Wow, the call by Tracey Martin to defer a decision on self identification rules was an explosion into an already bitter schism of social media war that has erupted between Identity Politics factions of gender fluid activists, fourth wave feminists, trans rights activists and biological gendered feminists.

The horrific failure of the recent Pride Parade, from 30 000 to less than 2000, will probably have given the Minister some comfort in the knowledge that the radicalism of the gender fluid activists, fourth wave feminists and trans rights activists don’t have wide spread support. The consultation period will give this political hot potato time to cool.

Allowing more voices to speak and their issues be addressed is a safe move on a topic that has become as aggressively tribal as this one has.

On the one hand there are feminists who argue this is a dangerous erosion of their ability to decide who can and can’t be in their spaces, on the other hand this is a basic human right that is being threatened in terms of that most sacred journey of human experiences – identity.

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It feels uneasy to ask the majority to consider the rights of the minority, we want politicians to lead on these challenging issues, not throw it back to the baying majority like a one sided gladiatorial match.

There must be an easier way for Trans gendered or Intersex peoples to have appropriate identification documents for a range of basic tasks within society, denying them a path towards getting appropriate paper work to do things like enrolling at school seems cruel and beneath us.

The thing that has been lost in all of this ranker is dignity and compassion. People feel threatened, angry and resentful because these issues cut close to the bone and because we tend to be arseholes to one another on social media and people become entrenched in their position out of personal anger.

This entire debate requires a shit tonne of kindness because we are talking about people’s lives and identity.

I think Tracey is leading in that regard and trying to hold a debate that is respectful and kind. Much power to her for having the courage to engage.