The Monster is Eating its Own Tail

The world of identity politics and its related attempts to impose authoritarian group-think and thought-crime is sometimes amusing to watch.

Germaine Greer may be barred from giving a lecture on women’s rights at a leading British university after hundreds of its students signed a petition accusing her of holding “misogynistic views” about transgender people.

Now you might think that being transgender, I have a horse in this race. However, one thing I realised when I started coming out, is that I really don’t belong to a “trans community”. Perhaps because I don’t have any desire to campaign for anything. I just want to be left alone. Which, frankly, is precisely what happens. If you don’t like the fact I’m trans, or want to say so. Well, big deal. It’s free(ish) country and you are entitled to your views. I really don’t care. It might colour my opinion of you, but that’s my freedom to think as I please. As long as you don’t commit violence against me for occasionally cross-dressing, we will rub along just fine. I don’t need any “rights”. I certainly don’t need protection from Greer saying unpleasant things about  me.

So, to Greer. The woman is one of those dreadful radical feminists of the Julie Bindell ilk. Their attitude towards transgender people is curious to say the least – although there is a logic. They take the attitude that transwomen aren’t “real” women and, therefore, dilute the cause of feminism – or something. That we are another group on the leftist lexicon of special identities that need “rights” is at odds with their desire for female dominance. They are misandrists and their virulent hatred of trans people is merely an extension of this. Their repugnance is exposed for what it is.

But, then, when it comes to repugnance, the vocal trans people and their allies campaigning to stop these radfems from speaking out are just as bad. You don’t further your cause by silencing dissent – no matter how much it hurts your feelings or sensibilities. I’m more than happy for Greer and Bindell to spout their vile rhetoric for by their words we will know them. Why would I want to silence them when reasonable people will wince upon hearing their nasty, idiotic bollocks?

There is one point here, though. Free speech is not the same thing as the freedom to be heard. A university is a private space. The university is not, therefore, obliged to give them a platform. I think they should, but if they choose not to, well, their gaff and all that.

By late on 23 October almost 300 people had signed the petition, which was started by Cardiff Student’s Union Women’s Officer Rachael Melhuish. It claims hosting Greer would be “dangerous” due to her previously stated views on transgender people.

Yeah, because someone saying something that other people disagree with is dangerous. Fuck me.

In a column written in 2009, the author of The Female Eunuch said the idea of being trans was a “delusion” and described trans women as “ghastly parodies”.

They would be the ones she has noticed. Those she hasn’t obviously were not…  And that’s the thing, many of us pass easily precisely we look feminine to start with. That middle-aged woman in the  queue at Sainsbury’s – woman or transwoman? It isn’t always easy to tell. Greer is just an ignorant old reactionary. But that’s just fine with me. It takes all sorts. As for us being delusional – ah, yes, the vile old crone is a cod-psychologist now. Says more about her than it does about us.

So, let her speak. She does more harm to her cause by doing so.