Girl Power

I’ll tell you what you want what you really really want.

Yesterday’s Woman’s Hour was devoted to a poll. Which lucky lady would the listeners choose as the most influential woman of the year? Last year the ‘winner’ was Doreen Lawrence, and to save you the agony of suspense, this year’s winner was Nicola Sturgeon. That’s the kinda poll it is. 

The only surprise was the inclusion of the admirable Camilla Cavendish. She was next to, (one place lower than) Katherine Viner, Editor-in-chief of the Graun, Alan Rusbridger’s replacement and rabid anti-Israel campaigner. 

None of the other top ten choices surprised me, but I have to say that I was amused by the enthusiastic chatter about Caitlyn Jenner and the supportive comments about trans people. It happens in the womb, you know. (Does it? Does Helena Kennedy know this?)

Someone piped up with yes, you wouldn’t do this on a whim; you wouldn’t go through all that surgery for nothing, would you?

The irony is that I understand Caitlyn’s male genitalia is intact. Or should I say “in-tucked”  ‘She’  probably tucks it up inside the corsetry. The surgery she underwent was purely cosmetic, like that undergone by your average celebrity any day of the week.  

What puzzles me is that as soon as some unhappy baritone decides he’s a she, all he has to do is put on some mascara and hey presto. You have to refer to her as she from that point on; or else! The LGBTI mob will send you to Coventry and you’ll be trolled to bits on Twitter.