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May 19, 2023 - 10:30am
Everything about the case is horrendous. The ordeal of the victim, a primary school girl who was abducted from the street and sexually assaulted over 27 hours, hardly bears thinking about. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, in the form of an admission that the attacker, who is “transitioning” to be a woman, is biologically male.
“Man abducted and sexually assaulted schoolgirl while dressed as a woman”, was the BBC’s headline. It used the pronoun “he” throughout, signifying a welcome return to common sense. As recently as January, reports of the trial of a double rapist in Glasgow enraged readers when they used female pronouns and the nonsensical phrase “her penis”.
The 53-year-old defendant in the latest case, Andrew Miller, calls himself Amy George. He was wearing women’s clothes when he spotted the girl, who had missed her bus, and offered her a lift. The girl got into the car, believing Miller to be a woman and therefore not a threat. Instead of driving her home, he took her to his bungalow near Galashiels and repeatedly assaulted her.
At this point, I have to resist the temptation to write in block capitals: is anyone in the Scottish Government paying attention? Miller is exactly the kind of sexual predator we warned MSPs and policymakers about when they pushed an unpopular gender reform bill through the Scottish Parliament in December. We said that some men would pretend to be women to get access to victims or be housed in a women’s prison. They said “it never happens”.
It’s happened twice since then, and those are only the cases we’ve heard about. Adam Graham, the double rapist who calls himself Isla Bryson and claims to be transitioning, spent a night in a women’s prison before an outcry got him moved into the male estate. Let’s hope that Miller serves whatever sentence he gets in a men’s jail. Had the Gender Recognition Reform Bill become law, there would be nothing to stop him applying for a certificate declaring his legal sex to be female — and demanding to be moved to the female estate.
Unlike Bryson, Miller agreed to appear in court under his male name and use male pronouns. That means his crime will be recorded as having been committed by a male defendant, unlike previous cases where statistics have been rendered unreliable by recording convicted sex offenders as women. It’s progress of a sort, but it highlights another potential problem in relation to transgender offenders.
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SubscribeThere is no such thing as “gender”. There is only sex. Male or female. Everything else is transvestism. That’s fine, if that’s your cup of tea but sensible people, and news organisations, should not be referring to people by the wrong sex. Using the term “gender” is giving in to this magical, woke way of thinking.
Sorry but you are just plain wrong. You, and many others, may prefer not to recognise it, but there really is such a thing as gender dysphoria. The current who-ha is ridiculous at both ends, but it ain’t just about preferring to dress in women’s clothes (or men’s clothes if you are a woman).
That doesn’t prove that gender exists, just that there are certain individuals that feel they should have been born the opposite sex. While these people shouldn’t be vilified, neither should their disorder be normalized by the mainstream media nor form part of a school curricula.
Exactly right. There are only two sexes and it is impossible to change your sex.
If someone can only feel happy living as though they were of the opposite sex to their own, they have my sympathy – that is a tough hand to be dealt. But the rest of us should not change our definitions of the real world to try to accommodate their feelings. That way madness lies!
Exactly right. There are only two sexes and it is impossible to change your sex.
If someone can only feel happy living as though they were of the opposite sex to their own, they have my sympathy – that is a tough hand to be dealt. But the rest of us should not change our definitions of the real world to try to accommodate their feelings. That way madness lies!
You may well be correct that there is such a thing as gender dysphoria, but I would think that using one’s despised male member for rape is proof that the perpetrator is a man in disguise, not a woman. Women do not rape.
Yes there are people who suffer from this particular mental illness. The point is you cannot change sex
The mental illness is that any person with a functioning male member can be called a woman is then accepted by polite society! God help us! Although it is funny!
The mental illness is that any person with a functioning male member can be called a woman is then accepted by polite society! God help us! Although it is funny!
There may well be gender dysphoria but it is the bits they are born with that matter unless they have had s full sex chsnge operation what they call themselves or how they dress matters not an iota to the actions they can take!
It really is that simple.
I agree Tony, but because gender identity ideologues are refusing to recognise biological sex and why it matters, more and more people are hostile to genuine transsexuals. We now suspect all self-identifying “women” as at best selfish males and at worst as sexual predators
Yet in the very recent past we were compassionate and open to their experiences. I have travelled from “transwomen are women” (meaning people who have gone through surgical and medical procedures and had psychological assessments) to outrage and disgust at these men claiming that they should be treated as women in all circumstances. I try to remember there is real genuine dysphoria, but it’s getting harder and harder to have any empathy when I can’t even use a changing room without looking over my shoulder for perverts
We don’t buy that
White privilege? No. Semi educated middle class fools? Yes.
A description. Not an opinion.
A description. Not an opinion.
That doesn’t prove that gender exists, just that there are certain individuals that feel they should have been born the opposite sex. While these people shouldn’t be vilified, neither should their disorder be normalized by the mainstream media nor form part of a school curricula.
You may well be correct that there is such a thing as gender dysphoria, but I would think that using one’s despised male member for rape is proof that the perpetrator is a man in disguise, not a woman. Women do not rape.
Yes there are people who suffer from this particular mental illness. The point is you cannot change sex
There may well be gender dysphoria but it is the bits they are born with that matter unless they have had s full sex chsnge operation what they call themselves or how they dress matters not an iota to the actions they can take!
It really is that simple.
I agree Tony, but because gender identity ideologues are refusing to recognise biological sex and why it matters, more and more people are hostile to genuine transsexuals. We now suspect all self-identifying “women” as at best selfish males and at worst as sexual predators
Yet in the very recent past we were compassionate and open to their experiences. I have travelled from “transwomen are women” (meaning people who have gone through surgical and medical procedures and had psychological assessments) to outrage and disgust at these men claiming that they should be treated as women in all circumstances. I try to remember there is real genuine dysphoria, but it’s getting harder and harder to have any empathy when I can’t even use a changing room without looking over my shoulder for perverts
We don’t buy that
White privilege? No. Semi educated middle class fools? Yes.
Sorry but you are just plain wrong. You, and many others, may prefer not to recognise it, but there really is such a thing as gender dysphoria. The current who-ha is ridiculous at both ends, but it ain’t just about preferring to dress in women’s clothes (or men’s clothes if you are a woman).
There is no such thing as “gender”. There is only sex. Male or female. Everything else is transvestism. That’s fine, if that’s your cup of tea but sensible people, and news organisations, should not be referring to people by the wrong sex. Using the term “gender” is giving in to this magical, woke way of thinking.
My concern is that it seems to be only because the defendant agreed to be called by male pronouns ….what if he had insisted on being called his new gender identity female pronouns? Would his wishes have prevailed?
Yes, they probably would have. This is why I don’t think that the BBC is changing its tune at all.
Exactly. For every single newspaper and programme, the pronouns of trans people are dictated by the trans people. Dylan Mulvaney, famed for his gross portrayal of female stereotype, is still being referred to as ‘she’. The Adidas man modelling female swimwear in their latest campaign is being referred to as ‘a model with a p***s’.
I’m genuinely interested as to whether news media believe they are in danger of being prosecuted in the courts for ‘misgendering. If so, by what law? And when was it enacted?
Good lord. My reply is ‘awaiting approval’ because I used a quote from the Telegraph that itself used the proper term for male genitalia.
Yes, they probably would have. This is why I don’t think that the BBC is changing its tune at all.
Exactly. For every single newspaper and programme, the pronouns of trans people are dictated by the trans people. Dylan Mulvaney, famed for his gross portrayal of female stereotype, is still being referred to as ‘she’. The Adidas man modelling female swimwear in their latest campaign is being referred to as ‘a model with a p***s’.
I’m genuinely interested as to whether news media believe they are in danger of being prosecuted in the courts for ‘misgendering. If so, by what law? And when was it enacted?
Good lord. My reply is ‘awaiting approval’ because I used a quote from the Telegraph that itself used the proper term for male genitalia.
My concern is that it seems to be only because the defendant agreed to be called by male pronouns ….what if he had insisted on being called his new gender identity female pronouns? Would his wishes have prevailed?
This is a step forward. The BBC seems to have revised their language guidelines. Yet only yesterday Nicola Sturgeon received an award from the alphabet soup awards for supporting their nonsense. There is an alternative universe still operating which remains a grave danger to children.
This is a step forward. The BBC seems to have revised their language guidelines. Yet only yesterday Nicola Sturgeon received an award from the alphabet soup awards for supporting their nonsense. There is an alternative universe still operating which remains a grave danger to children.
I am not sure that this is cause for a sigh of relief. An equally plausible explanation is that BBC staff realised that referring to the sex attacker as “she” would draw people’s attentions to the ludicrous gender self-ID law, currently stuck in legislative limbo (with Humza Useless trying to resurrect it). By referring to Andrew Miller as “he”, they give the impression that it was just some bloke dressing up to improve his chances of snaring his victim.
The wokerati love repeating the mantra about trans people being the most persecuted minority. The wokerati will baulk at giving the impression that a transitioning person might be anything other than innocence personified.
Sadly it has nothing to do with any decision by the BBC. They referred to Andrew Miller as ‘he’ because Andrew Miller stated that he chose to use those pronouns.
Sadly it has nothing to do with any decision by the BBC. They referred to Andrew Miller as ‘he’ because Andrew Miller stated that he chose to use those pronouns.
I am not sure that this is cause for a sigh of relief. An equally plausible explanation is that BBC staff realised that referring to the sex attacker as “she” would draw people’s attentions to the ludicrous gender self-ID law, currently stuck in legislative limbo (with Humza Useless trying to resurrect it). By referring to Andrew Miller as “he”, they give the impression that it was just some bloke dressing up to improve his chances of snaring his victim.
The wokerati love repeating the mantra about trans people being the most persecuted minority. The wokerati will baulk at giving the impression that a transitioning person might be anything other than innocence personified.
“The girl got into the car, believing Miller to be a woman and therefore not a threat.” Predatory men will stop at nothing to gain access to potential victims. When I was thirteen, a man pretending to be a detective lured me into an abandoned office under the pretext of investigating a spate of shoplifting. He was well-spoken and wearing a suit. I was too young and naive to doubt his word. Besides, this was 1974 and I had been brought up to respect the respectable adult. The same man today will not be wearing a suit. Instead, he will put on a dress, a wig and some lipstick, and young girls, schooled in the cult of acceptance, will be like lambs to the slaughter.
maybe we need to tell our children that women, including what they perceive to be women, can also be a threat?
maybe we need to tell our children that women, including what they perceive to be women, can also be a threat?
“The girl got into the car, believing Miller to be a woman and therefore not a threat.” Predatory men will stop at nothing to gain access to potential victims. When I was thirteen, a man pretending to be a detective lured me into an abandoned office under the pretext of investigating a spate of shoplifting. He was well-spoken and wearing a suit. I was too young and naive to doubt his word. Besides, this was 1974 and I had been brought up to respect the respectable adult. The same man today will not be wearing a suit. Instead, he will put on a dress, a wig and some lipstick, and young girls, schooled in the cult of acceptance, will be like lambs to the slaughter.
It’s irrelevant that this person was “transitioning”; any predatory man could dress as a woman and do the same, he doesn’t have to be “trans”. It’s just another way for these sick individuals to commit their crimes.
It’s irrelevant that this person was “transitioning”; any predatory man could dress as a woman and do the same, he doesn’t have to be “trans”. It’s just another way for these sick individuals to commit their crimes.
Visited this butchers 5 years ago (ish), my children, even then, (9 and 11) knew, sensed, there was something not quite right about the ‘woman’ behind the counter. And to think I was trying to explain why a man would dress as a woman, in as sympathetic and non prejudiced a way as possible.
Given that ‘she’ was, at the very least, crossdressing several years ago, it is something of a surprise that ‘she’ has identified ‘herself’ as a man during the trial. Maybe, reading between the lines, ‘he’ is hoping to minimise the publicity and resultant notoriety so that when he leaves prison he can ‘vanish’, so far as in that might be possible. Playing the system now in order to gain longer term advantage ‘later’, unlike others (Isla Bryson) who possibly only look to the near term, plus, given recent goings on, short term advantage of being placed in a women’s prison was vanishingly small. Had the Scottish government had their way, outcomes and priorities might have been different.
Visited this butchers 5 years ago (ish), my children, even then, (9 and 11) knew, sensed, there was something not quite right about the ‘woman’ behind the counter. And to think I was trying to explain why a man would dress as a woman, in as sympathetic and non prejudiced a way as possible.
Given that ‘she’ was, at the very least, crossdressing several years ago, it is something of a surprise that ‘she’ has identified ‘herself’ as a man during the trial. Maybe, reading between the lines, ‘he’ is hoping to minimise the publicity and resultant notoriety so that when he leaves prison he can ‘vanish’, so far as in that might be possible. Playing the system now in order to gain longer term advantage ‘later’, unlike others (Isla Bryson) who possibly only look to the near term, plus, given recent goings on, short term advantage of being placed in a women’s prison was vanishingly small. Had the Scottish government had their way, outcomes and priorities might have been different.
As others have said below, this is not the outcome it appears to be. Apparently he requested to be addressed by his male pronouns; not that he “agreed” to be referred as such. This would mean that the police and the courts did as they were told, whilst the BBC and the Guardian would be able to pretend it’s nothing to do with the gender Borg. When everyone asked that Bryson be referred to as a man we were told that; no, that would be transphobic and we should respect the wishes of the trans person to identify as they choose.
There has been no departure from their current position of affirming AGPs and transvestites as “actual” women.
I agree. I think the new strategy to support the narrative will be to ‘de-trans’ offenders in media to avoid acknowledging some of them are dangerous.
I agree. I think the new strategy to support the narrative will be to ‘de-trans’ offenders in media to avoid acknowledging some of them are dangerous.
As others have said below, this is not the outcome it appears to be. Apparently he requested to be addressed by his male pronouns; not that he “agreed” to be referred as such. This would mean that the police and the courts did as they were told, whilst the BBC and the Guardian would be able to pretend it’s nothing to do with the gender Borg. When everyone asked that Bryson be referred to as a man we were told that; no, that would be transphobic and we should respect the wishes of the trans person to identify as they choose.
There has been no departure from their current position of affirming AGPs and transvestites as “actual” women.
At the risk of being labelled something terrible by some feminists, I still believe it is the role of real men to protect women and children. I regret that there are far too many Stunted Cowardly Unreal Men (SCUM) who think it is ok to hurt women and children. All the “MEN” mentioned in this article are SCUM and time spent in prison with some real men who really don’t take kindly to nonces and rapists serves them right.
If it were as simple as trans activists want to make it to legally become a woman and be treated as such, then what rapist and / or nonce would not take advantage of it both to commit their sick crimes and to avoid the worst consequences when they are caught. The cases of male rapists, like Stephen Wood (Karen White) who have been sent to women’s prisons where they have gone on to rape the inmates are doubly sickening.
What is even more sickening though is the way some of our politicians and all our institutions have been sucked in by trans activist dogma such that those who dare to speak out against this dangerous, harmful nonsense are the ones who get vilified
At the risk of being labelled something terrible by some feminists, I still believe it is the role of real men to protect women and children. I regret that there are far too many Stunted Cowardly Unreal Men (SCUM) who think it is ok to hurt women and children. All the “MEN” mentioned in this article are SCUM and time spent in prison with some real men who really don’t take kindly to nonces and rapists serves them right.
If it were as simple as trans activists want to make it to legally become a woman and be treated as such, then what rapist and / or nonce would not take advantage of it both to commit their sick crimes and to avoid the worst consequences when they are caught. The cases of male rapists, like Stephen Wood (Karen White) who have been sent to women’s prisons where they have gone on to rape the inmates are doubly sickening.
What is even more sickening though is the way some of our politicians and all our institutions have been sucked in by trans activist dogma such that those who dare to speak out against this dangerous, harmful nonsense are the ones who get vilified
It’s a mighty strange time we live in when calling a man a man is considered progress, yet here we are. Only this week it was reported that hundreds of Whitehall civil servants have been issued with guidance on ‘How To Identify A Transphobe,’ which encouraged employees to report “negative behaviour” such as “refusing to use preferred pronouns.” The grip this ideology has on all the major political parties and on pretty much every public institution is strong, and it’s not going away any time soon.
Non-belief is a protected characteristic in law (as the Maya Forstater case demonstrated) but gender identity ideology is currently ignoring the law and getting away with it.
It’s a mighty strange time we live in when calling a man a man is considered progress, yet here we are. Only this week it was reported that hundreds of Whitehall civil servants have been issued with guidance on ‘How To Identify A Transphobe,’ which encouraged employees to report “negative behaviour” such as “refusing to use preferred pronouns.” The grip this ideology has on all the major political parties and on pretty much every public institution is strong, and it’s not going away any time soon.
Non-belief is a protected characteristic in law (as the Maya Forstater case demonstrated) but gender identity ideology is currently ignoring the law and getting away with it.
Man dressed as a woman is a MAN. He has a d**k and different chromosomes. He cannot have periods, babies, or decide to call himself a woman. He can impersonate a woman; pantomimes always need Dames. About whom we can say ‘There ain’t nothin’ like a Dame.’
Man dressed as a woman is a MAN. He has a d**k and different chromosomes. He cannot have periods, babies, or decide to call himself a woman. He can impersonate a woman; pantomimes always need Dames. About whom we can say ‘There ain’t nothin’ like a Dame.’
Very few women ask to get into
The men’s showers . It’s mostly men claiming to be women to get access to vulnerable women . And of course Paedophilia using it as cover
Of course this is true. Unfortunately the semi educated middle class cannot see it. “We are such stuff as dreams are made of.” Don’t make our children live nightmares for ideology.
Of course this is true. Unfortunately the semi educated middle class cannot see it. “We are such stuff as dreams are made of.” Don’t make our children live nightmares for ideology.
Very few women ask to get into
The men’s showers . It’s mostly men claiming to be women to get access to vulnerable women . And of course Paedophilia using it as cover
The current idea amongst us gender critical women is that he goes to prison a man but will “transition“while inside having makeup and dresses provided, get a false birth certificate and come out as an unknown legal female with no record of his sexual crimes. After the award of a GRC all previous records are only available to the police not concerned citizens….perfect cover to continue abusing….
The current idea amongst us gender critical women is that he goes to prison a man but will “transition“while inside having makeup and dresses provided, get a false birth certificate and come out as an unknown legal female with no record of his sexual crimes. After the award of a GRC all previous records are only available to the police not concerned citizens….perfect cover to continue abusing….
There seems to ‘one’ curious detail missing in this story ( No, not the odd notion that a primary school girl didn’t have a mobile phone), the child was held, against her will, for 27 hours. What am I, and it seems every journalist in the country, missing here ?
There seems to ‘one’ curious detail missing in this story ( No, not the odd notion that a primary school girl didn’t have a mobile phone), the child was held, against her will, for 27 hours. What am I, and it seems every journalist in the country, missing here ?
“Identifies as … ” is an idea. Sex – male or female – is a biological fact. The attempt to obscure this distinction is nonsensical at best and inimical to clear and coherent thought at its worst. If you have an idea that is at odds with reality then you are either in error or delusional. These are simple facts that do not stop being true, even if we refuse to acknowledge them. However, imposing laws on people that force them to say and do things that are inconsistent with reality is tyranny, even if it occurs in a democracy. Forcing people to say things that they know to be untrue and do things based on things that they know are factually wrong inevitably erodes the legitimacy of the authority imposing these mandates.
“Identifies as … ” is an idea. Sex – male or female – is a biological fact. The attempt to obscure this distinction is nonsensical at best and inimical to clear and coherent thought at its worst. If you have an idea that is at odds with reality then you are either in error or delusional. These are simple facts that do not stop being true, even if we refuse to acknowledge them. However, imposing laws on people that force them to say and do things that are inconsistent with reality is tyranny, even if it occurs in a democracy. Forcing people to say things that they know to be untrue and do things based on things that they know are factually wrong inevitably erodes the legitimacy of the authority imposing these mandates.
He should not be referred to a trans-woman but a trans-man; a man who wants to transition elsewhere. From the start the language has been intentionally misused – granting an instant and undeserved “woman” status, when clearly not one. It’s a mental unacceptance that has been politicised from the start.
Unherd is paying far too much attention to issues of sex and gender and such woke issues. What about politics, economics, racism? Netanyahu, Modi, Erdogan?
But this IS politics. We are being asked to believe that the moon is made of cheese and if we don’t believe, or worse still actually ask for proof, we are potentially only one, frighteningly small, step away from prison. If we don’t fight back now then the Puritanical rule of the Commonwealth, or the Inquisition, might catch us unawares (as Monty might have said).
“Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.”
Sort out what we have at home before pretending to be God.
Yeah right. It only concerns 50% of the population – you know, women. If you still know what those are.
You think that Unherd should not concern itself with the serious sexual abuse of a CHILD by someone pretending to be a woman? Maybe you on are on the wrong website.
But this IS politics. We are being asked to believe that the moon is made of cheese and if we don’t believe, or worse still actually ask for proof, we are potentially only one, frighteningly small, step away from prison. If we don’t fight back now then the Puritanical rule of the Commonwealth, or the Inquisition, might catch us unawares (as Monty might have said).
“Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.”
Sort out what we have at home before pretending to be God.
Yeah right. It only concerns 50% of the population – you know, women. If you still know what those are.
You think that Unherd should not concern itself with the serious sexual abuse of a CHILD by someone pretending to be a woman? Maybe you on are on the wrong website.
Unherd is paying far too much attention to issues of sex and gender and such woke issues. What about politics, economics, racism? Netanyahu, Modi, Erdogan?