Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Gender debate: Ian McEwan causes outrage with his remark



KT17

New member
Apr 19, 2014
591
"Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to think of people with penises as men"

(Guardian 2nd April)


Thoughts?
 

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
fair comment i'd say.

topically, i read today that teachers are worrying about transgender issues and whether or not schools should have unisex toilets and changing rooms to avoid issues for those. apart from the mindnumbing stupidity that would solve anything (did teachers not go to schools themselves?), its seems a waste of time when we should be focusing on education, not indulging teenagers in their attention seeking.
 

goldstone

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,108
fair comment i'd say.

topically, i read today that teachers are worrying about transgender issues and whether or not schools should have unisex toilets and changing rooms to avoid issues for those. apart from the mindnumbing stupidity that would solve anything (did teachers not go to schools themselves?), its seems a waste of time when we should be focusing on education, not indulging teenagers in their attention seeking.

Absolutely this.

For centuries boys have been boys and girls have been girls and now suddenly there's this big gender debate. Stop it will you. You are what you are. Just look inside your knickers if you have any doubt. There are far more important things in this world to worry about.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jul 11, 2003
59,073
The Fatherland
An old man not being able to keep up with the world around him is not a big deal to me.
 

BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,200
Absolutely this.

For centuries boys have been boys and girls have been girls and now suddenly there's this big gender debate. Stop it will you. You are what you are. Just look inside your knickers if you have any doubt. There are far more important things in this world to worry about.

Yep, the mental health of the next generation of British children who will one day grow up to be the wardens of "far more important things" is absolutely nothing to worry about.
 


goldstone

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,108
Yep, the mental health of the next generation of British children who will one day grow up to be the wardens of "far more important things" is absolutely nothing to worry about.

Bo**ocks. It's nothing to do with mental health. It's about what's fashionable.
 
D

Deleted member 22389

Guest
So who is exactly offended this time? What a stupid country this is becoming.
 


Seaber

Well-known member
Oct 20, 2010
1,130
Wales
People can be born in the wrong body and it causes a lot of pain to the individuals involved.

Over 50% of trans youth attempt suicide for various reasons such as, but not limited to, rejection from friends and family, sexual or physical assault and discrimination in education and work.

Comments like Ian McEwan's show a rather backwards and ill-informed view of this part of society.

So yeah, you are old fashioned mate.
 

Grombleton

Surrounded by <div>s
Dec 31, 2011
7,356
Bo**ocks. It's nothing to do with mental health. It's about what's fashionable.

And the award for most ignorant post of the day goes to...
 


mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,456
England
People can be born in the wrong body and it causes a lot of pain to the individuals involved.

.

I'm not debating with you, so don't take this as an argumentative post as frankly, even writing this, I'm giving myself a headache thinking about it :lolol:

But I would ask (and this is the bit where I get stuck) why is it classified as being "born in the wrong body". Your body is your body. It's a vessel.

Your personality is a completely separate entity. There are no FIXED set of rules for a male or female personality. There are stereotypes but we are at an age where you are not expected to fit into these anymore. It is completely free. It's a whole spectrum.

So if personality doesn't have a fixed set of rules, then how can someone be born into the "wrong body"?

Now, if someone says "I would RATHER be a woman/man" and change gender then fine. I get that and fair play to them. But I just can't get my head round the belief that someone was "born into the wrong body" as if something went wrong inside the womb.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,237
Over 50% of trans youth attempt suicide for various reasons such as, but not limited to, rejection from friends and family, sexual or physical assault and discrimination in education and work.

based on what, where has this demographic sprung from and how has it been reliably surveyed to establish the legitimacy of the gender mis-assignment (a genuine, rare issue)? what is the typcial reasoning for suicide tendencies among wider teen/youth group, is it rejection from friends and family, assault and discrimination?

McEwan's view is covered in a Guardian article (i think the original is in the Times but paywall), which is far more considered than the single line quote, i think hes hitting the nail on the head. i concerned a lot of confused, hormonal youth to self diagnosing mis-assignment or other gender issues, with serious consequences. Stonewall say "The complexity of gender identity extends beyond genitalia", which seems much nonsense to me as that is how we define gender (semantic i know but that's exactly my point). the complexity is creating an issue when its not, or creating a proxy for another issue, which is i believe what is happening most of the time.
 

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports

Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills


Top
Link Here