Blogger’s Note: As a biological male – with no allusions to gender-transition – the way I look at this situation is as something like a “thought experiment”. Oh yes, I teach philosophy – so that means teaching the young adults what “defines” thought – and “how” it might be “used”. My job is definitely NOT to teach others “WHAT” to think – when it comes to content and narrative – they are on their own. As I know how our UK society works – I can guarantee more or less what some of the attitudes might be – inherited from parents and community (Socialism is wrong, Hitler and Stalin are identical – Mao killed the population of the UK, Ukraine is not Nazi, etc). The students sometimes think this is an element of telepathy – until I explain the science behind “thought” and “thinking”. One thing we all end-up agreeing on is that reality might not be what it first seems (this holds true regardless of what each of us might think reality is). I use “Kim’s Argument” to demonstrate this. When exploring the logical chain evidence – we can ascertain that logic has a limit – which is astonishing when you think of it:
1) A sharp needle pierces a finger-tip.
2) Pain is experienced.
3) The finger is “pulled-away” from the sharp needle (to avoid the danger).
Everyone without question agrees that this is exactly what happens. This is the limitation of ordinary, conditioned perception. Science begs to differ. There are two parallel strands of evolutionary conditioning that are in operation – both designed to pro-long the life of the individual:
1) A sharp needle pierces a finger-tip.
2) A reflex-arc is triggered between the finger-tip and the spine – withdrawing the finger.
3) The brain generates “pain” after the event (1 & 2) – and then creates the false (inverted) narrative that the “pain” generated triggered the moving of the finger – ordered by the brain – a back-to-front interpretation of reality.
Both the Buddha and Marx (I mention neither in mainstream lecturing) talk about the ordinary human perception being “inverted” – and here a scientific experiment proves this to be true (at least in one instance). the spine evolved before the brain. Indeed, the brain is a later extension of the spine. Prior to the development of cogent human thought – the spinal reflex-arc kept humanity alive as much as possible through basic cause and effect conditioning. Later, cogent thought was layered over this process – giving the false impression that the brain (and will-power) is responsible. Reflex-arcs are so quick – there is no time for “thinking”. The reality is that the finger is pierced and moved away from danger PRIOR to any pain being felt. The brain, with all its moralising, would have you believe that logic, reason caused the reflex-arc and its entire existence was to avoid unnecessary pain. I suspect that when this reflex-arc was first laid-down millions of years ago – the then pre-human life-form could not experience the level of pain humans do today – so the avoidance of “pain” cannot be the motivation for the avoidance of danger. Therefore, we might conclude, not all arguments said to be premised upon the development and use of logic and reason – can be “right” in the objective, scientific sense. ACW (13.12.2025)
Campaigners have criticised Girlguiding’s “harmful” decision to ban trans girls from becoming members ahead of a series of protests planned for the coming days.
A coalition of volunteers and parents – known as Guiders Against Trans Exclusion (Gate) – said refusing a child based on their gender identity “sends a message of rejection” to young people.
The group is co-ordinating demonstrations in London, Edinburgh and Sheffield on Saturday, followed by Cardiff on Monday.
Girlguiding, which has around 300,000 UK members across its Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers groups, confirmed last week that it will only allow those recorded female at birth to join.
The decision to restrict new membership took effect immediately but the organisation said there would be no immediate changes for current young members.
Further information on what would happen to current members has not been provided but the organisation said it was establishing a taskforce “to look carefully at Girlguiding’s future – bringing together members, parents/carers, volunteers, staff, young people and external organisations”.
Girlguiding, whose members range in age from four to 18, said it does not collect gender identity information and therefore does not have numbers for how many might be affected by the rule change.
A statement from Gate ahead of the weekend’s protests said: “We are speaking out because we care about this organisation, and because we believe it can, and must, do better.
“Girlguiding has always stood for empowering every girl to thrive. Refusing a child based on their gender identity sends a message of rejection that is both harmful and fundamentally at odds with the values we model every week in our units.
“Our goal is simple: to make sure that every girl who seeks belonging in Girlguiding can find it.”
The group said the new policy “risks deepening the isolation faced by transgender youth at a time when safeguarding best practice emphasises the importance of inclusion, support and community connection”.
When it made its policy announcement, taken after legal advice following the Supreme Court ruling in April on biological sex, Girlguiding described it as a “difficult decision”.
It said it still believed “strongly in inclusion” and would “continue to support young people and adults in marginalised groups” as well as exploring “potential ways to champion this value”.
Girlguiding also said it wanted to reassure members who attend the upcoming protests that they will not face any penalties but they are expected to uphold the organisation’s values and code of conduct.
The statement added: “Any further action regarding your membership would only ever be considered if behaviour falls outside of these guidelines.”
The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) has said transgender women will be banned from becoming members from April.
The organisation said the decision had been taken “with the utmost regret and sadness”, the organisation said, adding that it retains the “firm belief that transgender women are women”.
The NFWI said while it can no longer “legally offer formal membership to transgender women” after the Supreme Court ruling, the organisation will “bring forward programmes to continue to extend fellowship, sisterhood and support to transgender women”.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 