Joyce Activated

In which I look at an unusually toxic topic, even for me: what is known about the motives of those who abuse children, and how to stop them.

In which I draw a (possibly strained) analogy between equality law and pre- and post-Copernican astronomy...

Adults are allowing emotions—self-satisfaction at their virtue-signalling; pleasure in giving people what they want in the short term while avoiding the discomfort of saying no—to shape decisions they make for children. And while they wallow, they fail to engage their brains.

In this week’s issue I share some reflections on Nicola Sturgeon’s downfall, and what it augurs for gender self-ID both in Scotland and elsewhere.

I attended two excellent conferences in London last Saturday: one organised by the London Society of the New Lacanian School (a style of psychoanalysis) and the other organised by left-wing feminist campaign group Woman’s Place UK.

In which Maya Forstater and I attend the Women and Equalities Select Committee, and fail to keep straight faces.

Last week I promised I’d return to the importance of the definition of sex in law. But as I’ve written this week’s issue, I’ve found myself explaining why the law isn’t enough, though shoring it up is still where I think we have to start.

In this issue I explain why I’ve decided not to return to my journalism job, but instead keep doing campaign work. And I explain why schools are such an important battleground in the fight for sex-based rights, and what the Department for Education needs to do.

This week I reflect on what I learn from appearing on panels and from being interviewed. For me, thinking aloud really is thinking allowed.

I’ve used the first issue of the new year to do a bit of stocktaking on 2022, and some forward thinking for 2023. As I’ve been writing my mood has turned darker, probably because of the disastrous and farcical vote before Christmas in Scotland for gender self-ID.