March 1, 2023 - 4:15pm
Does Humza Yousaf identify as Nicola Sturgeon? I ask because the Scottish Health Secretary sounds eerily like the soon-to-be-gone First Minister, who staked her career on a pile of nonsense about ‘gender identity’ — and lost. You might think that her toe-curling responses to questions about the sex of a convicted rapist, Isla Bryson, would have acted as a warning to anyone with ambitions to lead the SNP. Not, however, if you listen to Yousaf falling into exactly the same linguistic traps.
He is the only leadership candidate who continues to support Sturgeon’s suicidal legislation to allow self-ID. His take on the subject is every bit as incoherent as hers, even though there is no evidence to suggest that Scotland is keen on an ideology which insists that men can magically become women. In most people’s eyes, the question of whether Bryson is a man or a woman was comprehensively settled weeks ago, as soon as they saw pictures of him in leggings and a blond wig.
The case has been a wake-up call for every media outlet that has in the past described defendants in rape trials as women. Sadly, the learning curve is not yet complete: after Bryson was sentenced to eight years in prison this week, numerous reports described him as a ‘transgender woman’ and referred to him as ‘she’ or ‘they’. I never imagined I would have to explain that the correct pronouns for a rapist are ‘he’ and ‘him’.
Any canny politician aspiring to become Scotland’s next First Minister would have expected questions about the sentencing and worked out a half-decent reply. Yousaf, however, adopted the unusual strategy of appearing to reject Bryson’s gender identity and accept it at the same time. He acknowledged that Bryson was only pretending to identify as a woman, but still referred to him as ‘her’ and ‘they’. He described Bryson as “a horrible, despicable individual”, yet defended his right to self-identify as a woman. “The law applies to people, everybody, without fear and without favour,” he said.
If you can hear screams at this point, it’s the sound of critics of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill pointing out that this is exactly the problem. If you pass a law entitling any man to acquire a piece of paper that changes his legal sex, it will be wide open to abuse. It was clear that some men were already taking advantage of a criminal justice system captured by advocates of gender ideology, but MSPs were told that the bill would make such deceptions much easier. Members of the SNP-Green coalition scornfully denied that sex offenders would abuse the bill’s provisions.
Now, it seems, that position has changed dramatically. We’re told that bad actors will take advantage of a new legal right to self-ID but it can’t be helped, because everyone must be treated the same under the law. If the bill ever receives royal assent, perhaps Yousaf could be permanently available to advise refuges and lesbian venues which men who have a gender recognition certificate are genuine — and which are faking it.
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SubscribeI self-identify as a pirate. I’m going in for affirmation surgery next week. They’re going to remove my left eye and my right leg below the knee. I’m still debating the hook, though. It would make using a keyboard pretty difficult.
So much for self-identity. Self-identifying as a female – or as a rutabaga – if you are a human male does not make you either. It’s what we used to call pretending. Fantasy. Craziness.
I mean, you jest obviously, but people who want to have limbs cut off because they self-identify as disabled has not been unheard of. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/becoming-disabled-by-choice-not-chance-transabled-people-feel-like-impostors-in-their-fully-working-bodies
I can’t accept the pirate bit though, clear appropriation that. For shame, sir.
If I ever get a custodial sentence, I am going to self-identify as Napoleon Bonaparte. I always fancied a trip to St. Helena, but I never could afford it.
If I ever get a custodial sentence, I am going to self-identify as Napoleon Bonaparte. I always fancied a trip to St. Helena, but I never could afford it.
I self identify as an old person, and demand a retirement pension !
…don’t joke – I believe a chap well past retirement age did self-identify as thirty years younger on a dating site for the obvious reason…but when excluded from the site because of complaints from the women using it…took the operators to court for attacking his “Yooman Right” to be taken at face value at his preferred age…as opposed to be being written off as an aging sleaze-bag…
Given the number of women one encounters on dating sites who all magically age 10 to 15 years from pic to in person, one would have to assume he has an arguable defense.
Given the number of women one encounters on dating sites who all magically age 10 to 15 years from pic to in person, one would have to assume he has an arguable defense.
…don’t joke – I believe a chap well past retirement age did self-identify as thirty years younger on a dating site for the obvious reason…but when excluded from the site because of complaints from the women using it…took the operators to court for attacking his “Yooman Right” to be taken at face value at his preferred age…as opposed to be being written off as an aging sleaze-bag…
“Let’s say I walk into the doctor and say, ‘Doc, I think I’m a dragon’.
Is the correct response, “why do you think you’re a dragon”, or, “let’s get you scheduled for a tail graft”?
We’ve been using this example for so long that our kids (now teenagers) now refer to gender ideology as “the dragon problem”.
I mean, you jest obviously, but people who want to have limbs cut off because they self-identify as disabled has not been unheard of. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/becoming-disabled-by-choice-not-chance-transabled-people-feel-like-impostors-in-their-fully-working-bodies
I can’t accept the pirate bit though, clear appropriation that. For shame, sir.
I self identify as an old person, and demand a retirement pension !
“Let’s say I walk into the doctor and say, ‘Doc, I think I’m a dragon’.
Is the correct response, “why do you think you’re a dragon”, or, “let’s get you scheduled for a tail graft”?
We’ve been using this example for so long that our kids (now teenagers) now refer to gender ideology as “the dragon problem”.
I self-identify as a pirate. I’m going in for affirmation surgery next week. They’re going to remove my left eye and my right leg below the knee. I’m still debating the hook, though. It would make using a keyboard pretty difficult.
So much for self-identity. Self-identifying as a female – or as a rutabaga – if you are a human male does not make you either. It’s what we used to call pretending. Fantasy. Craziness.
Scotland produced such figures of the enlightenment as David Hume, Adam Smith and others less well known south of the border but still significant thinkers. Sadly with a man like Humza Yousaf poised to succeed Sturgeon we are truly plunging back into a new era of the unenlightened, a new dark age. Truth must take a back seat to dogma. No longer to discuss how many angels can dance on a pinhead but how many genders there are or why a women can now have a p***s.
Scotland produced such figures of the enlightenment as David Hume, Adam Smith and others less well known south of the border but still significant thinkers. Sadly with a man like Humza Yousaf poised to succeed Sturgeon we are truly plunging back into a new era of the unenlightened, a new dark age. Truth must take a back seat to dogma. No longer to discuss how many angels can dance on a pinhead but how many genders there are or why a women can now have a p***s.
As Napoleon wisely said : “Never interrupt your ennemy when he is making a mistake”
As Napoleon wisely said : “Never interrupt your ennemy when he is making a mistake”
How could Humza Yousaf do otherwise, than continue to support the legislation he was advocating just a few short weeks ago?
It appears his previous opponent for the leadership has also had her campaign implode, so with any luck the SNP itself will be unceremoniously thrown out of government at the earliest opportunity.
How could Humza Yousaf do otherwise, than continue to support the legislation he was advocating just a few short weeks ago?
It appears his previous opponent for the leadership has also had her campaign implode, so with any luck the SNP itself will be unceremoniously thrown out of government at the earliest opportunity.
Some Scottish unionists seem to be happy at the prospect of a Humza Yousaf victory, on the basis that he is incompetent and liable to alienate working class urban voters the SNP won over from Labour in 2011-15. But it is hard to believe that a malign and dim First Minister, propped up by a frankly bonkers Green Party, is likely to be good for Scotland, or for the Union.
Don’t see how that makes sense. If he performs poorly and decreases SNP support, how exactly is that “bad for the union” ? Your logic would appear to be that if he does well, it’s bad for the union and if he does badly, it’s just the same ! In other words, whether he’s competent or useless makes no difference to support for the union.
It cannot be to anyone’s benefit that ideological obsessives like Hamza can enter government under any banner.
Don’t see how that makes sense. If he performs poorly and decreases SNP support, how exactly is that “bad for the union” ? Your logic would appear to be that if he does well, it’s bad for the union and if he does badly, it’s just the same ! In other words, whether he’s competent or useless makes no difference to support for the union.
It cannot be to anyone’s benefit that ideological obsessives like Hamza can enter government under any banner.
Some Scottish unionists seem to be happy at the prospect of a Humza Yousaf victory, on the basis that he is incompetent and liable to alienate working class urban voters the SNP won over from Labour in 2011-15. But it is hard to believe that a malign and dim First Minister, propped up by a frankly bonkers Green Party, is likely to be good for Scotland, or for the Union.
Humza Youseless has only one thing going for him: Nicola and her cronies see him as the Nicola continuity candidate. He knows that unless he toes the Nicola line, his leadership bid is going nowhere. His record in government is pretty bad. He is currently Health and NHS Scotland seems to be imploding. Previously he was Justice and passed a Hate Crime bill that rather resembles an Islamic blasphemty law. Under the current legislation, you can be prosecuted for a “hateful” utterance, even if you uttered it in the privacy of your own home.
Nicola and co. have him on a short leash. And he knows it.
“Under the current legislation, you can be prosecuted for a “hateful” utterance, even if you uttered it in the privacy of your own home”
The genuinely hateful utterances against non Islamic religions, as stated in their holy book and openly proclaimed in mosques, don’t quite qualify though it seems.
Quite! I am glad I am not the only person who has noticed that.
Christians and Jews are racist oppressors and conquerors. Muslims are kind, nurturing, benevolent and righteous, thus deserving of special privileges and protections, almost on par with any black person. Ask any delusional Marxist.
Quite! I am glad I am not the only person who has noticed that.
Christians and Jews are racist oppressors and conquerors. Muslims are kind, nurturing, benevolent and righteous, thus deserving of special privileges and protections, almost on par with any black person. Ask any delusional Marxist.
“Under the current legislation, you can be prosecuted for a “hateful” utterance, even if you uttered it in the privacy of your own home”
The genuinely hateful utterances against non Islamic religions, as stated in their holy book and openly proclaimed in mosques, don’t quite qualify though it seems.
Humza Youseless has only one thing going for him: Nicola and her cronies see him as the Nicola continuity candidate. He knows that unless he toes the Nicola line, his leadership bid is going nowhere. His record in government is pretty bad. He is currently Health and NHS Scotland seems to be imploding. Previously he was Justice and passed a Hate Crime bill that rather resembles an Islamic blasphemty law. Under the current legislation, you can be prosecuted for a “hateful” utterance, even if you uttered it in the privacy of your own home.
Nicola and co. have him on a short leash. And he knows it.
Racist. White! White! Poor Scotland.
Racist. White! White! Poor Scotland.
Anyone who ‘identifies’ as something that they cannot physically be is pretending.
Anyone who ‘identifies’ as something that they cannot physically be is pretending.
Like most others in this discussion, I am appalled by Yousaf’s blind adherence to the extreme trans ideology, especially in the light of the Isla Bryson disaster and the well-documented (see any recent poll) overwhelming rejection of this policy by the Scottish people. It confirms not merely his slavish loyalty to Queen Nicola but also his inability to see anything beyond his extremist ideology. What the people want is not his concern; he will autocratically impose these extreme ideologies regardless. Remember, this is the man who pushed so strongly for the SNP’s Supression of Free Speech Bill (the one disguised as an anti-hate speech effort), including even its most outrageous features only some of which were, mercifully, dropped after extensive opposition during the debates. Yousaf is deeply committed to the centralising, dictatorial approach of Sturgeon and her cronies. With him as First Minister’s we can only expect more of the same: rapidly diminishing personal liberty and freedom and an ever more intrusive state telling us what to think, to say, and to do – even as they preside over a declining economy, a collapsing NHS, failing schools, disastrously mismanaged drug problems, wretchedly bad transport, and increasingly higher taxes on the middle class.
Like most others in this discussion, I am appalled by Yousaf’s blind adherence to the extreme trans ideology, especially in the light of the Isla Bryson disaster and the well-documented (see any recent poll) overwhelming rejection of this policy by the Scottish people. It confirms not merely his slavish loyalty to Queen Nicola but also his inability to see anything beyond his extremist ideology. What the people want is not his concern; he will autocratically impose these extreme ideologies regardless. Remember, this is the man who pushed so strongly for the SNP’s Supression of Free Speech Bill (the one disguised as an anti-hate speech effort), including even its most outrageous features only some of which were, mercifully, dropped after extensive opposition during the debates. Yousaf is deeply committed to the centralising, dictatorial approach of Sturgeon and her cronies. With him as First Minister’s we can only expect more of the same: rapidly diminishing personal liberty and freedom and an ever more intrusive state telling us what to think, to say, and to do – even as they preside over a declining economy, a collapsing NHS, failing schools, disastrously mismanaged drug problems, wretchedly bad transport, and increasingly higher taxes on the middle class.
From what I can gather every ministerial post Yousaf had had has ended in disaster so heaven help Scotland if he becomes its First Minister. The country has suffered enough already.
From what I can gather every ministerial post Yousaf had had has ended in disaster so heaven help Scotland if he becomes its First Minister. The country has suffered enough already.
It’s simple. He is a hard-line Marxist to the extent that it does not conflict with his Islamic beliefs. If this means passing completely nonsensical legislation in the infidel Parliament, such is life.
It’s simple. He is a hard-line Marxist to the extent that it does not conflict with his Islamic beliefs. If this means passing completely nonsensical legislation in the infidel Parliament, such is life.
He seems to be cut from the same cloth as Corbyn – or even worse. https://www.thejc.com/news/news/scottish-first-minister-hopeful-humza-yousaf-met-former-hamas-chief-6FYnnRGZMqczibvhaAqnpB?reloadTime=1677764029855&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Editors%20email%2002032023&utm_content=Editors%20email%2002032023+CID_9c310c3408c8b5f91153c3f669796229&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Scotland%20leadership%20hopeful%20met%20Hamas%20chief
He seems to be cut from the same cloth as Corbyn – or even worse. https://www.thejc.com/news/news/scottish-first-minister-hopeful-humza-yousaf-met-former-hamas-chief-6FYnnRGZMqczibvhaAqnpB?reloadTime=1677764029855&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Editors%20email%2002032023&utm_content=Editors%20email%2002032023+CID_9c310c3408c8b5f91153c3f669796229&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Scotland%20leadership%20hopeful%20met%20Hamas%20chief
Humza Yusuf’s agenda goes far beyond transgenderism. He is a close comrade of many Islamists