“Mixed” hospital wards - thought we’d seen the last of these

I'm also sure that those women would agree that when women speak up for other women there are attempts at silencing them.

It is wrong. But that doesn't make the attempts to silence JKR right.

So the answer's simple if you think your local trust is disregarding women's views get yourself on the governing body.

So I just turn up and insist they give me a place on the governing body? Who knew it was that simple?

And so many who jumped on the silence J K Rowling bandwagon hadn't read what she had written, they got their opinion from others, many of whom had also not read what she'd written. There were dozens of requests to people to actually quote verbatim from her piece exactly what was transphobic. No quotes were ever forthcoming, I wonder why?

Rosie51

^So the answer's simple if you think your local trust is disregarding women's views get yourself on the governing body.^

So I just turn up and insist they give me a place on the governing body? Who knew it was that simple?

I don't think I said it was simple. But if the circumstances you are complaining about are real and most people are concerned by them you can stand on those ideas and you'll be elected. Surely if you really believe women are being silenced someone has to speak up for them.

Rosie51

And so many who jumped on the silence J K Rowling bandwagon hadn't read what she had written, they got their opinion from others, many of whom had also not read what she'd written. There were dozens of requests to people to actually quote verbatim from her piece exactly what was transphobic. No quotes were ever forthcoming, I wonder why?

In a controversial essay published on her website in June 2020, Rowling wrote, "I refuse to bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode ‘woman’ as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it."

Stating that she's a survivor of sexual assault and domestic abuse, she added, "So I want trans women to be safe. At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman ... then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside."

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis responded to the piece, calling it a "misinformed and dangerous missive about transgender people" that "flies in the face of medical and psychological experts and devalues trans people accounts of their own lives."

From here

So the answer's simple if you think your local trust is disregarding women's views get yourself on the governing body. trisher 14:25

I don't think I said it was simple. trisher 14:46

Do you think we are not doing things trisher. Do you think there arent women up and down the country meeting, speaking, producing alternative guidance for organisations and so on. The reason that no debate has vanished, the reason that we are even having these conversations is become women have fought, gone to court, campaigned and so on.

I said the answer was simple- get on hospital trust governing bodies, that doesn't mean the process is simple. If you think women are being silenced make a noise about it.

Galaxy There may well be, but the specific question was about hospital trusts. Women are still not represented as much as men on them. So there's a target. Get on, change the viewpoint, change policies. But all I seem to get from these people who really fear for women is negative posts picking holes in the idea. Makes you think their concerns only go so far.

It is clear that both trisher and GagaJo think that they are the only people on here who do anything about the causes they believe in, Galaxy. They see the rest of us as keyboard warriors who pontificate and theorise about the feminism that only they understand, but do nothing to try to improve things.

That is shocking Sago! To be let back on the same ward while you were there was disgusting. I'm really lost for words. So sorry. ?

Why when someone posts a solution to problem you apparently care about Doodledog do you feel the need to attack them?
I just think if there is a problem and you are so worried about it action is the best solution. You may of course disagree.

What about transgender women who identify as men? I know this is Gransnet but I'd like to know what men think about it too. There are some. I know one of each, they are comparatively young though, both in their 20s. Its very difficult to deal with as I actually agree that chromosome wise they can't change. Its easier in the ordinary outside world but in a hospital setting it should be chromosome led not "identity" led.

trisher

Why when someone posts a solution to problem you apparently care about Doodledog do you feel the need to attack them?
I just think if there is a problem and you are so worried about it action is the best solution. You may of course disagree.

Don't be disingenuous, trisher

I am not going to post on here about what I do off the boards. Apart from the fact that it is irrelevant - I have an opinion about things that I take no action over as well as about things that I do - I prefer to remain anonymous. You never know if someone will recognise you from what you post, and if I thought that that were the case it would inhibit what I might say about personal matters.

MaggsMcG

What about transgender women who identify as men? I know this is Gransnet but I'd like to know what men think about it too. There are some. I know one of each, they are comparatively young though, both in their 20s. Its very difficult to deal with as I actually agree that chromosome wise they can't change. Its easier in the ordinary outside world but in a hospital setting it should be chromosome led not "identity" led.

MaggsMcG, Transmen have been discussed many times, and I think there were posts about them on this thread, but I am losing track?

They are not discussed as often as transmen, probably because they pose far less of a risk. A female body will change with the addition of male hormones, but not usually to the extent that most transmen could overpower most men.

Obviously there will be exceptions, but as a feminist I am more concerned about the safety of women, who are already far more at risk from men than men are from women.

I think in terms of general conversations on other forums, the issues facing transmen are discussed, I would say the risks facing transmen in a Male prison for example are a feminist issue. From what I can gather in recent news transmen are raising concerns about the concept of gender, and about health impacts of testosterone etc.

I would say the risks facing transmen in a Male prison for example are a feminist issue

That's a fair point. I suppose the fact that it is women who are expected to deal with problems surrounding transwomen, I've looked at it that men should sort out the problems of transmen, but that's very simplistic, I realise.

Another interesting article on the topic of hospital wards :

shonaghdillon.co.uk/sex-offenders-in-single-sex-spaces-wheres-my-movement/

Thanks for that link FarNorth.

I spent 6 days in a high dependency unit that was completely mixed. Lots of very sick men and women with little or no privacy. I think many of the concerns about self identified gender are overblown, beneath that though, there is a real dilemma for the NHS about how to care for sick people of all genders in cash-strapped, under resourced wards while maintaining dignity of care.

Sorry to hear about your hospital stay, POW1.

In HDU, however, you must all have been closely monitored? Fortunately I have no experience of HDU, but I don't think they will be places where people can move about freely?

Hope you're fully recovered now POW1. I don't think anybody would expect an HDU or ICU unit to be anything but mixed as they operate on a virtually 1 to 1 basis in normal times. Covid put hellish strains on staff who were expected to care for 2 or more extremely sick and vulnerable patients. Having family members that work/have worked in these areas I know that all that can be done to preserve patient privacy and dignity is done, but medical need always comes first. And of course those areas are constantly staffed. That's different to other disciplines where wards or even bays within a ward can and should be single sex.