June 20, 2023 - 10:00am
To the surprise of nobody, the Oscars are considering removing all gendered categories for performers. This is an easily anticipated reaction to mounting social pressure regarding sex and gender. As the question “What is a woman?” becomes harder and harder to answer for those in positions of authority, executives increasingly find it easier to dispense with the term altogether. As such, in recent years the Grammys, MTV Movie & TV Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards have all amalgamated their male and female categories.
Perhaps more surprisingly, the unlikely hero pointing out the absurdity of this most recent development was Jameela Jamil, who took to Instagram to propose a “non-binary category” instead of a system that is statistically biased against female performers. Opposition to eradicating the female category certainly isn’t an unreasonable position: as Jamil noted, at the Grammys and Brits, “men swept the [genderless] category”.
In her post, the actress expressed fears that removing gendered categories from awards shows might “run the accidental risk of erasing” non-binary people. This is a somewhat surprising comment from a woman who recently referred to “people of all genders who can become pregnant” when discussing abortion legislation in America. It would seem that while Jamil has previously been happy to dispense with women’s identities, she cannot bear to do the same to non-binary individuals.
It is also quite the epiphany from someone who has historically been an outspoken critic of single-sex women’s spaces. When trans swimmer Lia Thomas topped the women’s category at the US national college swimming championships, the actress was the first to defend Thomas’s right to compete and criticised those concerned with the issue, claiming that the whole thing was an elaborate ploy to “distract” from new abortion laws.
Similarly, Jamil was highly vocal about her opposition to planned reforms of the Gender Recognition Act which sought to introduce new protections for women’s spaces — including bathrooms, changing rooms, and rape crisis and domestic abuse shelters. She claimed: “I would have any trans woman in my protected spaces as they need protection more than anyone”. And yet, now the trans debate is coming for the Oscars, Jamil’s particular area of interest, the penny is finally dropping.
Unsurprisingly, Jamil’s recent comments have seen her branded a “Terf” by the same trans community for which she’s spent much of her career keenly advocating. Responding to the sea of negative comments, the actress is now complaining about the “current climate of social politics”. She claims she’s posting “mainly because thousands of people in [her] DMs asked [her] to, because they agree with this, but for some reason feel too afraid to say it publicly”, and apparently “that is ridiculous”.
Watching Jamil’s journey of discovery might be frustrating for those who have expressed concerns about the erasure of women for years. However, we ought to take heart in her recent comments. The actress’s realisation that women will invariably be the group to suffer at the hands of gender-neutral policies is surely proof that trans ideology is collapsing in on itself. Hopefully, other activists might soon join Jamil in her revelations about the state of free speech, women’s categories, and the rights conflict which sit at the heart of this debate.
Lara Brown is a student at the University of Cambridge and a former president of the Cambridge Union.
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SubscribeI can’t say I’ve personally experienced much difficulty, to be honest.
Maybe it should be rephrased…. Becomes harder to answer honestly without a transactivist clapping and spitting in your face.
I thought they liked gluing their hands to things these days?
I think those are the ecoterrorists.
I think those are the ecoterrorists.
I thought they liked gluing their hands to things these days?
The full statement is ‘As the question “What is a woman?” becomes harder and harder to answer for those in positions of authority’, implying (I assume) that such people are increasingly brainless
Never attribute to stupidity that which can be adequately explained by cowardice.
Never attribute to stupidity that which can be adequately explained by cowardice.
Nor I. And, speaking as a mother of daughters, it’s abundantly clear what a woman is. Moreover, it’s been abundantly clear for most of my life. Something’s gone very, very wrong with our society if we can’t define what a woman is. It’s real Alice in Wonderland stuff.
Apparently Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t agree with you.
That’s understandable ; I’ve never been entirely sure what Nicola Sturgeon is.
That’s understandable ; I’ve never been entirely sure what Nicola Sturgeon is.
Apparently Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t agree with you.
I would guess you have never been up close and personal with a Thai ladyboy. I am told they are very, very good…!
I don’t understand the downvotes. My only experience of Thai ladyboys has been to see them on the TV, but they do look very convincing – not the ‘trucker in a frock’ we in the UK occasionally see mincing (actually lumbering) round the supermarket.
They are still not women.
They are still not women.
Does that make them women? No.
I don’t understand the downvotes. My only experience of Thai ladyboys has been to see them on the TV, but they do look very convincing – not the ‘trucker in a frock’ we in the UK occasionally see mincing (actually lumbering) round the supermarket.
Does that make them women? No.
Maybe it should be rephrased…. Becomes harder to answer honestly without a transactivist clapping and spitting in your face.
The full statement is ‘As the question “What is a woman?” becomes harder and harder to answer for those in positions of authority’, implying (I assume) that such people are increasingly brainless
Nor I. And, speaking as a mother of daughters, it’s abundantly clear what a woman is. Moreover, it’s been abundantly clear for most of my life. Something’s gone very, very wrong with our society if we can’t define what a woman is. It’s real Alice in Wonderland stuff.
I would guess you have never been up close and personal with a Thai ladyboy. I am told they are very, very good…!
I can’t say I’ve personally experienced much difficulty, to be honest.
I understand she’s never been the smartest tool in the shed but I can’t feel sorry for her. She’s been pandering to that cultish gunk for a while, she should have known this would happen…
Chickens. Home. Roost.
The words ‘hoist’ and ‘petard’ also come to mind.
The words ‘hoist’ and ‘petard’ also come to mind.
But Jameela Jamil is hugely important to the debate on gender identity ideology – along with other such luminaries as Rachel McKinnon, Alice Roberts, Stephanie Hayden, Demi Lovato, Sam Smith and Jazz Jennings. Collectively, they are so utterly and spectacularly clueless, their increasingly nonsensical claims validate the gender critical argument and the science-based reality of s3x far better than the rest of us could.
Chickens. Home. Roost.
But Jameela Jamil is hugely important to the debate on gender identity ideology – along with other such luminaries as Rachel McKinnon, Alice Roberts, Stephanie Hayden, Demi Lovato, Sam Smith and Jazz Jennings. Collectively, they are so utterly and spectacularly clueless, their increasingly nonsensical claims validate the gender critical argument and the science-based reality of s3x far better than the rest of us could.
I understand she’s never been the smartest tool in the shed but I can’t feel sorry for her. She’s been pandering to that cultish gunk for a while, she should have known this would happen…
It is not just a matter of “First they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist …” of Martin Niemoller but of a woman so stupidly self righteous that she was the one leading the charge against those not signed up to the trans ideology. It only occurred to her there could be a personal disadvantage rather late on. Unfortunately she is not a TERF just a rather stupid bigot who realised rather late in the day she and her feminist actor friends personally could be disadvantaged and decided she didn’t like it.
Good point! Hers is not a Pauline Conversion on the road to Damascus. Rather, she has only just realised that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Good point! Hers is not a Pauline Conversion on the road to Damascus. Rather, she has only just realised that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
It is not just a matter of “First they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist …” of Martin Niemoller but of a woman so stupidly self righteous that she was the one leading the charge against those not signed up to the trans ideology. It only occurred to her there could be a personal disadvantage rather late on. Unfortunately she is not a TERF just a rather stupid bigot who realised rather late in the day she and her feminist actor friends personally could be disadvantaged and decided she didn’t like it.
Isn’t it simply that she’s not terribly bright?
She was good in “The Good Place” though.
It’s all about the casting. She played a wealthy, narcissistic and not-very-bright one-time fashion model.
Playing herself basically. She got on my nerves. I only liked Chidi and Eleanor.
It’s all about the casting. She played a wealthy, narcissistic and not-very-bright one-time fashion model.
Playing herself basically. She got on my nerves. I only liked Chidi and Eleanor.
She was good in “The Good Place” though.
Isn’t it simply that she’s not terribly bright?
Yes, indeed ‘the question “What is a woman?” becomes harder and harder to answer for those in positions of authority‘ (but not for the rest of us). My solution: before any appointment is made to a position of authority, the candidate should be asked the question “what is a woman?”. An answer not along the lines of ‘adult female human being’ excludes the candidate from the position.
Reminder, Ketanji Jackson was asked this, claimed she was not a biologist, confirmed to US Supreme Court anyway.
Awful! I would have cried myself to sleep from Shame.
Awful! I would have cried myself to sleep from Shame.
Reminder, Ketanji Jackson was asked this, claimed she was not a biologist, confirmed to US Supreme Court anyway.
Yes, indeed ‘the question “What is a woman?” becomes harder and harder to answer for those in positions of authority‘ (but not for the rest of us). My solution: before any appointment is made to a position of authority, the candidate should be asked the question “what is a woman?”. An answer not along the lines of ‘adult female human being’ excludes the candidate from the position.
I totally support the current thing, unless the current thing affects me..Now we have a problem. These people are as shallow as they are self serving.
I totally support the current thing, unless the current thing affects me..Now we have a problem. These people are as shallow as they are self serving.
Does Jameela have a bet at the Terf accountants?
That comment is below your dignity, sir.
she may even be a member of The Terf Club.. probably in their marquee at Royal Ascot… or ” Haz Kotte” as most people who go neow call it….
she may even be a member of The Terf Club.. probably in their marquee at Royal Ascot… or ” Haz Kotte” as most people who go neow call it….
That comment is below your dignity, sir.
Does Jameela have a bet at the Terf accountants?
The old adage about First they came for…..etc….then they came for me and nobody was there…
This is just so typical of these kinds of people. All for other people sacrificing in the name of virtue signaling, but the minute it impacts them all of a sudden there is some rational why they should be excluded.
The old adage about First they came for…..etc….then they came for me and nobody was there…
This is just so typical of these kinds of people. All for other people sacrificing in the name of virtue signaling, but the minute it impacts them all of a sudden there is some rational why they should be excluded.
She’s been trying to bank on this bandwagon for years. She “came out” as non-binary to try to keep her Good Place fame alive, and even the lgtbq crowd scoffed at the notion of her claiming the title as a classically feminine beauty.
She’s been trying to bank on this bandwagon for years. She “came out” as non-binary to try to keep her Good Place fame alive, and even the lgtbq crowd scoffed at the notion of her claiming the title as a classically feminine beauty.
Stay well away from this subject. If you enter the arena, you will be well and truly trashed, no matter what opinion you hold. It’s gonna burn itself out soon, anyway.
I’m not sure it’s burning itself out anytime soon. Look around. Western society believes nonsense across a wide range of issues..Switzerland just voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to maintain Covid restrictions until 2024, as well as supporting net zero. People honestly believe that to fight climate change we need to reduce food production. Educators embrace the idea that fighting racism starts by putting children in oppressed and oppressor groups. Power grid operators in the US are warning politicians about looming energy shortages as fossil fuel production is shut down across the country and replaced with nothing. This advice is ignored and even ridiculed. I’m not optimistic that any of this is ending.
Don’t hold your breath.
Based on the progressive attitudes of young women it’s obvious that eventually the discourse will be dominated by trans-women and their supporters. They will continue to chip away at the protectionist measures that are currently being erected in the hope of restricting participation to the so-called “pure females.” Older women will continue to fight for what they see as their historical female privileges that date from the days of chivalry but they will eventually by outnumbered by a new generation with very different views. Change is inevitable. The old will pass away and the young will shape their own future.
Having private bathrooms, women-only sports and Women’s jails, among others, are historical female privileges now? And that “history” is just about 100 years old. We didn’t enjoy our “privileges” for long, did we? And that’s fine with you?
Having private bathrooms, women-only sports and Women’s jails, among others, are historical female privileges now? And that “history” is just about 100 years old. We didn’t enjoy our “privileges” for long, did we? And that’s fine with you?
I’m not sure it’s burning itself out anytime soon. Look around. Western society believes nonsense across a wide range of issues..Switzerland just voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to maintain Covid restrictions until 2024, as well as supporting net zero. People honestly believe that to fight climate change we need to reduce food production. Educators embrace the idea that fighting racism starts by putting children in oppressed and oppressor groups. Power grid operators in the US are warning politicians about looming energy shortages as fossil fuel production is shut down across the country and replaced with nothing. This advice is ignored and even ridiculed. I’m not optimistic that any of this is ending.
Don’t hold your breath.
Based on the progressive attitudes of young women it’s obvious that eventually the discourse will be dominated by trans-women and their supporters. They will continue to chip away at the protectionist measures that are currently being erected in the hope of restricting participation to the so-called “pure females.” Older women will continue to fight for what they see as their historical female privileges that date from the days of chivalry but they will eventually by outnumbered by a new generation with very different views. Change is inevitable. The old will pass away and the young will shape their own future.
Stay well away from this subject. If you enter the arena, you will be well and truly trashed, no matter what opinion you hold. It’s gonna burn itself out soon, anyway.
Like Jameela Jamil is ever going to set foot in a Rape Center or a Women’s jail. She probably doesn’t frequent public toilets either, and isn’t about to enter the 800-yard women’s race at the Olympics any time soon.
“women will invariably be the group to suffer at the hands of gender-neutral policies”
This statement infantilises women. It implicitly brands them as “less than,” vulnerable, and needing support.
Are women capable adults with agency or are they inadequate in comparison to men?
Which is it? And if they are as capable as men, why then do they need so much help and support?
Not a problem. In order to eradicate this inequality, all women have to do is identity as men. Sorted!
Hahaha
Hahaha
Women being at a disadvantage in film categories comes from the vast majority of directors, screenwriters, and producers being male – the academy of oscar voters are also majority male. Men are not better actors than women, but they do have a wider range of better roles to choose from. That’s the issue.
As far as women needing “help and support” it is women who create human life in our bodies, which makes our bodies more vulnerable than men’s. We need and deserve protection from male predators, and we need and deserve our own sporting categories.
Get it?
Quite the opposite. Women receive preferential treatment in every aspect of life.
Everything revolves around increasing women’s rights, increased funding for women’s health, creation of female safe spaces, protection of women’s sports, quotas for women on company boards and in management, quotas for females in STEM, reduced entry requirements and preferential hiring for female applicants, more help for single mothers, better day-care support for mothers, zero prison time for female convicts, time off from work during periods, menopause leave, free period supplies for school girls, zero VAT for female personal hygiene products, etc, etc.
Oscar’s and such should be the type of competitions that don’t require male and female categories. It does reduce the number of awards, which is probably her real concern.
Quite the opposite. Women receive preferential treatment in every aspect of life.
Everything revolves around increasing women’s rights, increased funding for women’s health, creation of female safe spaces, protection of women’s sports, quotas for women on company boards and in management, quotas for females in STEM, reduced entry requirements and preferential hiring for female applicants, more help for single mothers, better day-care support for mothers, zero prison time for female convicts, time off from work during periods, menopause leave, free period supplies for school girls, zero VAT for female personal hygiene products, etc, etc.
Oscar’s and such should be the type of competitions that don’t require male and female categories. It does reduce the number of awards, which is probably her real concern.
Where are women asking for “so much help”? Last time I checked, women were asking for men (identifying as women) to stay out of ladies toilets, changing rooms, women’s refuges, rape centres (not all, obviously but having a choice of female only and male only is reasonable), women’s prisons and sports competitions. The Oscar’s are about recognition of achievements, not help.
There are many instances of women asking for men’s help. I can provide two prominent examples for you.
1. Emma Watson, the United Nations representative for Gender Equality … Her HeForShe speech was a request for men to stand in solidarity with women.
2. Just last week in the DT we had Sharron Davies appealing for men to support her gender critical position on women’s sports. Quite a brass neck request when you consider the decades of women labelling boys and men as toxic, unnecessary and obsolete.
There are countless other examples. If you look they are easy to find.
That’s odd. Emma Watson doesn’t know what a woman is. As a corollary, I would have thought she doesn’t know what a man is.
She sounded pretty confident when giving the UN speech.
“ Today we are launching a campaign called for HeForShe. I am reaching out to you because we need your help…. We want to try to mobilize as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for change.”
She sounded pretty confident when giving the UN speech.
“ Today we are launching a campaign called for HeForShe. I am reaching out to you because we need your help…. We want to try to mobilize as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for change.”
You seem to have a huge mountain on your shoulder. My grandmother lived in an age where women couldn’t have a bank account unless tgeir father/ husband agreed even when women were working and paying tgeir own way. They weren’t allowed to apply for a vouncil house and heaven forbid, they wanted a mortgage. So when you are spouting about what women get now, please remember it was a 100 year struggle to get recognition that women are not the property of men who get to decide what is or is not good girl them. Transwomen and misogynists do not get to take these rights and spaces away.
Excellent post.
I listed the facts of today and your response is to talk about history and feelings.
That alone identifies who is dealing with chips on shoulders.
History it might be but much of it is within my memory. When my Wife joined with me in marriage in ’63 many of her friends were amazed that we had a joint account. “You mean you can draw out all of his wages? Wow! He must really trust you”.
My parents were married in 1958 and it was normal for married couples to have joint accounts.
My parents were married in 1958 and it was normal for married couples to have joint accounts.
History it might be but much of it is within my memory. When my Wife joined with me in marriage in ’63 many of her friends were amazed that we had a joint account. “You mean you can draw out all of his wages? Wow! He must really trust you”.
Excellent post.
I listed the facts of today and your response is to talk about history and feelings.
That alone identifies who is dealing with chips on shoulders.
That would be your problem right there, listening to Emma Watson! She might think she speaks for all the witches, but she doesn’t even know what they are!
That’s odd. Emma Watson doesn’t know what a woman is. As a corollary, I would have thought she doesn’t know what a man is.
You seem to have a huge mountain on your shoulder. My grandmother lived in an age where women couldn’t have a bank account unless tgeir father/ husband agreed even when women were working and paying tgeir own way. They weren’t allowed to apply for a vouncil house and heaven forbid, they wanted a mortgage. So when you are spouting about what women get now, please remember it was a 100 year struggle to get recognition that women are not the property of men who get to decide what is or is not good girl them. Transwomen and misogynists do not get to take these rights and spaces away.
That would be your problem right there, listening to Emma Watson! She might think she speaks for all the witches, but she doesn’t even know what they are!
He is beyond contempt. A true misogynist.
There are many instances of women asking for men’s help. I can provide two prominent examples for you.
1. Emma Watson, the United Nations representative for Gender Equality … Her HeForShe speech was a request for men to stand in solidarity with women.
2. Just last week in the DT we had Sharron Davies appealing for men to support her gender critical position on women’s sports. Quite a brass neck request when you consider the decades of women labelling boys and men as toxic, unnecessary and obsolete.
There are countless other examples. If you look they are easy to find.
He is beyond contempt. A true misogynist.
By the way, your “pure females” is revolting.
Not a problem. In order to eradicate this inequality, all women have to do is identity as men. Sorted!
Women being at a disadvantage in film categories comes from the vast majority of directors, screenwriters, and producers being male – the academy of oscar voters are also majority male. Men are not better actors than women, but they do have a wider range of better roles to choose from. That’s the issue.
As far as women needing “help and support” it is women who create human life in our bodies, which makes our bodies more vulnerable than men’s. We need and deserve protection from male predators, and we need and deserve our own sporting categories.
Get it?
Where are women asking for “so much help”? Last time I checked, women were asking for men (identifying as women) to stay out of ladies toilets, changing rooms, women’s refuges, rape centres (not all, obviously but having a choice of female only and male only is reasonable), women’s prisons and sports competitions. The Oscar’s are about recognition of achievements, not help.
By the way, your “pure females” is revolting.
“women will invariably be the group to suffer at the hands of gender-neutral policies”
This statement infantilises women. It implicitly brands them as “less than,” vulnerable, and needing support.
Are women capable adults with agency or are they inadequate in comparison to men?
Which is it? And if they are as capable as men, why then do they need so much help and support?