BBC officially drops Mermaids

submitted by Terfenclaw from twitter.com

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[–]yousaythosethings 84 insightful - 4 fun84 insightful - 3 fun85 insightful - 4 fun -  (37 children)

This is a step in the right direction and I hope it’s the first of many. I’m still wrapping my mind around Emma Watson donating to Mermaids and encouraging others to do the same after TRAs hurled violent threats at JK Rowling for acting as a whistleblower (which Emma utterly ignored). I used to really respect Emma but I hold her to a higher standard as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and self-proclaimed feminist. Anyone who spends 5 minutes looking into Mermaids should realize that something doesn’t smell right. Why Emma is incapable of seeing the women’s rights issues at play given her station and education is beyond me.

[–]mangosplums 73 insightful - 3 fun73 insightful - 2 fun74 insightful - 3 fun -  (13 children)

Emma Watson really annoys me with this. She’s just jumping on a bandwagon, she clearly knows nothing about the topic. It’s annoying to see people like her being all preachy, condescending and self-righteous. I’ve always found her feminism to be bland and have no intellectualism to it. Like Beauty and Beast is a pretty awful movie in terms of its message to women. It’s very anti-feminist. And yet she still did it.

[–]vitunrotta 44 insightful - 13 fun44 insightful - 12 fun45 insightful - 13 fun -  (12 children)

I’ve always found her feminism to be bland and have no intellectualism to it

Just like her acting then, huh? (Sorry, that was a bit mean perhaps... but doesn't make it untrue.)
(ツ)_/¯

I really can't believe she and Daniel TRAdcliffe (amongst many...) turned out to be such nonintellectuals. Zero original thought, just repeating TWAW! TWAW! like dyslexic crows and never bothering to consider what it actually means in real life for real women. Blergh.

These are the moments I wish I could "cancel" all of these muppets - but as I am vehemently against the idiotic cancel culture as well, I shall just keep prodding my DIY voodoo dolls of them, and hope that I don't accidentally give them an acupuncture session instead.

Edit: Tried to make my "shrugging emoji" work... Couldn't manage so I just made it do a sassy one-hand movement.

[–]Realwoman 31 insightful - 1 fun31 insightful - 0 fun32 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I mean, they got famous as actors, it's too much for us to expect that actors are intellectual. Actors know how to act, that's a separate skill from being capable of critical thinking and complex analysis. Writing, on the other hand, requires a lot of deep thought, also, it's pretty obvious from the Harry Potter books that JKR is very well read and erudite.

[–]mangosplums 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

True, but Emma Watson sells the idea that she herself is very smart like Hermione and brands herself as a feminist and activist, so it's different than just any actor.

[–]Realwoman 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

She's still an actress though, she's just famous for having played a nerdy, smart character. She's not Hermione.

[–]fuckingsealions 2 insightful - 5 fun2 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

Maybe we should tell her we are house elves. /s

[–]immersang 29 insightful - 1 fun29 insightful - 0 fun30 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

I really can't believe she and Daniel TRAdcliffe (amongst many...) turned out to be such nonintellectuals.

Eh. I've come across so many "pseudo intellectuals" over the years, doesn't exactly surprise me. The kind of person who can superficially present as an intellectual and usually sees themselves as superior to others, but if you look a bit deeper there's not much there.

[–]vitunrotta 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

Ain't that the sad truth.

[–]Aquadog 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

They're also well-spoken. If you look into the content of what they're saying it's just kind of fluff.

[–]vitunrotta 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is an important point, actually. We tend to think a specific person is suddenly very aware of so many things - especially things that are trending... For fuck's sake. There are probably 6 really super famous people on this planet who give two ACTUAL shits (one of them being JK Rowling of course) without some well-paid PR team telling them what to do and say 24/7.

After they "release" their "official statement" on some very "believable platform" like Twitter or Instagram, that's it. They can go on and enjoy their days without any further annoyances. No need to think for yourself! Your self has already been thunk for, hun.

Oh but lest you forget - they are our Feminist Heroes™ who will fight for wOMeN's riGhTs! small print: for me to have 30 million.^

Side note, I do think that actors of any sex should get the money their part deserves (screen time/importance/whatnot) but let's not kid ourselves. The Hollywood women are not exactly the leaders of any movement - rather, they prefer to STOP movements (sadly of their own lips and eyes, usually).

[–]fuckingsealions 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I'm not trying to nitpick you, and I'm sure Emma Watson does speak publicly in her role. For many of the others I assume a lot of this is a statement written and released by a publicist? "Make me sound smart so they'll leave me alone please!" Maybe I am wrong about this.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I feel that way about Daniel Radcliffe. Dude just wants to make quirky movies and shows and be left alone. He doesnt seem really interested in politics. Most of his interviews he is silly, talks about his cat. And weird fans.

[–]Omina_Sentenziosa 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Then he shouldn't stick his nose in this stuff.

[–]fuckingsealions 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yep! However as we know ignorance is no excuse... But it is very common.

[–]Aquadog 27 insightful - 1 fun27 insightful - 0 fun28 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Because it doesn't affect her. She's a multimillionaire who has a squeaky-clean reputation. Transgender issues don't affect her-it's not like she has to use the same washrooms or fight for scholarships like regular women.

[–]yousaythosethings 22 insightful - 1 fun22 insightful - 0 fun23 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It's true. She was born into money too, so she's never experienced the other side. In fact, if she weren't born into money, she would have never gotten the role of Hermione in the first place since they only went to expensive private schools for casting.

Edit: One area where she can maybe understand the issue is through girls sports. She played field hockey, but obviously field hockey was never needed as a path for her to obtain a scholarship, so she's differently situated there too if it was more of a casual hobby for her.

[–]Aquadog 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

She also wouldn't have gone far in field hockey due to her height/frame. I bet they went to the private schools so the kids would have a more "BBC" accent.

[–]feministunderyrbed 22 insightful - 1 fun22 insightful - 0 fun23 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Why Emma is incapable of seeing the women’s rights issues at play given her station and education is beyond me.

Maybe it’s her status that blinds her. She probably doesn’t have to worry about sharing changing rooms, scholarships, a prison cell, or other women’s resources with TiMs, so it’s easier for her to think they’re lovable and harmless.

[–]artetolife 45 insightful - 1 fun45 insightful - 0 fun46 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

They quietly removed the links to ALL transgender organisations from their action line pages (or whatever they call them) a few weeks ago. The UK is turning into a bit of battle ground for trans issues and the BBC can't be impartial while supporting groups as political as Mermaids.

Edit: PenisNews article from earlier this month: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/07/10/bbc-gender-identity-support-mermaids-lgbt-transgender-non-binary/

[–]Tikiri 28 insightful - 5 fun28 insightful - 4 fun29 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

OMG this made my day‼️

[–]luckystar 28 insightful - 1 fun28 insightful - 0 fun29 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Mermaids is also the organization whose CEO had her son castrated (SRS) at 16 in Thailand because it was illegal in the UK. She also laughed about her son's micropenis in an interview...

[–]Seahorse 16 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 0 fun17 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I've read the surgery her kid had is also now illegal in Thailand!

[–]reluctant_commenter 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That is sexual abuse. Good god.

That poor kid.

[–]Riothamus 24 insightful - 1 fun24 insightful - 0 fun25 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Did the BBC find some rather unsavory practices through some investigative journalism?

[–][deleted] 21 insightful - 1 fun21 insightful - 0 fun22 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

When people first noticed that the links were quietly removed rumblings and speculation about the possibility of a story breaking soon started passing around. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case.

[–]Seahorse 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is what I think.

We like to think it's Rowling and others speaking out but I think there's investigations going on.

You don't want to be associated with a charity that might be about to be exposed.

[–]Fraeulein 19 insightful - 5 fun19 insightful - 4 fun20 insightful - 5 fun -  (19 children)

At the risk of sounding like an uncultured swine, what is Mermaids?

[–]Spikygrasspod 46 insightful - 1 fun46 insightful - 0 fun47 insightful - 1 fun -  (14 children)

It's one of the main groups that pushes the transing of kids. They present themselves as a charity that helps trans kids and their families.

[–]sisterinsomnia 53 insightful - 2 fun53 insightful - 1 fun54 insightful - 2 fun -  (13 children)

When I first learned about it I went to the site. They explain 'gender' by having a long row of pictures, one end being a Barbie doll and the other a GI Joe. In-between those two the body changes from less curvaceous to first straight and then to the inverted v-shape. That the concept of 'gender,' assumed to have zero to do with biological sex, is explained using bodies and their clear biological sex seems so bonkers to me. Then they recommend that you pick the gender label that reflects the body you most identify with or something equally irrational.

[–]Spikygrasspod 38 insightful - 11 fun38 insightful - 10 fun39 insightful - 11 fun -  (6 children)

I've seen that. It's so friggin gross. Where does identifying with a barbie come from, I wonder? Can't be society. Must be the soul.

[–]LasagnaRossa 30 insightful - 1 fun30 insightful - 0 fun31 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

We're clearly stepping backwards. I wonder when the shift happened.

[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

2016?

[–]shveya 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I'd say around 2012, it's when I first noticed libfems identifying as things like "genderfluid" and claiming that a woman is just an identity.

[–]lavender_menace 5 insightful - 5 fun5 insightful - 4 fun6 insightful - 5 fun -  (2 children)

oh no, 2012? The Incas knew, that the world is gonna end. 😱🤣

[–]reluctant_commenter 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I think it was the Mayans, but yeah haha.

[–]lavender_menace 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

yeah, you are right. got mixed up there 😅

[–]Agodachi 32 insightful - 1 fun32 insightful - 0 fun33 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That sounds so rudimentary?? "Pick a doll and now that's your new sex!! Soon we'll give you drugs and mutilate your body after your choice!!"

My God, let KIDS BE KIDS dammit

[–]RevengeOfTheCis 20 insightful - 1 fun20 insightful - 0 fun21 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

This is a sign that we CANNOT give up! Twitter, reddit, and all other social media may censor us, but they can't and won't censor JK Rowling. And now that someone like her is speaking up, all these organizations that have been ignoring this shit won't be able to any longer. I think BBC dropping Mermaids might be the first in a domino effect.

But I think the dominos are going to fall veeeerrrrry slowly lol. And then in 10 years everyone is going to pretend they never supported this shit in the first place.

[–]sisterinsomnia 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I hope that you are right about the fads having passed in ten years, though I am not convinced. Most such fads of the past have disappeared fairly suddenly, true, but they never had the same level of economic interests invested in them. So I have thought of alternative ways to fight in case the fad doesn't end. One of those would be a feminist site for cis women. I hate the term 'cis' because it has a definition which does not apply to me but which is forced on me, but if I had to I would accept it because the only way we can continue addressing sex-based oppression would be within that framework. It would be interpreted as transphobia and exclusion and all that, but I don't think it could be stopped. And it would allow the 98% of women or so who are happy to identify as women and also have female bodies to discuss their shared concerns. The concerns of trans men are often the very opposite, so including them doesn't make any sense, and the concerns of the nonbinary female-bodied people are their own business in my opinion, given that they have made their own 'not like other girls' deal with patriarchy.

[–]Killer_Danish 10 insightful - 4 fun10 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 4 fun -  (4 children)

Meanwhile, at DinkNews, they are calling the BBC "institutionally transphobic," with not a lick of evidence.

Must be nice to work at DinkNews, where "journalists" can report whatever flies out of their asses!

[–]Realwoman 11 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 2 fun12 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

Everything is transphobic is what I've learned

[–]sisterinsomnia 8 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

That's because not refusing to kiss the toes of every trans activist idea out there, every single one of them, however clearly that removes rights from billions of other people, is now transphobia. Indeed, the only acceptable choices are silence (which may also be violent, I read, as not supporting is violent) and extreme adulation.

So the slur is now meaningless, or would be, were it not for the pictures of anime figures aiming guns at you that the slur comes with.

[–]sisterinsomnia 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It is about power. Calling everything transphobic, trying to silence everyone else and refusing any debate is an attempt to take power. In this case it is really beginning to look like they want the power to define what gender means, that biological sex doesn't exist and so on, so it is not just asking for the rights not to be harassed or assaulted or discriminated against at work or at school. I am all for those rights.

[–]PassionateIntensity 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

PN need to be sued into bankruptcy for libel and shut down. Everything they publish is at best twisted, at worst deliberate fabrication.