Some trans folk fear that they are becoming subjected to travel restrictions under the security state. However, other views are that people need to be sure that their appearance matches their photo and details on the passport. My guess is, that to be fair, the government is checking on anybody who appears like they could be a man dressed as a woman - rather targeting only people presenting as women who might be men with an Asian background. If so, then this would be a clear response that would expected in a culture that respects diversity; to be fair, people who appear to be women dressed as men should be checked as well - from whatever cultural/ethnic /religious background.

Mish

shock - bombers just happened to be Muslim

The new New Labour spin is that the latest round of bombings are not Islamic terrorist bombers, but criminals (that they happen to be Muslim is no longer mentioned). That might lead one to wonder how it is that the NHS can be recruiting criminals as trainee doctors - and whether all the foreign criminals they recruit happen to Muslim terrorists, or do they implement a strict diversity policy when it comes to recruiting foreign criminals? Will the Government be recruiting Christian war criminals from Serbia, a few Tamil Tigers and some white supremacists from the USA to balance out the criminal mix in our public services? I don't seem to recall that there was this sense of denial about the IRA - they were clearly regarded as Irish (believe it or not!), and they were seen as terrorists and ciminals, and I don't think that many were invited to come and work as doctors.

Am I missing something, or doesn't blowing up people contradict the Hippocratic Oath? How do I know I am going to be treated properly by someone to whose fundamentalist religion my existence is an offense?

London bombs

Funny how there was nothing on the news that the bombs found yesterday were on or near today's route of Pride. Seems a big coincidence - I am sure if it had been a veterans rally today, then it would be in the headlines.

Goodbye Blair, hello Brown

So, now we have a new Prime Minister. Heralded in unopposed, we now have a PM selected by default. What does this 'new start' to British politics presage? Well, the comments of Brown on taking up office seem clear - the dissolution of party politics. I have thought for some time that the only difference between a one-party state and a two-party state is simply one party (OK, we are a 2.3 party state, but everybody knows the liberal democrats will never get elected). Now Brown reveals that his ambitions for Britain are a government of national unity. Well, it happened before, under Churchill during the war, and I vaguely recall from my student days studying politics that under Labour in the 1930's there was a disastrous attempt at such a government.

So, Labour has drifted from socialism to neo-Thatcherism under Blair's New Labour, and now Brown hopes to extend this into a New Politics where parties are redundant. Sounds like a one-party state to me. Still, at least it will avoid the embarrassment of elections where most of the electorate don't bother to vote, and of those who do less than half vote for the part in power. In the one party state of New Britain, every vote will count - and the majority of votes will be for the party that is in power. Who knows, that sole party may even get to achieve a majority of possible votes - although I suspect even less people will bother to vote at all under Brown's New Britain.

Brown looks so serious, but when he attempts a smile, it looks more scary than that mask on 'Scream'? His must be the most scary smile in politics.

Mish

My less than liberal views

I have for some time been convinced that sex offenders should be castrated, because it makes them far less likely to re-offend.

It has been found that multiple and serial murderers tend not to re-offend after they have been executed either.

On the other hand, I am completely in favor of the nationalization of the narcotics industry, making drugs like heroin, cocaine, and other drugs available in standardized formats, strengths, purity and cost; it would be available retail without prescription over the counter at pharmacists. The money generated would help to fund the National Health Service and rehabilitation programs for those who wish to live a drug free life. Those who chose to take these drugs would no longer be stigmatized or need to pursue a life of crime or work in the city to fund their habits - but pursue a normal life once more.

Prostitutes should not be penalized for their careers, instead nationalized brothels should be set up offereing a standardised set of services, durations and rates with medical staff available in-house to advise and monitor the sexual health of those who serve and the clients themselves. The revenue generated would be used to fund sexual health clinics and sexual education.

a dog is just a dog

I had my dog put down 6 months ago, and I was really gutted. I joined a pet bereavement support group. I am still on there, but I got all sorts of crap because I said how Ben had been 'just a dog'. Sure, he was a member of the family and I treated him like a surrogate child - a big puppy. But he was still just a dog, however upset I might have been. Indeed, it was precisely because he was a dog I loved him like he did - a constant companion, loyal to the end, etc. It is precisely because he was a dog, and not a human, that he was so endearing. I'd never have put up with some of the stuff he did if he had been human - like when he'd lick his arse while we were eating - or those awful farts he used to do.


Do dogs have a soul or go to heaven? Who knows what heaven is, or if it exists - but I guess if the is God, and he created everything, then he put a bit of himself into everything that lives, and that includes dogs - so if you want to call that a soul fine. Given that bit of God goes into every living thing, then when it dies, that bit goes back to God eventually - but who knows, maybe it becomes another living thing on the way.

Mish

Nicky's blog

Here we have Nicky's blog on his 'condition':

http://kallmanns-syndrome.blogspot.com/

Lately he rants about the evils of transgendered folk, about OII, and anything apart from himself or his condition. In fact, he clearly states that he sees the murderers of Gwen Araujo as his 'heroes'!

August 25 2005:

"These people should be called heros because what these trannies did was lied and duped them into believing that they are who they are."

Here we have Nicky's blog:

http://nicksnospinzone.blogspot.com/

Note his desire to wear cross-gender clothing and grow his hair like a girl.

Nick came to our site, abused our hospitality, did nothing but badmouth transgender people, never discussed his own issues once - and had to be thrown out eventually because he started threatening people.

On his main site, some of his favourite links are porn sites with pictures of women's genitals.

Nick - get a life. Face up to your own gender issues and stop trying to project them onto other people and stop pretending that your gender issues aren't gender issues, but intersex issues. Then deal with both issues properly. When you have sorted yourself out, you will be welcome to come back to OII and try again - or, if you want to talk to somebody who can help, let us know.

At OII, we will accept you feeling caught somewhere between the genders, we do not expect you to be a man or a woman, unless you wish to - and we will accept you as either. All we ask is that you do not try to use our forum to exercise hatred against other minority groups - including transgendered people - OK?

Michelle