As many followers are aware one of my passionate “hates” is the term ‘trans ideology’ also known as ‘gender ideology.’ It is a phrase that was invented by the Catholic church and taken on board by transphobes, (such as Ryan T Anderson) the right-wing press and some alleged “intelligent” academics who often feel that they do not have a gender. That of course is really easy for them to say – they are cis-gendered.
Today I am cheating with my blog, it is not all written by me. Because other people, trans and allies call out about the false slur of trans ideology and gender ideology too. This attempt to politicise trans people as a dangerous group. They are often the same homophobic people who tried to politicise our gay, lesbian and bi brothers and sisters ten, twenty, thirty years ago. They want a “pure” society – and in their eyes, we are not pure.
So these words I attribute to my friend Julie Miller – they originally formed a tweet thread, but the tweet is too good to lay hidden within Twitter – it is much better that they in full public view!
Steph and I, have followed the slanging match between Sally Hines and Jane Clare Jones that certainly contain some colourful and amusing insults, but there is a real-world outside of academia where lives are at stake because of the transphobia of the likes of Jones.
I facilitate two transgender support groups, one for my charity and the other in a prison, and I am currently setting up a third one. They are for people who suffer because they cannot express their authentic gender identity in our transphobic society.
In my local area, I know of three suicides by people directly relating to transphobia and another who nearly bled to death. Two people I am supporting have attempted suicide multiple times. Jones professes to be an expert on “trans ideology”.
An ideology needs a grand idea and followers. In my charity, we have provided emotional support to over 1000 trans people, and none of them, not one of them, has ever heard of “trans or gender ideology”. The only idea they pursue is the same as all of us: to be happy, prosper, be social with other humans, and love their authentic selves.
“Trans ideology” is nothing more than an artificial concept drummed up by bigoted and damaged people like Jones to use as a tool to beat up trans people for no other reason than that’s what bullies do. Jones purports to be an expert on trans issues, but she cannot refer to any scientific papers she has written to show she is an expert on “trans ideology”.
She professes to represent women but provides no evidence that she represents anything but a small band of narrow-minded people with their heads firmly wedged up Donald Trump’s posterior orifice.
Fundamentally human beings maintain their positive mental health to achieve the ultimate goal of happiness. Trans people do this by adjusting their gender presentation. Maintaining good mental health means fewer medical interventions, protecting the NHS and saving lives.
In years to come, when the heat of this discussion has died down, we will hold to account perpetrators of transphobia like Jones and prosecute them for the vileness and hatred they pursue under the outrageous lie they are somehow “safeguarding women and children.”
You can follow Julie on her Twitter account: @julie_trans
Thanks, Julie, your thread is well and truly published and I back you 100% – you are a star!
