Name: Bee watts
Email: bobbyw9684@googlemail.com
Phone: 07465670667
Comment: Good evening,
My name is bee and I have started up a feminist page and YouTube channel that discusses representation, reporting assault and violence and society’s treatment of different groups. Currently I am looking for volunteers for my transgender episode, I really would like 2-3 volunteers to do a group interview via zoom to discuss these issues. This will be an informal and relaxed conversation that lets the guests guide the topic. Would you be able to help me find a few people to interview? I will attach a link to the channel for you to see also.
Thanks
I appreciate you taking the time to read this message
Bee
I’ve just sent her a message.
They are young feminists. I haven’t seen the whole podcast so I don’t know whether they are trans exclusionary and radical.
If they want to have a shoot out about trans rights, it might make a trending Tweet but it’s not constructive. This is a chance to make new connections. I hope when Kay H and whoever else talks to them, there will be some deep listening and they’ll see we’re lovely people just like them.
Hi Dorothy… all of the “feminists” that I’ve known over the years have been lovely people. (My first wife was very actively involved in the early 80s and had many friends who were at Greenham Common). Jan is too young to have been involved in the early years, but also has friends who were of that generation. I have only recently become aware of certain elements within the feminist movement who may appear hostile to trans issues. Germain Greer, who is a person that I have much respect for, has, I believe, been quite outspoken in her views about not being fully supportive to trans people. I guess that the best way to engage is to try to show that we are not a threat. I suppose that there may be a feeling that some of us are fetish driven and are just blokes trying to live out a fantasy of a 1950s woman who is “dominated” by her male partner, hence the antagonism. All barriers need to be broken, in my opinion.
Many years ago a young female work colleague was giving up her job to become a nurse and start a new life in Bath. She lived in Paignton. She confided in me that she was a lesbian, but her parents had disowned her and she had no way of moving her stuff to Bath. I spent the next three weekends moving her stuff and rang gay switchboard asking for contacts for lesbian people in Bath. I was quite surprised to be told that I would not be welcome in some of the lesbian bars, etc. This was 1991… I’m hoping that nowadays, we can build bridges between all kinds of communities, just by telling our stories and being human. Let’s hope things will work out well. As you say, Dorothy, let’s hope that they will understand that we are “lovely people just like them”. Take care, hun.
I have just looked at the podcast and Bee looks very earnest, I do not think that she is a TURF . She would be fair. It would be good to have someone full time participating..
She did seem to be fair, so I hope that she is. I always try to be careful when dealing with the media and reject enquiries from those that I am not comfortable with. However, we do need to raise awareness of issues from our perspective. If you participate, thank you, but do take care.
I agree, Jane, Bee does seem to be sympathetic to our cause. When Rachel and I went to the NUT LGBT conference at Blackpool last year, we managed to chat to some of the lesbian feminist community and they were overwhelmingly supportive towards trans issues. I hope that, by sharing our human experiences, particularly with what has become known as TURFs, we can arrive at some form of understanding and break down certain barriers. I may have known some people in the 80’s who would now be TURF’s… I don’t know for sure. However, those people liked me then, with a bit of understanding and listening, I feel sure they’d still like me now. Onward and upwards!
Good for you, Sophie. I guess that you have experience of mixing with modern “feminists” from your recent acting activity. I, too, believe that Bee is sympathetic to our situation. However, I would still like to meet feminists who identify as TURFs to see if we can find common ground. Let’s hope that we can celebrate our similarities and live with our differences. The whole basis of feminism is to make the world a better, fairer place for EVERYBODY and to educate bigotted and prejudiced people to help them understand that things need not be the way they’ve been told. Okay… Rachel often chides me… time to get off my soapbox! Hope all is well at Scarfe Hall, your ladyship.
Blimey.. just realised I’d been writing TURF not TERF… must be the grass! xxx
the blonde is alive and well..!
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Kay, Jane and Sophie, I feel heartened by this chat. I love the idea of listening and understanding, finding common ground with the feminists and celebrating our similarities.
You will also need to explain to them that the trans experience is a spectrum or continuum, like much else in human life.
We must not see them as opponents nor want to make them feel shamed, but we should be ourselves, authentic and open. When you talk to the feminists you might want to compare notes on their ideas about beauty, resilience, strength, caring and affection and how these tie in with society’s notions of gender.
Ultimately it comes down to feeling authentic, strong and secure and in a good state of mind, happy in your presentation to the world and being accepted and loved.
I have just volunteered my services. I thought that they might want a film star, who is still surprisingly down to earth.
Just had a podcast chat with Bee, she is very earnest and well meaning, I liked her. She went straight in for some heavy stuff about abuse that trans folk suffer including university students being abused. I told her that she had challenged my knowledge in this regard and I thanked her for bringing it to my attention.
I also told her to watch out for that there Kay as she can be a bit saucy.
I say! What’s this about me being “saucy”? Everybody knows I’m very shy and retiring and I wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Seriously though, it’s great that you took part. I have a chat scheduled for this Friday. I’ll let you know how I get on. Hope I can do us justice. If anybody has anything they’d like me to bring up, let me know.
Kay – you are only “saucy” ( forget “sassy” reserved for Joni ) when you spill your
spaghetti with sauce in lap —
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Now now, Charlotte! Joni may be very sassy, but I am very quiet and reserved. Honest! xxx
Just brush up on your facts and figures! I noticed that Bee referred to Stonewall’s research into negative experiences of young trans men and women: I had just read the same report and I recongnised the statistics that she read out!
As for saucy, well I just thought that she needed tipping off. xxx
This is strange how this ended up in my “in-box ” trying to clear..
Need a big hammer, or maybe go “new-clear”..
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