audio by title 'is sex change surgery necessary'

One of the unplanned diversions of summer 2007 was the reappearance of a debate first attempted by Lesbian Feminist Julie Bindel, somewhat provocatively, in the pages of the Guardian’s weekend magazine in January 2004, in the midst of Parliamentary debate on the Gender Recognition Bill.

Julie is a highly respected campaigner and writer in her normally chosen field. She writes for the Guardian newspaper and Weekend magazine, and various other British and European newspapers and magazines. She is the co-editor of The Map of My Life: The Story of Emma Humphreys (Astraia Press, 2003) and several book chapters and research papers on sexual violence and the criminal justice system. A founder member of the feminist law reform campaign Justice for Women, she has also written investigative features on international prostitution, sex tourism in Jamaica, stalking and harassment, being a lesbian schoolgirl, the beauty industry and serial killers. On some of these topics her writing provokes strong views on either side; however it is doubtful whether any article of hers has ever drawn as much angry criticism as when she wrote that one article, “Gender Benders Beware” — leading to a substantial published apology, two weeks later, by the paper’s Readers’ Editor.

In fairness it has to be said that Julie has since apologised for the language she chose, and was perhaps surprised, on meeting some real trans people for an earlier BBC Radio 4 recording, that they wanted to talk rather than be angry with her. That underlines the point that when people can speak and hear each other they can often find much more common ground and understanding than when simply reading the words on the page.

Julie’s views also deserved to be debated. If there was a particular criticism of the earlier Guardian debacle it was that the newspaper never set out to present a balanced view — simply one. This is what therefore makes this very civilised live radio discussion between two very articulate people so interesting and engaging.

Do make sure you listen to the whole programme — and don’t jump to conclusions from the first five minutes in which Julie sets out her beliefs. What emerges is something that comes a lot closer to bridging a seemingly impossible divide. The irony is that trans campaigners tend to share the essence of some of Julie’s views about gender — just maybe from a slightly different angle. However the dialogue has to happen, and the tone of the voices needs to be heard, in order for that commonality to be appreciated.

Links:

• Gender Benders Beware (The Guardian)
• A Change, Of Course