That fascinating feminist – she might call herself “post-feminist” – and academic, Camille Paglia, was in London last weekend, and she spoke vividly about her “transgender identity” fantasies in her early years.
In conversation with Claire Fox of the Institute of Ideas, Prof Paglia described how, as a young girl, she had always identified with male heroes: Roman soldiers, Robin Hood, Napoleon most of all, and adored strutting around in dashing male garb.
But she was so glad that she grew up at a time when this was seen as an aspect of a lively young imagination, and not one requiring immediate intervention by social authorities or medical experts.
In America today, the declaration by a young person that they “feel” transgender “immediately opens the door to the bureaucratic machinery”, she said, starting a process of being officially categorised “transgendered”. A bureaucratic structure now ensures that transgender “policies” are enforced, rather than allowing a young person to work out what can be an experimental aspect of gender identity.
Her words were illuminated by news reports of a 14-year-old girl in the north of England who wants to take a boy’s name at school, as a step towards transgendering. Her parents, who are Christians, say that the authorities, including the local council, are “pushing the transgender issue” and that their daughter should wait until she is 18 before making any decision towards changing her gender.
The parents have been told that their attitude could be seen as “child neglect” and the family fears that their daughter may be taken into care as a consequence.
Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the family, says that social workers are “obsessed with the transgender issue”, and that “the transgender cultural movement is creating a new ‘conflict of rights’ within the family … Authorities are forcing an agenda that is not true, and harmful to children.”
Camilla Paglia, who describes herself as lesbian in orientation, grew up in an Italian-American Catholic family whose traditions she honours. Although an atheist, she says that “human beings need religions as a structure”, and “religion should be taught as part of the educational system” because you cannot make sense of culture and history without it.
Paglia’s ideas are often challenging, but always backed by her learning and experience. And she’s surely right that the “bureaucracy” of transgender politics can railroad adolescents into a process that can eventually be drastic. And possibly break up families, too.
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A new book – Tony Blair and the IRA by Austen Morgan – discloses the following encounter, with some authorial disapproval: “At peace talks in Dublin, Mo Mowlam walked up to [Rita] O’Hare, this leading apologist for international terrorism, and hugged her.”
The late Mo Mowlam was secretary of state for Northern Ireland at the time, and thus the Queen’s representative. Rita O’Hare was a veteran IRA activist (as Morgan’s book underlines) “who had skipped bail on a charge of attempting to murder one of Her Majesty’s soldiers”.
I have had a tenuous contact with O’Hare – a late friend of mine was close to her – and she certainly was a determined Republican activist, and in conversation, not known for her charm.
However, we could put another interpretation on Mowlam’s gesture of hugging O’Hare (who has spent the latter years in the United States). It could be said to be a Christian thing to do. It could be seen as a way of reaching out to the person, rather than, necessarily, endorsing the individual’s activities.
Moreover, a hug is certainly an ice-breaker when you’re faced with a woman of extremely tough reputation. So maybe both Christian charity and political guile were mingled in Mo’s embrace.
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A study has shown that hip replacements do not make patients more active. Well, I’ve had two hip replacements, and they’ve turned me into an enthusiastic walker.
I had one replacement in 1988, and was told I should get “a good 15 years out of it”. Twenty-eight years on, it’s still going strong (who is the saint to thank for enduring hip joints?). I had another in 2008, and it’s fine, but not quite as good as the older implant. So you never can tell.
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