James Dreyfus: “I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been smeared, lied about, called a Nazi, a transphobe… how does one begin to tackle such baseless accusations?”

I was going to write an upbeat piece on how wonderful it is to finally be free of lockdown. Of how warm, and sunny it’s becoming. Of perhaps writing something about E.M. Forster, who once lived in an apartment very close to me. Sadly, I cannot do this, for obvious reasons. As I write this we are still a way off from freedom, so there has been ample time to watch the unfolding and escalating horror that erupts, hourly, on Twitter. We all know there are a myriad of subjects, which cause perpetual outrage. Pick any subject, from the most innocuous to the most complex, and there you will find expletive-ridden, disproportionate reactions, that are off the scale in their collective lunacy. We know this. It’s the same on every social media platform. It’s nothing to do with discourse or debate, it’s simply mud-slinging of the foulest kind, very often totally unsubstantiated, followed by playing the victim, and crying, like the wee piggy, all the way home.

Women have, mostly, born the brunt of this shameful abuse forever. Since JK Rowling wrote her sensitive and fact-based experiences, it feels like almost the entire globe has, falsely and wickedly, smeared her and her work, grossly twisting what she actually said, into some deranged manifesto of loathing and a call to arms for “literal genocide”. Cue heavy weight blue ticks, from all corners of academia, to the fluff end of pop culture, loudly and virtuously denouncing her to millions of impressionable kids, who, of course, swallow this garbage, rotten warts and all. And thus, it’s done. The lie has become truth. Again, we know this.

When they come for one group, they will surely come for you next. And so, now, are witnessing an unprecedented resurgence of unbelievable homophobia, aimed at young gay guys who dare to question and critique the new “Q” ideology.

What has happened relatively recently, however, was foretold a long while back. When they come for one group, they will surely come for you next. And so, now, are witnessing an unprecedented resurgence of unbelievable homophobia, aimed at young gay guys who dare to question and critique the new “Q” ideology. Driven off Twitter by droves of screeching “queers, trans-gamers, non binary, polyamorous, fetish/kink/bondage lovers, whore wife materials, neuro/genderqueer, bi-pan, two headed dyke studs, girl pussy/dick haters, demisexual, demigals, bitches, faggots, drag kings/queens, AMAB, AFAB” etc, (their words, not mine), with bio descriptions, frequently containing, “queer as fuck, confused, SJW, ACAB, BLM, kill all terfs, crippling mental illness, high functioning autistic, woke, eco-socialist, anti Royalist, Antifa, eat the rich, far leftist, anarchist communist, revisionist, Marxist, ADHD, kill all Tories, abolish the police, looking for a really good fight” etc, and, more often than not, “Truth, Empathy” and the infamous “BE KIND!” are slotted in at the end, for good measure. Not forgetting the, now, mandatory “pronouns”. Again, their words, not mine.

And I’m not suggesting for one moment that having any of these mental health issues is something to be condemned, e.g. being autistic, depressed, confused, having ADHD. I, myself, have had extreme depression for years. Nor am I suggesting their political views are inferior to mine own. These are their beliefs and they are fully entitled to them. I am merely pointing out that these are often cited in the bios of these youngsters. And, yes, the majority are all under the age of 23, down to aged 14, based on the hundreds of bios I have screenshots of. It’s also worth noting the aggression, and intolerance of the language they use. “Shut UP! Fuck YOU! Fuck TERFS! Die! Kill yourselves! OK, Boomer” etc. Again, we all know the drill.

We have actresses, playwrights, composers, agents even, calling for boycotts of others’ works, based on hysteria and falsehoods. They verbally abuse, harass, attack, encourage others, then, when someone calls them out for their mob-like mentality, the format is depressingly familiar. They claim victimhood. They subtweet your objections, your defence, your questions for evidence of their claims, crying “Bully!” to any and all who would take heed. They can never provide a shred of evidence. They never answer your requests for proof. They are “saddened, appalled, distressed, harmed, “literally” harmed”.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been smeared, lied about, called a Nazi, a transphobe, a bully, an orchestrator of mass pile-ons, a misogynist, a man who “literally calls for the genocide of trans people”. I mean, how does one begin to tackle such baseless accusations? Ask for evidence? I do. Can they ever provide it? Never. Why? Because it does not exist.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been smeared, lied about, called a Nazi, a transphobe, a bully, an orchestrator of mass pile-ons, a misogynist, a man who “literally calls for the genocide of trans people”. I mean, how does one begin to tackle such baseless accusations? Ask for evidence? I do. Can they ever provide it? Never. Why? Because it does not exist. Certain politicians, lobby groups, charities, doctors, scientists etc are also guilty of this misinformation. A good example is the continuous smearing of the LGB Alliance, both here and abroad. The only groups that meet and discuss the different needs and issues, we, as gay men, bisexuals and lesbians have. As opposed to the 150+ trans groups, which cater to the needs of trans people. (I notice, none of these groups are deemed “exclusionary and hateful”.)

The Alliance tackles all subjects, from historical facts and current problems to silly pub quizzes and jocular debate. There are natural objections and questions for those insistent that children are somehow born in the wrong body or they simply don’t want their naturally effeminate boy to be gay. And yes, they do campaign for fairness in women’s sports and for women’s rights to privacy in changing areas, as those rights were hard fought for and won. And they are are essential for young girls and women who may have experienced trauma in their past, others for religious or cultural reasons or simply because, women have that basic right. Yet, these small, but ever growing groups, are vociferously denounced, by ruddy faced men and women, in the most outraged tones that they’re able to muster, as “SINISTER HATE GROUPS, funded by extreme right wing groups from all over the world, whose sole purpose is to ensure that trans people cease to exist!” The reality is, of course, it’s Kate, Bev and Malcolm, sitting on a Zoom call, laughing over a cup of coffee, asking what issues need addressing for gay people, as we are certainly no longer of any interest to Stonewall, Pride, the gay press etc. These accusations are so ludicrous and so disingenuous, that one would laugh, if they weren’t so utterly dishonest and dangerous.

James Dreyfus

So, to be clear, if this is what the LGBTQIA+ movement is really all about now, if this is what I, and many others, are expected to align ourselves with, on penalty of forever becoming outcasts, then I am extremely content to absent myself from this authoritarian, intolerant and abusive ‘club’. I do not wish to be associated, in any way, with the actions, beliefs and animosity of the people, detailed above. Believe it or not, gender critical people do not hate anyone. Yes, they question, rigorously and relentlessly, as one should. But this is, of course, framed as “hate” and “abuse”, a much easier, more cowardly way of dealing with criticism.

If everything is ‘transphobic’, then nothing is. Which is extremely concerning, as it renders genuine and horrifyingly real transphobia all the more difficult to prevent and counter.

The word ‘transphobic’ is thrown around with such abandon now, it covers all bases and the phrase has become almost meaningless. If everything is ‘transphobic’, then nothing is. Which is extremely concerning, as it renders genuine and horrifyingly real transphobia all the more difficult to prevent and counter. Seeing and dealing with true hate, which we all receive daily, it is of little wonder that women are concerned about surrendering their spaces to certain factions of this ideology, which, quite clearly, seems to utterly despise them.

Finishing on a personal note, I would never have thought I’d see the day when I feared entering a gay environment, or mixing with a group in a bar, for holding legitimate opinions that differ from others. I will not be told who I should find attractive, nor be shamed into having a preference. I will not say things that I do not believe, nor accept, to simply ‘fit in’. I will not blindly follow the crowd, when it is painfully obvious that many others are being thrown under a bus. I hate no one. I know this, as do many others, if they know me at all. I also know that I’m not alone, as I speak to hundreds, every day, who express similar sentiments.

In the end, the truth will out. For us all.

A bientot!

James Dreyfus is an actor and writer.