Thread by @ClurryBurry

1/ Why @SalBrinton and @JoSwinson retweeting ‘transwomen are women’ matters and you should be concerned and care. Its not transphobia and everything to do with the integrity Liberal Democracy. That it needs explaining, is concerning. @RadicalAssoc @LGBTLD @vincecable @CllrBobBar

2/ A Liberal democracy is not a democracy where only views which are considered ‘liberal’ are allowed. In it all views are aired as to build a consensus and to bring along society as a whole, rather than to alienate those whose views are ultimately not used to create law.

3/ A liberal democracy conveys human rights, civil rights and political freedom to all. Within this there are views that may be difficult for others to hear, but to be political free ourselves, it is necessary for them to be aired for our long term own protection.

4/ Liberal Democracy is confused with our current understanding of what the word ‘liberal’ means.

In current discourse, liberal is about this idea of accepting the identity of anyone and everyone without question. Anyone who does so, is somehow bigoted.

5/ ANY KIND of safeguarding of ANY ISSUE can not be done without the need to question. It is central to it. We believe in safeguarding because we believe it is better for the whole of society. This isn’t about singling out trans people as predators. They are not.

6/ The danger is in weakening a culture which encourages questioning. This is the essence of safeguarding. Of protecting those measures that ensure ALL our rights.

7/ The confusion of the two ideas is crucial to understanding of how ‘being liberal’ is actually contributing directly to the erosion of liberal democracy. If too many people become politically marginalised because they are excluded, you risk your own political freedom and safety

8/ Liberal democracy requires the social contract to be respected. Within this, we agree by consent to forgo some of our own freedoms in exchange for the protection of our other rights. If there is no consent and no consultation, then there is a problem.

9/ In the UK, the NHS represents the social contract in another way. We agree to tax in order to help the health of others for our mutual benefit as a society. Also see other social care and the welfare state. Why do you think it was used in the referendum and to such effect?

10/ That contract has been broken in the UK. People have decided that they no longer view certain people to have value to society, so they do not have to provide for them. With the contact broken, liberal democracy offers nothing to some. Hence the rise of alt-right.

11/ The current arc of trans rights activism fits into this wider dynamic of wider politics. There is an attempt to break a compromise situation which is enshrined within the Equality Act. Which is being threatened by some trans activists.

12/ There is no single group which is universally the worse off in society than any other. The current law is designed to recognise that. It realises it’s a bit more complicated than that.

13/ There IS a problem with transphobia in society. This is a social problem, that can not simply be fixed by trying to legislate even further in this area. In doing so you create a class, which is deemed more special than any other, in any situatio by virtue of their identity.

13/ That is nonsense.

14/ There are cases where there are people who are trans who have more privilege and are less vulnerable than someone from another vulnerable group.

15/ Self ID is an attempt to remove rights from women, without consent. It is an example of trying to break the social contract. Deliberately trying to do this, therefore is against liberal democracy. Even if the concept is perceived as ‘liberal’ in nature.

17/ It does not convene new or more rights on trans people. It makes them more protected, because it removes rights from others. The enforced removal of rights in order to ‘protect’ one group, has the opposite effect to the one intended; it jeopardises them.

18/ It fundamentally puts that group at risk in the long risk, because it demonstrates how rights are not permanent and are only a political construct that can be removed, with the political will to do so.

19/ To deal with transphobia you have to engage. You have to reassure rather than act in a way which others perceive as aggressive and threatening and endangers their rights. Trying to legislate reinforces the problem. It does not ease it. It merely entrenches views.

20/ You have to have self awareness to recognise this. To know that making others feel they have no stake in this is wrong. The problem with some elements of the trans community, is precisely because of the nature of their issue.

21/ In that they do not want to be self aware as it’s the thing that causes the pain.

Yet to ignore the problems of women and to dismiss them as transphobic because to acknowledge them causes pain, isn’t acceptable either. That causes pain to women in other ways.

22/ Which is precisely the reason why there needs to be a debate. Despite the pain, as it is the only way to ease the pain.

23/ The mere idea that at times, trans people are not the most vulnerable in the room is the very thing that is not allowed to be discussed. In not being able to discuss this or point this out, what are we doing? We forget those who ARE the most vulnerable in a situation.

24/ This is not a contest. This isn’t them v us. It’s the cold hard truth that reality brings. We ignore it at our peril, as to ignore an issue wilfully within a democracy, eats away at it. Those who are marginalised start to believe that liberal democracy offers them nothing.

25/ By this I do not mean gender critical feminists. The feminists are often trying to speak on behalf of others. They are trying to stop the real darkness of a backlash.

26/ The process to ‘legitimacy’ within law for someone who is trans IS fundamentally flawed. It needs an overhaul. Self ID is not the overhaul that is needed. It does not solve underlying issues nor does it necessarily offer the infrastructure for support that is sometimes needed

27/ Legislation too often leads to unintended consequences. Good law making requires the participation of all; from the left and the right – in order to spot problems before they occur. Debate is central to this

28/ This requires a culture in which all feel free to speak. To speak even if it is hard to hear or even disgusts us. Because this helps us all with our understanding by forcing us to listen to the experiences of others.

29/ Refusing to listen because we have pre-judged someone because we believe they represent a particular group or politics is exactly that: prejudice. Giving in to these feelings, is a failure of rationality and reason. The pillars on which liberal democracy is founded.

30/ And this is the greatest danger posed by hard line extremist trans activism. It is actively seeking to destroy the very fabric of all this, by using thought ending clichés, like ‘transwomen are women’. It seems a simple and harmless phrase.

31/ It is no. Its power is not. Its not simply about saying that others should respect transwomen unequivocally and unquestionably as in no way different to women.

32/ ‘Being liberal’ is thought of as being ‘open minded’. Yet here we see an unwillingness to engage. When language is inside out and black has become white, this is always a sign of creeping authoritarianism. It does not matter if you regard yourself as liberal.

33/ Liberals are not immune to be becoming authoritarians by accident. Or by manipulation.

34/ Hence the phrase that alt-right are using as a recruiting tool ‘liberal fascist’, which holds the ugly truth by holding up the mirror to liberals who refuse to engage. As frustrating as it may seem. Why do you think that the likes of Leave EU go after this like rabid dogs?

35/ Yet feminists are the ones cast in the role of the enemy. Who is attacked first in the collapse of Liberal Democracy. It is always those who encourage critical thinking.

36/ It is the curse of liberal democracy; that you must always compromise, and you must always reach a mutually agreed consensus. Dirty words all round in modern politics.

37/ You must ALWAYS listen and never ever stop trying to listen harder for voices that are quieter or more difficult or simply noticeable in their absence. (Hello lesbians on the LD LGBT exec)

38/ Liberal democracy needs a range of views. It needs the Daily Mail to uncover scandals like Telford. It needs the Guardian to ask questions about electoral integrity. Beware of calling for censorship of views you don’t like or think are not ‘liberal’.

39/ As Thomas Jefferson said: “Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself, that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate,

40/ errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them”.

41/ Now more than ever we should turn to Jefferson for guidance and hope in their time of political turbulence. If the Liberal Democrats can not do this, and turn their back on his wisdom, I fear that flame of liberty is dying

42/ Liberal Democracy is a precious gift. It values life and liberty and cherishes it. Hold it close and hold it tight. Believe in it. Understand its principles and why they are important.

43/ Your right to an identity and your own free right to express a political opinion can only exist if you value the rights of those who have different identities and different politics and you respect them even if you disagree with them.

43/ Remember what Liberal Democracy actually is, and do not be so arrogant as to believe in what it is not. Before it is too late. For all of us. Trans and none trans alike.

44/ End of a much bottled up rant.