The Times

The Times is a propaganda sheet, spreading fear, mockery and hatred against trans people. Have a look at the last three weeks:

Today: Stonewall accused of censoring academics over transgender issues. This is a common theme: on Saturday 7 December, trans rights activists halt gender debate at Essex University. Wednesday 4 December: University pulls trans forum amid safety fears. Participants were, the Times says, at risk from trans activists. 25 November: Artist ready to sue university over trans rights speech ban.

The Times editorials speak out: Resisting Tyranny thunders their headline on 23 November. The Open University cancelled a conference this year on prison reform after threats from the transgender lobby. In another article, Students speak up to join campaign for free speech.

21 November: Oxford Brookes University cancels feminist speaker Rachel Ara after students accuse her of transphobia.

I would see these as good news stories. Someone wants to organise a gathering of transphobes. University authorities or the student body have prevented it, having regard to morality, decency and their obligations on diversity. Free speech does not mean a right to a platform, and hate speech quiets the voices of minorities so is the antithesis of free speech. The Times writes of brave, wise people being silenced. And though it would not report of other academic get-togethers being cancelled, it thinks it news if there’s a transphobic angle.

Not all their bloviating concerns “free speech”. Sunday 8 December: in an article about a “tyrannical liberal elite”, Rod Liddle has the biting aside worry that with transgenderism we’re taking this whole identity business a bit far.

Also on Sunday, Puberty blocker firm donated cash to Lib Dems. What else could be the next word after Transgender people are vulnerable members of our society other than “But”? The Lib Dems support gender recognition reform out of principle. If the Times were interested in donors getting benefits there are more shocking stories.

Trans rights pass under radar. An international organisation that supports transgender rights has praised activists in Ireland for passing legislation “under the radar” by “latching trans rights legislation on to more popular legal reforms.

Neale Hanvey was suspended for antisemitism as an SNP candidate on 28 November, but the Times kept the story running on Saturday 7 December with an article about divisive, toxic feuding in the party over trans rights.

On Friday 6 December, SNP supporters of Palestinians were victims of LGBT campaign. A transgender woman tweeted about them, apparently.

Sunday 1 December: Only a third of Scots back gender change at 16. All other adult rights are being harmonised in Scotland at 16.

Children’s author pens antidote to books peddling wrong body myth. I looked up “My Body is me” by Rachel Rooney. It is being given away free, and is not available on Amazon.

27 November:  transgender cricketer Maxine Blythin wants to play for England. Headline: Transgender rules can’t stop me.

Sunday 24 November: Labour has been criticised for placing women at risk with its confused policy on transgender rights.It tried to please both sides in the gender-identity debate. Well, actually it supports Equality Act rules for excluding trans women in exceptional cases, and gender recognition reform,  but who cares for truth here?

We don’t want only the unco guid in politics. That’s an allusion to a Burns poem used to mean “politically correct”. Someone did an offensive tweet about trans.

23 November: I will not suppress my views on gender, says Joanna Cherry, SNP hopeful. “Vulnerable trans community” is in mocking quotes, our oppressors are portrayed as brave and principled: All three politicians said they would not be silenced by transgender lobbyists. I would hope allies would be lobbying for us as well, but hey.

21 November: Transgender tweet case: officer Harry Miller says he was visited by thought police.

In Rupert Murdoch’s Britain, vicious trans activists stalk the land, but brave feminist advocates stand up to us. Any story is called newsworthy simply because it might show trans people in a bad light. It takes any opportunity for denouncing our tyranny.

Propaganda like this demonizing marginalised groups has a long history among right wing extremists. The Times has come out for the extreme Right. The propagandist tinge will only spread further in it.