Thread by @ALLIANCELGB

1./ What's the TRUTH about LGB Alliance? Our critics like to claim we're funded by extremists and, despite the fact we've many trans supporters, that we don't support trans rights, even although we do. So WHY do so many people believe the myths? 👇pinknews.co.uk/2021/10/19/lgb…

2./ The myths began the moment we formed. Here's @Independent saying, "A new lesbian, gay and bisexual alliance group has been heavily criticised for excluding the transgender community, prompting people to label it transphobic." Evidence was there none. independent.co.uk/life-style/lgb…

3./ The fact we said we'd focus exclusively on LGB issues was enough to earn a label of bigotry. But there are thousands of groups that don't focus on, for example, LGB rights. Does this make them all homophobic? Only by a warped logic that says we can't focus on OUR rights.

4./ Our critics then said we were hateful by breaking up a long-standing LGBT relationship. We didn't. Here's one of many Stonewall publications from before 2014. It's a Guide for Lesbians that gives information on How to Get Pregnant. 👇stonewall.org.uk/resources/preg…

5./ In the 40 pages of this 2009 pamphlet there isn't a single reference to LGBT or Gender Identity. Does that make it terribly bigoted? It's still downloadable from Stonewall's own website, so we assume not. It's also refreshingly honest about adult, human, female biology. 👇

6./ It was as an LGB organisation that Stonewall helped get LGB rights protected in law under the Equality Act (2010). 2 years later its Guide to the Act hasn't a single reference to LGBT or Gender Identity in 32 pages. You can download it here.👇bl.uk/collection-ite…

7./ The Guide, "Explains clearly what the law says organisations should do when it comes to lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, customers and service users." Yep, until just 7 years ago Stonewall was focused exclusively on "sexual orientation" just as we NOW are. 👇

8./ Can you remember all the celebrities and politicians lining up to say how hateful Stonewall was? No, us neither. Without any help from Stonewall, trans people also managed to get their rights enshrined in the Equality Act. Stonewall wasn't a hate group then. We're not now.

9./ One of the biggest myths about us is we're funded by right wing evangelicals. This despite the fact we support women's reproductive rights, which is anathema to them and the fact we campaign against their pernicious influence in Uganda and elsewhere.👇

https://twitter.com/alliancelgb/status/1414554562267172871

10./ So why have the myths stuck so long? The answer may lie partly in the flaws of our shared human psychology. Daniel Kahneman won a Nobel Prize for proving our rational minds can be every bit as fallible as our senses including our visual perception.👇

11./ Our minds, he argues, can make judgements that are just as inaccurate as our brains seeing the wrong colour. 'Confirmation Bias' means once someone has formed a judgement it's hard to shift it. As Heidi Grant Halvorson says first impressions matter even MORE than we think.👇

12./ So once you've convinced yourself a bunch of liberal, refugee-rights supporting ex-Stonewall volunteers and feminists are bigots no matter what they say, you may not listen. Indeed, when they try to convince you otherwise that may even confirm you in your negative opinion👇

13./ Another flaw in the way we humans form judgments is our tendency to believe something if it's repeated. As @veritasium reminds us this makes it familiar which makes it "feel" more convincing. Insert a lie at the end of the familiar statement and people will believe that. 👇

14./ For 2 years people have been telling the public ridiculous things about LGB Alliance. But here's the thing. If we were some sort of evil group don't you think our critics would have collected more than a mish mash of reheated claims? The simple truth is rather unexciting.

15./ We were set up to do no more than protect and defend LGB rights. The fact so many people think this is now somehow controversial tells you more about how the world has recently changed -and not for the good- than it does about us.

16./ If you want to know more about us check out our website which analyses the myths about us.👇Or come to our conference and meet us in person. The flaws of our common human psychology can only be overcome by our shared humanity and mutual respect. lgballiance.org.uk/myths/

17./ If you want to hear more from the wonderful Daniel Kahneman here he is on how humans think in two ways. System 1 is Fast Thinking which accepts stuff you’ve heard a million times (like myths about us?). It’s effortless ‘thinking’ but very susceptible to bias.👇