As a writer, feminist and literary events organiser in Scotland, I’m regularly sent links to information someone thinks might be of interest to me. This week it was a document commissioned by one of Scotland’s leading and most powerful publicly-funded literary organisations, Literature Alliance Scotland (LAS).
Nobody, of course, objects to transgender writers being included or supported, but the content of the guidance raises several extremely serious and concerning issues.
Normally in cases like these, there’s an instant and concerted attempt to rubbish the judgement, both from amateurs and activist lawyers like Robin Moira “Barry” White, Jolyon Maugham, and the anonymous “Pissed Off Lawyer” tweeting as @legaltweetz. They’ll issue spurious “analyses” dismissing the findings with jargon terms like “obiter”, and either question their correctness or attempt to minimise their significance.
For some reason that didn’t happen this time. The hyper-antagonist online trans army has very conspicuously failed to rush to the defence of ERCC CEO Mridul Wadhwa, perhaps because Judge Ian McFatridge’s conclusions were so relentlessly, brutally and comprehensively excoriating of Wadhwa’s appalling behaviour that no amount of spin or disingenuity could disguise it.
But then, on white charger and with papoose, enter a hero.
Mridul Wadhwa, a man with whom Wings readers have been familiar for some years, was found by the tribunal judge to have been “the invisible hand behind everything that had taken place” as Roz Adams, a conscientious, caring and highly professional woman with a long history in the sector, was systematically and methodically hounded out of her job for holding, privately and sensitively, the belief that biological sex is real.
We watched Question Time last night for the first time in about nine years, and this comment from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn raised an eyebrow.
Because we couldn’t remember ANY times that Flynn had publicly expressed any problems with the Scottish Greens during their governing alliance.
Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “if you have been scanning the civil service jobs of late, one theme has been that of “energy security”; they…” Jul 24, 12:26
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Sarah – until such time as a political party is formed, led by serious people with a properly developed and…” Jul 24, 12:24
Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I feel the need to talk about some “boring shit”. So flip the channel if you are continuing with the…” Jul 24, 12:23
Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Perhaps the most important theory in our case, given the long period of colonization, is that of the colonial mindset,…” Jul 24, 12:14
Andy Storrie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Just say the word, Campbell, and the readers could chip-in for a wardrobe full of frocks for ye.” Jul 24, 12:12
sarah on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Rob, independence is a dead duck only if we all give up. I know it is depressing when the cause…” Jul 24, 11:18
Stuart on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““ But perhaps most of all “the colonizer hates theory”, for theory (such as postcolonial theory) ultimately reveals the colonial…” Jul 24, 11:10
Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““But perhaps most of all “the colonizer hates theory…” Indeed so, Alf. As is plain for all to see here…” Jul 24, 11:09
Captain Caveman on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Constructive criticism – even if robustly or incredulously asserted – isn’t “trolling”, mate. Are you and your ilk such snowflakes…” Jul 24, 10:58
Captain Caveman on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “‘… Sometimes the response to a particularly stupid attempt at making some useless point or other by a singularly dim-witted…” Jul 24, 10:55
Dan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Well worth a read. https://dearscotland.substack.com/p/why-nuclear-power-in-scotland-is” Jul 24, 10:39
Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “As Memmi wrote, and as we can see in oor ain laund an among oor ain fowk, a “Colonized society…” Jul 24, 10:24
Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I will give it to you Northcode, that is quite an amusing post, and a spirited defence of what you…” Jul 24, 10:07
Rob on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I know that I have never “attacked” Alf Baird. Like a number of folk on here I just think he…” Jul 24, 10:02
Chas on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Why is it that the fantasists and cranks assume that any one commentating on the repetitive, self centered dross produced…” Jul 24, 09:55
Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “A staunch unionist (colonialist?), and a proud Ingle tae boot, on here has just re-stated almost the entirety of a…” Jul 24, 09:46
Callum on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “The BIG questions. Should any doctor who is incapable of determining the sex of their patients be allowed to practice…” Jul 24, 07:42
Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Quality Doctor eh.. . Did she pass basic biology? Doctor! Doctor! Road traffic accident casualty just in and it looks…” Jul 24, 06:02
Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Aha!! P3nisbreath McP3nisbreathface is back after an absence no doubt at Langley and.. T A..v. And upset about a Barbie…” Jul 24, 05:51
Willie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Reading the various comments it does seem that Alf Baird has very much become the focus of coordinated attack from…” Jul 24, 05:19
Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““You’re all afraid and it shows” Sure. I’m forever shitting ma kegs at the idea that TH and ‘Mrs James’…” Jul 24, 03:57
Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““There’s barely a comment posted here by a unionist (colonialist?) that is anything other than childish insult, threat, lies, diversion,…” Jul 24, 03:44
Hatey McHateface on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““What does tomorrow hold – an accusation of genocide?” Well, to be fair, the bar for that is being lowered…” Jul 24, 03:26
Young Lochinvar on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Lorn @ 11.32 This deviant crap has been about in Europe for ages. Remember the early 90s Harry Enfield/ Paul…” Jul 24, 01:25
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Ah! I didn’t know Bill Rolston had died. Tá sé anois ar shlí na fírinne, as the Irish say. Ar…” Jul 24, 00:37
Lorn on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I agree, even if I don’t agree with every word Alf says. He is a distinguished academic and researcher and…” Jul 23, 23:45
aLurker on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Fearghas Thankyou for that Bill Rolston video, Indeed very interesting to hear the distilled observations from his book: “Ireland, Colonialism,…” Jul 23, 23:43
Jay on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Rob does not think ‘gender woo woo’ was really imported therefore he/she must be able to cite at least some…” Jul 23, 23:40
Lorn on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Mark Began: Scottish, British, European, Scandinavian, Commonwealth, American governments all culpable. Perhaps it is time that we stopped to wonder…” Jul 23, 23:32