Recently the BBC invited me to the prestigious "Reith Lectures" assumably because the speaker Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was talking about one of the so-called "Freedoms" - The Freedom of Speech.
...more
It’s fair to say that JK Rowling is acknowledged by many as a skilled author and as such, is well-versed in the art of good storytelling.
...more
Jessica North is the Politics Reporter at the Scottish Daily Express (SDE); with her SDE bio reading:
...more
“Trans Women are a serious threat and are destroying Women’s Sport”
This is an intentionally emotive statement, and let’s face it, it is an easy one to sell.
...more
Is Fair Play Women a Hate Group?
Officially identifying an organisation as a 'hate group' in the UK is neigh on impossible because there appears to be no recognised definition. This could be considered a serious failing by the government, the Crime Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which are charged with promoting and protecting human rights.
...more
(23/9/22 19:00)
While it might seem like we’ve been a bit quiet here at Steph’s Place, things behind the scenes have been (and still are) thoroughly hectic.
Big things are afoot here, and although we’re not in a position to share what just yet, last week’s events at the National Diversity Awards has only amplified our desire to drive forwards to fight for the Trans & Non-Binary community.
For those of you that don't know, earlier this year we found out that we had been nominated for one of the UK’s most prestigious diversity awards, in the Community Organisation - LGBT category.
...more
What is a woman? Recently, this question has been thrown at politicians, particularly the Conservative leadership candidates.
The real question is why?
...more
So, they think it's all over - well, it is now the Commonwealth Games have finished, and I guess you (and others like you) are proud because you saved #SaveWomensSport.
...more
Gender-critical people and trans people rarely agree - but both "sides" are relieved that Tavi is closing. The crux, though, is not Tavi; it's puberty blockers. Gender-critical people invariably don't want them used. Trans people want them used much earlier - to be precise, at Tanner Stage Two.
...more
I've purposely delayed in writing this blog - this happened some weeks back. Everything is 100% true, except for Maggie's name. I have never been invited to a women's networking event before, and to be quite honest, it was something that did not exactly excite me.........
...more
As the Tory government tears itself apart in the fight that will become the squabble for the next leader and Prime Minister, the aspect that will be a focus of the ‘debate’ is Women. The pointed question of “what is a women?” posed by broadcasters as provocation towards a stance on trans rights. The question is never what is a man?
...more
On the 29th of June 2022, a trans rights protest was held outside of 10 Downing Street. Both Claire & Steph gave speeches and said as follows:
...more
On the 29th of June 2022 a trans rights protest was held outside of 10 Downing Street. One of the speakers was Dr. Natacha Kennedy and we are grateful to her for this transcript.
A lot of people don’t understand why trans and non-binary people have campaigned so hard for abortion rights in places like the US and Ireland. This is partly because there are plenty of us who can become pregnant, but it is also because of the principle of bodily autonomy.
...more
At midday just seven days ago, I was behind a microphone in a room the size of a broom cupboard at the BBC studios in Southampton. Whilst I realised I was speaking live on Radio 4, I did not appreciate that it was to some 600,000 people - the vast majority not having a clue about what is often called "the trans debate".
...more
Well, I am angry, and I know I should not be writing this blog - I will probably write something I shouldn't But sometimes, getting things off your chest can be helpful, so here goes.....
...more
At 6:00 pm on the evening of June 3rd, in a relatively unknown velodrome in South East London, a grassroots cycle race was about to begin. This was not an elite race or even controlled by British Cycling - it was purely about "fun"...
...more
Well it took about 6-Months, but, my GRC application has actually been approved. I’m still in shock as I’d adjusted my expectations of a positive outcome all the way down to zero, so as not to be disappointed, but hey it all worked out positively.
...more
Tories - are not known for being kind, and indeed, this government are, in my lifetime, the worst yet. There was a time when caught a lying, an MP would resign immediately - now, being "a good liar" can be seen to be a prerequisite of being a Tory MP.
...more
So many lies; where do we start?
From alleging GRA reform will influence trans people being included in elite sports teams, massacring 18 kids in Texas in the recent school shooting to causing US inflation - you name it; transgender folk get blamed for it.
...more
Responding to Monday’s parliamentary debate on non-binary rights (23/5/22), Keyne Walker, a spokesperson on non-binary issues for TransActual said: “It is clear that the debate today was almost entirely disconnected from what non-binary legal recognition would mean in practice.
...more
“Trannies! Trannies! Trannies”! - the 3 young men shouted as they marched through every room of the swimming baths. From pool to the hall, to exit, they brushed past me so close they could have punched me if they wanted to.
...more
I am a trans woman, my body was born with incorrect body parts which means I am unable to have a baby despite the strong primal yearning in me to be able to have a baby.
...more
It's a known fact that one of the hardest things to sell if you are a salesman is insurance. The reason is quite simple - you can't see it.
...more
Last week Boris Johnson effectively declared open war on Transgender Rights in the UK. Contrary to the commonly used claim that Trans Activists are demanding increased rights, our Prime Minister has stated that he believes rights that Trans People currently have should now be removed from them. His empty meaningless claim to fully understand and support Trans people is simply not true .....
...more
Can you believe the irony? Julie Bindel wrote in the Daily Express on April 16th with the headline: This is what really happened at that JK Rowling women's lunch. I have been in contact with Jo Rowling for two or three years.
...more14/4/22
14:30
As we all know, 31st March is Trans Day of Visibility, and while this year’s was memorable for all the wrong reasons thanks to our incompetent and bigoted UK Government, on a personal level I had quite a nice surprise.
I received a phone call out of the blue from the new East of England Gender Service, a Nurse & GP led pilot being coordinated by the Nottingham GIC, and they were asking if I wanted to transfer to them to speed up being seen on the NHS.
...more
I took an opportunity this weekend to hand deliver a letter addressed to Sir Keir Starmer to clearly spell out the dangers that the Trans Community face today in the light of the deeply worrying statement of intent made by Boris Johnson to attack and remove Trans Rights; the following is a copy of this letter .....
...more
On the 9th of April, The Telegraph published a story written by Ewan Sommerville suggesting that Stonewall was responsible for the collapse of the government's "Safe To Be Me" conference. The report also suggests, the resulting bill should be sent to Stonewall.
...moreWhat a shame Kim Thomas seems incapable of fair reporting. In the Telegraph (April 6th), Kim wrote the story of "Allie", who it would appear had significant identity issues.
...more
How wrong was Susanna Rustin writing in the Guardian(April 6th 2022) saying, "By backing both reforms to the Gender Recognition Act and single-sex spaces, the party is unable to communicate clearly to voters."
...more
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published its guidance on single-sex spaces on 4 April 2022. This is non-statutory ‘guidance’, it is not the law itself.
...more
Julie Bindel and I have several things in common for certain, one being our first names and the other that we are both women, she coming from the “adult human female” route and me from the self-identifying gender-fluid route.
...more
Three score years and ten; the nominal term of human life. Then it becomes "borrowed time", I guess. Whatever the truth, we all get older and hopefully a bit wiser, assuming our health stands up.
...more
The Lord Paddick, also known as Brian Paddick, is a former senior Police officer in the Met, and a trans ally. Allies are critical to our cause for trans acceptance in society and for us to achieve our aim - live our lives in peace and harmony.
...more
If anyone in the UK reading this had depression they would go to their GP and tell them that they were suffering from depression or anxiety, the GP would in return, ask a few questions, ensure they weren’t a danger to themselves and prescribe some medication. Possibly, alongside a referral to Talking Matters or a similar service.
...more
On the 21st of December 2021, the Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC) published its report regarding the Gender Recognition Act reform. Similar to their report in 2015, the report recommended Self-ID, meaning that both trans men and trans women could update their birth certificates.
...more
Female Masculinities and the Gender War by Finn Mackay was published in late 2021 and has recently been getting some excellent book reviews - mine included.
...more
Recently I was shocked to discover that some people see me as "aggressive" - I am not. Determined, passionate and 'bad loser' - yep, I can relate to that, I don't fight to lose. Some people also query my Twitter bio, which reads: Post-op, Rad Fem, Trans Woman. She/her Labour LTE LWN calling out VAWG. Co-editor of Steph's Place.
...more
It is common in trans circles to hear the phrase 'I feel like l was born in the wrong body'. While l wouldn't challenge that feeling if that is the way someone wishes to express it, it always makes me return to a thought I've always harboured about the phrase.
We are all born into the wrong body.
...more
Every three days a woman is killed by a man was the headline in the Daily Mirror on the 30th September 2021, and indeed that is the very statistic that I use in our #EveryThreeDays campaign highlighting this fact.
...more
Being trans is hard
It has it's joys
It has it's pain
It has it's euphoria
On the 2nd of February, after months of hard work (not to forget stress and frustration), the story broke via Vice News that the EHRC was working actively with organisations that, in the opinion of trans people, promote hate. Transphobes. People that we say are both prejudiced and openly discriminatory.
...more
Many of us would like to be at the protest at the BBC today, but for various reasons, we can't. But you can still make your voice be heard by emailing your complaint to the BBC's Director-General Timothy Davie. His email address is below together with a template letter which of course you can amend if you wish. If you wish to make changes PLEASE DO NOT BE OFFENSIVE - it will NOT help our cause.
...more
I agree with the need to provide single-sex spaces - we all need safe spaces sometimes. But they must be allocated fairly by the service provider, so I quote the exact words from the Equality Act here - "proportionate to a legitimate aim."
...more
This month’s issue of Cosmopolitan magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary, and the cover picture used is that of transgender model Munroe Bergdorf. In the same week, the Golden Globes award for best actress in a TV drama series went to trans woman MJ Rodriguez, for her performance in the Netflix series Pose.
...more
The government released its hate crime statistics in November 2021. These showed a total of ‘recorded’ hate crimes of 124,091 across all Police forces in England and Wales.
...more
Just a quick update to my recent Lia Thomas article which took yet another twist this weekend – and the headlines this time are all about Women’s Sport being won by a Man, Izzi Henig, who is in fact a Trans Man and beat Lia in two races at the latest US Ivy League Swimming meet.
...moreShare this page:
Love and let live