The IEA and their “Gender Ideology” pitch.
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) have published a new document authored by Marc Glendening on the subject of “Gender Ideology”.
As we know, there is no actual basis for a thing called gender ideology, it is most commonly used as an anti LGBTQ dog-whistle which translates simply as “trans people”, to align those who are gender nonconforming or on the T/Q side of the spectrum as a potential threat to society, in one way or another.
The IEA proclaim themselves a bastion of free speech that is free from political bias. This falls apart under the barest use of scrutiny when it becomes abundantly clear that this is a privately funded, right-wing, solidly Thatcherite think tank. The charity has also come under fire for being politically active in the Brexit debate, the director even being recorded bragging that they were playmakers in the Brexit debate.
When it comes to think tanks it is important to follow the money, but the IEA make that difficult considering they are considered one of the most secretive charities when it comes to disclosing donation sources, claiming it is out of respect for the donors. But of the donations we do know there is a worrying pattern. Climate change denial in time with funding with BP, speaking out against the WHO tobacco policies whilst receiving funding from three major tobacco companies. It is not proof of bias, but it is also a suspicious and worrying pattern.
So why is an economic charity that claims not to be an educational or politically biased charity suddenly wading into a debate on gender? Where is the funding coming from is another important question. Can this sudden interest in a culture war be less to do with free speech and more to do with funding?
Glendening, the author of the ‘paper’, is a known right-wing Thatcherite who has shown up on the meeting books of Thatcher multiple times. They are also known for their work on the anti-EU Brexit campaign, which claimed to be neutral on Brexit itself but one could argue that an anti-EU stance is inherently pro-Brexit. So why is he suddenly showing interest in gender issues?
Glendening, and the IEA, present their writings as academic in nature. Comparing their collection of academic fellows as similar to the peer review process in academia. But it is not peer reviewed. They are right-wing and conservative leaning opinion pieces masquerading as research in order to influence opinion. The sourcing for the paper is shocking, relying on media outlets and known biased writings. None of which are scientific or academic peer reviewed texts.
The fact the IEA is being given screen time over this report is immediately suspicious due to the fact this charity has nothing to do with gender and is tenuously related to academia. This is a clear move by conservatives to further undermine Labour and Lib-Dems and to further inflame the culture war in their favour. It is worth noting that Kemi Badenoch has been linked with supporting the IEA.
Charities that refuse to disclose their funding should be restricted in talking about issues that they have no expertise in when it is clearly politically motivated in nature and stems from a position of bad-faith. Free speech does not give the right to offend with impunity, Glendening has been a proponent of being able to be grossly offensive in the past. We must stop tolerating bigotry masquerading under the mantle of ‘free speech’.
This is all timed to coincided with the challenge to UK Government’s Section 35 Order on the Gender Recognition Reform in Scotland. The bill was voted on by the full parliament on 27 October 2022 and passed by a majority of 88 to 33, with 4 abstentions and 4 members not voting.
If it works in Scotland, which it will, as it has in 20 other countries in the world, Wales will follow, then it’s impossible to make a reasonable case to not proceed with a UK self determination law, which was already proposed by Theresa May in 2017. It is a strange situation to be in now that the sitting opposition leader could be considered more right leaning than the Conservative Party was in 2017, but that is where moral panic and culture wars get you.
The ideological battle is theirs, not that of gender diverse people who simply want to be respected and supported in law and by society. To understand the arguments for and against gender self determination I have made this walk through of the select committee meeting held on the 31/1/23.
“Gender Critical” arguments. — My responses. …
Also some facts about Self ID.
