Maya Forstater

I’m not saying that race and gender are identical, I’m just saying that categories work without being underpinned by biology. When I say ‘I met a woman’, you know I mean that I met someone who presented to me as a woman, not ‘I looked at her genitals’.

No. I bet you get it right 99.9% of the time, including where you politely agree to go with someone's preferred presentation. Think for a second about the difference between 'I met a woman' and 'I met a man'...

... In a dark alley, on a blind date, at a conference, giving me a lift etc. Women take different precautions. Now social convention is telling women, even when you know someone is male you must ignore that, they pose no additional risk than any other woman

But I don’t see why you have to refuse to acknowledge their womanhood in normal life to do that.

Because the places that women and girls get assaulted and harassed are *normal life*!!! At school. At work. In churches. At sports centres. On dates. In bars. On trains. In lifts. At conferences...

I honestly am very concerned about anything we can do to prevent abuse & assault of women and girls. I just don’t see how saying trans women are not women does that. If a woman feels threatened by a trans person, they don’t need to get in a car with them.

I've just been told by a scout leader that if a 15 year old girl does not want to share a tent with a 17 year old boy with gender dysphoria who identifies as a girl then she is being transphobic. "A transgirl is a girl". Girls are being taught to put up and shut up (again)

Good example! I wouldn’t force a child to share a tent with someone they don’t want to. If someone doesn’t feel safe or comfortable they should know they will be listened to. But I don’t see why you have to call this person a boy to achieve that.