Paid subscribers - I had intended for this morning's newsletter to be only for paid subscribers but it didn't seem right for a couple of reasons. One - the first part was public so it would be a bit mean to put a pay wall on the follow up. Two - I didn't want to have to deal with questions from people that had only read as far as the paywall when the meat of the article is at the end. I hope you don't mind and rest assured the next one will be for my much appreciated Paid subscribers.
Well said Nick and thank you - I am concerned how some people seem to be using this protest to have a go at anyone who doesn't agree with their view of how the world should run. I will stick to values of inclusion, tolerance and not being judgemental.
Agree with you. Good balance. What I’m finding hard to accept is Group C thinking freedom of speech, allows them to stir up hatred and fear against a community of our people. With freedom of speech, comes a huge responsibility and people in a public place have the freedom NOT to listen respectfully and this is exactly the conundrum. A closed venue where it was safer to spout her theories, wasn’t the look she was hoping for.
Mar 26, 2023·edited Mar 26, 2023Liked by Nick Rockel
an excellent , thoughtful well written piece. yes a world without the herald/nzme - wouldn't that be quite pleasant . on a side note I didn't realise that your idea of that loony tunes radio station was based on fact , I was taking my eldest daughter to football on Sunday and saw their Billboard in Ellerslie advertising it...... bloody hell what a collection of wankers.
Nick I agree ; The words "gender critical" - ie those critical of or opposed to the belief that gender identity is more important or significant than biological sex is probably more accurate than TERF. That said I have struggled to understand why we can't be more generous ; there surely is room for everyone if we believe, as I do, in tolerance, compassion, love and understanding and I choose to believe the best in people, not the ulterior motives that are being spread around about toilets, prisons and sports. This has been traumatic for many of us ; As someone who has spent her whole life fighting for women and those who are different I have felt really unsafe at times in the last week. I am not diminished as a woman because someone wants to call themselves "she" or intersex or non binary or who want to transition because our biology is not straight forward and never has been. The proud trans woman at our local supermarket is just another friend. I want her to feel safe and be treated fairly too. Or the trans woman who was active in my union years ago before it was safe to do so. To think that an uninvited pom could ignite us in this way bewilders me. I am proud of the positive campaigners who have come out to celebrate trans people. I am sorry you have had to endure such hate.
Lovely, thoughtful and forward-thinking message, Nick.
It pays to think that every person on this planet was once an innocent little baby. What became of that innocence is the sad part. But every person, including the likes of PP and JKR, can realize that we are all connected. We all one day will shuffle off this mortal coil. And in the meantime, we all have a right to live in peace, and to avoid listening to hate speech, or being engaged in it.
I was actually avoiding Twitter today because of the sheer number of nasty and incorrect responses to what had been a rather joyful, if very noisy, hour in Albert Park. Reading them all had been very depressing, and made me angry.
I don't wish to have anger in my emotional make-up today; reading inspiring messages will do me!!
Another great article. I might have been in group A if not for an incident when I was younger. Long before phone calls, back when I was cute, skinny, and young, I was driving home late at night from work as a waitress. I passed another young female who had broken down and needed help. Without thinking I stopped and gave her help. When she hopped in my car, I realized that she was a trans-female. My first reaction was fear, I was alone with an unknown male in my car. But she was so grateful that I helped her, and she was scared too. Suddenly we were just two females trying to be safe in the world. We had a great chat on the drive, I dropped her off safely home. I was so relieved to have helped, and I knew I would do the same again if needed.
This is brilliant, Nick. Thank you. What kind of person travels half way round the world to complain about a group of people having rights? I'm so glad so many people stood up to say, "That's not ok!" I was genuinely appalled at the need for JKR to step in on this. I had previously tried to defend her. Just so sad.
yes. looking at the A and B group it seems to come down to beliefs about what "sex" is. my understanding is that we all start out as female in the womb and at a certain phase some are exposed to more testosterone and become male babies. im sure that such a natural transition is more complex and wonderous than adult sex changes. however if male and female bodies are different due to hormones (and body parts can be surgically changed) then group A are holding onto false beliefs of the impossibility of changing sex as adults. they seem to not want to ever believe that trans people are the sex that they have changed to. it is in a sense not wanting them to exist. there is something religious going on here surely. i applaud your suggestion that conversations about this can be possible. but religion and people like jordan peterson have kept getting in the way of that happening. lots of talk of conflict happening without addressing the real differences. thank you for adding your voice to the public conversation.
Thank you Nick for your intelligent analysis. I have been an advocate for women since a teenager. I was proud always to call myself a feminist, even when at times it meant negative judgement from those who had a negative view of feminism, women,and men! I would be in your group A, but also your group B. I have been a part of the LBGQ...... community, especially after my husband passed away in 1997. Trans people have always been a part of the groups I have been involved in. I was caught by surprise when through television some feminist groups were pushing back about the inclusion of trans women in womens spaces. I read some of the concerns- mostly coming from the UK, with dire warnings of men with alternative motives - abusive men wanting to gain access to women , wanting to have power, and control in womens spaces. These stories were not congruent with my experience of trans women.
I am glad that you decided to make this post public, and sorry that you have had to endure an onslaught of negativity from those who cannot tolerate anyone not the same as themselves. Don't let those people get you down, they will hopefully diminish in numbers as time goes by. Not that they are likely to change their views, but they will eventually die out!
Yes I too, Nick, would like all women and all transgender to not be afraid, because fear may lead to anger and leads to a direction that we don't want to go. We all have the right not to be afraid of being who we are in terms of our gender identity. I can't imagine how it would be to feel you are born in the wrong body. It is so good to think of Georgina Beyer and her courage in speaking up for all of us. What a hard life she had and what good she did to help others avoid all of that.
Paid subscribers - I had intended for this morning's newsletter to be only for paid subscribers but it didn't seem right for a couple of reasons. One - the first part was public so it would be a bit mean to put a pay wall on the follow up. Two - I didn't want to have to deal with questions from people that had only read as far as the paywall when the meat of the article is at the end. I hope you don't mind and rest assured the next one will be for my much appreciated Paid subscribers.
Well said Nick and thank you - I am concerned how some people seem to be using this protest to have a go at anyone who doesn't agree with their view of how the world should run. I will stick to values of inclusion, tolerance and not being judgemental.
Agree with you. Good balance. What I’m finding hard to accept is Group C thinking freedom of speech, allows them to stir up hatred and fear against a community of our people. With freedom of speech, comes a huge responsibility and people in a public place have the freedom NOT to listen respectfully and this is exactly the conundrum. A closed venue where it was safer to spout her theories, wasn’t the look she was hoping for.
an excellent , thoughtful well written piece. yes a world without the herald/nzme - wouldn't that be quite pleasant . on a side note I didn't realise that your idea of that loony tunes radio station was based on fact , I was taking my eldest daughter to football on Sunday and saw their Billboard in Ellerslie advertising it...... bloody hell what a collection of wankers.
Nick I agree ; The words "gender critical" - ie those critical of or opposed to the belief that gender identity is more important or significant than biological sex is probably more accurate than TERF. That said I have struggled to understand why we can't be more generous ; there surely is room for everyone if we believe, as I do, in tolerance, compassion, love and understanding and I choose to believe the best in people, not the ulterior motives that are being spread around about toilets, prisons and sports. This has been traumatic for many of us ; As someone who has spent her whole life fighting for women and those who are different I have felt really unsafe at times in the last week. I am not diminished as a woman because someone wants to call themselves "she" or intersex or non binary or who want to transition because our biology is not straight forward and never has been. The proud trans woman at our local supermarket is just another friend. I want her to feel safe and be treated fairly too. Or the trans woman who was active in my union years ago before it was safe to do so. To think that an uninvited pom could ignite us in this way bewilders me. I am proud of the positive campaigners who have come out to celebrate trans people. I am sorry you have had to endure such hate.
Lovely, thoughtful and forward-thinking message, Nick.
It pays to think that every person on this planet was once an innocent little baby. What became of that innocence is the sad part. But every person, including the likes of PP and JKR, can realize that we are all connected. We all one day will shuffle off this mortal coil. And in the meantime, we all have a right to live in peace, and to avoid listening to hate speech, or being engaged in it.
I was actually avoiding Twitter today because of the sheer number of nasty and incorrect responses to what had been a rather joyful, if very noisy, hour in Albert Park. Reading them all had been very depressing, and made me angry.
I don't wish to have anger in my emotional make-up today; reading inspiring messages will do me!!
Another great article. I might have been in group A if not for an incident when I was younger. Long before phone calls, back when I was cute, skinny, and young, I was driving home late at night from work as a waitress. I passed another young female who had broken down and needed help. Without thinking I stopped and gave her help. When she hopped in my car, I realized that she was a trans-female. My first reaction was fear, I was alone with an unknown male in my car. But she was so grateful that I helped her, and she was scared too. Suddenly we were just two females trying to be safe in the world. We had a great chat on the drive, I dropped her off safely home. I was so relieved to have helped, and I knew I would do the same again if needed.
Imagine my surprise to find that a respected children's writer is in fact an intolerant monster. Who'd a thunk.
Thanks for all your thoughtful words Nick.
This is brilliant, Nick. Thank you. What kind of person travels half way round the world to complain about a group of people having rights? I'm so glad so many people stood up to say, "That's not ok!" I was genuinely appalled at the need for JKR to step in on this. I had previously tried to defend her. Just so sad.
yes. looking at the A and B group it seems to come down to beliefs about what "sex" is. my understanding is that we all start out as female in the womb and at a certain phase some are exposed to more testosterone and become male babies. im sure that such a natural transition is more complex and wonderous than adult sex changes. however if male and female bodies are different due to hormones (and body parts can be surgically changed) then group A are holding onto false beliefs of the impossibility of changing sex as adults. they seem to not want to ever believe that trans people are the sex that they have changed to. it is in a sense not wanting them to exist. there is something religious going on here surely. i applaud your suggestion that conversations about this can be possible. but religion and people like jordan peterson have kept getting in the way of that happening. lots of talk of conflict happening without addressing the real differences. thank you for adding your voice to the public conversation.
Thank you Nick for your intelligent analysis. I have been an advocate for women since a teenager. I was proud always to call myself a feminist, even when at times it meant negative judgement from those who had a negative view of feminism, women,and men! I would be in your group A, but also your group B. I have been a part of the LBGQ...... community, especially after my husband passed away in 1997. Trans people have always been a part of the groups I have been involved in. I was caught by surprise when through television some feminist groups were pushing back about the inclusion of trans women in womens spaces. I read some of the concerns- mostly coming from the UK, with dire warnings of men with alternative motives - abusive men wanting to gain access to women , wanting to have power, and control in womens spaces. These stories were not congruent with my experience of trans women.
I am glad that you decided to make this post public, and sorry that you have had to endure an onslaught of negativity from those who cannot tolerate anyone not the same as themselves. Don't let those people get you down, they will hopefully diminish in numbers as time goes by. Not that they are likely to change their views, but they will eventually die out!
Thank you Nick.
Yes I too, Nick, would like all women and all transgender to not be afraid, because fear may lead to anger and leads to a direction that we don't want to go. We all have the right not to be afraid of being who we are in terms of our gender identity. I can't imagine how it would be to feel you are born in the wrong body. It is so good to think of Georgina Beyer and her courage in speaking up for all of us. What a hard life she had and what good she did to help others avoid all of that.
Thanks Nick.