written about the Gender Recognition Act. What is like to be ostracised by your profession and subject to public condemnation? This is a fascinating episode of Rosebud; whatever your views, we hope you enjoy finding out a bit more about Kathleen Stock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's Rosebud guest is Professor Kathleen Stock, the philosopher and writer. As Gyles says in his introduction, Stock has, at times, been a controversial figure in the debate about gender identity, but in this episode, we aim to get behind the headlines and find out about her life. The conversation takes us from her early years, playing games in the park behind their terraced house, to schooldays in Montrose, where she was the target of a long campaign of bullying, to her university days and the beginning of her academic career, to her first marriage and eventual coming out as a lesbian. Gyles and Kathleen then talk about the events that led to her resignation from her post as Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sussex, following an outcry over a blog she'd written about the Gender Recognition Act. What is like to be ostracised by your profession and subject to public condemnation? This is a fascinating episode of Rosebud; whatever your views, we hope you enjoy finding out a bit more about Kathleen Stock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eris Young is author of the go-to book on everything non-binary. They break down the basics of the gender binary, painting a more expansive, inclusive, and accurate picture of human identity. What is it like to be nonbinary? What challenges do people face? What about healthcare for nonbinary folks? All this and more, as we talk to Eris Young about their book, They/Them/Their: A Guide to Nonbinary and Genderqueer Identities. About the Guest Eris Young is a queer, transgender writer of fiction and nonfiction. Their books They/Them/Their: A guide to nonbinary and genderqueer identities (2019) and Ace Voices: What it means to be asexual, aromantic, demi or gray-ace (2022), are published by Jessica Kingsley. They were the writer-in-residence at Lighthouse, Edinburgh's radical bookshop, from 2019 to 2022, in 2020 received a Scottish Book Trust New Writer Award for fiction, and are a 2023 IPSE Freelancer Award finalist, in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category. Transcript ERIS YOUNG: When you step away from the norm in any way, it's going to influence the way people interface with you, the way people treat you, the assumptions they make about you when they see you. I think it just made my childhood that much more complicated. BLAIR HODGES: That's Eris Young, and the norm they stepped away from in middle school that caused some difficulty was the gender binary—the idea that there are two discrete genders, boy and girl, man and woman, end of story. Today there's a growing chorus of scientists, biologists, psychologists, and other specialists who are making it clearer than ever that the gender binary doesn't capture the diversity of human experiences. This includes trans people and all who don't fall so neatly into one category or another. In this episode, Eris Young joins us to talk about their book, They/Them/Their: A Guide to Nonbinary and Genderqueer Identities. There's no one right way to be a guy or a girl, or someone else entirely. I'm Blair Hodges, and this is Family Proclamations. REACHING THE AUDIENCE (01:31) BLAIR HODGES: Eris Young, welcome to Family Proclamations. It's great to have you on the show. ERIS YOUNG: Thanks for having me, Blair. I'm really happy to be here. BLAIR HODGES: We're talking about your book, They/Them/Their. These are pronouns obviously, and they are pronouns you use. Your introduction to this book starts off with a glossary of sixteen terms. But you manage to actually keep it interesting! We'll talk about those terms, but I think it says a lot that you had to spend time right off the bat with direct definitions. Talk a little bit about that decision for the book. ERIS YOUNG: It is a bit odd. You don't often start off with a dictionary or a glossary. Because of the nature of the project and when it came out—this book came out in 2019 and I started writing it around 2017—and at that time we were at the very beginning of our understanding, at least in the Anglophone West, of nonbinary and genderqueer identities and trans identity in the mainstream. For the book I wanted to get into the nitty gritty. I wanted to go deep as quickly as possible, but it meant there was a lot of explaining I had to do in a short space of time in order to be able to get past that basic stuff. I'll talk a little bit later how I feel about glossaries and dictionaries and how that's changed over time. It's very much a product of where I was at and where we as a society were at when the book was written. BLAIR HODGES: You say your target audience is people who want to understand but might not have the means yet. This isn't necessarily for people that have already been in all the online discussions about nonbinary and different gender identities, but for people trying to wrap their minds around it. It can be a little intimidating for people that aren't used to those discussions in those spaces, and you identify some of reasons. It might feel like people are afraid of making a mistake so they're afraid to ask questions, or they might feel like they're virtue signaling if they're going overboard and trying to show how knowledgeable they are. Tell me a little bit more about those dynamics because your target audience was for interested and well-meaning people that just want to learn more. ERIS YOUNG: It is funny how much has changed in the time since I wrote the book. It's only been a couple of years, so when I first wrote it I was very much—and I think that's the strength of the book—I was really doing what I could to reach as many people as possible. That meant I had to do a little bit of explaining and a little bit of making sure my readers were on the same page as me from the very beginning. I've seen the book described as “accessible.” I've had a lot of cis people come up to me and enthuse about the way they were able to use the book to get to know the nonbinary people in their life, or to make their workplace more inclusive. I really value having been able to do that for people. BLAIR HODGES: You mentioned cisgender folks. I'm cisgender. For people who aren't familiar with the terminology, that means my gender identity aligns with the sex I was assigned at birth, the assumptions people made based on what my body looked like back then. I fit into a typical male identity and my body aligns with that. The term “cis” is basically trying to get people to think about how cisgender itself is also an identity. To be nonbinary is an identity in the same way being cisgender is an identity, and it's trying to avoid hierarchies of comparison of better than or less than. It seems to serve an equalizing purpose. ERIS YOUNG: It's absolutely an equalizer, and it's absolutely a way of challenging this otherness. Trans and gender non-conforming people, we tend to get placed into this "other" category, but really it's about repositioning cis and trans as categories of being on an equal footing with each other. ERIS GETS PERSONAL (05:54) BLAIR HODGES: We'll expand on definitions as we go, but let's start here with more about your own personal biography. This book explores your own experiences. You're very personal here. You talk about what it was like growing up. You say you realized as a young child there was something different, or something uncomfortable maybe about how you were encouraged to act and dress and speak and play as a child. Tell people a little bit about how that felt, about how you were. ERIS YOUNG: This is something I've thought about a lot over the years. I think in comparison to a lot of genderqueer and nonbinary people I was fairly lucky. My parents are very liberal in the sense of being quite flexible. They weren't very prescriptive. I did karate. I did art lessons. I managed to avoid a lot of the gendered activities—not to say I was very good at karate or art! I dodged a bullet a lot of people in my position don't always manage to avoid, so I'm very grateful to my parents for that. When I was a little kid, especially an adolescent and in high school, I did feel different. This has to do with my sexuality, my gender, my neurodivergent stuff going on. There were a lot of times when if the adults in my life had had the opportunity to read a book or watch a TV program about transgender or about nonbinary identity, that would have helped me a lot. This is what I'm trying to give to the nonbinary children, the trans children of the people reading my book. I don't think it's going to make a huge difference, but I have had quite a few parents reach out to me, and I've had some intense emotional conversations with parents who, as you say, they're really well-meaning and they're trying to understand, but they've been taught their whole lives gender and sex work a certain way. They're finding it difficult to try and engage while trying not to hurt the nonbinary or trans person in their life. PARENTAL APPROACHES (08:20) BLAIR HODGES: That's right. There are a lot of different reactions parents can have, coming from a lot of different places. Some people might have very rigid ideas about sex and gender being inflexible, and gender assigned at birth is paramount, and so any kind of deviation from that is uncomfortable, or even evil or whatever to them. Then you have people who are more open to it but might see social discrimination and might worry for their kids if they're nonbinary or trans, and they worry about discrimination kids would face. Or maybe even the dreams a parent has for their kids, where in theory they're alright with trans identities or nonbinary identities, but they also have built this story of who their kid was going to be and then they have to let go of that story. I think parental anxiety can come from a lot of different directions and it's not limited to "conservative" or traditionalist, anti-trans feelings, but can also come from people who are open and believe and accept trans identities as well. ERIS YOUNG: I think so much of parenthood and family is—you know, we're so close to it. For some people family and parenthood is the most fundamental and personal thing in their life. That means ego plays into it a lot, whether we want it to or not. I see this talking to a lot of asexual and aromantic people as well. We'll have parents who are good, supportive, loving parents, but when they encounter something that disrupts their own ideas of what their family should look like, it can cause a lot of conflict. Something I'm really hoping for, an idea that makes me quite emotional that I'm hoping for the future, is I'd like to see more parents approach their child's gender journey as not a challenge to them as a parent or as not an obstacle to their idea of their child's happy and stable future. Instead, I'd like to see parents approaching their child's gender exploration and potential transition as an adventure you're going on together as a family. I think for a lot of people this practically isn't possible because society right now makes it hard to be trans or nonbinary or genderqueer. I'm hoping we can have incremental social change, such that in ten or twenty or fifty years we can celebrate it when our children decide they're something other than they were assigned at birth. I think that's a beautiful potential future. I'd like to work towards that. SOCIAL PRESSURES (11:23) BLAIRHODGES: In the book you also talk about some of the ways you felt anxiety, even though your parents were generally supportive and, it seems, flexible and open to different things. You also felt anxiety around public restrooms or different social situations. What were the pressures? Did you feel pressure to conform to the gender binary that you had to resist? What did that pressure look like? ERIS YOUNG: No matter who you are, there's a lot of pressure on you to conform to the sex assignment you were given at birth. Restrooms is a thing. We talk about it a lot. I still have to navigate that, although nowadays when you're an adult you can get away with pretty much anything by walking in and looking like you know what you're doing. But as a kid I was—I don't want to say a little weirdo, but I was quite a shy child. [laughter] I was a nervous little kid. Not really knowing anything about the community that I would later enter, it added this extra layer of complication. I had a good childhood, but I was a funny little guy. I've definitely had some anxiety throughout my life, a lot to do with being neurodivergent. What did it really look like? It kind of really started to come to the fore when I was in middle and high school, so in my early to mid-teens in California, in Orange County. We didn't have strict dress codes or anything. I was dressing in boy's clothes from high school. I think it more influenced the way people treated me and looked at me. When you step away from the norm in any way, it's going to influence the way people interface with you, the way people treat you, the assumptions they make about you when they see you. I think it just made my childhood that much more complicated. BLAIR HODGES: This speaks to the idea of nonbinary people being thought of as egocentric or self-obsessed in presentation and stuff, and what interests me about you is you were not like that. It seems like you didn't want attention. And you also needed to express your gender identity in a way that made you feel comfortable in your body and in yourself. But you weren't going for attention. It seems like if anything, you wanted to not get extra attention. ERIS YOUNG: It's funny because that is the stereotype, isn't it? Pretty much all of the trans and gender non-conforming people I know, myself included, we're just trying to live our lives and because we're now able to be visible and open in a way we never were before, going from invisible to visible is now being transformed into this perception of us being attention-seeking. When you look at the ways some cis people act out and perform their gender, like don't even get me started! It's very funny we do get painted with this paintbrush and it all has to do with visibility and change. It's not that we're visible or trying to be obnoxious about it, it's that we exist and our existence challenges the status quo and makes people think about things they haven't had to think about before. BIOLOGICAL SEX AND GENDER (15:12) BLAIR HODGES: Your book also drills down on gender, sex, and the binary. For people who aren't familiar with this way of thinking about sex and gender your explanation is really helpful. The most common understanding of sex and gender is a binary understanding. The idea is gender is determined by a person's physical body parts, their body morphology, maybe chromosomes, or whatever. That's also supposed to determine sexual orientation as well. Gender identity, sexual orientation, and sex are all thought to be one singular thing. In your book you talk about how humans are loosely a “sexually dimorphic” species. There is a general view of a sex male, a sex female, and so it's easy to understand how we've arrived at these assumptions about sex and gender. But you complicate that for us. Talk about why that binary understanding is problematic. ERIS YOUNG: This is a fun question with a lot of deep potential. One of the things that happened for me, while I was writing They/Them/Their the more research I did, the more it complicated that understanding. I was a twenty-year-old starting to write this book and I approached it with an understanding of: There is biological sex and some people feel they are not whatever they were assigned at birth. In reality, the more you look at it and the more research you do, and the more you look at history and actually biology, that rigid, contiguous binary we've constructed and we've put on this pedestal in our society, it starts to crumble really quickly. It kind of broke my brain and put it back together, and that's part of why I'm so pleased I was able to write this book when I did because it made a lot of things make much more sense to me very quickly. For example, I'm picturing three boxes with arrows between them, and you've got biological sex equals gender equals sexuality. Well, a good hundred years ago we started to disrupt this idea of gender equals sexuality. There are all sorts of different kinds of historical categorizations of homosexual people—as inverts, hermaphrodites. These are the quite pathological words placed onto us or claimed by us at different times. We've pretty much disrupted that connection. We've also managed to start—with some setbacks, there's still backlash against homosexuality, but we're starting to be able to decouple this idea of biological sex equals gender. We've got trans people, we've got nonbinary people, all sorts of people who aren't cis. We're also starting to come to understand biological sex is not as much a scientific reality as we're taught to believe, or as some people would want us to believe. This was something revelatory for me as I was writing the book, is it turns out that intersex conditions—so people who are born with what we might call ambiguous genitalia, or secondary sex characteristics that develop differently from how we would expect them to based on that person's assigned sex, those ways of being, and there's actually dozens of different ways a person can be intersex—they're way, way, way more common than we're led to believe. I didn't know a person could be intersex. I didn't know that was a thing until my late teens. Mid to late teens. BLAIR HODGES: Me too. It may have even been my twenties. ERIS YOUNG: No one talks about it. The only way I was able to learn about it is through the trans community because historically trans and intersex communities have been allied and we share a lot of lived experiences, though we're not always overlapping Venn diagram circles. Intersex people exist and are around and we know them. It's not a marginal experience by any means. BLAIR HODGES: That's even on a chromosomal level, right? It's not the case that it's a simple XX, XY. There are different combinations. ERIS YOUNG: There are women who would present as cis women and who would never be seen as anything other than a cis woman who have a Y chromosome. THE BINARY IMPULSE TO CLOCK (20:30) BLAIR HODGES: Alright, so I think one of the reasons this can be hard for people to grasp is, I think humans in general need these shortcut ways to sum each other up. We want to be able to look at each other, we want visual cues, and just to be able to get a picture of who a person is. Perhaps even a lot of transgender folks, I think, want to present on one end of the binary or another. There's still a lot of social pressure or social expectations or social conditioning. To transition kind of happens on a scale, some people really want to transition in a way that helps them present as female, very female, feminine, femme. Other people want to present as masc, masculine, more male. But nonbinary folks don't always really feel comfortable at either end of that pole. Here's a quote from you: "A genderqueer person will most likely have been raised as either male or female, and most likely will have either a penis or vagina and attendant chromosomes and hormones, but will not feel that either of these labels suits them wholly. They might feel that both or neither of those labels applies." So even with many trans folks the binary is strong, and we have genderqueer or nonbinary folks that challenged that polarity. ERIS YOUNG: That's why we're here, isn't it? We do like categories. We like binaries. As people, we like to be able to make quick assumptions. I don't know if that's an inherent thing for human brains, or if it's something we're taught, but it does take a lot of work to get beyond. For me, I had to do a lot of thinking, a lot of research, a lot of writing and talking to people. I had to be on Tumblr for quite a long time before I could get my brain out of these rigid categories I had been thinking in. In a way that's a privilege, but the more you do it, it's a skill. It's critical thinking. This way of being able to question the categories you're given. As a nonbinary person, I'm quite grateful I'm able to exist in between. I feel like it gives me a lot of freedom to play, to question, to challenge. BLAIR HODGES: I think the more nonbinary and genderqueer folks we get to know, the more automatic it can become. I think even with pronouns. I have a coworker, they/them pronouns, and they're the second person I've spent a lot of time with. It took a little while to be able to automatically think—instead of “translating” it, instead of looking at them and having to decide to use their preferred pronoun—to it becoming automatic. I also found that using they/them more generally helped do that as well. Referring to people as they/them more broadly. Familiarity helps a lot, but also it can be challenging because we don't necessarily know we're running into people who might be nonbinary all the time. As you say in the book, it's hard to even get estimates of how many people identify as nonbinary. That's part of the challenge. ERIS YOUNG: I agree. That's one of the problems. That's why it's so hard to be genderqueer or nonbinary, or one of the reasons is a lot of our social systems are built around these very rigid categories. When you break them, you stop being intelligible to the system you exist in. If I am nonbinary, but I have to choose M or F on a form, I get erased as a person. BLAIR HODGES: That's right. You're facing this on forms, you're facing this as people are interacting with you, and from my perspective as a cisgendered person encountering a nonbinary person, my impulse has been to think, “What are they really?” Basically still thinking in terms of what gender they were assigned at birth and then triangulating from that. So I think people are tempted to ask invasive questions about that. It's not my business what gender you or anyone else was assigned at birth, and the more I've been familiar with actual nonbinary folks and hanging out with them, the less that impulse exists to try to see them initially as "What are they really?" Or where's their transness? Where are they transitioning away from, instead of just seeing them as they are. ERIS YOUNG: When you were taught that binary gender is the only thing, your brain is naturally going to go and try and fit the person you're talking to into one or the other category. The only way to do it, the easiest way, is to get to know people and talk to people, as you say. BLAIR HODGES: Do you have to resist that, too? Does the impulse I'm talking about sound familiar to you? When you see someone and as they present your brain starts to automatically do this processing of what their gender identity is. Because we're in such a cisgender-heavy society, it seems that would be a default. I'm just guessing. I'm interested in your thoughts, maybe even for genderqueer folks, that they might have that same kind of impulse. What do you think? ERIS YOUNG: We're subject to the same social conditioning everyone else is. It's different from individual to individual, but I had to do a lot of, I guess you would call it unlearning, as I was writing the book and as I was getting to know myself. I had to let go of all those impulses. I can't even say I did let go of them because it's an ongoing process. I had to do a lot of unlearning and I have a lot of these harmful or unproductive instincts of trying to once I've clocked someone, my brain automatically wants me to try and wonder their sex assignment at birth. It's quite a harmful instinct and a hard one to get rid of. I have managed to get rid of that instinct by being myself and being with other people in my community. I also wanted to loop back to the instinct of thinking what is the person's sex assignment at birth. That instinct to try and wonder about a person's sex assignment at birth, a lot of that comes from, or at least I think it comes from the way our society as a whole is really obsessed with bodies and specifically with categorizing bodies and medicalizing bodies and pathologizing difference. This is an instinct that exists on a lot of different levels, most often in the medical system, but it permeates throughout society. It feels like a very Western, very Anglophone instinct to seek some kind of essential truth about a person. I use that phrase “essential truth” not on its face value, but what we're seeking is what we're taught to think as the truth of a person, when in reality the truth of a person doesn't have to have anything to do with what's in their pants. I think there's this deep historical process that's kind of still ongoing, that contributes to this instinct we have to clock people. IGNORING VERSUS EMBRACING (28:24) BLAIR HODGES: Yeah, I find myself in such a strange position about it, because there's this weird tension of, it shouldn't matter all that much, but it also should matter because I also want to support folks, especially marginalized folks. I want to understand their experiences. There are legal issues, social pressures. I would shy away from a “gender blindness,” I guess. Or a way of erasing gender identity. ERIS YOUNG: Right. I was at university for undergrad in mid-2010s, I guess, I don't know. There was a lot of discourse around, can you be race blind? Can you be post-racial? I mean, no, because you're a person who exists now. Regardless of whether biological sex or gender or even race, regardless of whether those things are actual "scientific realities," they affect the lived experience of real life people today. It's not possible to be gender blind. I think you're right to shy away from that impulse because I don't think it's necessarily a productive one. That's kind of like saying, "Oh, can't we all just get along?" when you're talking about social inequality. At the same time, I don't want to be gender blind. I want to celebrate people's genders. I want to celebrate a trans woman's ability to joyfully embrace femininity and womanhood. I want to celebrate my own in-betweenness and my own playful way I live my gender. I think there is a well-meaning impulse to "not see gender." I don't think that's necessarily the most productive thing to do, because rather I think we should be trying to celebrate difference. BLAIR HODGES: I think the idea of ignoring it is probably coming from a place of privilege. What it really means is I'm not comfortable with it and so let's just not talk about it-- ERIS YOUNG: I think you've hit the nail on the head. LANGUAGE NERD (30:49) BLAIR HODGES: Yeah, when other people don't have that luxury of ignoring it. Okay, so Eris you're also kind of a language nerd. You have a chapter in here about your linguistics I wanted to talk about, because this is a huge consideration. Language itself can be one of the biggest obstacles to social and legal acceptance of nonbinary and genderqueer identities. Let's talk a little bit about that, including the ways different languages are structured. Sometimes gender is literally baked into language. ERIS YOUNG: When I wrote the book, my publisher sent me a list of topics they wanted to cover and I think pronouns were on the list. But then I rubbed my hands together like, "Something about language, you say?" [laughter] I am a big language nerd. Any chance I get to talk about it I will take. We've had the pronouns debate. I think we're coming to the end of that debate, maybe? I guess my political instinct would be, can we stop talking about pronouns and start talking about suicide statistics? Obviously we can talk about both. But I think this "debate" around, "Oh, is it okay to use they/them pronouns?" Like, whatever. But language does have a huge effect on our lived realities. Anyone who's studied any other languages knows this can be totally different depending on what language you're speaking. Your ability to maintain your own autonomy when it comes to gender presentation—what does it mean for someone to be genderqueer or nonbinary in a language like Spanish, where if you speak about someone else you basically have to assign them a binary gender? That was the kind of question I had been trying to get at. There's other languages like Japanese, for example, and obviously there are caveats here because Japanese society—I'm not an expert—but it's not a wonderful place to be trans or nonbinary or queer, but the language itself just taken in a vacuum, you are allowed to basically claim gender for yourself based on the personal pronouns you use because you refer to yourself with a gender. You can use different forms of the word "I" based on how you see your own gender. I haven't studied it in a while, but it's broadly gendered. That's something you can exercise autonomy in. I could use boku if I wanted to be slightly more masculine, but not as masculine as saying ore, for example. BLAIR HODGES: That's interesting because these Japanese words could be seen as over-gendering things, but it also gives people the opportunity to play with language or to identify themselves in their gender identity more on the fly and more subtly than having to say, "My gender pronouns are this." You can just refer to yourself. ERIS YOUNG: You can signal to people on the fly. BLAIR HODGES: If I was saying “I'm glad to meet you,” I could say that in a way that says “I being a cis person…” They would look at me and what I look like and I can give them gender clues just by saying, "I'm glad to meet you”? ERIS YOUNG: It comes down to a part of gender presentation. One of the people I spoke to in writing They/Them/Their is Japanese and I asked them what their pronouns were, and they use they/them in English and boku in Japanese. Depending on the language you're speaking, the way language shapes gender experience is different. I think a lot of the ways we ourselves use language is so gendered. There's a lot of ways, at least in English, a person is able to signal their own gender in the language they use. BLAIR HODGES: You talk about “natural gender” in language, which is the basic meaning of a word, like "woman," "man," and different languages have these natural gender words. And then there's “grammatical gender—all the ways gender is embedded in language arbitrarily. Like in Spanish, there's your ways of signaling male and femaleness and there's also, as you said, in Japanese this way of signaling gender associated to other words, and even in phrases you might use. And you say there are some “social convention” phrases that are more coded as masculine or feminine. I can't think of any examples, but I guess it might be like, let's say in English saying "holy cow" would be like, "Oh, that's kind of like a boy thing to say. Girls don't really say that." There's coded ways of even sending signals about your gender identity and phrases you use. ERIS YOUNG: You're absolutely right. When I'm saying I don't think we need to have the pronouns debate anymore, I mean I don't think we need to debate about whether it's grammatical anymore. PRONOUN GO ROUND (35:36) BLAIR HODGES: I guess even swearing in English. It used to be more so in the past, but it was not "ladylike" to use certain words. In English too. You mentioned the pronoun debate, I do think it's important to talk about why that is important. Why that does matter to people. There's a quote here I highlighted from the book: "The question at the heart of the pronoun debate is really fundamentally one about autonomy, the ability of a demographic, especially a marginalized one, to name itself and to claim agency or control over how it's referred to, and by extension treated." I think this is what makes some opponents and critics so uncomfortable with the pronoun debate. They don't want to give up control over defining other people. They perhaps feel it's some sort of indictment even of themselves. It's really a control issue and a dignity issue. You talk a little bit about that history too, because they/them/their for a singular, people say, "Oh, ‘they,' that's plural. It's not right to use that singularly." Your book is like, "Well, actually." [laughs] ERIS YOUNG: I do a bit of "well, actually." English has actually had neutral pronouns in it. Old English had them and various times throughout history. People may not know this, but language changes a lot over time. English has had neutral pronouns at various times. I think Shakespeare used them. Jane Austen used them. So to say it's ungrammatical and it's a newfangled thing is pretty disingenuous. BLAIR HODGES: People should note "they" as a singular pronoun actually is older than "you" as a singular pronoun. It was being used earlier than "you." Let's talk about neopronouns too. This is where I feel I have to resist being the old man on the porch shaking my fist at the youths, because when I start seeing all the differences, people might see pronouns like ze and xe and ve, I'm not even a hundred percent sure how to pronounce a lot of these, but so it's easy for me to be the old man on the porch. Give us some info about these newer pronouns. ERIS YOUNG: At the time I wrote the book, there were and still are people who use pronouns like ze/zir, ze/hir, which is a combination of him and her. They get conjugated, or they declined any other set of pronouns. But truth be told, I don't personally know many people that use neopronouns, and I wonder if that is because it's quite difficult to assert that. We're barely able to get people to not mis-gender us and to use they/them. BLAIR HODGES: Like you said, there was a learning curve in being able to learn how to use they/them/their in the way I can now. It's a bigger lift when we're completely unfamiliar with new pronouns. I see the utility of them. I think it's cool. I like how language changes to adapt to new realities. Maybe a hundred years from now someone will be like, "You didn't know? These pronouns have now carried the day." That'd be cool. But I feel that future would be a long way off. ERIS YOUNG: It does feel a long way off. I'll probably talk a little bit later about backlash we're experiencing, especially here in the UK, and I wonder if a lot of people who would otherwise be using neopronouns because they feel that most accurately reflects who they are, are just sort of like, "I can't fight with people anymore. I'll just use they/them." MISGENDERING MISTAKES (40:01) BLAIR HODGES: This speaks to a broader issue of the kind of fights people are willing to have, and the rights that are at the forefront at the moment. That's a political calculation, which also means some people get hurt in the meantime, and pain exists in the meantime. But there are priorities that are set and there are imbalances of power. People get to kind of decide, "Let's rally together. What are we going for right now?" Choices have to be made. I think that can be tricky, but it speaks to the fact that language is a power game. All of this is wrapped up in power. Not that everybody is even necessarily trying to exercise mean power over others, but sometimes we make mistakes. Now I'm looking for tips from you about how people can handle accidentally misgendering somebody, for example, what's a good approach when that happens? ERIS YOUNG: Going back to this idea of we're not really trying to be the center of attention, even just because being the center of attention is quite dangerous, the best advice is to approach the interaction with good faith, understand you may be hurting someone more than you personally can empathize with, and there are certain situations where it's no one's fault. I guess my advice would be if you accidentally misgender someone or deadname someone, you don't need to make a big deal out of it. Make sure the person knows you're sorry and you're trying, but you don't need to necessarily go, "Oh, God, I'm the worst! Oh no, I f*cked up so bad!" Don't make it about you, but also don't put them in the spotlight. You can correct yourself, say sorry, and then move on with the conversation. Maybe you can check in with that person later and say, "Are you okay?" We're all adults here and there are ways of doing it sensitively just as long as you're being as respectful as you can be. BLAIR HODGES: One thing I've been encouraged to resist is to say something like, "I hope you can be patient with me as I learn." Because again, that's making it about me and putting an obligation on that person to police their own feelings or to maybe even feel shame if they feel angry or upset about it. ERIS YOUNG: Because sometimes I can't be patient with someone. I just need to step away. That's a good point. BLAIR HODGES: I love this in your book where you talk about that, how does it feel to get misgendered? And you're like, "Well, it depends on the day. There are some days when I'm feeling fine and I see that as an annoyance and it's like, okay that's not really cool but I can move on." Then you can be in a different space at a different time when it hurts more. And it depends on your relationship to the person who's doing it, or the situation. There's no one way it's received when someone gets misgendered. It really depends. I liked what you said of just being subtle about it, of being straightforward, apologizing, and not making too big of a deal out of it either. That otherwise puts more labor on a nonbinary or nongender conforming person. ERIS YOUNG: I guess understand also you can apologize, and you should apologize, but the other person doesn't owe you forgiveness. BLAIR HODGES: And don't feel resentful if they don't. They have a whole backlog of experiences that your one comment one day can be added to. I think that's all about not making it about me again. I would be making it about me if I was like, "Well, they should forgive me and if they don't then that's a problem," or “they're a bad person,” or whatever. That would be centering myself. I've been working at not centering myself as much, especially coming from a more privileged position, being cis-het, being a white male. I'm perceived as the default or with all the privilege that brings. It's helpful to keep in mind that misgendering can be really hurtful, and other times it can just be annoying. I think being attuned to that is helpful. I want to remind people Eris Young is our guest and we're talking about the book They/Them/Their: A Guide to Nonbinary and Queer Identities. This is a great book. Eris, I'm so glad we're able to sit down and talk with you about it today. And we've got more stuff to cover.  NEGOTIATING UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY (44:28) BLAIR HODGES: I want to talk about the community aspect. It's Pride Month, by the way. Happy Pride, Eris! ERIS YOUNG: Happy Pride! BLAIR HODGES: Let's look at this acronym: LGBTQ. I've also seen it expanded to LGBTQIA+. There are different iterations of it. It didn't occur to me until pretty recently the way the acronym breaks down, the first few letters pertain more to sexual orientation, lesbian, gay, bi, and then we start to get to gender identity. Trans, queer, the T and Q, and I is intersex, A, asexuality, the plus means it can extend to pansexual and aromantic. There's all sorts of things. But it's interesting to me that it's not fully distinguishing between sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and so on. It's all kind of lumped together as these marginalized identities. What that means is the LGB part of it can be really binary and even transphobic as well, even though the letter T appears in the bigger acronym. Let's talk about the LGBTQ community, and how you address that in the book, and some of the nuances people miss who aren't really in those communities. ERIS YOUNG: LGBTQ+, etc. It's an umbrella term. It is an expression of a shared experience of marginalization in terms of sex, gender, and sexuality. Naturally that means it's not a monolith. There are always going to be conflicts within the community. What do I want to say about this? — BLAIR HODGES: It can be a touchy subject. The fact that you paused a little bit, what is that coming from? Just trying to organize your thoughts? Or are there some anxieties about unpacking this stuff? ERIS YOUNG: There definitely is a little bit of anxiety there in terms of, as you mentioned earlier, we're under a lot of pressure, especially right now, to present a unified front to the rest of the world. We have to act in solidarity with each other. The same people who are trying to take rights away from transgender people, if they succeed in five years, they'll be coming after gays and lesbians who only recently managed to secure any kind of real legal or social security. We all need to be acting in solidarity with each other, but that's not always possible. There is a lot of conflict. When you see LGB, and then you go T, and then you go Q, and queer sort of articulates a division within the community that I can see, which is you have assimilationist, usually LGB people, most often cis, and then you've got queer, trans, ace people who are more often likely, at least from my view, to be anti-assimilationist, who are more likely to want to reject the entire institution of marriage because of an understanding that marriage is a part of a heteronormative system. It can't be decoupled from that. I think there are divisions within the community and a lot of the communities I belong to, the genderqueer and trans communities, I do consider myself to be queer. I think that's a more capacious term a lot of us use to describe ourselves. I'm trans, and I'm also asexual. I'm a triple threat of anti-assimilationist queerness because those are the identities that don't really slot in easily into the existing system. There's been a lot of campaigning historically for gays and lesbians to be able to marry, though there is "marriage equality" in a lot of countries now, nonbinary people who don't have one or the other gender marker, often we are excluded from those so-called equal marriages. I think it's inherent to some identities, and obviously these identities don't have firm boundaries between them, but there's a lot of types of ways of being, of lived experience that don't have the luxury or the privilege of being able to assimilate. You see a lot of corporations getting involved with Pride now because the corporations have realized the gays have money now, and a lot of us don't have money yet. The T, that's the poorest subgroup within the LGBTQIA+. BLAIR HODGES: Economically speaking you can see lower incomes, more difficult job opportunities, education, violence committed against— ERIS YOUNG: —Housing, incarceration. BLAIR HODGES: I think there's been some temptation by old school LGB to throw that under the bus a little bit. They would say, I've heard this, "We fought for certain rights and we've got to protect those. We don't really get this other thing and don't feel obligated to it." They want to separate that out and even maybe display blatant transphobia. It's not the case that just because someone identifies as lesbian, gay, or bi they're going to be an ally of trans folks. That's just not a guarantee. ERIS YOUNG: I think that's something that at least I, maybe naively, have been quite surprised and disappointed at. I come in good faith to the community and then I find some people don't want me there. It can be quite frustrating. It undermines the solidarity we're going to need in order to survive the next ten, twenty, fifty years. It's quite disappointing to see. I do want to say at this point I think the handful of gays, lesbians, and “question mark” bisexuals—I think it's mainly cis gays and lesbians who are exhibiting transphobia. That's a very vocal, very limited minority. I think the vast majority of cis gays and lesbians are wholly supportive of the trans community and fully understanding our rights and our rights to dignity, health care, stability, security, they're all interconnected. I think most people within the community do understand that and are working alongside us. But there is a vocal and influential minority within the LGBTQ+ community working against full equality, the full equality of the umbrella as a whole. It's quite hard to see. BLAIR HODGES: These are folks who are going to get platformed, too. One of the dangers is there's a kind of extra credibility in the eyes of transphobic folks. ERIS YOUNG: “We have a gay we can wheel out who hates trans people, that means the whole community does.” BLAIR HODGES: Exactly. This happens with people who have detransitioned. A very small number of folks who transition and detransition in some way for any number of reasons, and then an even smaller subset of that then become spokespeople against trans rights and are platformed and given huge audiences. ERIS YOUNG: Simply because they are able to pander to that transphobic ideology. BLAIR HODGES: It's heartening to hear that solidarity continues, and is more prominent. Your book does a good job of talking about the necessary community building that has to happen if people are going to advance rights and protections. And celebrations too. It's not just about protection. It's also about celebration and embracing and acceptance and curiosity and exploring. That's important as well. ON MENTAL HEALTH (52:45) BLAIR HODGES: As your book talks about mental health issues, I think that's a good transition into that topic, your chapter on mental health is especially careful because some people believe identifying beyond the binary or outside of it, is itself a mental health problem. This has been pathologized even in scientific Enlightenment thinking, as scientists in the late 1800s are trying to classify things and start seeing nonbinary and trans identities as pathological. Talk about the trickiness of mental health. Because on the one hand, it's been pathologized in negative ways. On the other hand, mental health issues do exist within the trans and nonbinary communities, in part because of the pressures that surround it. Mental health is a real concern, but it can also be deployed in really negative ways. ERIS YOUNG: I think you pretty much said it. The mental health chapter in my book—that was one of the topics I knew from the beginning I wanted to talk about, because I wanted to know what was going on. I think that chapter for me was all about trying to pick apart where these negative mental health outcomes actually come from. On the surface we've got these two facts that seem to contradict each other. We have on the one hand documented, disproportionate experiences of mental illness within the trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer communities. On the other side you have this understanding—and this was intuitive for me—this understanding that there is nothing wrong with being trans or being nonbinary. It's not an illness, it's just another way of being in the world. I really wanted in while writing that chapter, to try and dig a little deeper and get at what was really going on. What I basically found was it's a combination of gender dysphoria and marginalization stress, which is this experience, this way of describing the negative mental health outcomes—anxiety, depression—that come when a person is living as a marginalized person. Any kind of minority might experience this. It's the stresses of dealing with microaggressions. The everyday stress of being misgendered, of feeling like you don't fit and that society isn't built for you. BLAIR HODGES: These are physical things that happen. You talk about blood pressure elevation, more stress hormones being released, which is hard on the body, and it impacts mental and physical health. When people feel these marginalized stressors it has physical impacts. As you said, if you were to set a group of nonbinary folks or trans folks and a group of cis het folks next to each other, you're going to see a disproportionate amount of marginalized folks with depression, anxiety, and other things. It would be easy to say those people are broken people and their gender identity issues are because they have mental problems, or they're depressed, or it's part of all that. Instead of saying there's nothing wrong with who they are, but what they experience causes these negative outcomes. That's a crucial distinction to make. ERIS YOUNG: It's a really crucial distinction, but it's also quite a pernicious assumption. I can easily see where it comes from. When you have someone whose existence challenges people in positions of power, I can see why it was very convenient for people in medical institutions to be able to say “It's an illness, look how depressed they are,” and just in that way sort of brush queers, trans people under the rug. ON MEDICAL APPROACHES (56:38) BLAIR HODGES: There's also a chapter here specifically about medical issues, which is another touchy subject. As you've already hinted at, there's some distrust between genderqueer folks, trans folks, and medical resources and medical practitioners because of a history of diagnosis, this history of assuming these identities are disorders, and a history of attempts to cure them. We think of conversion therapy today as a religiously grounded thing, and obviously there are religious groups still trying to practice it, but it also grew out of the medical industry and out of psychology. It wasn't just religious fundamentalists who wanted to fix gay people or trans people, but rather medical industry saying, "Is there a way we can fix this problem for them so their gender aligns with their sex?" That's a long history— ERIS YOUNG: So they reintegrate into society. BLAIR HODGES: Exactly. This is where it's tricky because medical advances have helped, with hormone blockers and helping people medically transition, whether it be through hormones, whether it be through surgical procedures, but behind all of that is a lot of baggage and ongoing distrust. ERIS YOUNG: I think trans people who decide they want to transition medically, whatever that means for them, are put in this contradictory position where you are forced to rely on a system that has consistently dehumanized and pathologized you and people like you. That can create a lot of trauma. It's like being in a position where someone has hurt you and you have to see that person every day. It can be quite harmful. That really does come down to this post-European enlightenment shift in mindset that made us start to see biological sex as a kind of scientific reality and to uphold that as the most important thing. It also comes down to the way we have this system of capitalism that exploded after the Industrial Revolution, and you had men and women's social roles become more and more divergent from each other. Women were increasingly relegated to the home and men were increasingly placed in positions of economic power that were now outside the home. What that meant was, for men in power, it was very convenient for them to use this new scientific knowledge to make claims about the people they wanted to exclude from power. Usually this was women, but it's been weaponized against trans people, colonized people, queer people, generally since that time. BLAIR HODGES: As though there's something inherently inferior about them. ERIS YOUNG: Inferior, broken, and somehow being unwilling or unable or refusing to conform to a very specific norm is a moral failing and an illness. BLAIR HODGES: And hey, we can fix it! Using science. ERIS YOUNG: That's why in the community we have these assimilationist and anti-assimilationist groups getting in conflict with each other, because society offers you a way to re-enter society. Come back to the bosom of society. All you have to do is promise not to challenge the people in power anymore. It's really tempting and I can see why people fall into that. BLAIR HODGES: That can even happen in the process of transitioning too. We're staring down the barrel of all these new laws people are trying to pass that prevent gender affirming medical care, especially for young people. It's at a critical time. The idea of puberty blockers is to prolong a time when a young person can come to terms with who they are. ERIS YOUNG: Just some breathing space. To get to know yourself a bit better. BLAIR HODGES: They want to be like, "That's too dangerous. Let's just cut that completely off and then they can decide when they're older." But that means a body has undergone changes it didn't necessarily have to to begin with. The medical community is offering options now for people to take more control over their identities and their presentation in ways that alleviate suicidality. This part fascinated me where you talked about, for example, a care provider you had who thought you were transitioning to male and was prescribing testosterone and was like, "Your levels aren't where they should be." You're like, "Oh, interesting," but you also felt like you couldn't say like, "They're where I want them to be." ERIS YOUNG: It puts you in this position of having to misrepresent yourself. I think this is not as common anymore. Here in the UK we do have gender identity clinics, for how much longer we'll have those I do not know, but I do know a few people I've spoken to have accessed those services. There are people who are being very open about their nonbinary identity and their desire to transition in a way that isn't strictly from one end of the pole to another. BLAIR HODGES: I'm pausing the interview for a quick second with an update because Eris's words about care being under threat were prescient. Since we recorded the interview months ago, the UK has paused the prescription of puberty blockers for minors, under the advice of a partisan report produced by Dr. Hilary Cass, who other reporters say has worked with anti-trans activist groups and conversion therapists. To get a better sense about why prescriptions are being paused, I suggest following independent reporters who've been covering these stories. Erin Reed and Evan Urquhart are two of my favorite resources to go to. I hope to cover more about these recent studies and these laws later on the show. Back to Eris Young. TRANSITION OPTIONS (1:02:30) BLAIR HODGES: Give us a sixty second snapshot of what the process generally looks like for a young person who, let's say from a very young age they've talked about not being a boy or a girl, or maybe they've talked about being a gender they weren't assigned at birth. What does the process look like to transition? There are many ways to transition, so just give us a snapshot of what people go through. ERIS YOUNG: It varies a lot between the US and the UK and from state to state, obviously, and country to country, region to region. I think rural trans people will experience, for example, using gender identity services in the UK a lot differently than someone who's based in a city. If they're very young they might be able to access puberty blockers. That would only be for a short period of time they would be prescribed. They are not generally prescribed longer than a few years from my understanding. That would just give them a little bit of breathing space, because generally at the point of access of the first point of entry into the gender identity medical system, that's the moment at which a child is able to declare there's something going on with me and I want to explore it in more depth. At the point of being prescribed puberty blockers, that would just give them a little bit of breathing room to talk to people, hopefully. I'm of two minds about speaking to a cis therapist about gender stuff, but explore the community, explore their options, think about what kind of gender presentation feels right for them, think long and hard about what kind of medical transition they might want to undergo or not undergo at all. Then after a few years, they would then in an ideal world access hormone replacement therapy, so either and/or testosterone or estrogen, while this whole time they'll be transitioning socially, ideally, if it's safe to do so, exploring different names, different pronouns. I actually don't know if this is the lived reality of people right now. I'm sure in very progressive cities it probably is. The reality I'm sure is much more difficult than I'm making it out to be. BLAIR HODGES: This is the impression I think opponents have, is this idea that it's super easy and these kids are being manipulated, or the word people use is “groomed.” This term that has been rightly used to talk about adults pressuring children into sexual situations or conversion therapy, but they're trying to use it as though these people are trying to brainwash kids into thinking they're different. ERIS YOUNG: That's the same kind of bullsh*t that was said about gay people back in the eighties or nineties. “They're grooming our children and making them gay.” No. No, we aren't. BLAIR HODGES: Opponents of gay marriage would say, “we can't have gay men in particular father children because what they really want to do is abuse kids” or whatever. We're seeing those exact same arguments play out here. For anyone who has spent any time with a kid who identifies as trans, good luck trying to convince them of something else. I can barely get my kid to brush his teeth every night. There's the claim that it's way too easy, that it's coercive, that kids aren't interested in this really. ERIS YOUNG: It's the reverse. It's the kids that are educating themselves and coming to this with clear eyes and letting go of the social programming they've had. The kids are so much more conversant with all of this stuff than I was at their age. They should be supported in that. BLAIR HODGES: The parents I see are involved. There's nervousness, there's anxiety, and fear and love and all kinds of emotions they're dealing with. It's not this simple process. Your book is helpful in laying out why these processes are necessary and helpful, and also some of the downsides. It's clear eyed about some changes that could improve the system, more patient-centered informed consent models, where medical professionals are laying out options and talking about drawbacks and talking about side effects and talking about possibilities. ERIS YOUNG: I think the biggest change that needs to happen within the medical community is to understand or to acknowledge trans people are the experts on their own lived experience and are capable of making informed decisions for themselves and are best placed to make informed decisions for themselves. Not some faceless gender recognition panel of old cis people. I think that's the biggest change I'd like to see in the medical system. I have no idea if we'll ever get there. LEGAL ISSUES (1:07:19) BLAIR HODGES: Speaking of changes, let's also talk about legal issues. So you say nonbinary folks are most concerned with two factors. First, they need basic legal recognition of their identities, especially on official documents, birth certificates, and other things. Then second, with greater visibility will come a greater need for legal protection from discrimination, from violence. Those are the big things. Tell us what legal protections exist now, and what legal protections you'd really like to see happen that don't exist mostly. ERIS YOUNG: It's a little tricky. These things are changing all the time. They vary by country, they vary over time, they walk forward and get knocked back. Just last year in the UK, we saw Scotland vote by a pretty solid majority to reform the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. This was the Scottish people voting in favor of making the legal process and medical process for transitioning easier and more humane. It would allow people to start the process younger, and it would eliminate some of the more dehumanizing and traumatic aspects of the current UK gender recognition system. Then what we saw was that Westminster, so the overarching government in the UK, which is a conservative government run by the Tory Party, Boris Johnson or whoever they've got down there now, they simply decided to ignore it. They saw that Scotland had voted, exercised the democratic process, and they decided not to uphold it. The Gender Recognition Act has not been reformed, even though Scotland voted to do it. We've seen even in the course of one year massive progress and massive walking back of that progress because of a transphobic government the UK has. It really varies a lot and it's all extremely in flux right now. I'm pretty excited that I've now been able to, I think at the beginning of last year, I applied for a passport just at the time Joe Biden announced you can now get an X on your gender marker, so I got that which was very cool. I filled out my application and then had to come back to the UK but in my mom's house right now there's a driver's license for me with an X gender marker on it that I have to go and get. I've got these nonbinary friendly, inclusive gender markers on my driver's license. In California, literally all I had to do was fill out a gender declaration form. It took a minute to fill it out. It was super easy. I'm grateful my family is based in California. We have a lot of rights other queers in other states don't. Something I'm wondering is, the more we see progress being made in one area, for example in legal documentation, what then does that mean, for example, to the criminal justice system? Or I should say, the quote-unquote "justice system"? This is all theoretical. What happens to somebody with an X gender marker on their documentation if they get arrested, if they become incarcerated? BLAIR HODGES: If they're incarcerated, where do they go? If prisons are separated by binary where would they go? ERIS YOUNG: Is it possible to change your birth certificate right now? I'm not sure. I haven't looked into it. If it is, how much longer will we have that privilege, or that right of being able to do that? But the more we change things, the more we start to see how entrenched binary gender is throughout the entire system. Obviously, what passes for a criminal justice system in the United States is fundamentally broken and needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Part of that is going to be, how is sex and gender treated within that system. I don't know if anyone has done any formal study of people with nonbinary legal documentation or just of nonbinary people within the criminal justice system in the States. I'd be very interested to see what they're finding because it would be another layer of complication on an already horrific experience. BLAIR HODGES: We're also seeing general access to care being affected in places. Utah, where I'm meeting you from, has passed legislation to prevent gender affirming care for minors. It's causing so much pain and damage. Hopefully the courts can help address that, but that remains to be seen. Legally it feels like we have a long way to go, and I think it's going to be a heavier lift in some ways than gay marriage because cis het people could more easily wrap our heads around gay marriage. It was just like, oh, these people want to get married. Cool. ERIS YOUNG: This is us asking for a separate thing. It's not an assimilation. We're asking for actual change, not just to access something existing. IS THERE REASON TO HOPE? (1:12:54) BLAIR HODGES: To be yourselves. Let us be us, not let us be like you. ERIS YOUNG: Yes.  BLAIR HODGES: With that in mind, are you generally optimistic? Let's close on that. What are some reasons for optimism, some things to keep our eyes on? ERIS YOUNG: Something I find reassuring is, it's not the same all over the world right now. We are seeing backlash, but it's not the same. One of my friends here in Scotland, they're nonbinary and their son is trans. They just went to Canada and stayed there for a few weeks. They said they felt safer and more seen and more understood than they had in years of living in the UK. It wasn't just that there are legal recognitions over there. It's the way they were treated in the day-to-day by normal everyday cis people. Just regular people treated them with respect and understanding. They didn't want to leave. In a way, it is cause for optimism because it makes me think it's not this way everywhere and it doesn't have to be. At the same time, it's quite depressing because we can't all move to Canada. There's space there, but you know. [laughter] I want to believe it won't be like it is in the UK or certain parts of the USA forever. I have to hope, but at the same time, and I think directly correlated with the increase in visibility that trans and nonbinary people have had in recent years, we've become really visible or we've been really visible and uncompromising when it comes to claiming space and claiming language for ourselves. What that means is there are a lot of people, especially people in power, who are made upset by that, who are afraid of it because it makes them think about themselves and think about their own position in the world. If they acknowledge us then they have to question a lot of the things they've based their whole lives around. Because they're people in power they've applied an equal and opposite pressure to our own attempts to demand rights and equality. I think the next ten years is going to be difficult. BLAIR HODGES: From where I sit—this is complete theory, there's no study backing this theory I have—but I have a theory that there are more people who would be supportive of nonbinary identities, that there are more people who could come to easily understand trans folks and their experiences, and the opposition is a very dedicated, vocal, and powerful minority of voices who have a disproportionate impact on what policies are passed, on how people are treated. What that means to me is if that's true, that puts more onus on me to use my voice and my position to advocate for equality and for greater understanding. It really becomes the sort of middle grounders or folks who are like, "Yeah, that sounds fine to me. But I'm also living my life over here." That's who I want to start paying attention. Because most queer folks are already in the fight. They kind of have to be. Some take breaks here and there or want to hop out because otherwise they might end their lives or something. For me, I want these folks who are interested, maybe kindly curious, to be more

Nish and Coco are joined by Abigail Thorn (actress, writer and host of PhilosophyTube) and Freddy McConnell (writer and journalist) to examine the issues facing the trans and non-binary community in the UK today. In recent news, the current Tory government has proposed new guidelines for education in schools across England. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said that gender identity should not be taught in schools to students of any age. Abigail and Freddy respond to these news headlines and also discuss The Cass review, a proposed new approach from the Labour Party around the Gender Recognition Act,  and which individuals need highlighting for their work on trans rights in the UK. Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukWhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTwitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworldGuests:Abigail Thorn, Freddy McConnell, journalist Audio credits:ITVBBC Useful links:Come to see Pod Save the UK live at Edinburgh Fringe!https://transsafety.network/Transactual Briefing on the Cass Review - https://transactual.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/TransActual-Briefing-on-Cass-Review.pdf

Part 2 of our chat with Sara R. Phillips. In this episode, we discuss how TENI survived having no funding, the mountains moved to get the Gender Recognition Act passed, what it's like to live in Ireland as a Trans person, and what she hopes for the future. Researched by Emer McGinnity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Lee is an LGBTQI+ Youth Worker, previous presenter on The T-Boys Show on Pride Radio, and the first legally married transgender person in the UK. Jason's pronouns are he/him, and he is intersex and transgender (a trans man), as well as heterosexual and neurodiverse. Find out what that means to Jason in this episode. We also talk about disconnecting from the body and reclaiming yourself, the role of genetics in hormone therapy, and Gender Recognition Act reform. CW: suicide, bulllying, electric shock therapy, sexual assault, abuse, and trauma. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/jason

Sara R. Phillips is a Human Rights campaigner, former chairperson of TENI and played a pivotal role in the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act in 2015. She is also an archivist, an avid music fan, and an all-round fascinating person. In Part 1, we talk about growing up in 1970s Ireland, coming out as her authentic self in the 1990s, and taking over as chairperson of TENI in 2012. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! Emma speaks with writer and historian Rebecca Jane Morgan to discuss their recent book Gender Heretics: Evangelicals, Feminists, and the Alliance against Trans Liberation. Then, she speaks with Jonah Walters, postdoctoral scholar at UCLA's Institute for Society and Genetics, to discuss a book compilation he co-edited entitled Only The Good Die Young: The Verdict Against Henry Kissinger, published via Jacobin and Verso Books. First, Emma runs through updates on Jake Sullivan's visit to various authoritarian utopias, Israel's indiscriminate bombing, growing backlash to Israel, Biden's bleak polling, the House impeachment inquiry, January 6th, and Floridian education action, before touching on Israel's abuse of the Two-State solution. Rebecca Jane Morgan then joins, first taking on the definition of Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism, before stepping back to walk through the longer history of Evangelical Christianity to trans identity, including a long period of a mixed yet positive recognition of the community – particularly with the parallels of “rebirth” – over the 20th Century. Moving into the 2000s, Morgan tackles the role of the Gender Recognition Act in the UK in igniting Evangelical backlash – largely because of its policies around same-sex marriage – whereas the US' legislative body took until the 2010s for the bathroom debate came to the fore. Rebecca concludes the conversation by walking through the particular alignment of Terfs and Evangelicals over their somatophobia towards trans people, and what that means for the fight for trans rights moving forward. Jonah Walters and Emma then explore the life and legacy of Henry Kissinger as they walk through his prevalent (and bipartisan) role in US politics, and his ideological grounding in pure American hegemony, before stepping back to assess the importance of his rise to power during the Cold War, bolstering the growth of America's capital order internationally while continuously and intentionally undermining any liberatory and anti-capitalist movements in the third world. Wrapping up, Walters parses through the obscene death count that follows Kissinger to his grave. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Brandon Sutton and Matt Binder as they talk with Eddie from Ft. Worth about culturally undermining the KKK, explore the absolute vitriol that zionists have been leveling against their students, and discuss the return of severe islamophobia in the form of fear-of-arabic-words. Tommy the Music Guy tackles some music recommendations and explores tensions between the US and Mexico, and Josh Hawley presses a judicial nomination on the ethics of being brown, plus, your calls and IMs! Check out Rebecca's book here: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745349015/gender-heretics/ Check out "Only The Good Die Young" here: https://jacobin.com/kissinger-only-the-good-die-young Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! http://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: http://majority.fm/app Check out today's sponsors: Aura Frames: Give the perfect gift this holiday! Visit https://AuraFrames.com/MAJORITY today and get 30 dollars off their best-selling frames. These frames sell out quickly though, so get yours before they're gone! That's https://AuraFrames.com/MAJORITY. Use promo code MAJORITY to get 30 dollars of their best-selling frame. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BradKAlsop Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder - https://majorityreportradio.com/

With Sasha on break this week, Stella plays host to fellow Irish woman, Sarah Holmes, an ordinary working mother turned unexpected activist. The story shared in this conversation is one that resonates with the widespread societal shift in interest toward sex and gender.As the summer of 2020 unfolded, Sarah's life took an unexpected turn when a casual conversation brought to light a seemingly innocuous change in health literature – the disappearance of the word 'woman' from cervical screening materials. Little did Sarah know that this discovery would propel her into the heart of a battle against discrimination, forcing her to confront a societal transformation she never saw coming.When health literature began replacing 'woman' with 'person with a cervix', Sarah's investigative journey led her to a realization that went beyond the seemingly innocent linguistic alteration. The issue extended to broader concerns about women's rights, safety, and fairness in various facets of life.Sarah shares about her awakening to the contradictions embedded in gender ideology. The discussion goes into the Gender Recognition Act, the implications it held for women. They also discuss Sarah's evolving concerns about the notion of fluid gender identities and the legal implications of obtaining a female birth certificate for a self-identified woman, as well as the alarming impact on children - with gender clinics on the rise and young girls undergoing irreversible medical interventions based on rejecting societal stereotypes. Sarah also shares about her experience of being denied entry to the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWC) Annual General Meeting, the aftermath, and the surprising revelations that followed. From courtroom battles to exposing inconsistencies, discover the truth behind the push for unquestioned acceptance. Unmasking lies and manipulation, Sarah exposes the creation of falsified documents, challenges biased interpretations, and sheds light on a broader struggle for women's rights in a climate of growing gender controversies. Irish Woman who was Refused Entry to NWC's Annual Meeting has Lost her Discrimination Casehttps://genspect.org/irish-woman-who-was-refused-entry-to-nwcs-annual-meeting-has-lost-her-discrimination-case/ RTE's Liveline Episode - Denied access to National Women's Council of Ireland AGMhttps://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/liveline/programmes/2022/0609/1303884-liveline-thursday-9-june-2022/ NWC Statement to RTE's Liveline programme - Thursday 9th June 2022https://www.nwci.ie/learn/article/nwc_statement_to_rtes_liveline_programme The Irish Times News Articles About the Use of the Word ‘Woman'HSE Defends Removing References To ‘Women' In Online Cervical Cancer Informationhttps://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/hse-defends-removing-references-to-women-in-online-cervical-cancer-information-1.4357438 What's Wrong With The Word ‘Woman'?

Anna Loutfi, an equality and human rights barrister, discusses her support of parents in bringing the group litigation against the Department for Education for failure to protect pupils against political ideology, including the promotion and encouragement of “gender transition.” Covering the subtle processes of indoctrination within British classrooms today where education functions to “protect” children from reality while concurrently telling them that health is a myth, Loutfi analyses how gender ideology has been brought into RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) teaching whereby puberty has been presented as embarrassing, dirty, and as something that can be completely avoided. Tracing the roots of this “unlearning” of the healthy body, Loutfi notes that health is quickly being marginalised as the state has become the site where the masses will go to “correct” their “sick” bodies. Loutfi also covers how law has been incorrectly rewritten into public policies by the diversity and inclusion industry whereby the mere process of identifying as something other, relies upon the “protected characteristic” of "gender reassignment" from the Gender Recognition Act (2004), even though this law, written specifically for adults, has been misapplied to children by virtue of any child “identifying as” the opposite sex. Loutfi underscores the importance of having public conversations as to why some men are castrating themselves and why so many public and private institutions have capitulated to a movement that has been given carte blanche to do nothing other than attack and disturb women and girls.  Get full access to Savage Minds at savageminds.substack.com/subscribe

Labour have promised to simplify and reform the Gender Recognition Act that helps trans people officially change their gender identity. Self ID will NOT be Labour policy - you will still need a medical assessment to transition. And they are drawing clear lines between sex and gender. Will this help politicians answer the toxic question of whether a woman can have a penis? And what does it tell us about Labour's direction of electoral travel? Who are they trying to please? Later we look at the protests in Israel and what the new 'reasonableness vote' means for Israel's claim on democracy.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning: Alex BarnettVideo producers: Rory Symon & Will Gibson SmithSocial media editor: Georgia FoxwellThe News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Our education system is changing rapidly and the once vital skills of debate and reason have been washed away with a fear of offence and disagreement. James Harvey is our guest today and he is a student who has had to stand his ground. It would have been so much easier to fit into the woke madness and keep his head down, but that's not James. He has bravely stood for common sense, reason and debate in his university so he joins Hearts of Oak to discuss his experiences and also to talk about how and why he set up Students Against Tyranny. James Harvey is a 19 year old who is the founder of Students Against Tyranny, a platform to connect like-minded students so they don't feel so isolated and alone in their beliefs. He is also a proud journalist for Voice of Wales and the host of the Thursday evening show on Unity News Network. Follow James on social media..... GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/vowjames Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesHarvey2503?s=20 Follow and support Students Against Tyranny..... GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/SATOfficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/SATOfficial_1?s=20 Telegram: https://t.me/studentsagainsttyrannyofficial Catch James every Thursday at 8pm on Unity News Network https://unitynewsnetwork.co.uk/ Originally broadcast live 24.4.23 *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art https://theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com/ and follow him on GETTR https://gettr.com/user/BoschFawstin and Twitter https://twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin?s=20  To sign up for our weekly email, find our social media, podcasts, video, livestreaming platforms and more... https://heartsofoak.org/connect/ Please subscribe, like and share! Transcript (Hearts of Oak) Today, we're going to look at education, which we've looked at in varying degrees, but this time, what it is like for those going through university at the moment. And it is wonderful to have James Harvey with us tonight. James, thank you so much for your time.   (James Harvey) I really appreciate you having me on. Not at all. Watched you, what you're doing with Students Against Tyranny, obviously, seeing you on Voice of Wales, and you're there in the Voice of Wales set, well-known to us all. Obviously on Unity News. When are you on? Is it Tuesday or Thursday evenings? Thursday evening at 8 p.m. on UNN. So we'll catch you there. And your handle there at JamesHarvey2503. People can follow you on Twitter and find out what you're up to. Obviously you were at the fifth anniversary Unity News Network, and I saw a number of pictures you put up over those few days. Yeah, it was absolutely brilliant. So I got to meet some people that I, you know, I've spoken to a lot online, never met them in person, like Siraj for example, correct not political, stuff like that. And it was just, it was an amazing couple of few days really. I mean, on the first day we went outside the Ministry of Defence and unrolled a banner. Straight after that, then we went to Parliament Square where I got to wave a placard around that said not a penny more to the Zelensky regime in front of all the Extinction Rebellion lot. And have a few conversations with them as well, because that's what it's all about, isn't it? Free speech and you know, ability to debate and I found that with groups like Extinction Rebellion, they're a lot more willing to have that conversation with you than say Antifa or stand up to racism. So yeah, I enjoyed it. No, absolutely. And we're going to talk about your, maybe your background first. I know I followed the issues you've had, I guess being a conservative student, someone who believes right and wrong, common sense. You can't wake up and change your gender over your cornflakes or whatever area that we are being bombarded with. And I kind of watch my kids in school, but obviously at university, which is supposedly a bastion of free speech where your ideas are challenged, where you clash with other people and you come out a better person because you better understand issues. It is becoming very, very different. do you just want to give us a I guess a snapshot of what it has been like for you and the difficulty you have faced?   So I've faced a lot with my university but what I will say is that what I found through my research is that the highest ranked universities are often the most restrictive around free speech. If you're going to a university that focuses on your creativity over your academic ability, then usually that university is much better in terms of free speech. So for example, if you go to Cambridge or the Imperial College, where they're very highly ranked in the UK, they are very restrictive around free speech and they're more likely to punish you for wrong think and being outspoken in kind of conservative and liberal viewpoints. My university, which is Trinity St. David's in Swansea, is it focuses on creativity over academic ability. So I found that it's much better in terms of free speech. However, I have faced some issues along the way. So there was two videos, right? So there was one video where I basically talked about one of our teachers who'd made a student drop out by going on a rant about toxic masculinity and all this kind of this anti-man feminism stuff, right? And so I did a video talking about that. That got quite a lot of views on Twitter. And then I also, I remember they brought up a picture in my class of a Hindu woman standing up to a member of the EDL. And I'd taken like a five second video clip. You couldn't see anyone's faces. You couldn't hear anything. I was just showing exactly what was on the screen. And yeah, that got me in a lot of trouble with my university as well. So what they said is that I broke the lecture recording policy and I put student lives in danger. By publicizing it pretty much, right? So I had an email basically telling me they were gonna instigate disciplinary procedures against me which I immediately got in touch with Neil McCrae from the workers of England, who's a brilliant man. And if any students are watching and you are looking for a good union to join, head over to Workers of England. They do a student discount, which is about 48 quid a year. And they're very helpful and very good at dealing with these kinds of situations. Now at first, over email, they were basically telling me that I wasn't allowed legal representation in the meeting. So they wanted it just to be me on my own. I'd fought against this and I said, nope, I'm going to bring someone anyway. Now, the words that we're using, by the way, and Julie, who's watching, I was kind of going back and forth with her about this. The words that we're using was, we don't normally allow legal professionals. We don't advise it. So they're not telling me I can't do it. They're saying, well, we don't suggest it, right? But they're very careful in the words that they use. So I actually attended one of these meetings with my, I managed to, I basically brought in my lawyer anyway, Neil McCrae. I am entitled to legal representation, whether they say I am or not. And so I brought him into the meeting with us and it went much better than I was expecting. They just asked me to remove the videos. Because there was another part of it as well, they said I was causing the university reputational damage. Now that's an interesting point because there's an article in Wales Online called University of Wales Trinity St David's warns that students spreading COVID misinformation could face disciplinary action. So they'd given a statement to Wales Online admitting that I studied there. No one knew I went to that university before they admitted it, so it's their fault that people know I go there. And so if they were so concerned, they wouldn't have given, a statement. They wouldn't have. That's just how it is, right? And so because they'd admitted that I went there, I thought, you know what, it's okay to do videos about my university, right, as you would rightly think. And so, you know, I did these videos not thinking I was getting into trouble. Now, I have removed the videos because unfortunately, otherwise I will be kicked, out. That's what they're saying. So it ended up being no further action, just as long as the the videos were removed. Yeah.   I mean, tell me that, because I've talked to others in uni and they basically keep their head down, keep quiet, don't want to rock the boat, think that actually the be-all and end-all of life is a degree. That's not necessarily, no, that is a part of the jigsaw, let's say that. But what do you say to others who just think actually, you know, I can't really speak on these issues, I can be an activist I can engage later on, but I just need to concentrate on these three, four years of my life. Yeah, well, it's the thing. I mean, a lot of young people, as everyone knows, you know, it's kind of the, um, it's the stereotype of university students right now. Um, that's where it's a very left wing, like you should be left wing. If you're not left wing, there's something wrong with you. That's the kind of dominated belief on a lot of universities. Right, now. The thing is that those who are socialists are those who have read Carl. No. Yeah. Those who are socialists are those who have read Marx and Lenin, right? But those who are anti-socialist are the ones who understand Marx and Lenin, right? Once you read, like for example, with Marx, right, if you read his earlier work, he was a lot more liberal than later on, right? He became far more radicalized during the later periods, right? And so, you know, Marxism is obviously world domination for historical materialism. They attach labels to you like far-right, racist, homophobic, bigots, whatever, in order to shut you up. Yeah, that's that's why they do it. But I think you'll find that there's a quite a silent majority of people who disagree with communism in universities, right? Disagree with the the left's beliefs, right? I found a lot more right wing students than I first thought I would. There's like, for example, there's quite a few Tommy Robinson supporters on my course, right? And that's not something you would expect among university campuses, right? Love it.   It is amazing to see that, right? And they loved my t-shirt as well, because I wore a black and white Unite t-shirt with all the pictures of Tommy and his black mates. So the thing is, the labels only have power if you give them power, right? Like, I couldn't care these days, right? At first, yeah, I cared. Now, I really don't. I mean, we were called far-right extremists the other day in an article from Nation Cymru, and then they used as the face of the Students Against Tyranny far-right was an old lady with a sign that says no to 15-minute cities, right? And this lady, I had a conversation with her, she was a God-fearing woman, right? And so these labels, they shouldn't bother you, right? They're just, at the end of it, at the end of the day, they're just words, right? And I think for me in particular, you know, I'm willing, as long as students, as long as what I'm saying gives students the confidence to speak up, then I'm willing to risk my future employment or whatever and so anyone who's watching who's afraid of the labels don't be don't be they're just words yeah um Marxism only works when you let these labels bother you if if you start speaking up and you you kind of ignore the labels ignore the far right nonsense right then Marxism would never work right would never thrive yeah um so yeah that's that's my advice to anyone watching   Okay, sounds good, good advice. Students Against Tyranny, you started Students Against Tyranny as a way of pushing back against the fascism, the censorship, the restrictions that we see. Tell us about what your thoughts were on starting up, because again, people can, be vocal, can speak, it does take time and energy and most people watching don't realise the work it entails building an organization from the ground up. You're not, you weren't dropped into something ready-made. You actually have to build it. So tell us about that idea first of Students Against Tyranny and then about building that up.   So it all started with Anna Brees and I know I hate the name as well, right? But she was doing a photo shoot for a website, right? Again, vaccinepassports.com. So I went down there back then, right? She wasn't as bad and as hated as she is now. And I understandably hated as well, but I'd sat down, but after the photo shoot, we were all at the pub and she, you know, I sat down with her and I did an interview in that interview. I said, what was it? If you allow the government to break the law and to violate your rights because of an emergency, what's stopping them from creating an emergency to break the law. And it went viral on Twitter, got a lot of views. I used that then to kind of launch my Twitter and a couple of days later I had the idea to start Students Against Tyranny. The main reason being is that a lot of people had kind of asked me beforehand when are the students going to start standing up, stuff like that, so I basically decided to start Students Against Tyranny. We started with a Crowdfunder which in the beginning raised a lot of money but I don't think people realize how quickly money goes, especially when you're running a campaign group. It's like everything just costs so much money and especially with the cost of living crisis as well. The main thing is the traveling, isn't it? But it started as kind of a way to connect like-minded students so they didn't feel so alone and isolated in their beliefs and opinions, especially around the vaccine as well. We were very concerned that, because a lot of friends, you know, have the belief that you should take the vaccine, if you don't, you're killing other people. And you've got parents as well in the schooling system and you had medical students. The main idea was to kind of, if they had a social group to talk to, it would stop the peer pressure and they would decide not to get the vaccine rather than to get it. So that's the main reason why it started, right? But then I look at these groups like Youth for Freedom and Freedom for Teenagers, which is another two youth groups that exist, they're already for the social aspect of things. And then you look at other groups like Stand in the Park and stuff like that, and I kind of realized there is a lot of social groups out there for anyone. So I wanted to move away from that to activism. And so I slowly made that move into activism. Yeah, we did help the medical students at the time, we managed to get our legal letters to all of them. At the time, I think we had about 400 medical students joined Students Against Tyranny just to get the legal letters, which was absolutely fantastic. So we got out there. Sorry, I've lost my point. Yeah, so we kind of moved in the direction of activism. Then we started doing events. So April 9th, 2022, I believe it was, we did an event outside the Imperial College. Now at the time this was the first liberal student rally that had been done in quite a long time, I believe, in the UK. So we managed to get about 35 students and about 15 adults to support us, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're dealing with left-wing students and students who are scared to speak out, it's quite a large number in proportion. So we did that event, and for a while, you know, it's pretty much just being me and a small team on our own doing this stuff until Wes came along and Wes started doing outreach. And then we got invited to a rally with Ramis and a few other people, which was a youth outreach march. It was led by the youth, which is obviously, was also led by Nazrin, Jess Felicity, Luca, Wes, you know, Monty, some great, great people. And it kind of, there's a lot of young people came along to that event, which is brilliant because it allowed us to do a lot of outreach with them. And now we've started building up, especially recently, a very large team of young student activists who want to get more involved in the freedom movement, which is exactly what's needed. When the youth start stepping up, it's over for them. It is over for them, right? And it's good as well, right, because I post a lot of pictures with young individuals, you know, Students Against Tyranny, and it gives people a lot of hope as well. When they see the youngs- you know, a lot of people have been doing protests now for the past 20 years. When they see the young start standing up, it gives them hope and it gives them a reason to get involved again, because I don't know if you've seen it as well, a lot more people have become black pilled recently, where they believe there's no point of fighting, there's no point of protesting, and there's no point of doing anything. You know, the youth are standing up and it's, we need your support as well. So, I mean, we're in Manchester recently for a student who was discriminated against for his political beliefs. John Christian, we call him. So, we're at Manchester University. Now, as soon as I got there, because I got there an hour before, which was a bad mistake, because as soon as I got there, there was about 20 people, like our supporters, who were waiting there, and then you had 250 antifa start marching down the road right so they're all shouting fascist scum off our streets um accusing me of being a member of the BNP, now now anyone now anyone who knows anything about, students against tyranny we are, and I hate using this term but we are racially diverse right we're, black and white unite you know it's culture war not a race war that's our belief right um a bit like the EDL you know it's black and white unite the at the end of the day it's it's a culture war not a race war I believe the globalists want a race war so I'll stand with of anyone, doesn't matter what skin colour you are. You know, we all bleed the same blood of patriotism. That's my belief in that. But obviously, I'm very outspoken on other issues like Islamic grooming gangs. Now, 250 Antifa come down. Police are like, right, we're going to have to bring in TSG. They have a different name for them up there. But.   And TSG is basically the riot police for those not under not from the UK or from London or wherever the TSG is, as most of us hadn't come across the TSG before Covid. Yeah, well, that's it. in it. But the Antifa arrived, they started attacking us. So they robbed, they stole one of our flags, which we ended up setting on fire. Police were just standing around biting their nails at this point. And then the TSG arrive and they form them. It took them a while, by the way, after TSG arrives, they need to start planning and everything or whatever. It takes them about 20 minutes after they arrive to actually form a line. So they form a line. And by the way, I've been promised before this that they were going to move Antifa into a different section. So they form a line in front of Antifa and they're like you haven't got enough supporters yet. Now, they formed a line, right? By the way, because obviously we got there at 12. This is only half 12. The event doesn't start until one, right? So you've got a lot of people who won't be there until 1 to 1.30. That's when people start arriving in mass, usually. So police have formed a massive line. They're like, right, you haven't got enough support, so we're going to move them back a meter. And that's it. We're going to keep you in the corner, shoved into a corner, and you've got a meter. So then you've got people, right? Because I had loads of messages about this. We've got people who've travelled all the way down from Scotland who can't get through the police lines because police not letting them, which was just absolutely ridiculous. Now we're like, right, we're just going to have to start the event anyway. We're not scared, you know, we're not scared of Antifa. Now they're like, it's funny because there was a guy who was threatening to stab us and that same guy was like, why are you here? Why are you here? Give your speech, give your speech. And loads of other people will get like, give your speech, give your speech. And then as soon as we start giving our speech, they're booing us really loudly, playing loud music, drumming, which has just proven our point. We're there because of free speech. They're there counter-processing free speech, shutting down free speech, and they still think they're the good people in all of this. It's just absolutely astonishing to me. So I was, by the way, we have, so we have a lot of, alter cants where we watch all of these antifa lot, right? We, we, we very, we keep a very close eye on all of them. And we've seen tweets where they're talking about militant antifascism, because I'm talking about our event, right? And there was a teacher from Manchester university. It was like militant, and I agree with all of you, but I don't think militant antifascism is the way. And they're like, yeah, it is. It is right. There was a massive debate about it. So they're admitting that theirs is a militant organization, right? Now they use threats, violence to intimidate and suppress political opponents. That is the definition of terrorism. Antifa are terrorists. There's no doubt about it. Antifa are a terrorist organization and they need to be shut down. Now we're not scared of Antifa. They can set my flag on fire. They can come after me all they want, right? I will be back in Manchester on the 3rd of June at 1pm, 188 Oxford Road. I'll be there again. I'm not up there to have a massive fight with Antifa, but anyone who's watching, if you can come, please come. We need your support, right? If there's enough of us, Antifa will get moved into a different section, right? And we need enough of us so we can talk to the wider public, we can have our voices heard by the university rather than shut down by the tyrannical Antifa. So, if you can be there, please do, 3rd of June in Manchester, thank you. Well, let's, so you've got two events, so let's do one by one and kind of why these are important. So, the one coming up, what most, just next month actually, is on 15-Minute Cities, and that's in Swansea. So, tell us about that first. Yes, so I'm really looking forward to this one because last Monday we had 40 people out for outreach on a Monday. Now that's pretty good numbers for a Monday. Just for handing out leaflets. So that was absolutely fantastic. Now that day we'd made the news twice. So there was one article in the morning, far-right extremists plan to gather in Swansea. Yeah. And it was mainly a hit piece on banners and bridges, which I'm very proud of them because it's the first time getting in the news. I do a lot of work with them. It's run by Sasha. You can find them on Telegram if anyone's interested. They run a lot of regional groups across the UK. And then there was a second article which came out after the event actually happened, and it was Police Attend Far-Right Extremist Outreach March, or whatever. And now that was very cleverly worded, right, because police attend all events, doesn't mean there was any fights or anything, or we were violent or whatever. The reason they attended was because Stand Up To Racism will be counter-protesting us on the 7th, right? All be counter-protesting us on the actual protest day. And so they were there to make sure, well to keep the peace or facilitate it, it's their favorite word now, to facilitate a peaceful protest and make sure that Antifa or Stand Up To Racism didn't turn up to counter-protest us. So yeah, it was very cleverly worded and that's exactly where they used the picture of the elderly woman holding a sign that said no to 50-minute cities as the face of the far right, which I found really interesting. Now there's going to be a lot of Students Against Tyranny coming as well, we've got a few Welsh ones who are going to be coming and you've got some traveling all the way down from England to just support us because there's rumours of Swansea Online attending with a film crew which I'm really excited over because you know I'm quite hopeful of this. The thing is with Covid and with vaccine and stuff like that we had a lot of people telling us to f off doing the middle finger, arguing with us constantly. With this, people care more. And the reason people care more is because it hits them directly in their pocket. This is a war on motorists and the majority of the world's a motorist. Well, not the majority of the world, but the majority of the UK and the US and all of that are motorists, right? They'll drive a car. So they'll, It will affect them and they'll care about it. Now stand up to racism have been leafleting about this in Swansea. And they, and in their video, they did it with Stan, right? They didn't recognize which is funny because they're leafleting about Stan as well. So Stan's having a conversation with them and they're like, oh, so 15 minutes a day is a great idea, right? It's everything located within 50 minutes. And Stan's like, well, won't they fine you for leaving your zone? And they're like, no, no, that's a conspiracy theory. But then you look at Oxford and what they've done in Oxford. So what they've done in Oxford, right? It's not just you can't leave your zone. So you can leave your zone for up to a hundred days a year, right? Free of charge. Now, after those 100 days, you will have to pay £25 a day that you're driving. Now, that's if you live in Oxford. If you don't live in Oxford, you have to pay 75 quid a day. Just to drive around. You pay road tax. Why are you having to pay this? Now, I hate this argument that, it's like the smoking ban in pubs. It's not like the smoking ban in pubs. It's like saying, you can't smoke unless you pay me, and then you can smoke. That's exactly what it's like, right? All this ULEZ stuff, but it's not just about money. It's not just about money. They have money. What it's about is it's making driving a luxury for the rich and too expensive for the poor, or hindering your ability to travel. That's what it is about. It's about control, yeah? And so we're going out now with a team within the next couple of weeks to leaflet and leaflet and leaflet and raise awareness of this and get people there. It's gonna be a big, big demonstration. We've got some great guest speakers. We've got Paul Burgess, who's a climate realist. He runs a channel, Climate Realism with Paul Burgess. He worked for Welsh Water for nine years and has been developing a mathematical model of climate change for the past 30 years. We've also got Ben Walker, who's the chairman of UKIP. We've got Debbie Hicks, who's from Keep It Cash. You've got myself, and we've got a few more that we're working on getting. So it's gonna be a big day. I'm looking forward to it. If you are Welsh, come support us. It's gonna be great. Well, obviously we've watched Oxford and what they're doing there. We obviously, all around London is the, not only the ULEZ, but LTN, so Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Restricted Off. I think Haringey wants to have 90% of their roads cut off. And of course, you're right, it is a war on, it is a war on the working class because I know people who they have a vehicle, if they drive their vehicle to their home, they'll be charged. And yet the price of a new car is out of reach of most people. And then you're looking at second hand, but most people don't have the ability to sell off something that's maybe only worth maybe 2,000, 3,000, and then you're paying three times that at least for any second-hand car. So it is punishment. At least you don't have Sadiq Khan telling you what to do. Well, you're absolutely right, because on the 27th now in Cardiff, the council's actually meeting to discuss a congestion charge, a ULEZ zone, all of this stuff, right? Now, the congestion charge is a rather interesting one because we don't get much traffic in Cardiff other than rush hour. So I don't know what they're on about there, But they've got a meeting on the 27th at 2pm at City Hall, so I'm going to be outside obviously. To discuss bringing this in. It is just a war on motorists. They want us to use public transports, right? But especially in Wales, and I know London's exactly the same, it's not reliable. It's absolutely not reliable. I mean, we have the funding to fix it, but what we spend on rainbows on a bloody road, because that's going to make a difference. It's absolutely ridiculous. And people are buying this as well. The fact people are buying this, I am ashamed to call myself Welsh. We were known for fighting and getting out there. But after COVID, if you saw that, the amount of people who were just brain dead sheep, it's vile. It absolutely is. And I'm assuming, although it doesn't really matter much difference, because there isn't really much right and left in any of these issues, but I'm assuming, not having looked for a while at that make up of the Welsh Assembly. I'm assuming it's Labour and then Plaid Cymru who have the majority.   Yeah, that's right. Wow, so you're not gonna get any sense out of any of them. So, Plaid Cymru for those outside is the Welsh Nationalist Party, who is as dumb and awful as the SNP, the Scottish Nationalist Party. The best way to describe them is they want independence, but they want us to re-join the EU. So, that's just coming. Sorry, my bad, I got them confused then. This is stupidity, so tell us, so you've got the event, talk to us about the event in June and then I wanna talk more about, a little bit about discrimination, which people face in university, just having some common sense views, but tell us what was the event in June you talked about? So it is a really, really long story, this is. I haven't got it all off the top of my head, but I can give you a piece. We've got all night, James, don't worry.   I can definitely give you a brief rundown of what happened. So, if anyone does want to view the full story, it is on urbanscoop.news, how Manchester University conspired against a non-woke student. If you want to give that a read, the full story of exactly what happened is in there, because it is a very, very long story. Now, the best way to describe it, right, is pre-2016, universities were a place of free speech. They were. Now, when Trump, with the Trump presidential election and with Brexit and all of this, something started to happen to university campuses, right? There was a massive shift in the way the administration handled things, right? All of a sudden, it wasn't okay to have voted Brexit. That's the kind of mentality, right? So they kind of clamped down on free speech a whole lot more. Now, John, so John Christie and the student in question here, he'd basically, he was in university pre-2016. After 2016 he got accepted into a PhD program. So yeah, now he'd gone to a seminar event with about 250 research professors, students and faculty. Now in this seminar, a student unbeknownst to John had announced to the class that he'd voted to leave the European Union. Now all of these students then started debating and he was up for it, he loves to debate, that's exactly what universities were pre-2016 and so he was debating a lot of the students on that. Now after this he'd noticed that a lot more people would invite him to the pub and stuff like that and they'd have a debate with him. Now what he didn't realize, and the full story as I said is on UrbanScoop, now what he didn't realize until much later is that that's what they were trying to do, it's trying to find something they could be offended over so they could go to the university and report him for offending them and making them feel uncomfortable. Right? So he'd constantly, by the way, get pulled in to a disciplinary as someone had been offended over what he'd said and he'd get into trouble, whether that be suspended isolation, whatever, right? But he'd constantly have to go through disciplinary meetings and this went on for ages, right? Now, without further explaining that, again, the full story is on UrbanScoop. If anyone remembers the Irish abortion referendum, I think it was 2019, I'm not too sure on that one. Someone had actually come into his office and there was a group of them who came to his office celebrating over the results of the Irish abortion referendum. So what this did is it legalized abortion, right? That's what it did, right? So it legalized abortion in Ireland and he'd asked them to leave because they were making him feel uncomfortable, basically using the tactics that they were using and what he said was is that he wants to debate this topic but he knows if he does then he's going to get pulled into a disciplinary, right? And so what had happened was he'd asked them to leave, they left and then they'd reported him again but this time they, and he was pulled, sorry, he was pulled into a disciplinary and what they said is that even though he'd followed all the rules that he still made students feel uncomfortable by not celebrating with them and so he was in trouble again. Now the story is absolutely mad but eventually what's happened was he was basically, they refused to assess his thesis after five years of studying for it, right, he doesn't get a refund, no sorry he does get a refund, he was on a scholarship program but after five years of studying for his PhD, which is a long time to waste if you're not going to get your qualification, they refused to assess it and it's an absolutely mad story. So the ultimate reason of that was he's actually, if everyone remembers in 2018, It was to do with, no. I can't remember what year exactly it was, but there was a year to do with BLM. BLM was very big in the mainstream news. He'd actually written to his university president and had basically said that they shouldn't be backing BLM because BLM is a Marxist organization and Antifa, they've been causing riots and stuff like that. And so the concern is they could say there were too many books in the library that are written by white people and not enough black people and so they could burn down the library. At the time that was a genuine concern and so then he got pulled into a meeting for threatening to burn down the library which he never did. Listen it's a massive story and I've got to memorize it to talk about it fully but if anyone does want to read it it's on ubanscoop.news so yeah.   Yeah make sure and check out and if anyone is not subscribed I'm sure any of our viewers will be, but make sure and subscribe to urbanscoop.news and you can get all of that great content, more and more content going up there regularly, so it is all available there. Just on kind of looking at universities, because my worry is that if students keep quiet until they get through, then they'll be so indoctrinated that they will come out, they may go in with the good intentions of holding on to common sense views and beliefs. But at the end of it they will be fully indoctrinated because they haven't learned how to push back and have absorbed those. You're obviously taking a stand. You're becoming more and more public in all different ways. So I guess what you're doing is laying down a line and saying this is really how you can be a student, hold on to your beliefs, get your education, actually you can have it all, it is possible. Yeah, this is the thing right, I've got friends who are now in university, now before they went into university they were straight normal people, they've come now, I've seen a massive transformation, they're now got pink hair, identifies as a they-them, you know still trying to figure out their bloody gender, and it's not just my friends, you know, you look at, there's a hundred thousand transgender people in the UK. It's a huge problem. Now, I do a course in my university on film and TV. Do you want to know the stuff I've learned? So, in one lesson, I remember I learned about anti-Trump views, anti-capitalist views. I learned about climate change. Now, when we're given coursework and stuff like that, the topics we are given are very left-wing topics. I don't want to say right-wing, I'll come at them from a very liberal standpoint, but they are very left-wing topics that, yes, do need to be discussed, but the concern is, say in Manchester or Imperial College or Cambridge, if you come, like if you do what I do and come at the coursework from a liberal standpoint, you are going to be punished, and that is evident from the John Christian story. So the thing is, every student who is watching this now, you can have your beliefs, right? They may punish you or whatever, but what's the point in spending four years pretending you're something you're not. I thought that's what the entire trans movement is about in the first place isn't it? It's pretending you're something you're not, which that isn't the case at all. You're pretending to be the opposite sex. But you shouldn't have to worry about what other people think. And we are trying to bring free speech back to universities. I've made some great plans and I do want to give a big shout out to Kate Shimirani who's done some fantastic work and is working with us now on doing some Billboard Chris style videos, you can have your beliefs right, there is a support, there are support groups out there, we are growing every single day. You know, there are more people who want to get involved with Students Against Tyranny and what we're building, so if you are watching, please, please, please get involved and listen, parents out there as well, if your kid wants to go to university, my suggestion is look for the ones that are very highly ranked in regards to free speech and not so much in academic ability right, I mean yeah Cambridge University is considered one of the tops but at the end of the day it's just a piece of paper. It is just a piece of paper. Send them to a university where they're not going to get indoctrinated with all this communist, Marxist, Lenin, Trotsky bullcrap because that's exactly what it is. Send them to university that is much better in terms of free speech and isn't so indoctrinated because it's getting bad. Like you know when... See the thing is with this campus debates campaign we've launched which is our free speech campaign, We've been trying to get into universities to debate students, we've been trying to get university societies to work with us. Now the university societies that do have free speech, no, that do have debate in societies like Edinburgh for example, which got famous for the What is a Woman documentary counter-protest that happened, right? We'd actually reached out to universities like that asking if we can come there to debate students. They were like, no, you're too extreme. That's their view when it comes to us. We're not that extreme, right? About 20 years ago, we would have been marked liberal to moderately left. Do you get what I mean? And now we're far right, but the far left are just normal left, which is something I've never understood. So you've got Edinburgh University and all of of them doing, you know, not allowing us to come there because we're too extreme. And then you look, at universities like Bradford, for example, no right-wing societies at all. No conservative society, no free speech society, no debating society. Do you know what they do have though? They have an Afghanistan society, they have an Islam society, they have an LGBT society, they have all of these very left-wing. But where's the support groups for the right-wing ones? Well, no, you're right. And, I mean, just talk to someone like Andy Ngo and he'll tell you how caring and friendly any Antifa group is. They actually they no longer present. It's weird because these organizations no longer present themselves to be, to be moderate or fair. They are so aggressive. So in your face, they are so overwhelmed, I guess, with hate that there is no, there's no façade anymore. It's all there for everyone to see. Yeah. And this is the thing as well. I mean, a lot of them, because I love, I absolutely love debating a lot of these students. So I do it to a lot of my friends as well. And I don't really have them as friends anymore, but that's not the point. Right. Um, so I remember getting into a debate before about capitalism, right. And they're, they're basically saying that, um, the reason that communism would work well, the reason that communism hasn't worked so far is because it's capitalism, communism, and, um, it needs to be socialist communism in order for it to work. That's their main argument, but every time it starts off as socialism, we're always ends up as capitalist communism, so I've no idea what they're on about. Now they use the UK today as an example that capitalism doesn't work. Now, this is the thing, we don't live in capitalism, right? We don't. We live in corporatism, right? Where companies are more worried about social justice and equality, right? That's corporatism, that's not capitalism. We don't live in a capitalist society. We live in corporatism and we are heading towards a communist dystopia. That's the direction we're going in. Listen, I love debating that topic and there's another big one that I love doing, that's gender. Gender is one of my favorite topics to discuss because it's so sad. We're going to end up with, well, we are ending up with a generation of young, sterile men. Who in seven to 10 years will commit suicide. It's very upsetting to see that happen, especially a lot of the friends I grew up with heading down that direction, mutilating themselves, because they think it's helping them. The thing is, and I know a lot of people disagree with me on this, I don't think the blame is necessarily on transsexuals. I believe the blame is on the people around them. Because we've admitted, as the Gender Recognition Act 2004 says, this is a mental illness. Gender dysphoria is a mental illness that is recognized by the medical community, right? And instead of getting the real help they need, whether that be therapy sessions, whatever, we are instead feeding into their delusions a bit like saying to a schizophrenic, schizophrenic person that yeah everything they believe is happening to them is happening to them right, it's not healthy for them it isn't right and so we need to well that's my main concern is what we're doing to young men and what we're allowing to happen and all of these doctors who are willingly mutilating young men you know carving meat out of their legs to create a prop that doesn't work because it doesn't, it doesn't, it's just a sack of meat. You know, I, I interviewed someone called Richie for Voice of Wales, um, who's de-transitioned, right? 30 years old, he made the decision. He was 30. He was offered it in his first therapy session, majorly regret it, right? Now he's told me he can, he has a very low sex drive. He's depressed. He cannot have, he cannot, let's just, say have fun during sex. It's really messed him up. And that's one of my, I'm very passionate about this topic. So again if any students are watching or if anyone clips this, push this to Twitter. Just find us on Twitter, you see the... Username below and on Telegram Students Against Tyranny Official. Invite me to your university, man. Have a debate with me. I'm willing to debate anyone on any topic. So yeah, see you there. Completely. And I agree with you, just to finish, I agree with you that my issue is not with the crazy activists, but it's with the government who've let this happen. It's with the Tavistock Clinic. It's with those doctors who mutilated children, sexually abused children, and will get away with it and we'll start working whatever the next clinic the government starts and no one is actually punished for that great evil. I'll just say to the viewers and listeners, if you are a university student and do want James, contact him directly, but by all means feel free to drop us info@heartsofoak.org and we'll certainly pass anything on to James. He has a great knowledge, he is passionate, he knows the issues, so why not bring him along. What could go wrong? What could go wrong? Maybe someone might actually hear some truth for once in a university setting, it'd be great.   Well, Antifa has pushed us in the direction now, so we can't even announce where we're going to be. Like with Wes, he was doing the outreach, right? I remember he went to Scotland to do some outreach, and then he was met with Antifa, counter-protesting him there. So it's really difficult to get anything done. So now it's kind of pushed us now in the direction of not announcing where we're going to be or what we're going to do, which ends up working out in in our favour anyway. So listen, if you are a student once it gets there, you can do it. You can do it anonymously like, you know, send us an email. Everything you say stays between us and you can get us into your university without putting the name to it. So, yeah, just let us know. Thank you. Sounds good, James. Thank you for coming on. Love what you're doing with Students Against Tyranny, love how you're getting out and getting the message out. So thank you for coming on and sharing with us here at Hearts of Oak. I really appreciate it, Peter.   Not all. Make sure the viewers and listeners follow the links in the description, or just jump on James' Twitter handle and follow everything there. You can keep an eye on those events coming up. All the information, all the details will be on his Twitter account, so make use of that. And just goodbye to all our viewers. Enjoy the rest of your Monday. We'll be back with you on Thursday, looking at the WHO. Michele Bachmann's back with us again and discussing an issue that she is passionately concerned about, which is WHO and their impact on all of us, and the World Health Assembly meeting coming up in Geneva next month. And she unpacks some of what we will be facing from that. So on that, I have a good night to everyone. And for those listening, Podbean app or any podcasting app, thank you for listening on on the go and we'll be back with you on Thursday. So thank you and good night to you all.

Across this summer's Pride season OUTCAST UK is dropping a weekly LGBTQIA+ news update followed by our hot take and analysis of the week's events. Ex BBC 5 Live / LBC and Times Radio journalist and broadcaster Kevin McGrath joins Graeme Smith every week across this summer.  We're hearing the latest about the UK and Scottish governments fight over the Gender Recognition Act, how Vauxhall's Chariots Sauna is being turned into an immersive experience in its life after being a s*x venue for decades. After our Queer news roundup Graeme and Kevin compare their vastly different experiences of venues like Chariots... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outcastuk/message

Keir Starmer today seemed to change his party's stance on self-identification for transgender people. Before, Starmer said Labour would update the Gender Recognition Act so transgender people could self-identify as whatever gender they wanted. Today, he said that 'if you're going to make reforms, you have to carry the public with you.' What's changed?  Max Jeffery speaks to Katy Balls and Kate Andrews.

Ash Regan is the MSP for East Edinburgh who has served as minister for community safety. Since Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, she has put herself forward to be the next First Minister for Scotland. Born in Biggar, Ash moved to England as a child and grew up in Devon. She surprised her family during the referendum for Scottish Independence, deciding she would vote to leave.  Ash began her foray into politics as a campaigner before running for elected office. She was little known outside of the Holyrood bubble until she quit as community safety minister over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender. On the podcast, Ash talks about life before politics; the challenges of the campaign trail; her plans for an independent Scotland, and why she voted against the Gender Recognition Act. 

Ash Regan is the MSP for East Edinburgh who has served as minister for community safety. Since Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, she has put herself forward to be the next First Minister for Scotland. Born in Biggar, Ash moved to England as a child and grew up in Devon. She surprised her family during the referendum for Scottish Independence, deciding she would vote to leave.  Ash began her foray into politics as a campaigner before running for elected office. She was little known outside of the Holyrood bubble until she quit as community safety minister over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender. On the podcast, Ash talks about life before politics; the challenges of the campaign trail; her plans for an independent Scotland, and why she voted against the Gender Recognition Act. 

This is an empowering episode about a woman, fearless in her fight for equality.Today we're joined by Eva Echo, activist and Director of Innovation at Birmingham Pride. Eva's been taking NHS England to court over "extreme" waiting times for trans patients. She gives James and Dan an update on the case and there's some good news for trans youth. See you in Strasbourg.Plus, why is the Westminster government fighting with Scotland over the Gender Recognition Act? And what exactly does a Gender Recognition Certificate do? Jake Shears joins our live show at Just For Laughs Festival London this weekend, get tickets now! Click here https://london.hahaha.com/events/a-gay-and-a-nongay-podcast/ Get bonus content on Patreon, with our super exclusive fan feed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richie is joined by Stuart Waiton PhD and Dr. Thomas Binder MD. Stuart Waiton is an author and academic based in Dundee. He also writes for several newspapers. Stuart tells Richie why he is vehemently opposed to the Scottish Government's changes to the Gender Recognition Act. People in Scotland have already been able to change their legal gender from male to female or female to male since 2005. But the new rules will lower the minimum age they can do so from 18 to 16. They will also remove the requirement for a medical diagnosis of gender  dysphoria. Stuart also discusses the recent foundation of the Scottish Union for Education and explains why it is needed. Dr. Thomas Binder MD is a popular and successful cardiologist based in Switzerland. Back in 2020, Thomas was one of the first physicians in the world to warn that the mRNA Covid jabs would do more harm than good. He was subjected to breathtaking attacks on his character. He was even sent for psychiatric evaluation, against his will. Thankfully, he is still practicing medicine and taking care of his patients. On today's show, Thomas explains to Richie why he remains convinced that the mRNA jabs are deadly for many people and therefore must be withdrawn. 

Merry Crimbus! This week, we discuss Scotland's new Gender Recognition Act, Lisa tells us all about the Jan 6th committees verdict, and our hosting duo compare sick leave entitlement. All this as well as the usual Who Asked For This?, Accountabillibuddies and AITA? Join us for book club; this week we're reading Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun. Find it on our book shop at https://bookshop.org/shop/wearedoingfine Send in your thoughts, questions and recommendations to wearedoingfine@gmail.com TikTok: @wearedoingfine Instagram: @wearedoingfine Twitter: @WDFCast

Young people aged 16 and 17 will be allowed to change their legal gender in Scotland. The highly debated vote, came after the Scottish government rejected moves to keep the minimum age at 18. Some SNP MSPs were among those who argued that 16 is too young to make such a "profound change". The Scottish parliament is still debating other proposed amendments to the Gender Recognition Act.  BBC Scotland Editor James Cook spoke to Gyles Beckford.   

Half of our listeners are in the US and more than a quarter are in the UK, while the news on gender matters is rapidly evolving in both countries. So the time is ripe for a check-in with a gender critical therapist friend “across the pond,” James Esses. Last year, James was on track to become a therapist when his masters' program expelled him for expressing concerns about the impact of gender ideology and medicalization on youth. He is now taking the issue to court, and spends his free time further advocating for caution and common sense in the treatment of gender confused youth.In this collegial conversation, James and I touch on recent events in the UK — the Tavistock GIDS, Stonewall, Mermaids, Cass Report, Maya Forstater, Allison Bailey, and the Gender Recognition Act — as well as US news including the Biden Administration's destruction of Title IX. We discuss the myth of the “trans toddler,” affirmative vs. exploratory therapy, how therapists' worldviews impact treatment, self care for gender wars burnout, and what I call the Narrative of Pathology versus the Narrative of Depathology. We answer tickling as well as thought-provoking listener questions. Finally, we explore the questions: how do we heal from this as a society, and where do we go from here?James qualified and practiced as a Criminal Defense Barrister before holding a number of senior roles in the UK Civil Service, including Head of Policy at the Crown Prosecution Service and Head of Strategic Legislation at the Home Office. He is a trainee psychotherapist and co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, a group of clinicians and trainee clinicians with concerns about the impact of gender ideology on counseling and therapy. James engages in advocacy, both written and oral, on the topics of sex, gender and free speech – particularly in relation to the medicalization of children and the wider cultural, health, legal and political implications. He has been featured in articles within mainstream newspapers, including the Telegraph and the Mail. He has appeared on TalkRadio, GB News and numerous podcasts, including Triggernometry and the New Culture Forum. He also writes for the online publication, Spiked. James is currently involved in high-profile litigation, following expulsion from his Masters' degree in psychotherapy, after speaking out about the medicalization of children. He is suing his university course provider and therapeutic regulatory body for discrimination based on his beliefs and has crowdfunded over £100,000 towards his case from public donations. Please consider donating to his crowdfund.Follow James on Twitter @JamesEsses & Thoughtful Therapists @ThoughtfulTs.If you enjoyed this conversation, please rate & review it on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share this episode with a friend, or on social media. You can also head over to my YouTube channel, subscribe, like, comment, & share there as well.To get $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover visit EightSleep.com & enter promo code SOMETHERAPIST. Be sure to check out my shop. In addition to wellness products, you can now find my favorite books!MUSIC: Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission. www.joeypecoraro.comPRODUCTION: Thanks to Eric and Amber Beels at DifMix.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

GUEST OVERVIEW: Harry Miller posted a number of tweets between November 2018 and January 2019 about transgender issues as part of the debate about reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004. These tweets were reported to Humberside Police as being allegedly transphobic and Mr Miller was visited by officers at his workplace. He was arrested and subsequently released without charge. The Judges ruling backs Harry Miller's legal right to speak his mind and potentially cause offence - a freedom that he says is fundamental in the battle of ideas in a democratic society.

Have you ever thought to yourself: how come radical feminism sounds so good but often tastes so bad? Dr Finn Mackay (UWE Bristol) is here to explain why that is. Come along to our Lesbian Lives chat to learn about female masculinities, tomboys and trans* mascs, and to hear about why Finn wanted to write a book that answers all the introductory questions people who are not queer academics might have about gender and transness. Just can't get enough of Finn? I can't either, which is I follow @Finn_Mackay on Twitter and @drfinnmackay on Instagram. Texts and people mentioned: https://www.drfinnmackay.co.uk/ Finn Mackay's Female Masculinities and the Gender Wars (Bloomsbury, 2022) and Radical Feminism: Feminist Activism in Movement (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) Jack Halberstam Westminster's Transgender Equality Inquiry (Reform of Gender Recognition Act) bel hooks' The Will to Change Questions you might want to reflect on after listening: 1. What are some of the masculine* identity categories that Finn mentions? Can you think of others? 2. Why might some people perceive the option of transitioning as potentially erasing other identity categories? 3. Do you have a good example (maybe even from literature) to explain why that is not the case? 4. Have you ever wished you were able to better communicate with people who have less of an understanding of queerness? 5. Do you have any strategies? Please do share!

Welcome back to another episode of 'Mon the Workers. In this episode, Euan and Karina will be taking a step back from their usual presenter roles, as we will be hearing from Trans and LGBTQ+ activists on the topic of the Gender Recognition Act – or as you may know it – the GRA.With Ciorstaidh Reichle, current chair of the STUC LGBT+ Committee.Hosted by Karina Liptrot and Euan McLaren, and edited by Karina Liptrot.www.stuc.org.uk@ScottishTUC

Britain's human rights watchdog faces a legal challenge to its status over a row about transgender rights. LGBT charities want the UN to revoke the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) status as an independent group. It comes after the EHRC was criticised for calling for a pause to proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. The EHRC has raised concerns about the impact on single-sex services. Today's Justin Webb speaks to Nancy Kelley, chief executive of Stonewall. (Image Credit: Press Association)

After a bruising week in which the statutory regulator, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, found itself in the eye of the Gender Recognition Act storm, Mandy Rhodes interviews its chair, Baroness Kishwer Falkner. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

If you read mainstream media coverage of the issues facing transgender people in the UK, you'll see a lot of fevered discussion of pronouns, bathroom access, and confusing legislation like the Gender Recognition Act. The media tells one story - but the other side of the coin is that half of trans people in the UK are unemployed and one in four have experienced direct healthcare discrimination. When we focus on bathrooms and pronouns, what other conversations are shut down? What are the economic issues facing trans people today? And is trans liberation really a class issue? Ayeisha is joined by Nim Ralph, community activist, writer, trainer and facilitator. - Read Fergal O'Dwyer's interview with Nim in the third issue of the New Economics Zine: neweconomics.org/2021/08/why-trans-liberation-is-a-class-issue - Read the Albert Kennedy lgbtq+ youth homelessness report: https://www.akt.org.uk/report - Find gal-dem's investigation into transphobia in the gender-based violence sector here: https://gal-dem.com/transphobia-in-sexual-violence-services/ - Grab a copy of Shon Faye's new book, The Transgender Issue: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/315/315349/the-transgender-issue/9780241423141.html ----- Researched by Margaret Welsh. Produced by Becky Malone. Music by Poddington Bear and Chris Zabriskie under Creative Commons license. Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF! The Weekly Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more at www.neweconomics.org

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-10-06/11/#spk_169https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/will-gender-diversity-boards-really-boost-company-performance/https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2021/124/eng/initiated/b12421d.pdf

Callum Robinson and public shaming; a new bill aims to bring gender balance to the boards of companies and charities, for their own good; and the Government continues its run of fine governance by giving up on 12.5% at the second hurdle. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-10-06/11/#spk_169 https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/will-gender-diversity-boards-really-boost-company-performance/ https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2021/124/eng/initiated/b12421d.pdf

The SNP and Scottish Greens agree to a power-sharing deal and form a Holyrood majority, but where can the parties compromise, and where can they not? BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell joins the team to analyse the areas where the SNP-Green majority may agree or disagree - from climate goals and the Gender Recognition Act, to the upcoming test as the Scottish Parliament votes on vaccine passports.

She's been described as the funniest woman in America. We talk to Fran Lebowitz, the American writer, social commentator, humorist, and New York legend. She shares her opinion on everything from gender, Covid and marriage. We hear from our political correspondent at Holyrood about proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. Do you have a child with special educational needs, and are you getting the support that you need? We hear from one mother who's been trying to do the best thing by her son, and feels like she's the one being blamed. And ever fantasized about what you'd do if you inherited a fortune? A famous heiress once said: “Life is less sad with money.” Maybe. We speak to Laura Thompson who's analysed the stories of women whose wealth has been passed down to them. She's written a book called Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies.

Naomi Cunningham, a barrister and director and Chair of Sex Matters, discusses her entry into the gender debate and the wider implications of the Gender Recognition Act (2004). Elaborating the disconnect between the medical and legal frameworks on the subject of gender dysphoria, Cunningham notes how the surge of girls declaring themselves as transgender demonstrates a dereliction of duty by adults who should be protecting these adolescents instead of cheering them on. Cunningham also covers her work on submission and compliance to the Workplace Equality Index highlighting how the Equal Treatment Bench Book has been exploited as she details the vast capture of these institutions by the transgender lobby that has homed in on the country’s judiciary. Considering how human beings are invested in “getting into role” as humans tend to be vulnerable to group think, Cunningham elucidates the concept of the Milgram shock experiment in explaining the way in which judges have been given “training” that “bypasses their critical faculties.” Get full access to Savage Minds at savageminds.substack.com/subscribe

A new poll shows public support for the Gender Recognition Act of 2015 is at astoundingly low levels; and the WHO says it was "preemptive" for them to dismiss the theory that COVID-19 may have leaked from a Chinese lab. https://thecountess.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/The-Countess-Irish-Gender-Poll-2021.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jul/30/health.mentalhealth https://twitter.com/jbloom_lab/status/1407445604029009923

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, We begin by hearing from Laura Travison about the proposal to devote federal COVID relief funds to neighborhood revitalization and housing in the city's three low-income communities. Then, we hear from Brian Wheeler about what it's like to live your whole life next to the Norlite Hazardous waste incinerator Later on, we talk about the The Gender Recognition Act which was recently signed into law After that, we hear excerpts from a press conference where Senator Kristen Gillibrand spoke, urging the passage of the PRO Act. Finally, we speak with Christian Grigoraskos, a local beekeeper, about the proposed ordinance to put a 6-month moratorium on new bee hives in the city.

This week we're discussing trans rights and why the LGB should stand firmly with the T.  We'll cover the JK Rowling row, what a TERF is, the complicated process by which trans people can obtain gender recognition certificates and - of course - pressing issues like 'where can I pee?'. With host comedian Aaron Twitchen @aarontwitchen on all platforms  Www.iloveaaron.co.uk   RESOURCES As always, Stonewall provide great information and advice for anyone in the Queer/Rainbow family who are struggling - www.stonewall.org.uk I've been advised that anyone who is struggling with their sex or gender can get great support and information from the mermaids website - who would also benefit from any donations you can spare - https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/  Here is a government leaflet the shows the full process to obtain gender recognition and change sex: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721642/GEO-LGBT-factsheet.pdf The full transcript of JK Rowlings open letter about trans issues is also available here: https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ Here are details about trans issues within prisons: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/566829/transgender-review-findings-print.PDF  

This week on Behind The Headlines, the panel discusses a number of issues, including Fourth of July festivities; the state of vaccinations on the East End; the Gender Recognition Act; outdoor dining; sewer districts; and the ongoing discussions by local municipalities about opting out of pot sales. https://www.facebook.com/shaw11946 (Joseph P. Shaw,) Executive Editor, The Express News Group https://www.facebook.com/wpsutton (Bill Sutton), Managing Editor, The Express News Group https://www.facebook.com/civiletti (Denise Civiletti), Editor/Publisher,  Riverhead Local https://www.facebook.com/bridget.leroy.3 (Bridget LeRoy,) Editor at Large

The Gender Recognition Act passed the New York legislature and was signed into law on June 24 by Governor Cuomo. Moses Nagel reports on what this law will mean for gender non-comforming residents of New York State.

This week on Behind The Headlines, the panel discusses a number of issues, including Fourth of July festivities; the state of vaccinations on the East End; the Gender Recognition Act; outdoor dining; sewer districts; and the ongoing discussions by local municipalities about opting out of pot sales. https://www.facebook.com/shaw11946 (Joseph P. Shaw,) Executive Editor, The Express News Group https://www.facebook.com/wpsutton (Bill Sutton), Managing Editor, The Express News Group https://www.facebook.com/civiletti (Denise Civiletti), Editor/Publisher,  Riverhead Local https://www.facebook.com/bridget.leroy.3 (Bridget LeRoy,) Editor at Large

At the height of pride month, join the team at the Bylines Network podcast, as we discuss the history and state of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK and across the world.    Hosts Chris Davis and Connor Lamb open the discussion with a look at what Pride has become in 2021, the commercialisation of pride and the “pride-washing” which many companies do, making statements supportive of LGBTQ+ rights while acting against queer interests around the world.    Then, listen in as we have our very first Member of Parliament on the podcast: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton Kemptown). Connor and Chris discuss what Pride means to him, in addition to the government's plan for reforming the Gender Recognition Act.  Be sure to follow us at @BylinesPod on all social media, and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode! 

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, We begin with Joel Berg, Director of Hunger Free America, who was in Albany last week to kick off a 20-state anti-hunger tour. Then, Eoghann Renfroe of the Empire Justice Center talks about the push to have the New York State legislature pass the Gender Recognition Act. Later on, we'll hear from those who attended a demonstration at Townsend Square in Albany last Friday evening regarding the current Palestinian Israeli conflict. After that, Marissa Peck, Retail Markets Director for Capital Roots, discusses Urban farming and food justice initiatives. Finally, we hear about one of those urban farming initiatives in Troy. Erin Johanns is joining us as the Garden Coordinator for the Collard City Garden. We welcome her and her ambitions for the coming seasons.

In the final days of the state legislative session in Albany, advocates are pushing to pass the Gender Recognition Act into law. The bill would streamline the process, remove financial barriers, and make it much easier for transgender, intersex, and non-binary New Yorkers to ensure that their birth certificate, driver's license and other identification documents accurately reflect who they are. Eòghann Renfroe spoke with HMM correspondent Corinne Carey about the importance of the bill for these members of the community to have access to jobs, apartments, medical care, and safety. For more information about the legislation, listeners can visit the Empire Justice Center's website at https://empirejustice.salsalabs.org/passthenysgenderrecognitionact.

One of the leading lights of the SNP and one of the most talented politicians in Scotland gives a funny and candid account of his time in government and politics so far. The Justice Secretary talks openly about the political challenges facing him and his party as well as the personal challenges he's faced in his life. (Including how he manages to campaign in an election taking place during Covid and Ramadan). Humza also reflects on the debates around the Hate Crime Bill and the Gender Recognition Act and the lessons learned from how both have been conducted and perceived. In short, this episode has everything: political analysis, personal reflections and funny stories. Get your tickets for the Political Party Specials at The Garrick Theatre and Vaudeville Theatre here: https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/shows/matt-fordes-political-party-podcast/ Monday 24 May: Peter Mandelson and Sayeeda Warsi Tuesday 25 May: Keir Starmer and Andrea Leadsom Wednesday 2 June: Jess Phillips and Esther McVey Follow Humza on Twitter: @HumzaYousaf Email the show: politicalpartypodcast@gmail.com Apply to vote by post here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote Order Matt's book 'Politically Homeless' here: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/2100000262618 Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattforde Follow Matt on WTSocial: https://wt.social/u/matt-forde For the latest UK Government advice on coronavirus go to: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To mark LGBT history month, today's episode is a discussion with some amazing trans activists within the Labour party about trans rights, the importance of Labour committing itself fully to standing up for the rights of trans people and ways we can create a more accepting and welcoming atmosphere within politics, in particular within the Labour Party.We discussed various topics such as education around trans issues, the idea of a 'culture war', takings notes from Joe Biden and the Gender Recognition Act. Stay tuned for our upcoming episode on Trans Healthcare!Sign up to our new newsletter! http://eepurl.com/heI28XSpeakers:Dylan Tippetts (he/him) - Trans Officer, Young Fabians LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Group - https://twitter.com/_Dylan_T Avery Warner (she/her) - LGBTQIA+ Officer, North East Young Fabians - https://twitter.com/averymwarner Arthur Webber (he/him) - Labour Candidate for Paston and Walton - https://twitter.com/BernieTranders Hosted by:Louie Marlow (he/him) - https://twitter.com/louiemarlowThis episode was recorded on Thursday 11th FebruaryTo all our listeners: we want you in our podcast, so if you're passionate about a topic just get in touch with us at podcast@youngfabians.org.ukThe intro music is by ‘One in a Googolplex' and used under Creative Commons. Find out more about them here:https://oneinagoogolplex.bandcamp.com/

Tensions grow in the SNP, as Joanna Cherry is dropped from the Westminster front bench. In a public row, she claims she was 'sacked', while the party says it had made a number of changes to its Westminster team before the upcoming Holyrood election. Ahead of next week's potential appearance of Alex Salmond at the inquiry into how the Scottish Government handled sexual misconduct complaints, and with the row over the Gender Recognition Act still simmering away, just what is going on inside the SNP? The team discuss this and more.

In this episode of the Demographicast, Host Brett Lee is joined by DemographicaUK founder Jack Street and co-founder of Labour Doorstep Elliot Gardiner. Brett, Jack and Elliot chat about the Gender Recognition Act and what can be done to ensure Trans people have the right to identify how they wish, Black Lives Matter and Brexit. As always leave a like and subscribe and ensure you stick around for the quick fire questions at the end! Oh, and have Merry Christmas! Feel free to contact us at @DemographicaUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or email us at info@demographicauk.com. @JackStreet01 @brett_lee712 @c4prihun Credit to our editor, Gabriel Hunt - @GabesEdit The podcast is available on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Google Podcasts!

Rob and Tom discuss the quickly changing deadlines for final talks between the UK and the EU. Will there be a deal or not?TOPICS- [0:00] Intro- [1:16] Headlines: GRA Consultation- [9:17] Headlines: Masks For A Year Despite The Vaccine- [17:30] Main Story: Deal Or No Deal? (Again)- [29:27] Level Playing Field- [44:32] Will There Be A Deal?- [50:19] /r/brexit- [51:53] Outro- [52:36] Ad: Mish Mash Mayhem- [52:53] Bonus: Carols And GaffesSUPPORTSupport all TTSS shows on PatreonSHOWNOTES- Trans Learning Partnership Tweet- What does the UK Government announcement on the Gender Recognition Act mean?- Ofcom boss declares it ‘extremely inappropriate’ for BBC to ‘balance’ trans people with anti-trans activists- Stonewall statement on High Court puberty blockers ruling- We may be wearing masks for a year, despite the V-Day 'watershed moment'- Brexit: UK and EU restart trade talks after leaders' call- Why Games Workshop is worth more than Marks & Spencer and Centrica- Fishery Protection Squadron- Cod Wars- 107: You Come to Me on the Day of the Royal Wedding?- Turnbull: ‘Be careful what you wish for’- Brexit: EU sets out plans in case trade talks with UK fail- /r/Brexit- Join us on Discord!DISCUSS- Reddit- Twitter- FacebookATTRIBUTION- Recording engineer: Ennuicastr- Theme song: Handel's Water Music (Public Domain under CC0 1.0) with Big Ben Chimes (By hyderpotter under CC0 1.0).- Main Image: Ursula von der Leyen presents her vision to MEPs by European Parliament under CC by 2.0

After a very tense intro during which Jesse berates Katie for not being there when he needed her most, the hosts discuss a Vice News story about staffers at Penguin Random House Canada so overwhelmed by the existence of Jordan Peterson's new book that they broke down crying, and Guardian staffers so overwhelmed by the existence of a debate over certain claims about sex and gender that they drove columnist Suzanne Moore out. Show notes/Links: Vice World News: Penguin Random House Staff Confront Publisher About New Jordan Peterson Book - https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5bv3x/penguin-random-house-staff-confront-publisher-about-new-jordan-peterson-book (https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5bv3x/penguin-random-house-staff-confront-publisher-about-new-jordan-peterson-book) UnHerd: Why I had to leave The Guardian - https://unherd.com/2020/11/why-i-had-to-leave-the-guardian/ (https://unherd.com/2020/11/why-i-had-to-leave-the-guardian/) The Guardian: Women must have the right to organise. We will not be silenced - https://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2020/mar/02/women-must-have-the-right-to-organise-we-will-not-be-silenced (https://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2020/mar/02/women-must-have-the-right-to-organise-we-will-not-be-silenced) Suzanne Moore's Substack: https://suzannemoore.substack.com/p/pull-up-a-chair (https://suzannemoore.substack.com/p/pull-up-a-chair) The Guardian: The Guardian view on the Gender Recognition Act: where rights collide - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/17/the-guardian-view-on-the-gender-recognition-act-where-rights-collide (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/17/the-guardian-view-on-the-gender-recognition-act-where-rights-collide) The Guardian U.S.: Why we take issue with the Guardian’s stance on trans rights in the UK - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/02/guardian-editorial-response-transgender-rights-uk (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/02/guardian-editorial-response-transgender-rights-uk) Advertisers: Bidets! http://hellotushy.com/barpod (http://hellotushy.com/barpod) Dental stuff! https://www.getquip.com/barpod (https://www.getquip.com/barpod) HR services for your small business! https://www.bambee.com/blockedandreported (https://www.bambee.com/blockedandreported)

After a very tense intro during which Jesse berates Katie for not being there when he needed her most, the hosts discuss a Vice News story about staffers at Penguin Random House Canada so overwhelmed by the existence of Jordan Peterson's new book that they broke down crying, and Guardian staffers so overwhelmed by the existence of a debate over certain claims about sex and gender that they drove columnist Suzanne Moore out. Show notes/Links:Vice World News: Penguin Random House Staff Confront Publisher About New Jordan Peterson Book - https://www.vice.com/en/article/g5bv3x/penguin-random-house-staff-confront-publisher-about-new-jordan-peterson-book UnHerd: Why I had to leave The Guardian - https://unherd.com/2020/11/why-i-had-to-leave-the-guardian/The Guardian: Women must have the right to organise. We will not be silenced - https://www.theguardian.com/society/commentisfree/2020/mar/02/women-must-have-the-right-to-organise-we-will-not-be-silencedSuzanne Moore's Substack: https://suzannemoore.substack.com/p/pull-up-a-chairThe Guardian: The Guardian view on the Gender Recognition Act: where rights collide - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/17/the-guardian-view-on-the-gender-recognition-act-where-rights-collide  The Guardian U.S.: Why we take issue with the Guardian’s stance on trans rights in the UK - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/02/guardian-editorial-response-transgender-rights-uk Advertisers:Bidets! http://hellotushy.com/barpod Dental stuff! https://www.getquip.com/barpod HR services for your small business! https://www.bambee.com/blockedandreported  This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Last month the equalities minister, Liz Truss, announced that some reforms to the Gender Recognition Act would go ahead but one key aspect – allowing trans people to self-identify without a medical diagnosis - would not be adopted. The issue has divided ‘gender critical’ feminists from those who are more trans-inclusive. Is there a route to reconciliation? Listen to part 1. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Stephen Whittle has been at the heart of trans activism for half a century. He discusses the legal and political progress that has been made over the past few decades while the Guardian’s Scotland correspondent Libby Brooks examines why there was a backlash over the 2015 Gender Recognition Act, which proposed a further expansion of trans rights. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

On 28 September 1985, Lee Lawrence’s mother Cherry Groce was wrongly shot by police during a raid on her Brixton home. The bullet shattered her spine and she never walked again. Soon after it was reported – wrongly - that Cherry Groce was dead, and two days of rioting took place in Brixton. All this was witnessed by 11-year-old Lee. He became his mother’s carer. After a doctor questioned the cause of his mother’s death in 2011 Lee campaigned fiercely for an inquest, a chance to find out what really happened the day his family’s life was turned upside down. Lee joins Jane tomorrow to talk about his mother, his life as a carer, his fight to get the police to recognise their wrongdoing and his ongoing commitment to challenge racism and fight for justice. The government has announced it will not go ahead with a change to the Gender Recognition Act which would have allowed trans men and women to self identify rather than go through a medical diagnosis to change their gender. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission has said it was a ‘missed opportunity’ but women's rights groups have applauded the decision as a ‘victory for fairness and common sense’. Jane Garvey hears from two of the women who’ve been campaigning on this issue, Dr Heather Peto who is Co-Chair of Labour’s LGBT+ group and Dr Nicola Williams from the group Fair Play for Women. The 2020 Woman’s Hour Power List is looking for women who are making a significant difference to the health of our planet. But that power doesn’t have to be held on boards or by leading international organisations. Zoë Randle, the Senior Surveys Officer for Butterfly Conservation, tells Jane about the hugely important role played by hundreds of thousands of volunteers – who are turning their love of nature into hard data that directly influences conservation policy in the UK. Do you think there should be clearly defined parent/child relationship? Or maybe you think of your family as more of a team or that your child is like a friend. If you’ve been watching the new Netflix series The Duchess which features a mum’s friendship with her child, you may have been asking yourself about your own parenting style. Jane Garvey talks to Dr Holan Liang an NHS Consultant Child & adolescent Psychiatrist in London, a mother and author of the book Inside Out Parenting and Rowan Coleman who’s an author and mother to five children ranging from 19 to twins of 8.

On this week’s Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh looks into recent reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in England and Wales, TikTok apologising for censoring LGBT+ content and the most recent developments for the LGBT+ community in Poland.

This short series looks at the issues arising from JK Rowling's tweets and essay on sex and gender and the responses to them.In Part 5 I speak to Dr Debbie Hayton, trade unionist and physics teacher about campaigning on issues arising from proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act (2004) and her reactions to accusations of transphobia levelled against JK Rowling. Links mentioned in this podcast :JK Rowling "Terf Wars" https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/

Left Whingers spoke to the brilliant Mike Jackson - a founding member of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners - about everything from Pride the move, Section 28, Inclusive sex education and the Gender Recognition Act. If you fancy supporting LGSM and picking up one of their fabulous t-shirts, click this link: https://housmans.com/product/pits-perverts-t-shirt/ We were also joined by two amazing activists - Elsie Greenwood (co-chair of LGBT Labour Scotland) and Jason Parkinson (LGBTQ+ activist) - to hear their perspectives and experiences. As always, thank you to Leyton for our theme music - you can check out his Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5EoEk5ulYJgi3F56orFFWb?si=xIL8pUGGSuaMrqOfNmG2og Find us on twitter: @left_whingers

Over the last few years, I've started to come to terms with myself being a B in the LGBTQ+ community and what exactly that means to me. One of the discoveries I've made is Pride - in February, Melbourne Pride was my very first parade and I was thrilled to be there.But Pride is still a protest, fought with love and celebration but fought all the same. And in light of current events such as BLM and the reconsideration of the Gender Recognition Act, Pride Month 2020 has been recognised in a more serious manner.My two guests Zodi, a drag performer, and Kiran, an activist, recognise and celebrate their roles in Pride and the LGBTQ+ community in fresh and invigorating interviews that I'm honoured to share through Dingbat Chat.Zodi Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theonlyzodi/Kiran Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kiraneverix/Dingbat Chat Socials:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dingbatchat/Twitter - https://twitter.com/dingbatchatYou Tube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-BMyIG8WhDpPQFsIb1FixA

Some reports suggest the government won’t now go ahead with the reform of the Gender Recognition Act. If true, this means that people won’t be able to self-declare their gender. What will this mean for the wider debate? Jane speaks to Helen Belcher, co-founder of Trans Media Watch and chair of the national LGBT charity Consortium, and Joan Smith, Chair of the Mayor of London’s Violence Against Women and Girls Board and author of ‘Home Grown: How Domestic Violence Turns Men Into Terrorists’. Susie Dent is a lexicographer, etymologist and linguist. She has appeared in Dictionary Corner on Channel 4's 'Countdown' since 1992, and can also be seen on 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown, or ‘Catsdown’ as she calls it. She can also be heard alongside Gyles Brandreth on the award-nominated podcast Something Rhymes With Purple. She joins Jane to talk about how her love of words began with shampoo bottles, her research into modern tribes, 90s rap music lyrics and the meaning of cacoethes. For the past month Woman's Hour has been celebrating women who get things done – the Troupers. Today it’s the turn of Preethi Manuel who talks about the life of her daughter, fostering, and her role in campaigning for disabled children to have access to mainstream education. Non-essential retail shops are beginning to reopen, but will we actually want to go back? New technology is using artificial intelligence to make the experience of online shopping more fulfilling and more personalised. BBC Click reporter Lara Lewington tells Jane more.

On today's New Statesman Podcast, Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea discuss Boris Johnson's vague announcement of a racism inquiry and whether it's a serious prospect, and then, in You Ask Us, they take your questions on the furore around changes to the Gender Recognition Act.If you are a New Statesman digital subscriber you can get advert free access to this podcast by visiting newstatesman.com/nssubscribers.Send us your You Ask Us questions at youaskus.co.uk.If you haven't signed up yet, visit newstatesman.com/subscribe to purchase your subscription. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this special edition of MuggleCast, the hosts are joined by Dr. Sarah Steelman (Marriage & Family Therapist, Ph.D., LMFT) to discuss J.K. Rowling's recent tweets and open letter regarding trans people. We review her statements and why so many of them are wrong, share responses from around the Harry Potter community, and analyze our own feelings. Given the sensitive nature of this conversation, please be aware that this episode carries a trigger warning. Below is a list of resources referenced in our show, for both those individuals looking to better educate themselves as allies and for those who are personally affected by recent events. If you're a LGBTQ person who needs to speak to someone: The Trevor Project: 866-488-7386 Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 Other resources: Follow Dr. Sarah Steelman on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sarahmsteelman?lang=en) , and read her Medium blog post (https://medium.com/@sarahsteelmanphd/making-the-choice-between-what-is-right-and-what-is-easy-speaking-out-against-j-k-195e994524d6) Andrew James Carter's point-by-point breakdown of the various issues with J.K. Rowling's blog post (https://twitter.com/Carter_AndrewJ/status/1270787941275762689) . For Scottish listeners who want to support the Gender Recognition Act, you can head to lgbtyouth.org.uk (http://lgbtyouth.org.uk/) to find an email template and a list of your Members of Scottish Parliament to contact in support of the Act. 

In this episode, I talk about the attacks on the Trans community - with you know who taking to Twitter to voice her opinions about us and using abuse as an excuse to be Transphobic; the Trump Administration stripping Trans People of Medical Rights; and the UK government scrapping the reformation of the Gender Recognition Act. SFXAimee: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7YBrCNfVeFT-2UBe2xoDzA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sfxaimee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sfxaimee/ Gender Recognition Act Petition: https://www.change.org/p/parliament-reverse-the-decision-to-scrap-the-gender-recognition-act-consultationresults Minnesota Freedom Fund: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/ Podcast Produced by: https://t3ddytalk.com/ Artwork by: https://t3ddydesign.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/t3ddytalks/message

We consider the latest advice for pregnant women when it comes to coronavirus. Jane speaks to Jess Brammer, editor in chief HuffPost UK, who is currently on maternity leave and Dr Mary Ross-Davie - Director for Scotland, Royal College of Midwives. And in other coronavirus news: many offices, shops, bars, restaurants, schools, are likely to close. Many workers and businesses will see their income collapse, almost overnight. So what if you are laid off? What if you are self-employed? What financial decisions should you be making? What support could you be entitled to? Glenda Jackson plays the poet, writer and critic Edith Sitwell in Radio 4 drama Edith Sitwell in Scarborough. She joins Jane to discuss Edith, as well as being on grandma duty and what books she would recommend during a period of isolation. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a Bill to reform the Gender Recognition Act. Jane talks to Rhona Hotchkiss, former governor of Cornton Vale prison in Stirling and signatory of SNP women’s pledge and James Morton, Manager of the Scottish Trans Alliance about concerns for protecting trans rights and women’s rights and how any Scottish legislation will sit with the UK Equality Act 2010. Presenter: Jane Garvey Interviewed guest: Dr Mary Ross-Davie Interviewed guest: Jess Brammer Interviewed guest: Jasmine Birtles Interviewed guest: Glenda Jackson Interviewed guest: Rhona Hotchkiss Interviewed guest: James Morton Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

We discuss the Scottish Government's proposed reform of the Gender Recognition Act (2004) with legal studies Professor Sharon Cowan, and Mridul Wadhwa of Forth Valley Rape Crisis.The consultation is live until 17th March 2020 - click here to find out more about how to submit your response.Support the show (http://www.tiecampaign.co.uk/donate)

Anything goes with James English Ep/92.    Sarah Jane Baker, Britain’s longest serving transgender tells her story.   Sarah has just recently been released after serving 30 years in prison. Sarah was imprisoned for kidnapping and torturing her stepmother's brother and then given a life sentence for the attempted murder of another prisoner.   Sarah grew up on the tough streets of London and when she was a child, her father lost a business, and after that, the abuse started. He tortured everyone around him, including my mum, and later on, my step-mums. In my family, there’s a lot of abuse, and that abuse also happened when I was in care.   Sara’s abusive upbringing made her angry and full of hate and got her into a lot of trouble from a very young age.   Sarah spent all her adult life locked up as a male prisoner and that's a dangerous place to be as a trans woman. Sarah lost count of the things that happened to her inside. She has scars all over her body Where she has been cut with razorblades and stabbed and also she was stripped, pinned down and had boiling hot water and sugar poured all over her.   Sarah was also raped on Numerous occasions And gang raped. The group would also stick a pool cue in her Every time they raped her.Sarahs struggles with her gender really came to a head when She was inside. Although She was allowed access to make-up and hair products, She wasn't allowed oestrogen. In order to access it under the terms of the Gender Recognition Act, She needed to prove She had lived two years as a woman. But for me, serving a life sentence, that was impossible. So Sarah decided enough was enough and resorted to drastic measures in December 2017 She cut off her testicles in her own prison cell and nearly died doing so.   Follow me on my social media platforms ⬇️⬇️http://instagram.com/jamesenglish2http://twitter.com/jamesenglish0http://Facebook.com/Jamesenglish11       You can check out all video episodes on my YouTube page, James English - Anything Goes Podcast Showhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkdiBNdMSiQeT8aD7gXWgvA/videos?view_as=subscriber

In November last year the Gender Recognition Act 2015 went through a review which left some groups out - meaning certain groups won’t be able to have their preferred gender recognised by law. We talked to Ollie Bell from Trans Pride Dublin to learn more about where we're at in terms of true gender recognition for all, and what we can do to finally get there. This podcast is brought to you by: Presenter: Aine Chatterjee Researchers: Sarah Connery & Julia Tereno Music courtesy of bensound.com Follow us on Instagram @stand.ie for updated and links for future episodes.

Our chat with Hannah Bardell MP continues. She discusses the current discourse around transgender rights, how Brexit might impact on human rights in the UK, and who her LGBT icons are.Follow HannahFollow TIEJoin the conversation using #TIEtalks on social media and remember to subscribe to the podcast!Support the show (http://www.tiecampaign.co.uk/donate)

In the first episode of 2020, we sit down with Hannah Bardell MP. In Part One of our chat, we discuss; the toxic side of social media, her recent encounter with a Member of the House of Lords, what it is like to be an out lesbian MP today, representation and diversity in politics, and her stance on the reform of the Gender Recognition Act (2004). Follow HannahFollow TIEJoin the conversation using #TIEtalks on social media and remember to subscribe to the podcast!Support the show (http://www.tiecampaign.co.uk/donate)

Bonus episode! We talk to Dr Ben Hine about the current debate surrounding the Gender Recognition Act. Trans women threaten the rights of cis women - Fact or bull? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join us for some bonus content. DJ Lippy talks about her discussion with her MP, Angela Rayner about the Gender Recognition Act reforms and male violence. 

Kiri Tunks is a teacher, trade unionist, socialist feminist and one of the co-founders of Woman’s Place UK (WPUK). This grass-roots women’s rights campaign group started with 5 demands:1) Respectful and evidence-based discussion about the impact of the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act to be allowed to take place and for women’s voices to be heard.2) The principle of women-only spaces to be upheld – and where necessary extended.3) A review of how the exemptions in the Equality Act which allow or single sex services or requirements that only a woman can apply for a job (such as in a domestic violence refuge) are being applied in practice.4) Government to consult with women’s organisations on how self-declaration would impact on women-only services and spaces.5) Government to consult on how self-declaration will impact upon data gathering – such as crime, employment, pay and health statistics – and monitoring of sex-based discrimination such as the gender pay gap.Find out more at the WPUK WebsiteShare the WPUK manifesto with your politicians in the UKFollow WPUK on Twitter @Womans_Place_UK

Kiri Tunks is a teacher, trade unionist, socialist feminist and one of the co-founders of Woman's Place UK (WPUK). This grass-roots women's rights campaign group started with 5 demands:Respectful and evidence-based discussion about the impact of the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act to be allowed to take place and for women's voices to be heard.The principle of women-only spaces to be upheld – and where necessary extended.A review of how the exemptions in the Equality Act which allow or single sex services or requirements that only a woman can apply for a job (such as in a domestic violence refuge) are being applied in practice.Government to consult with women's organisations on how self-declaration would impact on women-only services and spaces.Government to consult on how self-declaration will impact upon data gathering – such as crime, employment, pay and health statistics – and monitoring of sex-based discrimination such as the gender pay gap.Find out more at WPUK WebsiteShare the WPUK manifesto with your politicians in the UKFollow WPUK on Twitter @Womans_Place_UK

Sarah Sachs-Eldridge, the Socialist Party’s national organiser, discusses the proposed reform of the Gender Recognition Act, and a socialist programme for united struggle for Trans rights. Useful further reading: • ‘Taking Trans rights forward’ by Sarah Sachs-Eldridge: http://www.socialismtoday.org/218/gender.html • ‘Gender recognition division’: http://www.socialismtoday.org/223/gra.html • ‘Defending women’s services’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/27550/27-06-2018/defending-womens-services • ‘End violence against women’ and ‘A brief history of the Campaign Against Domestic Violence’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/17128/17-07-2013/end-violence-against-women • ‘It Doesn’t Have to be Like This – Women and the Struggle for Socialism’ by Christine Thomas: available at leftbooks.co.uk • The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, by Frederick Engels: available at leftbooks.co.uk

Host Mirelle Harris explores what it means to be transgender. Is gender something that has been invented by society? What actually makes a woman or a man? What impact will the recent consultation of the Gender Recognition Act have on the debate? We meet Juno Roche, writer, campaigner and transgender woman; Olivia Palmer from Mayday for Women, a radical feminist group that opposes any changes felt to endanger female spaces; and Hannah Witton, sex and relationships YouTuber and author. Mirelle also speaks to activist and writer, Sugar Swan; Jamie Pallas from Gendered Intelligence; hears the experiences of Lizzie Smyth who wanted to transition; and talks to users of a ladies only pool in London. There are also interviews with Stephanie Davis-Arai from Transgender Trend; and Lucy Jeffries from Quiet Down There, who organises artist led projects for young people, including Hijack, which aims to start them thinking about gender equality. Twitter/Instagram: @broaderviewpod Email: broaderviewpodcast@gmail.com

BANG UP TO DATE! Resident legal expert Chris Kehoe lends me his thoughts on the very recent controversy surrounding the burning of a cardboard box designed to look like Grenfell Tower. We also discuss the Gender Recognition Act, offensiveness in general, the EU, Brexit, immigration, Tony Blair and a ton of other fascinating stuff. Kehoe is superb value and has a one man show at the Nottingham Comedy Festival on November the 10th. The show is called MANologue and is about the time he fucked a man. Probably.  Like the page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArguingForTheSakeOfArguing/  Follow Dave on Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidL0NGLEY  For mostly weightlifting videos, follow Dave on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david_longley_/?hl=en  Website here: https://davidlongley.squarespace.com/ 

October was a depressing month for sex news but we managed to dig out a few rays of hope in the form of a new type of condom. We discuss the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, dodgy biscuits and the appointment of Brett Kavanagh to the US Supreme Court. Then Franki sits down with porn performer Lina Bembe to talk about the ethics of porn (both producers and viewers!) and also how the heck you have an orgasm “by accident”.LINKSThis RightsInfo feature has a good breakdown of the legal rights being discussed and fought for in the debate around the Gender Recognition Act.You can find out all about the self-lubricating condom here (although you'll have to wait for Franki's thrust report!)Lina recommended us some fantastic ethical porn sites. If you're interested you can check them out here:Bright DesireErika LustBlue Artichoke FilmsPink LabelWe also talked about Four Chambers and not forgetting Ersties themselves! You can hear Lina and her colleagues on the Ersties Podcast here.The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast hosted by Franki Cookney. Get in touch @The2ndCircle or via our contact page. If you enjoyed the show today and want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/frankicookney)

In this week's Openly podcast we discuss whether doctor's know best when it comes to intersex people, if Trump's administration is trying to erase transgender people, and the end of the controversial Gender Recognition Act consultation in the UK.

[CN: mentions of assault, transphobia, suicide] In this special bonus episode, Molly speaks with Diana James (she/her) and Sophie Corvidae (xe/xir) about the Gender Recognition Act reform currently being debated in the United Kingdom. Looking for ways to support trans folks in the UK? Diana recommends donating to Mermaids, and Sophie suggests supporting Trans Pride Brighton. Find other UK orgs at Trans Unite. Visit our website to read episode transcripts, hire us for inclusivity workshops, and apply for the Gender Reveal grant by October 31(!) Questions? Comments? Feelings? You can reach us at our website; via gendereveal@gmail.com; or on Twitter or Instagram. You can also submit questions anonymously. We greatly appreciate donations via Patreon or PayPal or Cash App. Donate $5+ to receive stickers and other fun stuff. Logo: Ira M. Leigh Theme song: Breakmaster Cylinder Additional music: “The Zeppelin” by Blue Dot Sessions Sponsors: YOU! Thank you!

On Dissident Island Radio Episode 223:   It's been one year since a TERF-led disruption became the catalyst for the disbandment of the annual London Anarchist Bookfair. We celebrate this year's decentralised Anarchist Festival event and catch up with Sister Not Cister UK to find out what the Gender Recognition Act actually is, what “TERF” means, what TERFs do, and try to understand and address some of their deeply held fears and most insidious arguments. (part 1: 00:02:29 – 00:20:15 | part 2: 00:25:10 – 00:45:32 | part 3: 00:48:14 – 01:14:27)   Peppered throughout the show we play some songs by trans musicians on their experience of being trans.   We also hear announcements of events to check out (01:34:17 – 01:40:40), information on conditions imposed by the police on demonstrations plus updates on the freeing of the Frack Free Three and other news from ACAB Andy (01:19:35 – 01:33:57).   And the show ends with a much-anticipated dj set from Sam Amant (01:40:45 – 2:35:12).   url download show only: http://bit.ly/di_223show url download dj set only: http://bit.ly/di_223dj_sam_amant url to download episode (show + dj set): http://bit.ly/di_223mp3

After a week that saw Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab hurry to Brussels for talks, the BBC's Brussels reporter Adam Fleming talks to Roger Bolton. He shares his personal insights into the challenges of covering breaking news on Brexit. The BBC Radio 4 series ‘The Anatomy of Loneliness' came to a close this week. It explored the results of the BBC's Loneliness Experiment, an online survey conducted in collaboration with Wellcome Collection. Roger talks to series presenter Claudia Hammond and BBC Radio Science Unit editor Deborah Cohen and asks: what can we learn from self-selecting surveys? This week marks the end of a government consultation on reforming the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, which set out the legal process by which a person can change their gender. On Tuesday, Radio 4's ‘Woman's Hour' discussed the subject, hearing from voices on various sides of the debate. Feedback hears some listeners' perspectives on how the issue was discussed. And BBC Radio 5 Live's competition to find the Young Commentator of the Year is open for entries. But what makes for a pitch perfect sports commentary? Roger talks to last year's winner Isaac Barrington and to 5 Live commentator John Murray to hear their tips on painting a picture of sport live on air. Presenter: Roger Bolton Producer: Will Yates A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4

En el Día Internacional de la erradicación de la pobreza, estuvimos analizando las variantes que afectan a las personas LGBTQ+ y que nos hacen más factibles para estar entre el 40% de las personas más pobres de la sociedad. También repasamos la controversia desatada tras la publicación de un inserto en el periódico Metro de una organización anti-trans que busca boicotear la aprobación de la Ley de Registro de Género (Gender Recognition Act). Y al finalizar sostuvimos un contacto con el Director Ejecutivo del Observatorio Latinoamericano de Conflictos Ambientales (OLCA), para conversar sobre el impacto socio-ambiental de la minería en Latinoamérica.

Welcome back to Looks and Books with Cat & Olly, and to episode NINE of our 'Reading is Fundamental' book club! This week, we're cranking up the general levels of spookiness by discussing Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - a Halloween and Gothic classic that neither of us had previously read. ...And now, at least one of us has. Speak up for trans rights and fill in the Gender Recognition Act public consultation form here before 11pm on October 19th: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/come-out-trans-equality NB: our next 'Reading is Fundamental' Book Club read is The Witches by Roald Dahl, which we'll be discussing in two weeks' time. Buy it here: https://bit.ly/2CoQVeT Looking for an affordable and efficient way to buy the books on your TBR list whilst still shopping independently? Why not try our lovely friends over at Wordery: wordery.com/ Find us on Twitter: @looksandbooksco Cat's Twitter/Instagram: @catandtheodore Olly's Twitter: @ollypenderghast | Olly's IG: oliverwearing Want to get in contact? Email us: hello@looksandbooks.co.uk Cover artwork by the ridiculously talented @laurelmaeart on Instagram.

GREETINGS!! This bi-week Meesh and Ash are joined by Cass Smith, trans advocacy officer for the LGBT Foundation to discuss the GRA consultation, bad people with dumb billboards and the most convoluted Sabrina the Teenage Witch remake ever.

From Dorothy Gale to Jean Grey, Moana to Mako Mori (and now Doctor Who!) the term "Strong Female Character" elicits many passioned responses. We try our best to dissect where this term game from, where we stand on it now and what we can do to keep writing better women. And as always we Catch Up and Geek Out in this bumper ep! TRANS PEOPLE IN THE UK NEED YOUR HELP. As discussed in the episode, the Gender Recognition Act is looking to be altered and more than ever, allies are needed to show their support. Please take the time to fill this out asap: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/come-out-trans-equality Today's show is sponsored by Beastly Beverages, fandom and fantasy luxury hand-blended loose-leaf teas and coffees! Find out more at beastlybeverages.com and use the sponsor code "problematic" to get 10% off your order! We are also sponsored by Dungeons and Queers is an all-trans, all-queer, actual play DnD 5th edition podcast that can be found on iTunes or Google Play or most other podcasting apps. We are also sponsored by PolyAM Radio! It's a show all about relationships, love, and polyamory. It's about trans Queers and our experiences and analyzing our mistakes and telling you how not to make them. Available on iTunes and most other platforms. Our audio and theme music provided by Graham Waller at grahamwaller.com. Graham is also part of GlitterWolf, whose debut album Spectrum is out now! If you want to get in contact, you can do so via Twitter @BoxNotIncluded, Email at BoxNotIncluded@gmail.com or on Tumblr @BoxNotIncluded. We also have a Facebook Group - just search for Box Not Included!

The debate over rights for transgender people rumbles on in the wake of proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. Is there a so-called ‘trans orthodoxy' shutting down debate on this issue (00:35)? Meanwhile, across the channel, French socialist Jean-Luc Mélenchon is aiming to unseat an increasing unpopular Emmanuel Macron. Does Mélenchon have a chance of becoming president (20:10)? With Madeleine Kearns, India Willoughby, Olivier Tonneau, and Jonathan Miller. Presented by Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu and Alastair Thomas.

The debate over rights for transgender people rumbles on in the wake of proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. Is there a so-called ‘trans orthodoxy' shutting down debate on this issue (00:30)? Meanwhile, across the channel, French socialist Jean-Luc Mélenchon is aiming to unseat an increasing unpopular Emmanuel Macron. Does Mélenchon have a chance of becoming president (20:10)? With Madeleine Kearns, India Willoughby, Olivier Tonneau, and Jonathan Miller. Presented by Katy Balls. Produced by Cindy Yu and Alastair Thomas.

In this instalment of Sky News' 'Line 18' podcasts looking at division in our society in 2018, Sky's Lucy Cotter learns what people think about proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act.The transgender community wants to simplify the legal process - but it's facing opposition from hard-line feminists.Produced by Amy Hitchcock and Simon English.

In November 2017, the Scottish Government launched a review of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA). National women's equality organisations in Scotland support these changes, and this podcast is a chance to find out why.  This episode sees Alys Mumford talking about the Gender Recognition Act with: Emma Ritch, Engender's Executive Director Becky Kaufmann, Justice Policy Officer at Scottish Trans Alliance Mridul Wadhwa, Training & Volunteer Co-ordinator at Rape Crisis Scotland Marsha Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Women's Aid You can access the FAQ document mentioned in the podcast here, and the consultation response produced by women's organisations here.  This episode was produced by Amanda Stanley on behalf of Engender. Jingle by Bossy Love.  

Harold and Veda dive into the hot topic of whether we should Kneel or Stand during the National Anthem. They also talked about the Gender…Continue reading007 – To Kneel Or To Stand, Gender Recognition Act of California – Worst Cases Of Self Diagnosis

On September 13th, at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park in London, transactivists swarmed a group of women meeting to discuss the meaning of the word "gender" and the Gender Recognition Act that is getting support from both the left and the right in the UK. A 60 year old woman was beaten by several of the male activists and police were called to Speakers' Corner before the conference took place. The women were determined to hold it despite the attacks and some managed to make it to a secret venue located near Hyde Park. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx9pyvI-V7M Our featured picture is by Venice Allen and is of conference participants listening to one of the talks. In this interview, WLRN's Thistle Pettersen speaks with Julia Long, one of the speakers at the conference, and with Ruby & Trixie, two of the conference organizers. They talked about what motivated them to organize the conference and give a play-by-play account of what happened before it took place, during the conference and in the aftermath. Dr Julia Long is a lesbian feminist, committed to building lesbian feminist community and politics. She currently works for a women's sector charity, supporting women who have experienced male violence. Until recently she was working in academia, and is the author of Anti-Porn: The Resurgence of Anti-Pornography Feminism. London: Zed Books. She is a long-time feminist activist, and has been involved in groups including the London Feminist Network, Reclaim the Night and OBJECT. She has organised and participated in numerous national and international feminist conferences and seminars. Trixie is a 29 year old feminist artist, activist and general provocateur living in London. Her band, Daughters of God, is currently recording new material. http://cargocollective.com/ravenous. She got interested in learning more about gender politics via informal discussions with friends and through research online. She and her friends volunteered to organize the What Is Gender conference and contacted over 20 trans activists to participate as speakers but none of them, in the end, accepted the invitation. Ruby was also an organizer for the conference and is new to radical feminism. The experience of co-organizing the What Is Gender conference has made her aware of just how contentious gender politics can be in 2017. She, along with the other organizers, has not given up. She is a novelist and this experience has made her think her next novel will be about trans activism and feminism. Only two short weeks after the violence at Speakers' Corner, these organizers have put together another event called Debate Not Hate: We Need To Talk About Gender. It is scheduled to happen this coming Wednesday, September 27th. https://www.facebook.com/events/676435835895732/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%224%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%22308%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D

Kit checks in from across the Atlantic! In this week's episode, they sat down with a member of the Irish trans community to talk about the Gender Recognition Act, medical care, and....public transit?? What's it like to be trans in Ireland? Well, here's your chance to find out...