Stonegate, Oct. 20

By Sophia Siedlberg.

I have decided to do a day to day commentary on the "Stonegate" affair where a lot of trans folks are really angry with Stonewall UK for nominating Julie Bindel, a writer in the Guardian for the "Journalist of the year" award.

Personally I don't have any grievances with Julie Bindel. Some of what she says is interesting and some of it plain slanderous (She admits that herself). But then she is a UK journalist and in my opinion that is part and parcel of that job.

It was with some fascination I read that Stephen Whittle and Christine Burns (Two well known transsexual activists) were said to be supportive of Julie Bindel's nomination for the award when practically everyone else in the same community would not be so supportive. I think Stephen and Christine took a rather brave step if this is to be believed.

Putting my differences with Stephen Whittle aside for a moment, I have to say that what he did (If indeed this is true) was quite a radical step. I am sure Stephen will be making a statement about this. Hopefully he will be able to build bridges between these lesbian and transsexual communities. I am not sure this approach was all that wise though.

This is the problem with Stonegate; there are wars, rumors of wars and rumors of rumors of wars. This morning I read in cyberspace that while a group of transsexual folks were planning to hold a demonstration, some lesbian women were planning a counter demonstration. I am wondering what that will achieve? I will be honest here. I am left with the somewhat distasteful impression that someone somewhere would benefit from having two groups who are traditionally uneasy with each other tearing each other apart on the streets of London.

All it does is give the real bigots (Wait for the Christian Right to step in) ammunition to jump in and go "Told you so" in front of cameras held by the paparazzi and Dr. Richard Green. It should be obvious to anyone that the transsexual folks have had just about enough of the regular hammerings they get in the UK press, which is what this is really about. Take a look at the following:

"Male to female transsexuals are an insult to real women, they really do not care about issues like rape or violence against women, and they are just men with male privilege and should be banned from having any medical or legal support."

Notice the cheers coming from the Stonewall central office? OK, let's just make a few slight changes to illustrate the problem more clearly:

"Lesbian women are an insult to real women; they really do not care about issues like rape or violence against women. They are just middle class women with middle class privileges and should be banned from having any medical or legal support."

Can you hear it now? "Boo, hiss, bigot, bigot, boo!" can be heard emanating from the Stonewall offices. You see the first paragraph would get someone "The Journalist of the year award". The second paragraph would get someone the "Bigot of the year award". I am not being melodramatic or using old fashioned comparisons when saying that this is exactly how a lot of transsexual folks see the actions of Stonewall UK.

This makes me wonder about these demonstrations and counter demonstrations. I know what is going to happen and it is not the demonstrations themselves that will cause me concern. It is the endless shit that will appear on the media and community blogs soon after. I tend to look at those "Comment" sections and to be honest, they would make Julie Bindel and her critics look like a writers of sweet and angelic poetry when it comes to sheer venom.

Want an example?

"Those f*****g freaks and dykes should be shot, better still gassed slowly. They should do genetic tests before they are born to make sure these filthy b******s never get a chance to live and poison our children's minds. It says in Leviticus that these people should be stoned to death. I think that’s not good enough. I want to see them really suffer and I can get a sexual thrill from it, because that is in the bible!"

And that is polite by comparison to some of it.  I can see it now, the paparazzi and Dr. Richard Green will be looking at both demonstrations trying to pick out the "ugliest" of the demonstrators and making posters to appear either in the tabloid press or Dr. Kenneth Zucker's "Holiday album" saying "Look monster! scum, ha ha ha!"

OK some of these people will say this stuff whether there is a demonstration or not, because they are like that, just plain nasty. I think that the biggest shock would be if the demonstrators stopped, walked across the street to each other and said "Well OK, Mr. and Mrs. Angry of Acacia avenue, why don't you just piss off and stop lurking in comment sections like vultures waiting to stick the boot in?"

(This will never happen because some people have entrenched opinions).

I don't think the cucumber sandwiches on the lawn over a game of croquet routine Whittle and Burns have been doing will work. I think that in some ways that is even more divisive. While individuals are clearly on speaking terms, which is not a bad thing at all, I think the commonly held view of Stonewall themselves is going to undo all that. It was a nice try but from what I am reading a lot of transsexual folks seem to see Stephen Whittle and Christine Burns as "Collaborators with the enemy", especially when you consider what Stonewall would be cheering and booing.

I mean come on. What am I seeing here? Another example of the strange and confusing political maneuvering while Mr. and Mrs. Angry from Acacia Avenue get their claws out and start to sharpen them over their keyboards waiting like vultures to tap in their venom and hate on every "Comment section" that appears. Stonewall really need to get rid of that image (And attitude) they have right now, the one where they celebrate one group for slamming another. But if a few words were changed in those comments they would be handing out a bigot award.

Again I don't think Bindel should be excluded from the shortlist, but what about giving transsexual folks a few more positive messages? Calling them names for planning to demonstrate in the first place, or playing "We are not listening, la la la" politics with the Gender Trust is not going to help either, and the "Stock responses" to all the email enquiries are downright inhuman to put it bluntly. You have what? Two or three weeks to settle this before the awards are given out? How about you people at Stonewall set up an online forum, and get

both the lesbian and transsexual communities to talk to each other on there, and have open and equal moderation, (None of this giving more room for one to speak than another).

That is the best suggestion I have right now and probably the only suggestion that may work realistically if Stonewall want to get out of their self dug hole.

And being nice to safe people in other communities does not work either. (You people at Stonewall know what I am talking about). If you do not want another four or five weeks after the ceremony with Mr. and Mrs. Angry of Acacia Avenue calling for the re establishment of section 28 with menaces and additional clauses hammering even more people, you need to get real and sort this out.

It is up to you now.