Links - 13th February 2020 (2) (Trans Mania)

Cultures that have ‘third genders’ don’t prove transgenderism is either ubiquitous or progressive - "Trans activists claim that transgenderism has existed throughout history. To prove that “gender identity” is not a modern invention, they point to non-Western societies where, historically, more than two genders have been culturally accepted. This claim is rarely subjected to critical analysis. A feminist analysis is ignored in favour of a superficial analysis of race and colonialism that goes as follows: if a third gender exists in non-Western, non-white societies, the “sex binary” must be a colonialist Western concept that has been imposed on all of us.But while a third gender really does exist in some societies, that doesn’t necessarily mean that these non-Western views of sex and gender roles are anti-sexist, nor does it mean the application of this idea to Western societies is automatically progressive. If you compare India’s transgender population to Pakistan’s, you’ll notice an interesting similarity: an overwhelming majority are males. Hijra, as they are called in India, are men or boys pressured to become women on misogynistic grounds: these males love hanging out with women, help women with domestic work, have features that are considered  “feminine,” or are suspected of being homosexual. They are often castrated and aren’t allowed to marry or own property. While they may be called upon to bless newborns and celebrate marriages, society generally shuns them and they are rejected by their ashamed families. Seen as accursed, they are given a ritual, religious purpose to counterbalance their ungodly condition. They often become dancers and prostitutes and, like in Pakistan, have to seek the guardianship of a guru (who essentially functions as their pimp) in order to avoid homelessness... Those who claim transgenderism is universal will also bring up Indigenous societies to show that “male” and “female” are simply rigid inventions of Western, colonial culture, offering  “third genders” and “two spirit” people as proof of this... The Navajo, for example, have a traditional third gender class called “nadleeh.” While, today, the term is applied to both trans-identified males and females, it originally referred exclusively to males. According to an essay by Wesley Thomas in the book, Two-Spirit People, “Navajo Cultural Constructions of Gender and Sexuality,” men who showed proclivities for traditionally female activities such as weaving, cooking, and raising children, became nadleeh... gender roles still existed in Navajo society... Traditionally, the Navajo believed that the power of creation belonged to women. It is safe to say that they never believed that nadleeh — “feminine males” — were actually women, because they didn’t have the ability to bear children. They were regarded as feminine on the basis of social occupations but were not called women — azdaa — in the Navajo language. Society was organized on the principle of collective work divided by men and women on account of their physiological differences — women’s activities, for example, were based on their reproductive capacity and status as life-givers.In this case, the concept of nadleeh cannot be understood as “gender identity” or gender/sex dysphoria, as it was related to social occupations and behaviors connected to sex... It also is misguided to assume that non-Western, non-white “third genders” necessarily shatter the gender binary. The existence of other “gender” castes shouldn’t be assumed to challenge the “sex/gender binary” — they need to be examined within their own cultural and political contexts, from a feminist perspective.The fact that those placed in this “third” gender category are usually males raises another red flag. It suggests that, while men can be downgraded to the status of females, women cannot rise up to the status of men
When I cited this to complicate the narrative of Bugis and Native American genders showing gender diversity was "natural", this was dismissed as a TERF blog, naturally. "Transphobia" is basically anything a trans activist doesn't like, principally disagreement or opposing arguments

Morgan 🇬🇭🇧🇿🇺🇸 on Twitter - "Within 5 years of gay “marriage” being legalized, we have
transgender kids, gay sex being taught in schools, endless genders, drag queen story hour, people advocating for the decriminalization of AIDS transmission, and grown men in woman’s bathrooms
Disgusting."
On the "myth" of the slippery slope

Teacher Says Parents “Don’t Know What’s Best” - "Anthony Lane, an English teacher at Willis High School who has vocally defended the school’s decision to bring in an adult male entertainer who performs at strip clubs to spend a day with the children, lashed out on Facebook at parents who have complained... WISD administration has been enmeshed in controversy ever since Houston drag queen and adult entertainer “Lynn Adonis” was invited into the school by the cosmetology department. Adonis exchanged social media contact information with several of the children."

Now trans and gay hate crime will mean SIX months in jail after judges are ordered to crack down - "Offenders found guilty of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexuality should get at least six months in prison, new sentencing guidelines state... The instructions, released yesterday by the judge-led Sentencing Council – the statutory body that recommends punishment levels – mean transgender hate offences will receive harsher sentences than domestic burglaries... The instructions, which will come into effect on January 1, follow a series of cases in which police have been accused of launching heavy-handed investigations into transgender hate crime allegations... This year Surrey Police quizzed a Catholic mother-of-five after she was accused of ‘misgendering’ the trans daughter of an activist on social media by using the pronoun ‘him’... This is the only public order offence for which offenders can be convicted for what they say, write, broadcast or post on the internet or social media... The Sentencing Council said the least serious offences of stirring up racial hatred, in which people spread hate ‘recklessly’ without intending to do so, should be handed community punishments rather than jail time.But the same does not apply to spreading hatred on religious or sexual orientation grounds... The Council said it wanted to reassure ‘concerned respondents the guideline is not politically influenced or motivated’.But prison charity The Howard League criticised judges for advocating short jail terms.It told the Council’s consultation: ‘The guidelines should be encouraging the use of effective community programmes rather than expensive, ineffective short-term prison sentences.’"
Clearly knife crime is not an issue in the UK

Transgender woman claims discrimination after she is snubbed from porn for having a penis - "A transgender woman says she is a victim of 'transphobic' discrimination after being snubbed for a job as a female porn star - because she still has a penis.Ria Cooper, 25, who became Britain's youngest trans person when she transitioned 10 years ago, had decided to embark on a career in porn when a photographer messaged her asking if she wanted to have sex with him for a film.But when the photographer heard Ria still had a penis he refused to work with her, bluntly proclaiming he couldn't do so because she 'has a c***'. Ria has hit out at the 'transphobic behaviour' and says she's being unfairly discriminated against in her pursuit of a modelling career. Ria, from Hull, East Yorkshire, has reported the comments to Humberside Police, which is investigating the incident as a hate crime... he wouldn't work with her because 'Playboy won't accept that'... Ria has described the comments as 'discriminatory' and 'appalling', comparing the abuse to that of a racist... 'The way he spoke to me after that was absolutely disgusting, no one should be discriminated against for their lifestyle choice.'"
Why no one takes "hate crimes" seriously anymore

Rachel McKinnon, Transgender Cyclist, Wins Women World Championship - "McKinnon set a women’s world record in the qualifying event, the BBC reported. McKinnon, a philosophy professor at the College of Charleston, won the same event in 2018. McKinnon told Sky News in an interview that aired Friday that it would be unfair if the cyclist was kept out of women’s events. “So, if we want to say, that I believe you’re a woman for all of society, except for this massive central part that is sport, then that’s not fair,” McKinnon said.McKinnon said in a tweet Sunday that a “real champion” would accept biologically male athletes competing in female athletics.“I have yet to meet a real champion who has a problem with trans women. Real champions want stronger competition,” McKinnon wrote. “If you win because bigotry got your competition banned … you’re a loser.” In another tweet late Saturday night, McKinnon argued that “ignorant” people oppose allowing biologically male athletes in female sports."
So much for "Equal rights for others does not mean less rights for you. It's not Pie"

Rachel McKinnon: Transgender athlete sets world best but rules out Tokyo 2020 - "Ex-swimmer Sharron Davies said it will take female athletes "being thrown under the bus" at Tokyo 2020 before changes are made to transgender rules... Former British Masters champion Victoria Hood, who competes in the same category as McKinnon but is currently injured, told BBC Sport that other riders "sacrificed" the opportunity to compete at the World Championships because "they don't want to compete" against McKinnon."The science is there. The science is clear - it tells us that trans women have an advantage," she said."The world record has just been beaten today by somebody born male, who now identifies as female, and the gap between them and the next born female competitor was quite a lot."The world record was two tenths of a second. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but it is."The gap between them and the next female competitor was four tenths, which to put into perspective in a sprint event like this, that would be 15m of the track, when sprint events are usually won by centimetres."It is a human right to participate in sport. I don't think it's a human right to identify into whichever category you choose."... "If people want to push this through some misguided idea that they are being inclusive, it is not inclusive. It is excluding women and girls from their own category. It's not fair," Hood said.  "The IOC need to make fair policies that are based on the science that we have, because if they can't then they are not fit for purpose.  "They are washing their hands of it and it is becoming more political than it is about science and biology.""

Rachel McKinnon, Transgender Cyclist, Wins Women World Championship - "“I have yet to meet a real champion who has a problem with trans women. Real champions want stronger competition,” McKinnon wrote. “If you win because bigotry got your competition banned … you’re a loser.” In another tweet late Saturday night, McKinnon argued that “ignorant” people oppose allowing biologically male athletes in female sports."

Blaire White - Posts - "Sometimes I'm embarrassed to be transgender.. Not because of gender dysphoria, not because of transphobes, not because of any personal struggle.. BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY.Every day it seems like this community is finding new ways to bully the public into supporting us rather than making a peaceful, logical, honest case for ourselves."

Motorcyclist Who Identifies As Bicyclist Sets Cycling World Record | The Babylon Bee - "Professional motorcycle racer Judd E. Banner, the brave trans-vehicle rider, was allowed to race after he told league organizers he's always felt like a bicyclist in a motorcyclist's body."Look, my ride has handlebars, two wheels, and a seat," he told reporters as he accepted a trophy for his incredible time trial. "Just because I've got a little extra hardware, such as an 1170-cc flat-twin engine with 110 horsepower doesn't mean I have any kind of inherent advantage here."... Some critics say he needs to cut off his motor in order to make the competition fairer, but he quickly called these people bigots, and they were immediately banned from professional cycle racing."

Transgender lobby gets Always to rid sanitary towels of female logo - "The maker of Always sanitary pads has given in to claims of discrimination by transgender men and removed the ‘Venus’ symbol of the female sex from the wrapping.Outraged women are now boycotting the leading brand after the decision by makers Procter & Gamble (P&G) to kowtow to trans activists who were born female and still use sanitary products.Last night, feminists warned that the concession is a chilling move towards the ‘elimination of women’s biology’... many of Always’s female customers have responded angrily to the move and are vowing to switch to other sanitary products.Leading feminist campaigner Julie Bindel told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Removing the female symbol from sanitary towel packaging is basically denying the existence of women... Maya Forstater, a women’s rights advocate who lost her job as a think tank tax expert for saying transgender women are not women, tweeted: ‘The venus sign in biology is used to represent the female sex (you know, the ONLY people who will ever need these products). It does not represent gender identity.’Another objector, Lizzi Watson, said: ‘Biological women should just boycott the brand, then they might realise real women have feelings too, which they have somehow ignored.’"

Researchers Test Facial Recognition Technology on Transgender Women - "Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder recently tested a number of leading AI-based facial analysis services on photos of cisgender, transgender and otherwise gendered Instagram users. They gathered the 2,450 photos by searching the hashtags #woman, #man, #transwoman, #transman, #agenderqueer or #nonbinary.According to the hyper-woke researchers, the names of the hashtags were “crowdsourced” exclusively from “queer, trans, and/or non-binary individuals.” Overall, the facial recognition and detection services all proved very good at guessing the gender identity of cisgender people — with an accuracy rate of about 98 percent for both men and women. However, the services performed significantly worse when it came to transgender people. Based on the Instagram photos, they classified transgender men as female, their birth sex, in nearly 30 percent of cases. And they classified transgender women as male about 23 percent of the time.Furthermore, because the facial analysis services can “see” only male or female, they failed to categorize 100 percent of the agender, genderqueer and nonbinary people according to their preferred gender identity."
I suppose in addition to algorithmns being racist, sexist etc, they are also transphobic