Sonia Sodha’s well-balanced article did an excellent job of highlighting the dangerous trend of silencing and ostracising women with gender-critical views (“If Labour is truly the party of equality, it shouldn’t shut down the trans debate”, Comment). I agree that most people would say that women’s sex-based rights must be protected in law – alongside trans rights, not replaced by them.
I live in Scotland and am deeply concerned about the gender recognition reform bill being pushed through by the SNP government without proper consideration of women’s concerns and due diligence given to assessing its full impact in the law. Most gender-critical women understand that passion and pressure are required to effect change for the better and fully empathise with the issues facing trans people. However, it becomes dangerous when this emotional reaction overpowers the respectful and considered debate that is required to examine all aspects of any change in the law. The toxic public environment around this debate is making many women, myself and my friends included, fearful of expressing our concerns on issues that profoundly affect our lives. It’s not healthy in a so-called progressive society for any sensible dissenting argument in such a complex debate to be shouted down as “transphobic” or “fascist”. This culture of fear, abuse and repression aimed at women who dare to speak up for themselves is no more acceptable now than it was a hundred years ago. We need to encourage constructive dialogue, not stoke the flames of mutually destructive culture wars.
Name and address withheld
I was saddened by Sonia Sodha’s article. I am writing on behalf of AutAngel, a small non-profit run by and for autistic people. There is a large overlap between the autistic and trans populations and we support and are supported by several trans people. Although Sodha’s article might seem logical, reasonable and feminist, our experiences suggest that the views she defends and promulgates make the lives of already vulnerable people more difficult and perilous. Undoubtedly there will be individual trans women who abuse women, just as there are individual cis women who abuse women and/or children; however, this does not mean that all trans women need to be defined differently to non-trans women. We feel that posing rare individual instances as a way to define the characteristics of, and dangers posed by, a vulnerable minority is unhelpfully discriminatory.
Caroline Hearst
Reading
Eton needs an Ofsted visit
Catherine Bennett writes eloquently of the disastrous performance in government of Old Etonians such as Cameron, Johnson, Kwarteng and Rees-Mogg (“As an act of charity, perhaps Eton could protect us from its less impressive products”, Comment). Should Ofsted be called in to inspect Eton’s performance and, if it is found wanting, place it in special measures?
John Eyers
West Hatch, Taunton, Somerset
A Labour win? Not so fast
Robert Ford outlines a number of obstacles to a Labour electoral victory, notwithstanding the party’s lead in opinion polls (“Labour’s electoral map is daunting”, Focus). There is another he did not mention. The requirement for a photo ID at the polling station will particularly disadvantage young people and those from ethnic minorities, as research has shown that they are less likely to have the stipulated documentation.
There are ways to counter this, including postal votes or getting a photo ID from the local authority, but this needs an application in advance, even assuming an awareness of the need for identification documents in the first place. Local government, broadcasters and the political parties should tell people about this requirement well before any election.
William Riddell Graham
Nantwich, Cheshire
Britain: better as a republic
I was surprised to read my views on the republican vision being misrepresented in an article about the movement’s future (“The Queen is dead, long live the King – or are the monarchy’s days numbered?”, New Review, 25 September). I have never once said that to have a republic you simply “cross out ‘queen’ and write in ‘president’”.
While the constitutional change is about taking what we have now, a parliamentary system with constitutional head of state, and making it democratic top to bottom, the argument for doing so is far more profound. Such a move would fundamentally rebalance power between government, parliament and people and would enshrine our best and most valued principles in the constitution and office of head of state.
It would be a fallacy to argue that republicanism offers any kind of panacea to all society’s ills, but it would make Britain a more democratically governed place, which in turn increases the possibility of government that acts in the interests of everyone and not the few and the rich as typified by the monarchy.
Graham Smith, chief executive officer, Republic, London N1
People before place
I am certain that Edward Docx thought he was writing an innocent piece about his holidays to Scotland with his article “Once a year I lose myself in the Hebrides to walk and think – before going back to the life I love” (Magazine). My Scottish husband and I moved to a remote hamlet in the Highlands 15 years ago. We wanted to live where there was more space and nature. So Docx’s desire to be in a place where he can hear himself think is familiar to me. Over the years, however, I’ve come to realise that the real value of this area lies not so much in the landscape as in the sense of community.
Docx keeps alive the myth that the Highlands and Islands are without people and never had people. Communities here are fragile. Population is declining. Our local school roll has gone from 25 pupils 15 years ago to 10 this year. Young people want to come and live here, but there’s no available housing. And although tourism is important, wouldn’t it be better for a family to live permanently in that crofter’s cottage he talks about, especially as he doesn’t want to interact with the community?
Veronique Walraven
Lochaline, Morvern, Argyll
All white on the night
There’s nothing new about white noise (“Why white noise is the music industry’s newest hit”, News). The experimental electronic band White Noise go right back to 1968 and are still active today. My mate Richard used to reckon their albums were ideal seduction music.
Graham Larkbey
London E17
