Thread by Prof. Stephen Whittle OBE, PhD, DLaws, FAcSS,

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1. Now - we have a right to not be discriminated against in employment, housing, goods, services etc. We also have a right to personal autonomy & where we have met the conditions to be recognised in law in our affirmed gender for all purposes. But having a right doesn’t …

2. … mean (a) folk afford that right to trans people & (b) trans people are able to enforce their rights. I’ve been doing trans support for 50 years & legal advocacy for 35 years. In 1975 I had no rights - & was regularly sacked when employers required my passport or birth cert.
3. And so on. It was tough. In 1975 we could only ‘self-I’d’ - everything said ‘Miss’ or ‘female’. Did once hitchhike through Europe explaining my situation at each border crossing. I am lucky - hormones worked quickly & I soon had a good beard, & I am able & articulate. I …
3. … learnt that they would be surprised, then kind as I told them my story. Mostly. I was almost arrested in Italy, I met my partner in 78. She has never doubted she I am. And she is not naive - she is a senior lecturer in nursing, & qualified & worked in general & mental …
3. … health nursing. I realised as the 1980s went from bad to worse that someone needed to understand the law. I set up my own business (I pay the wages, if you don’t like who I am, please go & work elsewhere) & did 10 yrs of evening classes in law. I had always wanted to …
4. … teach but could not get accepted to train, but again was lucky. 2 lecturers at MMU gave me guidance & eventually was appointed to a post in 1992. But we had no rights - at threadreaderapp.com/user/stephenwhittle you will find many stories about our life as a family & the issues we ..,
5. … faced. In the early 90s a few of us set up Press For Change. We came out, mobilised, won major court cases, educated, & changed all of that to having rights & respect. We fought never to remove any rights & to be frank I thought very hard as to whether proposals for a …
6. … ‘self-id’ gender recognition system was the right way forward. It was recommended by the House of Commons Women’s & Equalities Cttee. Their 1sr report on this is here publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmselect/cmwomeq/390/39002.htm
7. And they did a 2nd report here specifically into reform of the Gander Recognition Act here publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmwomeq/977/report.html
8. As I said enforcing rights is not easy. Most have to be enforced by the courts & that costs a lot to file & a fortune to have representation. So most contraventions are not challenged & employers, landlords, service providers including health, religious bodies, etc continue ..
9. … behaving badly with impunity. What is now being proposed is the removal of the most basic rights - our legal recognition & simple things like having a pee in a public building or shop loo, going for a swim. I f the proposals go ahead it could mean trans women are barred …
10. … from loos & changing rooms, sexual assault assessment centres, refuges or homeless shelters. The other side says they would not be - they can use the men’s services, or have their own. If women would feel unsafe using men’s services, trans women know they would be ,,
11. … victimised. Our access to health care would again be severely compromised - I would not go into hospital into a women’s ward. Imagine how those women might feel. There are several reasons why our rights to a quiet life are being attacked & undermine so much - will my ..,,
12. … marriage continue to be valid - it is an opposite sex marriage, & S would argue she has never id’s a lesbian - buy the law insisted she was when we had our children. Will I still be Dad to the kids I adopted or will I become an amorphous 2nd parent. On one level wtf, on …
13. .., another was made a their dad by the court, how can that suddenly be in doubt. I gave up 5 years of pension for them & their protection. Perhaps that should be paid now. We are angry because despite being trans now not a mental health condition we are being flung back ..
14.. .., to the 1970s - & for what? We very rarely commit crimes, support women’s rights etc Listen to this podcast: THE ANTI-TRANS HATE MACHINE to understand the enemy, its wealth & power. US based, very well researched & it follows the money shows.acast.com/the-anti-trans-hate-machine/episodes/trailer
15. Next time you see/meet one of us, can I suggest you make contact,& listen. You could make a good friend - we tend to be loyal as very few are willing to make contact & have dialogue in a positive & friendly way. Thank you for politely asking your question. It is appreciated.
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