Maya Forstater

if we think, as some moralists do, that law should in some way track morality, and seek to make us conform to our good reasons for action, then again we might want to criminalise this. The words are calculated to offend a group that understands them, for no good purpose. /6

So, if the question were "Is posting such offensive messages a good way to behave?" the answer is no. It is a very bad way to behave, and the people doing it should stop doing so. but I don't think such moral reasoning is enough to justify criminalisation. /7

Nobodies ability to live their life as they choose is set back by these words. Offence and upset are insufficient reasons to merit criminalisation. It is very unfortunate that the UK police seem to think they are in the business of making us be good. /end

Nice thread. But i think u are missing that they were put up for good reason. To make a political argument (This one: https://twitter.com/AlessandraAster/status/1172421643768979456 …) not mindlessly to amuse or offend. i.e. is it offensive for a prison, a sports body, a doctor etc... to state that women are female?

Of course that doesn't matter. My claim is that this is lawful, and ought to be, regardless of whether its sole purpose is to mindlessly offend.

Right. I know it doesn't matter for yr conclusion, but still along the way say that the context is 'to offend', when in fact the context is serious legal & policy changes which affect women's rights. The morality answer is not as clear cut as you present! https://euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/scot.2019.0284 …

Maybe, but as you can see I have no interest (at least for these purposes) in that question. I am interested in the justice of banning offensive words, not the question of who is right and who is wrong on the substantive question (which I think is irrelevant here).

Fair enough. But that is not what the thread says. The thread comes to definite moral conclusions rather than remaining agnostic, and saying that moral conclusions don't matter here in any case.