Thread by @shaunjlawson

THREAD: For women only.

There are, of course, plenty of women out there who disagree with other women on this whole issue. I'm not here to mansplain to them; I want to listen to them. To ALL women.

The following tweets will ask 16 questions. To be answered by women only.

I make no apology for the detail within those questions, nor for requesting and hoping for as much detail as possible in the answers.

When legislative changes such as self-ID are being proposed, detail is vital if what results is to be good, effective law, not bad law.

One other thing too. Trans rights are human rights. Brilliant: we all agree on that. But it's not what the detail in the questions is about.

Once I've set out all the questions, I will not comment on any of the responses. I promise to read all of them.

I may retweet, without comment, those responses I find particularly interesting or thought-provoking. Absolutely including those which disagree with my position on all this, which is irrelevant.

Because I'm a man - and this issue fundamentally concerns women and girls.

I have 2 other requests. Without trying to tone police anyone, I hope what results is a comprehensive discussion on ALL the issues - but a respectful, civil one without judgement. I want all women who read this thread to feel comfortable about answering some or all the questions.

This is Twitter, so that may be too much to hope for, but we'll see.

And finally: if you're a man, please stay out of the thread. You'll be telling on yourself if you don't. Butting out is what I'm about to do the very moment I've listed the questions, which are as follows.

1. Do you think anatomical males should be allowed in protected women's spaces such as prisons, rape refuges, hospital wards or lavatories if they say they’re a woman?

If so, why?

2. Do you think anatomical males should be allowed to get changed in women and girls’ changing rooms if they say they’re a woman? If so, why?

3. Do you think someone born male should be allowed to compete in women’s sports? If so, why?

4. Do you think schools should have only unisex lavatories? If so, why?

5. Do you think anyone should be able to self-declare as the opposite gender without having transitioned first, and immediately be able to access protected women’s spaces? If so, why?

6. If legislation allows for anyone being able to self-declare as the opposite gender without transitioning first, how do you propose to stop male sexual predators and/or violent criminals claiming to be female and taking advantage of said legislation?

7. If a child of any age in any circumstances decides one day they’re of the opposite gender, do you think they should be automatically supported in that by their parents, guardians, schools and/or teachers, with no questioning in any way by any of the latter? If so, why?

8. If you answered ‘yes’ to all or most of the above, how do you propose to deal with any issues around safeguarding?

9. Do you refer to ‘pregnant women’ or ‘pregnant people’? If the latter, why?

10. Do you refer to ‘women’ or ‘cervix havers’ / ‘menstruators’ / ‘bodies with vaginas’? If any of the latter three terms, why?

11. Do you think rape survivors should be required in court or elsewhere to refer to anatomically male rapists by their preferred pronouns? If so why?

12. Do you think statistics on violence against women and girls should treat anatomically male perpetrators as ‘women’ if they self-identify as a woman or girl?

If so, how should policymakers respond to the data which results?

13. Do you think surveys such as but not limited to the census should ask for someone’s sex, or their gender?

If the latter, how do policymakers accurately account for the needs of all people born female?

14. A question for lesbians only: is it ‘transphobic’ or in any way bigoted not to be sexually attracted to someone who does not have the same anatomical parts as you, but who consider themselves a woman?

If so, why?

15. Do you think it’s possible for someone to change sex? If so, how?

16. Finally, how do you define ‘woman’?

I very much hope as many women as possible respond to some or all of this.

And with that, I'm off to feed the pigeons. 🙂

IMPORTANT ADDENDUM: if, in any way, you feel uncomfortable answering these questions on a public platform, which may apply to many, please feel free to DM your answers.

Everything you say will be treated in absolute confidence. Thankyou!

And a clarification: I'm not conducting research, or collecting data, or writing an article or a book.

The purpose of this thread and any DMs I receive is purely to give women the space to discuss all this. And educate and inform others, including me, through their perspectives.