The Norfolk Gender & Sexuality (GAS) Discussion Group meets at the Norwich Forum Library, 6.30pm Feb 2, to debate “Self-Identified Gender revolution, a social or surgical trans & non-binary construct?”. (Facebook event)
After an extensive inquiry the UK government is considering extending full protection to gender identity as well as the existing protected characteristic of gender reassignment and bringing in an Irish styled self-declaration of gender statement. It ‘may’ also being to degender official documents including passports by adding options like ‘other’ or removing gender altogether.
International sports bodies, like the IOC, are also easing the requirements for trans athletes to compete under their identified-gender subject to low testosterone levels that may still exceed that of a natal woman.
Will this create a gender free-for-all with more backlash from the Daily Mail, Jeremy Clarkson, and Germaine Greer? Last month Clarkson accused parents of poisoning the minds of young trans kids by supporting their gender identity ‘delusions’.
Meanwhile ‘trans‘ (Collins English Dictionary) and ‘identity‘ (Dictionary.com), along with singular ‘they‘ (American Dialect Society) were all declared words of the 2015 by various social word watchers. The Washington Post updated its style guide to include ‘they‘ for people not identifying male or female. The New York Times and UK Parliament now accept Mx as an honorific title and the OED has added it to the dictionary.
The transgender tipping point has become a trans landslide with more trans in film and TV roles and portrayals. There is also an emerging non-binary gender revolution in fashion, goods, and identity. Will this increased trans visibility ease society’s acceptance or create yet more criticism from trans-exclusionary radical feminists and tabloid columnists, some of whom are are oddly united on this.
Is this the beginning of self-declared gender or the end of gender itself as having any meaning at all? Is gender a construct, or can it now be surgically and verbally constructed without any lived experience?
Government Transgender Report
Maria Miller interview on Trans inequalities
International Olympic Committee on Trans Athletes
http://www.outsports.com/2016/1/21/10812404/transgender-ioc-policy-new-olympics
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4676154.ece
Jeremy Clarkson criticises parents of trans kids
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/490259/Jeremy-Clarkson-Amazon-Prime-Transgender-kids-Zoe-Gill-Pierce
2015 year of transgender visibility
http://www.katyjon.com/2015-year-of-transgender-visibility-voice-and-vulnerability/
Word of the Year
‘Transgender’ word of the year
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/11/05/transgender-named-as-2015-word-of-the-year/
‘Identity’ word of the year
http://blog.dictionary.com/identity/
Singular ‘they’ word of the year
http://www.americandialect.org/2015-word-of-the-year-is-singular-they
http://uk.businessinsider.com/the-word-they-named-2015-word-of-the-year-2016-1
http://www.poynter.org/2015/the-washington-post-will-allow-singular-they/387542/
One of the interesting geeky digressions we ended up on included futuristic concepts of no gender or multi genders including quantum genders and parallel selves! We also explored the born this way vs raised or made aspects of sex/gender and sexuality, and free-choice elements. We raised the issue of whether trans and gender identity dysphoria would exist in a world free of binary gender stereotyping and whether there was some kind of innate gender that would exist regardless.