Identifying as female, but only on Wednesday – VIRGINIA BLACKBURN
I AM currently reading a very amusing novel called Fortysomething by Nigel Williams, which was written about 20 years ago. One of the running gags concerns the number of senior BBC executives who are considering a sex change.
Perhaps that wouldn’t be deemed funny now but the point is that so few people had the op a mere twenty years ago that it remained extremely unusual.
Fast forward to our own enlightened times and now we can pick a gender at will, no matter what sex we are born into.
This is giving rise to all manner of idiocy, a point brought home by David Lewis, one of the few Labour activists in the country who still seems to have an iota of common sense (for which, incidentally, the party has suspended him).
Lewis (who has a beard) made it on to a list of female-only candidates for women’s officer because he “identifies as a woman on Wednesdays”.
Under Labour’s self-identification rules, anyone can choose their gender, which means a man can stand for a woman’s role. Lewis – who if the party had any sense, would be promoted to high office – was doing this to make a point.
In Fortysomething, as in real life, a lot of this is the basis of some ribaldry, although one suspects the millennials might have a sense of humour failure about it all.
But how funny is it going to be when a tragedy occurs?
Wiser souls, mostly women, point out that allowing men into all-female sanctuaries solely on the basis that they say (with all evidence to the contrary) that they are ladies is asking for trouble.
Already there have been concerns about male behaviour in female-only bathing ponds in London.
How long before serious troubles arise?
It has been accepted through the several hundred thousand years of human existence that the vast majority of people are male or female and that only a tiny proportion are somewhere in between.
We are ignoring real concerns, to say nothing of common sense, and when something goes horribly badly wrong – and it will, you can be sure – it’ll be women who suffer.
Where’s the gender equality in that?
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Do Prince Harry and Meghan hint at baby plans?
Meghan, don't go changing...
I love Meghan Markle. She clearly makes Harry happy and she’s a breath of fresh air.
But all the people excitedly predicting that Meghan will “change the monarchy” are pretty wide of the mark.
Apart from the fact that she’s married to the sixth in line to the throne, not the heir, Meghan has been absorbed into an institution that is 1,000 years old, has constantly adapted to changing times and is highly unlikely to allow itself to be interfered with.
She’ll look great on the balcony but reshaping the Crown? I really wouldn’t hold your breath.
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Oxford is not to blame
OXFORD University has been criticised for not having enough ethnic minority students. This is unfair.
It is not the job of our great universities to indulge in social engineering.
The real problem lies with our school system, in which people from less privileged backgrounds get a lousy education and so are not put up for Oxbridge.
Bring back grammar schools. That would give them a far better chance.
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British businesswoman SLAMS new EU data laws
Reclaiming my data
Loving this GDPR business, in which all manner of companies are having to ask permission to stay in touch. Who knew I’d signed up to so many mailing lists?
Their tone is getting increasingly desperate. Bye!
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Bye Ken, you won't be missed
So the odious Ken Livingstone has resigned from the Labour Party. Who knows what behind-the-scenes deals were made to persuade him to go but the fact that Labour never expelled him for his vile anti-Semitism is disgusting. He should have been kicked out years ago.
At least the rest of the country finally seems to be cottoning on to how unpleasant and racist these people really are.