The "Gender Recognition Reform Bill"

that just passed the Scottish Parliament leaves me feeling bewildered, confused, worried, a little anxious...and much more. The whole "gender transition", "gender fluidity", "transitioning" debate does.

I know there are a lot of people out there who disagree with me but I still believe there are only two sexes - male and female (or female and male if you prefer).  As someone said, "Show me the third gamete". 

There may be a very few instances where there is some uncertainty but these are so far and few between that they are likely in medical journals of some sort. Most of us will never come across anything like that.

The rest of us were born either male or female at birth and all the sex change procedures available are not going to change that. People may look superficially like the other sex but they will not be the other sex. They may "identify" that way but they will not "be". 

I am tired to death of being told which "pronouns" I must use and of how I must "acknowledge the rights" of self-entitled people who believe they are somehow more important than the rest of us. Yes, that is the way they are behaving. They are demanding medical services to "change" when there are others with life threatening issues who cannot get help. They are demanding the right to enter spaces I would not have the right to enter. 

Those who voted for this legislation and all similar legislation elsewhere voted against safe spaces and safe places for women and children.  Do we want men who "identify" as women in shelters for victims of domestic violence? 

One of the things the Senior Cat did in his "retirement" was the minor maintenance work at the main women's shelter in this city. He would go in and change light bulbs, fix locks, mend furniture, build shelves and more. Back then the shelter was run largely by nuns with only a few lay people. The Senior Cat was the only male there on a regular basis. 

As he had known it would it took a little while for word to get around. Here was a male the women could trust. As they came and went his reputation was passed on to incomers. He had very little contact with the residents but after the first alarmed, "Sister .... there's a man in here!" there was never a problem. He was there to help when a man had broken a lock or tried to break a door down - as they often did as the location was no secret.  Unlike so many other men in their lives the  Senior Cat helped to make them feel secure. 

There may have been one or two other men in their lives about whom they felt the same but a man who had "transitioned" and wanted to "shelter" there? I think not. They would, rightly, have been upset to have someone like that on the premises. 

No doubt the women who are unfortunate enough to have to seek shelter there now feel the same way. It is not something we should ask of them. Nor should we require women's prisons to house men who have transitioned or identify as women. It is an explosive added to an already volatile situation. Women should also be able to use a public toilet without fear too. The sort of legislation just passed will allow predators to use those facilities - and yes, there will be some who "use" them as often as possible because it gives them a kick just to be there.

I think this is where the difference lies. If you want to say, "I identify more closely with the other sex" that is absolutely fine by me. I can and will respect you for saying that. I will go so far as to say it is your right to do that. In my view however it is not however your right to say, "I am not the sex I was born and I want you to treat me as "A" rather than "Z" or "Z" rather than "A". In short I don't believe you have the right to special privileges because of something you think rather than something you are. 

And yes, I know there are some of you who are going to disagree with me.