(no subject)

Dear Stonewall,

I'm just writing to enquire about your decision to include Julie Bindel in your list of 'journalists of the year', what was it that attracted you most to her, her writings on feminism or her transphobia? Isn't this a slap in the face to any of your members that are queer AND trans? What's next, a free pass for gay racists?

Loz


Dear Loz,

Thank you for your email.

Julie Bindel was shortlisted for a Stonewall award in recognition of her journalism during the last 12 months which often brings a lesbian perspective into the mainstream press.

The awards nominating panel are not endorsing everything she has ever written. A nomination in any category does not mean that the awards panel agree with all of someone’s opinions. Stonewall recognises that some people may disagree with shortlisted nominees.

Regards,

Stonewall

Pondering my response to this, which I suspect is going to be something along the lines of whether that 'lesbian perspective' absolves her of the responsibility of not being horrid in other parts of her life, and that Stonewall are, by quickly bashing out a badly thought-out reply to me are claiming that it's a part of Lesbianism to be Transphobic.

EDIT: I've just discovered this is a form response they are sending to everyone that writes to complain. Bastards!

(no subject)

It was just the other day I was wondering if Asian Dub Foundation were still going. I never bought any of their albums in the 90s, they were a bit too fierce and brown for a Britpop kid like myself, not that I was racist you understand, I did like Echobelly after all.

Anyway, the new album, 'Punkara' is out and sounds great. Some tracks have been put on other blogs, but my favourite track has got to be the incredibly funny and dancetastic Asian Dub Foundation Versus Dame Iggy of Pop- "No Fun".

Stonewall/Bindel Part Two

Part One.

Thank you for your prompt response to my email, I'm less impressed, however, by the fact it appears to be a stock response that you simply cut'n'pasted into your reply, though this at least explains why you didn't bother answering the questions I put, so perhaps I'll try asking them again.

1) Isn't this nomination a slap in the face to the supporters and 'friends' of Stonewall who are both transsexual and gay, bisexual or lesbians?
2) What's next, a free pass for gay racists?

You can say that you don't agree with all of a nominated person's opinions. Yet you aren't nominating five journalists who write on gay issues from a consistently negative standpoint, so why choose someone who writes on transsexual issues from a consistently negative standpoint? Julie Bindel has stated on BBC Radio 4 that she believes SRS should not be available, to anyone, for any reason, she believes that transsexual people are mentally ill for believing they were born into the wrongly sexed body, she doesn't believe transwomen count as real women or transmen as real men, whatever 'real' is supposed to mean.

You claim to work for lesbian, gay and bisexual rights, but by allowing her nomination you are giving support to someone who does not support the community you say you are working for.

Please reconsider, and please reply with something more imaginative than a cut-n-pasted response.

Loz

Meanwhile...

Fat Monologue.