Should we be able to self identify our gender?

The UK government is pondering the question. Should people be able to change their gender in the same way they can change their name?

Currently changing ones gender in the UK requires doctors certification, several years living in the determined gender role, and a whole lot of hoops to jump through. Which is why the Gov is reforming the process. 

So what is gender, in our society, in these times? What defines it? Is it like sexuality, a self determining state. Changeable, flexible, a spectrum? Or is it as simple as binary Male / Female? 

The problem is, unlike sexuality, which doesn’t really impact other people with the exception of the ones having the sex, gender, and how it is defined, impacts everyone, to some degree. The main issue seems to be around trans women, women who have transitioned from being men, or boys. There’s pretty much no conversation regarding transition the other way. This is because women’s rights have been a hard fought, and continuing to be hard fought space, for a hundred years or more. Women have the right to be treated equally, and also to declare male free spaces in certain circumstances. So they feel threatened by the new wave of seemingly aggressive trans campaigners and activists.

Further reading https://www.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/transgender-activists-and-the-real-war-on-women/

Further reading https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/07/05/trans-rights-should-not-come-at-the-cost-of-womens-fragile-gains

https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/07/05/trans-rights-should-not-come-at-the-cost-of-womens-fragile-gains

So the problem seems to be that trans rights come at the cost of women’s rights. And there’s a lot more women than there are trans women. So why should trans women be dictating to them what it is to be a women?

More: https://www.christian.org.uk/news/hyde-park-attack-exposes-violence-trans-lobby/h

Even using the word women is becoming problematic for some people and organisations. It’s a big step backwards seemingly. A tiny number of men transition to become women, or declare they just are women, because they say they are, and then take it upon themselves to force that reality, thier reality, onto everyone else. Especially women. 

Forgive me for saying so, but it’s a very ‘man’ thing to do. If you know what I mean. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/27/transgender-activists-accused-attempting-shut-downdebate

If the conversation isn’t even permitted, something has gone wrong somewhere.