Terms that were insulting and offensive
I posted about Councillor Gregor Murray a couple of times last year, in reference to his habit of calling women “utter cunts” and “roasters” and similar. Now it’s gotten him suspended for two months.
Gregor Murray, who represents [Dundee’s] North East ward, was called before the Standards Commission for Scotland on Wednesday but did not appear in person.
The hearing panel found the councillor – who quit the SNP this week amid claims of “institutional transphobia” in the party – also broke ethical standards by using abusive and vile language to and directed at members of the public.
The councillor was alleged to have used “terms that were insulting and offensive during twitter exchanges with a member of the public, on gender related issues, in January and July last year and, as such, behaved in a disrespectful manner”.
In their judgement the panel said the councillor had abused the complainer by referring to her as a TERF (a pejorative term which stands for ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminist’).
Announcing the decision, panel chairwoman Ashleigh Dunn said Gregor Murray had broken the Councillors’ Code of Conduct in all complaints made.
Isn’t that interesting – they agree with us TERFs that “TERF” is a pejorative, and a harsh one at that. (If it were mild they probably wouldn’t have suspended him, I’m thinking.)
In a statement in response to the ruling, Gregor Murray pledged to take legal advice “as to what my next steps are, for when my health permits”.
The councillor said: “I am severely disappointed in the decision made today by the Standards Commission, which I believe to be a miscarriage of justice.
“I entirely accept that it is not appropriate for me to swear – I have apologised for this on numerous occasions, and have already accepted sanctions for doing so. I am also extremely worried by the precedent they have set that TERF is an offensive term.”
Oh yes? What about the precedent set by the innumerable tweets promising violence against “TERFs,” images of guns and knives and wire-wrapped baseball bats aimed at “TERFs,” banners and posters and T shirts threatening mayhem against “TERFs”? I guess he doesn’t worry about that at all? Useful to be male, isn’t it.
Updating to add:
My statement in response to Cllr Gregor Murray's suspension by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life. pic.twitter.com/9wP1rhnnIk
— Joan McAlpine (@JoanMcAlpine) May 15, 2019
The Commission did not make TERF an offensive term; the TRAs did. They intend it to be an offensive term, they use it in ways meant to be maximally offensive, but then want to hide behind not offensive when people challenge them. Oh, it’s just a description – but the intent was, and is, always to offend and to insult.
“When my health permits.”
Typical fuckin’ Cluster B bullshit.
Yeah, well I’m extremely heartened by it. More of that, please.
Oh, I do love how McAlpine twisted the knife.
Another data point that “cunt” IS a gendered slur, even in the UK.
Indeed. I was going to say that but I’ve said it so many times by now I figured it must be getting tedious.