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Why I sued PinkNews Allegations of sexual abuse and coercive control were aimed at me

Terf Wars. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty


November 20, 2021   6 mins

The last thing I would want to do, as a journalist, is to sue a publication for libel. But after enduring years of distress and provocation from PinkNews, I finally changed my mind. The final straw came in May 2020, I had gone to bed early in preparation for a 5am start the next day. But then my phone started beeping as several WhatsApp messages came through. I flicked through them quickly. Four women, all of whom I knew through feminist campaigning, were alerting me to the fact that there was, as one put it, “yet another ‘horrible’ article” about me on PinkNews. “You are not named but I think it’s blatantly obvious it’s about you.” I turned off my phone and went to sleep.

The next day, I read the article. It referred to high-profile lesbian journalists and was based on an interview with an American woman called Amy Dyess (now known as Beau Dyess), with whom I had briefly spoken a few months earlier when she was planning to come over to the UK to speak at the same event as me. I had cut off all contact with Dyess after I grew tired of her constant slating of a number of feminists I respected — I had heard she was not pleased at being rejected.

“The ‘gender critical’ feminist movement is a cult that grooms, controls and abuses, according to a lesbian who managed to escape,” was the headline of the article. “Looking back on her time in the ‘gender critical’ feminist movement, she is unequivocal: it’s a cult,” the story read. “A cult that groomed her when she was vulnerable and sleeping in her car; a cult that sought to control her, keeping tabs on her movements and dictating what she could and couldn’t say; a cult that was emotionally and sexually abusive towards her.”

“One British lesbian even promised to find Amy a wife, so she could stay in the UK and galvanise the struggling gender-critical movement here,” the article continued. As well as the fact that there are no other high profile lesbian journalists in the UK who had been regularly targeted by PinkNews, this was enough to lead several individuals to identify me. I had come to be associated with the so-called Terf movement and a hate figure — mainly as a result of all that PinkNews coverage. I also learned that weeks earlier, Dyess had made allegations about me on Twitter, including that I had “promised to find her a wife” when she visited the UK.

The next morning I searched my name on Twitter and found that within a very short time of the article being published, I had been identified as the person referred to in the article. Speculation was rife as to exactly what level of criminal behaviour I had been involved in. I was horrified. Even my fiercest enemies recognise that I have been at the forefront of campaigning to end exploitation, coercive control, and all other forms of violence and abuse towards women and girls — for decades — and yet the implication was that I was involved in the abuse of a vulnerable lesbian.

My partner — a human rights lawyer — read the article and was aghast. Neither of us quite knew what to do. I considered my options: ignore it and thereby invite accusations of guilt; deny the allegations, which would be absolutely outrageous and bring about further suspicion; or try to tear it apart in a humorous way. I took the third option. I felt I had no choice because there was so much Twitter chatter identifying me as the subject of the article.

“So Prick News has finally revealed I am a cult leader that traffics vulnerable young lesbians to the UK & matches them with a mail-order bride,” I wrote. “And Talcum X [Owen Jones] is delighted it has all come out. I would like to extend my apologies to the whole of Twitter for my outrageous behaviour.”

My reference was to the Owen Jones tweet plugging the article to his one million followers on the day it was published: “Must read article… about a courageous woman who left the anti-trans cult.”

Over the years, I have swallowed so many accusations of transphobia by PinkNews. But this was on a different level. It was devastating for me to be, as I saw it, implicated in being part of a cult that did all the things I have spent more than four decades fighting against. It seemed to me that the clear aim of the piece was to smear an entire group of feminists as abusers and cultists. If PinkNews felt able to make allegations of sexual abuse and coercive control against me, what and who would be next? I had no choice but to sue.

In its defence, PinkNews says it didn’t intend to identify me. In defamation law, however, intention as to meaning is irrelevant, because the question is what the reasonable reader would take from reading it. It is clear to me that I was identified in the piece.

But I have never — and would never — call myself gender critical. I don’t believe in gender in the way it is used and defined by trans activists, ie that it is innate and overrides biological sex. Therefore, for me to be “critical” of gender in this context would be the same as saying I was critical of god when I am a non-believer. There are some women, both feminists and not feminists, who refer to themselves as “gender critical”, and who came to prominence by railing against trans ideology. Many have never campaigned on any other issue relating to women’s liberation, and so I have little, if anything, in common with them.

I object to extreme trans activism for the simple reason that its goal is to do away with women’s hard-won sex-based rights and women-only provision, such as domestic violence refuges, rape crisis services and prisons. Women-only spaces have historically been critically important to feminists because they provide a space for women to share their common experiences of growing up female and of enduring male violence. A space to freely discuss this without a fear of offending the men in the room is crucial for women’s safety and sanity.

As it turned out, the interviewee, Dyess, had no proof to back up any of her serious allegations, and was soon to publicly denounce PinkNews on Twitter, claiming to have been harassed by a PinkNews staffer and their lawyer over the story, and later for “misgendering”. Dyess soon changed their name to Beau and began to identify as non-binary. In my view, Dyess was used by PinkNews, and, once they realised I really meant business and would pursue the case until the bitter end, seemed to suggest that her allegations were so ludicrous that no-one would take them seriously.

It was also implied that she was not a reliable source. For example, in one letter from PinkNews’s lawyers to mine, they state:

“…the reference to the GCM as a “cult” would plainly not be taken literally and there is plenty of context to show that this use of the term ‘cult’ was Ms Dyess’s opinion and/or merely dramatic licence by her. The Article also could not be clearer that Ms Dyess’ account of her experiences roves widely and consists of an attack on multiple (largely unidentified) women she claims were part of a so-called ‘international lesbian’ network.”

In my view, the article appeared to be intending to slur any and every feminist that PinkNews consider to be a trans-exclusionary radical feminist. In its defence, PinkNews denied targeting me. “The claimant has not been treated any differently from other gender critical feminists who have been regularly mentioned in PinkNews coverage of the highly charged ongoing debate and clashing views between transgender activists on the one side and gender critical feminists on the other.”

As I said at the beginning of this piece, the last thing I wanted to do was to sue a publication. But this time, the article went too far and in the tradition of not standing for, what I saw as, the bullying and vilification of feminists, I felt I had a responsibility, if not a duty, to challenge it. PinkNews and I have now settled the case, and I refer to the joint statement which has been published on the PinkNews website. But it has been a long 18 months.

By sending the first letter of complaint, 10 days after the article was published, I had the expectation that PinkNews would acknowledge the risk and take the article down, or at least mark it as “subject to a legal complaint” as is commonplace in such matters. Sadly they did not, but chose to defend the case for a year and a half causing immeasurable stress and expense. It makes me wonder why they thought it worthwhile.

I sincerely hope that no one else has to go through the appalling experience I did. And given that PinkNews has said that following my case, they are going to review their editorial processes, perhaps that wish will come true.

 

 

Julie Bindel is an investigative journalist, author, and feminist campaigner. Her latest book is Feminism for Women: The Real Route to Liberation. She also writes on Substack.

bindelj

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Galeti Tavas
Galeti Tavas
2 years ago

Its like some Narnia thing where you see through some door into another reality. All the time you know society and the world is reality stacked upon realities, that one’s life can be so different to another’s as to be unfathomable, and then you read an excerpt of Julies times and wow – it is really like that, and all the wile we exist in our own reality right next to, and interacting with, so many other ones existing in the same space time; ones that we could never imagine if not read about. I guess mine would be as alien to her, and that others BTL here would be equally alien to both of us – although Julie’s would take some competition to beat.

I just got back from being out in the marsh working my nets, I love the solitary night outside, as the sky was getting dark I baited up a stretch of water for the coming night, and to the East the full moon came up, vast and lurid red as they do rising – the low atmosphere they are seen through take the blue wavelengths so red remains – the light bending to make it a dozen diameters larger than when above…Last night was the full Moon Lunar eclipse and I walked in the woods 3 a.m with the dogs watching it over clearings and looking at the constellations I once knew so well, but I am forgetting….The previous full moon in October was the proper ‘Hunters Moon’, similar, light enough to see to walk in the night forest by moonlight as the trees lose their leaves, or in the marsh.

My catch was small, so bright out it was not a real night, and suddenly cold, and the creatures stayed off deeper. I got wet as always netting, and one did feel very alive out there in the bright, cool air and chilly water….

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago
Reply to  Galeti Tavas

Your delightful experience is so much more enjoyable reading than Julie’s. I’m sorry to hear of her travails but the details are tedious in the extreme.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  David Bell

It’s only some women’s issues and not part of the millions of faithful wives and mothers out there. It’s just that these people a minority, including LGBT and Transgender constantly harp on about their world.

Last edited 2 years ago by Tony Conrad
Gunner Myrtle
Gunner Myrtle
2 years ago
Reply to  David Bell

I agree. I follow too many sub stacks like UnHerd and they all repeat the same depressing story. I would love a site called Other Peoples Lives where pieces are done describing the daily lives of people from all over the world in some detail.

Barry Phillips
Barry Phillips
2 years ago
Reply to  Galeti Tavas

Great comment. I just have no idea what she’s talking about any more.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Barry Phillips

I second your comments. UnHerd should not provide a platform for the personal–though boring and tedious–grievances of JB. Enough already with the trans and terfs!
And let’s not forget that these are, in the main, terrible people, i.e. JB, Bari Weiss, Kathleen Stockton, Asra Nomani, only slightly better than the mob that cancelled them. There are more important topics for UnHerd–more important for the world, than the on-going drama of JB.
Can we move on?

Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

What do you think it’s unimportant that working people are being forced to declare preferred pronouns, being sacked if they say something offensive, being hounded out of academia if they don’t show support for biological nonsense? And changing the sex of children without proper review?
Oh yes that’s trivial. Society is being changed fundamentally beneath our feet, but let’s ignore that.

Last edited 2 years ago by Ian Stewart
David Nebeský
David Nebeský
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

I believe you completely missed the point of James Joyce.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  David Nebeský

Spot on, mate!

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

You’re kidding, right? I’m on side–totally!

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

We know it’s being changed because of the force of campaigning and narrative from these people. They have managed to get the ear of government and so government makes laws detrimental to our society and against the better interests of our families and children.

Last edited 2 years ago by Tony Conrad
Ken Charman
Ken Charman
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

“The point” is that JB is walking in irony, given her own track record of aggression based on identity activism.

Rose D
Rose D
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

Some of the commentators above are, I assume, in now way supporters of pink news and/or OJ. Definitely not.

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

Most people, yes, including working people (a vague term rapidly losing currency in these febrile times) aren’t confronted by this lunacy in their daily lives. Those that are, are faced with a choice: succumb or stand up to the tormentors. If more would courageously choose the latter, sanity would be restored and society could get on with tackling its real problems. Easy to say, I know, but it does boil down to having the courage to face down these bullies.

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

Calling Owen Jones “Talcum X” is hilarious, though.

Last edited 2 years ago by Drahcir Nevarc
David Morley
David Morley
2 years ago
Reply to  Drahcir Nevarc

Though not original, I fear.

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  David Morley

Indeed, I’ve just googled it and discovered it to be the nickname of a … er … transblack man called Shaun King. Thanks for putting me right. All the same, I think I will be culturally appropriating it for my heroic couplet satire The Wokeiad, in which OJ takes the central role.

Caroline Watson
Caroline Watson
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

You will feel differently when your teenage daughter or granddaughter is forced to share a changing room or a tent at Guide camp with an entire adult male who says that he’s a woman, and when both you and she are accused of ‘hate crimes’ for objecting.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago

I’m on side. I agree with you. I think there has been too much fuss about this and I personally would like to move on, especially from JB and her endless personal drama/s. Just not that interesting anymore–actually it never was.
I want to be tolerant of individuals (though not in your hypothesis), treat everyone with respect, and have them leave me alone.
To those who would like to cancel me including TERFs, give it a go…. Game on!

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago

Most on here agree with you Caroline. James is with you although he hasn’t been clear about it. Guides is finished if they allow that. That’s despicable.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

I’ll try to be clearer. I just don’t like JB. I don’t think top spots on UnHerd should continually go to her. If this topic needs to be covered–I’m on side, but also exhausted–let’s bring in a fresh perspective. Am I the only one who thinks that this is too personal to JB? Am I the only one who thinks her writing is terrible?
“As I said at the beginning of this piece, the last thing I wanted to do was to sue a publication.” 
“I felt I had no choice because there was so much Twitter chatter identifying me as the subject of the article.”
In my opinion, this is extremely poor quality writing–just two example, the whole piece is rubbish.
Enough–or rather too much– with JB!

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

But aren’t we using cancel culture in reverse? I think Unherd prides themselves in handling different views. If we cannot discuss openly, even JB’s views, then most people who might learn something will ignore this site.

Diane Tasker
Diane Tasker
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

Methinks your pettiness is driven by jealousy ……feel the quality of the argument, not the width! No vitriolic reply necessary

yp54797wxn
yp54797wxn
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

What’s so terrible about Bari Weiss? I find her delightful.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  yp54797wxn

She’s just annoying and hard left. Only “desirable” because of being cancelled. I grew up with people exactly like her. HONESTLY (podcast) is actually good, worth listening to, and my review was something like Dumb host, interesting guests…..
I don’t like that she injects her own life far, far into every topic she covers. My wife and I were talking about this…. I was at a cocktail party in DC, NYC, or LA and Famous Person X said….. I have a black friend…. (street cred). She’s just annoying. Does Steven Sackur do anything remotely like this on HARD TALK? She also has a tendency to over-identify with her guests, weakening the show.
If you like her, great. She is on side now, but I can envision a time when her hard left views are once again enemy territory. Dream Big!
Just wanted to answer your question.

Eliza Mann
Eliza Mann
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

I subscribe to her Substack and listen to “Honestly” and have always found her to be a centrist and not at all “hard left.” I say this as an American who is very familiar with the nuances of our political.spectrum.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Eliza Mann

Seems we disagree. She is hardly a Centrist, though she may appear as one next to even worse crazies. I’m a Yank, too, and not to blow my own trumpet, but I think I get the nuances. As noted, I grew up surrounded by people like Bari…..

Rose D
Rose D
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

What characteristics do “people like Bari” share? I don’t follow what you mean.

Lesley van Reenen
Lesley van Reenen
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

Bari Weiss is certainly not hard left. She was employed by NYT to present a different narrative before her debacle there. She is probably a centrist, but was treated as far right by NYT.

Hilary Easton
Hilary Easton
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

Not sure what you have against Bari Weiss and Kathleen Stockton, they seem intelligent, rational and reasonable.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Hilary Easton

That wasn’t clear? They are intelligent, rational and reasonable only in the context of the extreme woke. I’m on side with them–for now.

Katharine Eyre
Katharine Eyre
2 years ago
Reply to  Hilary Easton

Yeah I also don’t get the comments about Bari Weiss. Anyone that goes out in public with an opinion is bound to annoy someone and voicing an opinion is her job. But hard left? I don’t think so.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Barry Phillips

Same as with the stuff about Mary Gaitskill yesterday. Another tacky world that seems to exist alongside mine.

Martin Bollis
Martin Bollis
2 years ago
Reply to  Galeti Tavas

Truly a parallel universe. Mine’s not quite as wonderful as yours, but it’s in a different solar system to the roiling cesspit of bitterness, half truth and obsession that seems to be planet activist

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Martin Bollis

I know the feeling.

hugh bennett
hugh bennett
2 years ago
Reply to  Galeti Tavas

yep right on, and i am just looking forward to the football this afternoon , a beer and a good old shout with grandsons seated beside me . Back home to the wife ( a female) and a nice supper as I look out over the stormy Bristol channel !

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  hugh bennett

Please boo loudly if/when the morons “take the knee” to the racist hate group BLM.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Drahcir Nevarc

Football shouldn’t be political like that. I don’t know if it is safe to boo in a crowded stadium but the anti BLM’s might just join you. I am almost glad England lost the European final the way they took the knee. Total ignorance.

Linda Hutchinson
Linda Hutchinson
2 years ago

What I find interesting here is the way PinkNews backed down when there was some real push-back, certainly no actual apology just blame someone else. It does mean that it is possible to “fight” this nonsense.

By the by, it does get rather tedious on here when every time Ms Bindel posts, what she is seems to be more important than what she says. From what I have read by Ms Bindel, I would probably take issue with many things that she believes, however, I am with her on this and offer my whole-hearted support on this issue. Sometimes, though, when I read the vitriol aimed at her I find I have to stop myself taking her side just to avoid being associated with that kind of talk.

Judy Englander
Judy Englander
2 years ago

Couldn’t agree more. ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’

Terry Needham
Terry Needham
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

You’re mostly right, but only mostly. I’m more in the “wish that they could both lose” camp. Maybe I am getting to the age where my limited time left on this earth is best spent on more important concerns than terfs v loonies.
PS: I gave you an uptick for the”mostly”

Last edited 2 years ago by Terry Needham
Judy Englander
Judy Englander
2 years ago
Reply to  Terry Needham

Thank you Terry! Sorry I came to this late – without reply notifications I forget to check my comments (so hate this commenting system).

Terry Needham
Terry Needham
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

That’s okay – If you ever read this!
I have noticed a strange thing: If you are “live” here and you get a reply, a box pops up alerting you (sometimes!) If you click on the box you are directed to that response. Unfortunately you get the same alert to the same response time after time. All a bit eccentric.

Last edited 2 years ago by Terry Needham
Martin Bollis
Martin Bollis
2 years ago

I sort of agree. Julie’s writing is always good and, as Brendan says, she might be doing all of us a favour by fighting this stuff on the front line.

I remember reading her articles back in the 90’s (I think) and wondering how any body could be so angry …all the time …about everything. She seems to have only one setting- all out frontal assault.

Quite helpful when you don’t like the people she’s assaulting but a bit wearing generally and particularly when, as a man, you’re often the target.

Last edited 2 years ago by Martin Bollis
David Morley
David Morley
2 years ago
Reply to  Martin Bollis

Quite helpful when you don’t like the people she’s assaulting but a bit wearing generally and particularly when, as a man, you’re often the target.

Except, of course, in her view, her target is still men. Just men in frocks.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  David Morley

Men in frocks. How demeaning when you think of it. Sacrificing their manhood for that?

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago

Quite right.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago

Yeah. One can agree on one point but do not agree in the main.

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago

Bullies always back down when confronted. If more did that, we would rapidly rid ourselves of these pests.

Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  David Bell

That hasn’t been my experience or observation. All the bullies I have met have felt able to be bullies because they were strong and well supported by the necessary allies, and their targets were not. That seems to be the case here too.

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago
Reply to  Jon Redman

The bullies mostly infest Twitter and other platforms and hide behind anonymity. They aren’t “strong”, just loud and obnoxious and are given far too much attention by those who should know better and have more guts. I get the feeling though that the pendulum has started to swing back from the lunatic fringe. There have been promising results, achieved by the Free Speech Union and brave individuals.

Last edited 2 years ago by David Bell
Gia Underwood
Gia Underwood
2 years ago

And the same men Comment on every article published by JB, complaining about the same things, the same repeated accusations and most astonishingly now complaining about being bored by having to read her writing again. Have none of these blokes heard of free will? Or is someone forcing them to read her stuff?

Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  Gia Underwood

Like the BBC, you pay for it whether you read it or not. So paying readers are entitled to comment on the quality of what they’re paying for.

Karl Francis
Karl Francis
2 years ago
Reply to  Gia Underwood

Agreed. I have no problem with Bindel and her defence of those currently under attack by bullies. I’m glad she’s being afforded a platform by UnHerd.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago

Yeah we have to back the right thing when we see it even if we do not generally believe in someone’s views.

Judy Englander
Judy Englander
2 years ago

What extraordinary projection from Pink News: gender critical feminists are the ‘cult’, not the #nodebate trans movement.

Benedict Waterson
Benedict Waterson
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

Can you?

David Morley
David Morley
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

That’s the thing though. They are all a bit cult like. Even their demonising of opposing groups as cults is cult like.

Judy Englander
Judy Englander
2 years ago
Reply to  David Morley

Yes, it can be when overdone. With modern media we tend to retreat to our silos from which every disliked individual is seen as a narcissist and every disliked movement a cult.

Last edited 2 years ago by Judy Englander
Judy Englander
Judy Englander
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

Thirty-three people seem to understand my point.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Judy Englander

I apologise. I am a bit ignorant of the words used .

Oliver Wright
Oliver Wright
2 years ago

I recently heard Bindel speak on Feminism at the Battle of Ideas festival. She ended by saying, “My message to all you men out there is: Stop raping us and killing us!” Her view of the world seems to be that all men are oppressors and all women are victims. Obviously that’s neither true nor helpful. What is really needed, and I would say largely exists, is a common front across all segments of society against violence, sexual or otherwise, by anybody against anybody.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Wright

Not in the middle east and other cultures though. The west is caned for it by these feminists when it is a lot of the other cultures which do it.

James Joyce
James Joyce
2 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Wright

Many here object to my dislike of JB–fair play–but your experience accurately summarises why. “All you men out there…” Seems a bit broad, doesn’t it!
How can people say that JB is a reasonable, rational person–let alone a good writer? I’m all in favour of vicious personal attacks as needed, not gratuitiously–a minority opinion here, it seems–but let’s remember that she is, at her core, an extreme radical feminist whose mission in life is to hector ALL men incessantly for the crimes of a few. I’m sick of it, and I’m sick of her. If you eliminate this absolutely idiotic TERF stuff, she’s not on side and never will be.

Alex Tickell
Alex Tickell
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

James, they rail not against men, but against nature and that never ends well. Equality does not exist in nature and is a construct of humanity and of course it will cause the destruction of the species.

Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  James Joyce

I for one am glad to see her harassed by loonies; it gives her a taste of her own medicine. She gets to experience what it’s like being hated and having abused hurled at her for no acceptable reason.

She appears every bit as deranged to normal people as trans loonies appear to her. She should take note and learn. She won’t of course but that’s her choice and her fault.

Martin Smith
Martin Smith
2 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Wright

In South Africa official police report numbers 9500 rapes July to September 2021 which is up 600 on the same period last year. Given the general opinion that such crimes are under-reported even in better-run more ‘sympathetic’ jurisdictions, the true figure remains unknown. Not all the world is South Africa and not all South African men are rapists of course but it’s not so egregiously untypical either…

Last edited 2 years ago by Martin Smith
Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  Martin Smith

Black men are beyond reproach though. They get a free pass because victims innit.

Martin Smith
Martin Smith
2 years ago
Reply to  Jon Redman

Not from South African women they don’t.

Last edited 2 years ago by Martin Smith
Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Martin Smith

Glad to hear it.

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago
Reply to  Oliver Wright

Sounds like she really knows how to attract allies. Alienating half the population is always a smart move.

Allison Barrows
Allison Barrows
2 years ago

What a miserable existence all these people have created for themselves.

David Bell
David Bell
2 years ago

Never a truer word spoken!

Francis MacGabhann
Francis MacGabhann
2 years ago

Managed to get the reference to “male violence” in there.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago

Yeah we are all very violent and shouldn’t be allowed out. Not taking away the violence they have experienced but the vast majority are not.

Brendan O'Leary
Brendan O'Leary
2 years ago

One is tempted to say these people deserve each other, and leave them to their fates. But, maybe, just maybe, they are frontline culture warriors whose battles will poison our lives too.
Anyway, for what it’s worth , I use WhatsApp frequently to communicate across many time zones, both work and personal – but have all message notifications on mute. And if that’s still not enough to get a good sleep, I switch my phone off. And never search for my own name on Google, Twitter or anything.

Art C
Art C
2 years ago

Thanks to the cancer of social media these people’s battles already have poisoned our lives! Hot tip: don’t use WhatsApp, Google, Facebook, Instagram. And switch off your phone at night.

Justin Clark
Justin Clark
2 years ago
Reply to  Art C

https://signal.org/ better – esp. as WhatsApp owned by Facebook –comment image

Brendan O'Leary
Brendan O'Leary
2 years ago
Reply to  Justin Clark

It may well be better but friends, family and colleagues all use WhatsApp , since long before Facebook took it over and I find it an invaluable tool .There is nothing driving me towards any alternative.

Linda Hutchinson
Linda Hutchinson
2 years ago
Reply to  Art C

Already done.

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago

“Dyess soon changed their name to Beau and began to identify as non-binary.”
*Dyess soon changed her name to Beau and began to identify as non-binary. 

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Drahcir Nevarc

Sexless in other words.

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

I don’t think that follows.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Drahcir Nevarc

Isn’t non binary sexless?

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

I think it could be construed as having a foot in both camps.

R MS
R MS
2 years ago

Well done Julie. I trust you had a drink to celebrate.
Another victory marking the turning tide against the gender totalitarians.

Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  R MS

What victory exactly?

David McDowell
David McDowell
2 years ago
Reply to  Jon Redman

An apology-non-apology.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago

The writing is like another world which speaks a different language. I have no interest in becoming part of it. They reason in a different way as if we know what it is all about and are part of it.

Jon Redman
Jon Redman
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc

Christopher Barclay
Christopher Barclay
2 years ago

Who would have thought that women are desperate to control what other people think and say.

Cheryl Jones
Cheryl Jones
2 years ago

I follow PinkNews on Facebook and over the last couple of years it appears to have almost abandoned anything to do with gay rights and seems exclusively obsessed with transgender activism, so really the TQIA+ part of the equation. Personal and entirely unjournalistic hit pieces on the TERF du jour are pumped out.. JK Rowling is practically Hitler in their eyes. Any gay person in the comments who questions the new orthodoxy gets piled on, it’s really quite vile and bordering on deranged.

AC Harper
AC Harper
2 years ago

Here’s the joint statement: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/10/25/joint-statement-pinknews-and-julie-bindel/
I do not make this comment about any particular person or publication but I’m glad that I am not a journalist or activist as there appears to be a lot of pressure to sail close to the legal limits to make a newsworthy article.

Andrea X
Andrea X
2 years ago
Reply to  AC Harper

Rather disappointing statement.
No compensation?
And anyway, who on earth reads “Pink news”? I didn’t even know it existed until pretty much the other day.

Last edited 2 years ago by Andrea X
Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrea X

You need to get up to speed – it has an unholy alliance with Stonewall to ensure we all have to identify our preferred pronouns at work and get people sacked if they say anything that could cause offence to trans people – and they get to decide what’s offensive too!

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Ian Stewart

Stonewall are now losing their power and many companies and government department are now seeing through it all.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Andrea X

They have caused anough damage in our society. How long can it go on? The young people are now confused and some do not know what their gender is. I know first hand by speaking to hundreds. Remember, many now teenagers have had this influence growing up as children for probably most of their lives.

Linda Hutchinson
Linda Hutchinson
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

This is the true crime. Most of us on this site are probably not confused about our sexuality, but those just entering puberty, with all its confusing changes, can be adversely affected. Those who find that they have homosexual tendencies may be especially confused as now there are those telling them that they should transition instead of accepting who and what they are, I so pity them.

helen godwin
helen godwin
2 years ago

Totally agree Linda. My son is 11 and at secondary school. Stonewall are advising the school on diversity and he had to fill in a diversity questionnaire asking him his sexuality and gender. At 11!
Further confusing teenagers whose state is often to be confused as part of a normal developmental.transition to adulthood, is extremely unhelpful.
I also strongly agree that confusion around sexuality is at risk of being conflated with gender issues.

David McDowell
David McDowell
2 years ago

Pinknews’ statement is an apology non-apology. Why did Bindel threaten to sue the publication if she believes that women always tell the truth?

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  David McDowell

Women can be bitchy and men can be liars.

David Morley
David Morley
2 years ago

Trans-Marxism anyone:

In academia and at the grassroots level, the new field of trans Marxism understands the oppression of trans people as not just the result of individual people’s prejudice, but as a part of capitalist exploitation.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/trans-activism-isnt-just-about-pronouns-and-bathrooms-its-about-class-struggle/
It’s the most terrible rubbish, of course, though no more than the feminist-Marxism from which it claims descent. Significant that it actually exists though.

Last edited 2 years ago by David Morley
Alex Tickell
Alex Tickell
2 years ago
Reply to  David Morley

Terrible rubbish of course, but nothing to do with Marxism, which is a redundant and discredited economic policy containing some social aspects like state control of public services education etc. Nothing at all to do with human sexuality or family life.

Terence Fitch
Terence Fitch
2 years ago

In summary, most comments on here represent the overwhelming majority in the UK. Scoffed at by the woke but actually highly tolerant about people’s own private lives. The keyword is private though. Most Brits like privacy. Imagine a ‘norm pride’ march. Hilarious idea. These people seem to live in a constant state of nervous exhaustion. Imagine waking up each day to question your identity. It’s a form of collective narcissism in my view and the audience are themselves.

Warren T
Warren T
2 years ago

Is there anything else in Julie’s life besides a feud between 2 or 3 excruciatingly small segments of the population? I would much rather read articles about the travails of left handed, vegan Norwegian carpenters who live north of the Arctic Circle.

Steven Campbell
Steven Campbell
2 years ago

Revolutions always end up eating their own. To quote Robespierre as he mounted the “Stairway to Heaven”, “WTF?”.
Interesting article but I might just skip the next one from JB..

Last edited 2 years ago by Steven Campbell
Stephen Spurdon
Stephen Spurdon
2 years ago

Yet another exemplary piece from Julie Bindel. Proper, fact-based journalism mixed with personal elements that illustrate it properly.
This is in direct contrast to the type of ‘journalistic standards’ that seems to pervade PinkNews whenever I have looked at it [which admittedly is not much]. Certain factors may be in play here.
For instance, a long time ago, I as a then member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) was called by another member who knew of my activity in founding the NUJ Lesbian and Gay group in the early 1980s and asked to come along to a meeting. This was organised by members of the Gay and Lesbian press who were concerned about lack of union recognition amongst the proprietors of this part of the media. PinkNews was one of them.
There may well be NUJ members at PinkNews, but I do not think there is an NUJ chapel. This is important as it may be a means of improving standards of journalism on the publication – quite apart from enhancing employment terms and conditions for the journalists there.
Perhaps that is why the proprietor is so keen to avoid union representation.

Jean Nutley
Jean Nutley
2 years ago

Can anyone enlighten me? I have no idea what the abbreviations stand for, so unfortunately I cannot follow the article.
However,I salute anyone who stands up to bullies.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Jean Nutley

Yeah I came unstuck on here asking someone if they can speak English. It wasn’t a wise question but I meant it in a lighthearted way.

Jean Nutley
Jean Nutley
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

Good Heavens,you used humour?! Heaven forfend, anyone should try to inject humour into anything these days.
I genuinely do not know what (or whom) a TERF is, and would like to know.
Well,I think I do,perhaps ignorance is bliss on this occasion?

Julian Farrows
Julian Farrows
2 years ago

Who cares what Pink News has to say? I can’t imagine it has that wide a readership.

Benedict Waterson
Benedict Waterson
2 years ago

A real clash of intellectual titans here

Alex Tickell
Alex Tickell
2 years ago

Look, I’m scunnered! They’re all effin’ mad, the lot of them. Mr Bell is 100% correct Teedelum rules, have we nothing better to do than try to empathise with crackpots?
If we ignore all the gender nonsense it will evaporate, people will return to sanity, there will be secure accommodation made available for those who are unable to deal with real life.
All will be well….I promise.

Jonathan Andrews
Jonathan Andrews
2 years ago

The thing is with JB that she says what she thinks. I don’t think she’s deceitful and suspect that she’s worth listening to even when she grates.

Kathryn Dwyer
Kathryn Dwyer
2 years ago

Having read some of the unsupportive comments by Unherd readers, I’d like to express my support and sympathy for Julie Bindel for having the courage to sue. Sadly it seems to be the only option sometimes.

stephen archer
stephen archer
2 years ago

Apologies, I only read the first paragraph and I don’t like getting involved in feminist or gender issues since they’re so loaded with complexes and blinkered viewpoints, but some advice for Julie if I’m allowed to be so forward. First, don’t have your phone in your bedroom at night, then if you do, put it on flight mode. Then, I know this is provocative, but having the friends you do, do you have to listen to them all the time? It honestly sounds like cyber gossip. Is that how you want to live your life?

Aldo Maccione
Aldo Maccione
2 years ago

JB taking offense for a perceived slight and making a meal out of it.
Why are we supposed to care about her bitter, pathetic spats ?

D Hockley
D Hockley
2 years ago

Whilst there is a certain piquant pleasure to be derived from reading about the miserable lives of these morally bankrupt lunatics, I can’t help but wonder how this article was thought to be worthy of this great publication.

David Morley
David Morley
2 years ago

Even my fiercest enemies recognise that I have been at the forefront of campaigning to end exploitation, coercive control, and all other forms of violence and abuse towards women and girls — for decades 



ah yes – the catholic priest defence.

Martin Smith
Martin Smith
2 years ago
Reply to  David Morley

… and very similar to the one used recently by Jeremy Corbyn…

Katharine Eyre
Katharine Eyre
2 years ago

This just all seems like a fight that has blown up because certain people have WAY too much time on their hands.

R Baron
R Baron
2 years ago

Why don’t you go away, far far away, all of you.

Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  R Baron

Why do you think that? Can you explain?

Douglas McNeish
Douglas McNeish
2 years ago

Why do the editors of Unheard find JB’s endless polemics from within the ranks of feminist warriors of such great interest?

Do so many people feel threatened by the “bigotry” of the “TERF’s” that readers must be reminded of that menace on a regular basis? Or that the very existence of the female gender is at risk from the trans-activist onslaught?

Do the theoretical and doctrinal disputes between trans-activists and gender critical women really have such great import on British society at large?

And will their resolution be awaited breathlessly by the billions of people inhabiting the planet whose realities require their attention on other more pressing matters?

Could we have a break please?

Last edited 2 years ago by Douglas McNeish
Adrian Maxwell
Adrian Maxwell
2 years ago

All the comments miss the most important issue in the article. A question begging to be asked; What did Owen Jones think of the author calling him Talcom X? Its a disgrace, what has Owen done to be vilified and drawn into this tawdry mud slinging in this way. Unherd should allow him a right of reply, now! Come on Owen, dust yourself off, clip that microphone back on and respond. Where is Peter Simple when you need him?

Terry Needham
Terry Needham
2 years ago

Of course. now that we have read this article by Julie Bindel, many more people are aware that she has been, allegedly, libelled by Pink News than would have otherwise known. Perhaps she would do better not to bring such tiresome playground squabbles to public attention.
PS: I pity the poor jurors who will be expected to spend their time wading through this one.

Last edited 2 years ago by Terry Needham
Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Terry Needham

Mostly the cases are imperfect people suing other imperfect people but all are entitled to justice even if we do not agree with their lifestyles.

Drahcir Nevarc
Drahcir Nevarc
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

Good reply.

Terry Needham
Terry Needham
2 years ago
Reply to  Tony Conrad

I wasn’t reacting to lifestyle, just to self-indulgence.

Last edited 2 years ago by Terry Needham
Tony Conrad
Tony Conrad
2 years ago
Reply to  Terry Needham

Even those are entitled to justice when they are right.