THREAD: Laurie Penny v Julie Bindel and JK Rowling. Or to put it another way: Laurie Penny against the world.
The usual disclaimer applies before I start. I'm a man. This isn't my fight or my struggle. I'm just a bloke commenting on the internet.
The usual disclaimer applies before I start. I'm a man. This isn't my fight or my struggle. I'm just a bloke commenting on the internet.
I'm also not here to make Penny's suffering worse or something. I wish them well. I wish all fully paid-up members of the human race well.
Laurie says they're taking time off Twitter in any case. I do appeal for no pile-ons against anyone resulting from this thread.
Laurie says they're taking time off Twitter in any case. I do appeal for no pile-ons against anyone resulting from this thread.
I also have no doubt whatsoever about the very real trauma Penny has been through during her life. I'm not here to minimise that in any way either.
But that trauma is not some get-out clause for writing an objectively awful book.
But that trauma is not some get-out clause for writing an objectively awful book.
Which is barely researched at all, is full of cliches and generalisations, and appears to treat as 'fascists'... anyone who doesn't hold Penny's view of the world.
That is to say: the book is quite mindblowingly self-serving. I'd even call it delusional.
That is to say: the book is quite mindblowingly self-serving. I'd even call it delusional.
It's written through the very narrow prism of Penny's own life.
Which of course, is their right... but where we hit trouble, lots of it, is when someone who doesn't even identify as a woman tries to dictate to women what they can and can't do. Or say. Or believe.
Which of course, is their right... but where we hit trouble, lots of it, is when someone who doesn't even identify as a woman tries to dictate to women what they can and can't do. Or say. Or believe.
Where we hit trouble, lots of it, is where a book supposedly about 'the feminist revolution' openly denies what feminism is about, slanders those women who disagree, and acts as though someone who doesn't identify as a woman is some expert on women's issues and women's rights.
Taking Penny at their word - that they don't identify as a woman - that'd be like ME acting like some expert on feminism.
But I'm not, because I'm not a woman.
Of course, unlike me, Penny has been *viewed and treated as* a woman throughout their life.
But I'm not, because I'm not a woman.
Of course, unlike me, Penny has been *viewed and treated as* a woman throughout their life.
Unfortunately, in recent years, they've tied themselves up in knots in a desperate attempt to appear 'progressive'.
Disappearing down a lunatic rabbit hole of their own choosing, and doubling down when others naturally ridicule a litany of incoherent, self-obsessed twaddle.
Disappearing down a lunatic rabbit hole of their own choosing, and doubling down when others naturally ridicule a litany of incoherent, self-obsessed twaddle.
One of the first things I always notice in great feminist writers is: while lived experience always matters and is hugely important, they are anything but self-obsessed. They see the bigger picture and act for the betterment of all women.
I don't see that in Penny's case at all.
I don't see that in Penny's case at all.
That's essentially why the story of their weekend in Berlin was so lampooned. Because it was a story about Laurie Penny's favourite subject. Themselves. In a book purporting to be about feminism!
It's also why Laurie's recent Twitter thread was ridiculed.
It's also why Laurie's recent Twitter thread was ridiculed.
Online, as anywhere else, we reap what we sow.
Penny has attacked so many great feminists for the crime of believing (no, not believing. It's fact) in biological sex and warning, correctly, about the obvious dangers of self-ID.
Penny has attacked so many great feminists for the crime of believing (no, not believing. It's fact) in biological sex and warning, correctly, about the obvious dangers of self-ID.
Not only that - but Penny has wilfully, endlessly, monstrously misrepresented them.
This article, which begins with a disgraceful, slanderous beyond belief opening two paragraphs, is the perfect example.
pennyred.medium.com/terf-wars-why-…
This article, which begins with a disgraceful, slanderous beyond belief opening two paragraphs, is the perfect example.
pennyred.medium.com/terf-wars-why-…
That piece was published right in the very aftermath of JK Rowling courageously revealing her own hideous experiences of serious sexual assault and domestic violence to the world.
Unconscionably, Penny's response was to label Rowling as a 'transphobe' (no she bloody well isn't) as though it's some kind of fact - and even refer to her moving, compelling, hugely important 3600 word essay as a "public spasm of self-delusion".
Which, not for the first time in Penny's case, is as ironic as it gets. So many stones were thrown from glasshouses with that execrable phrase, I'm surprised we weren't all subjected to a great clattering from the sky.
"Hello Ms Pot. My name's Ms Kettle".
"Hello Ms Pot. My name's Ms Kettle".
The article itself is not serious journalism in any way whatever. It refuses point blank to engage with any of the concerns which women rightly have; and instead just labels them all. Even implying those women, a majority of whom are on the left, are tucked up with the far right.
It is, in other words, unadulterated garbage. When slandering others, it is generally sensible to prove your case: rather than just wrapping yourself up in self-righteous arrogance and refusing to engage at all.
That's Penny's stock-in-trade. Serious, it is anything but.
That's Penny's stock-in-trade. Serious, it is anything but.
Just like Penny's book, in other words. Which takes their (very) narrow world view and transposes it onto literally everything else, without even bothering to prove any of it.
Ridiculous books, ridiculous articles and ridiculous world views will be ridiculed.
Ridiculous books, ridiculous articles and ridiculous world views will be ridiculed.
That's a quite massive part of freedom of speech, freedom of expression and more than that, reason. A demand for an evidence-based, rational, coherent approach, not a narcissism-based one.
So naturally, the book was excoriated. By several brilliant reviews.
So naturally, the book was excoriated. By several brilliant reviews.
The latter was by Julie Bindel. She's someone who's spent MANY DECADES doing incredibly important work campaigning and fighting on behalf of women everywhere.
I think very few feminists have had the huge impact she has. Certainly in Britain, at least.
I think very few feminists have had the huge impact she has. Certainly in Britain, at least.
For the crime of doing that hugely important work and for the further, much more serious crime of expressing an opinion while in possession of a vagina, Julie Bindel was physically assaulted by a man at Edinburgh University in 2019.
thetimes.co.uk/article/julie-…
thetimes.co.uk/article/julie-…
The so-called 'progressive media' wouldn't even report on the assault accurately: instantly vindicating not only Bindel's concerns, but those of so, so many other women.
They described it as 'alleged'. They also tried to make their readers think that a woman had attacked her.
They described it as 'alleged'. They also tried to make their readers think that a woman had attacked her.
I know people who were there.
And witnessed it.
And were absolutely horrified.
And witnessed it.
And were absolutely horrified.
But at a time of #MeToo, 'Believe Women' was comprehensively, shamelessly ignored by those who, for some strange reason, only believe women when they're not attacked by those who, ludicrously, self-identify as women.
But are actually men.
But are actually men.
Bindel, in other words, has endured the real world consequences of where this upside down, anti-science, religious fundamentalist lunacy is taking us.
She's had quite enough of Penny's sophistry: rightly so.
She's had quite enough of Penny's sophistry: rightly so.
And Rowling?
She's had her address doxxed. She's had activists proudly, threateningly massing outside her home. She's been denounced as a 'transphobe' all over the world: including, most recently, by the New York Times.
She's had her address doxxed. She's had activists proudly, threateningly massing outside her home. She's been denounced as a 'transphobe' all over the world: including, most recently, by the New York Times.
She's even had those whose careers and huge fortunes owe EVERYTHING to her condemning and distancing themselves from her too.
Cowards and lickspittles, the lot of them.
Cowards and lickspittles, the lot of them.
How has she borne all this, including actually being attacked and piled on online after discussing her horrific personal experiences?
With the most extraordinary grace, fortitude, courage and strength. She won't be silenced. Which makes her the most magnificent example to follow
With the most extraordinary grace, fortitude, courage and strength. She won't be silenced. Which makes her the most magnificent example to follow
There's a mounting argument that JK Rowling is the greatest feminist in the world today.
And boy oh boy, do so-called 'progressives' not like that. She's expected to do as all women have been expected to since time began: to shut up when their hate is forced down her throat.
And boy oh boy, do so-called 'progressives' not like that. She's expected to do as all women have been expected to since time began: to shut up when their hate is forced down her throat.
She won't. Because she's an absolute mensch.
Penny, to her complete discredit, openly denies saying things about Rowling which she certainly did say, in print. As is instantly provable in a couple of seconds.
Which many commenters below her thread noted.
Penny, to her complete discredit, openly denies saying things about Rowling which she certainly did say, in print. As is instantly provable in a couple of seconds.
Which many commenters below her thread noted.
As I said, we reap what we sow. The approach of both Bindel and especially Rowling has been pretty mild given that.
But with all that said: I don't think for a single moment that Penny intended to claim she had CPTSD as a result of the criticism she's rightly faced.
But with all that said: I don't think for a single moment that Penny intended to claim she had CPTSD as a result of the criticism she's rightly faced.
What she meant, I think, was old, terrible wounds re-opening. That's how trauma works. I can barely imagine what that must be like in the public eye: to see your work openly laughed at, even denounced, by so many.
Unfortunately, she didn't make that clear in her thread *at all*.
Unfortunately, she didn't make that clear in her thread *at all*.
This is the thread in question. Read through it and form your own assessment.
https://twitter.com/PennyRed/status/1500536551796846594
This was the specific tweet that's been misunderstood: which is Penny's responsibility because of how it was expressed.
Specifically, she appeared to be trying to weaponise her CPTSD against, um, broadsheet newspaper reviewers?!?!
Specifically, she appeared to be trying to weaponise her CPTSD against, um, broadsheet newspaper reviewers?!?!
https://twitter.com/PennyRed/status/1500545570980642819
Reviewers who they in any case slandered as 'transphobes', 'bullies' and the frankly delusional 'coordinated'.
Those of us living on planet Earth, unlike Penny, know that when a bunch of serious people think something is rubbish, it's pretty likely because it's rubbish.
Those of us living on planet Earth, unlike Penny, know that when a bunch of serious people think something is rubbish, it's pretty likely because it's rubbish.
Making such a claim didn't exactly help Laurie's cause. Because it suggested, as a bare minimum, that they can't even comprehend the idea that anything they write won't be hailed, lauded, celebrated to the skies.
That might even be the entire problem. Penny's been so worshipped for so long by some that I strongly suspect they started believing their own hype a long, long time ago.
That'd go a long way towards explaining how unbelievably shoddy and lazy their writing has become.
That'd go a long way towards explaining how unbelievably shoddy and lazy their writing has become.
There's also one other thing. I simultaneously get, totally, how deeply this element will have wounded her, while considering it entirely fair comment.
The problem with making an entire book about *yourself* is critics will, inevitably, comment on you.
The problem with making an entire book about *yourself* is critics will, inevitably, comment on you.
The problem with writing an entire book of incoherent fantasy-land twaddle is it's so miserably unserious, people will laugh at you.
The problem with including an anecdote about your sex life is you've just opened that up to being commented on too.
The problem with including an anecdote about your sex life is you've just opened that up to being commented on too.
We reap what we sow.
Specifically: when someone claims to have written some modern day feminist manifesto while:
1. Not even identifying as a woman
2. Stating they are 'genderqueer' while being married to man
This will be ridiculed. What does anyone expect?!
Specifically: when someone claims to have written some modern day feminist manifesto while:
1. Not even identifying as a woman
2. Stating they are 'genderqueer' while being married to man
This will be ridiculed. What does anyone expect?!
When someone who doesn't even identify as a woman but clearly considers themselves a leading expert on feminism spends their time constantly attacking, slandering, demeaning, bullying and misrepresenting women, those women will stand up and fight back.
As they damn well should.
As they damn well should.
What would most ordinary, entirely non-bigoted people observing this lunacy reasonably conclude? That Penny is what used to be termed - with no controversy at all - bisexual.
Instead, because we now live in Alice in Wonderland, they refer to themselves as 'genderqueer'.
Instead, because we now live in Alice in Wonderland, they refer to themselves as 'genderqueer'.
Most ordinary, non-bigoted people are also going to find it extremely difficult to write an entire thread about a feminist while remembering never to refer to them as 'she' or 'her'.
Look at a couple of tweets above. I failed. Not for want of trying to remember, I assure you. 😳
Look at a couple of tweets above. I failed. Not for want of trying to remember, I assure you. 😳
No offence intended to Laurie on that oversight. Mea culpa.
But hang on a minute. This is someone claiming to be a dynamic, modern feminist who won't even allow themselves to be called 'she', 'her', or a woman?
I'd say that sums the whole thing up perfectly.
But hang on a minute. This is someone claiming to be a dynamic, modern feminist who won't even allow themselves to be called 'she', 'her', or a woman?
I'd say that sums the whole thing up perfectly.
Upside down, back to front, and to all intents and purposes, bananas.
THAT's why pronouns are very much the thin end of the wedge. It's also why Penny has incurred so much scorn.
I only hope they really do take some time out now, get well, and truly reflect. /ENDS
THAT's why pronouns are very much the thin end of the wedge. It's also why Penny has incurred so much scorn.
I only hope they really do take some time out now, get well, and truly reflect. /ENDS
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