I can feel a sea change around gender ideology coming in.

We may still have to fight against gender ideology with all we have, and undoubtably the fight back will be fierce, but there's some light beginning to shine through the cracks in it.

The last few months have brought a gradual, but perceptible, sea change around gender ideology. There is a growing visible and verbal public rejection of it, even if that is still tenuous. Terfs and terf-supporters may not be seeing a total win just yet, but little by little, the wins against the implementation of gender ideology are stacking up. Many of those wins so far are coming out of the USA¹, though, and not happening in New Zealand.

However, where the USA goes with its social culture, most Westernised countries eventually follow, whether we like to admit that, or not. Importantly, changes to policies, and the outcomes of court cases can be influenced by a country’s social culture. I’m not saying all judges are influenced by social culture, but some are at least some of the time, as the Australian court case Tickle v Giggle appeared to demonstrate. Just getting cases against gender ideology to court can be swayed by social culture, too, as public fundraising is often required for them.

I’m aware that comparing New Zealand to the USA is not exactly comparing apples with apples. But, even though NZ is more like the UK in its social culture, if we’re making comparisons, the USA still tends to lead the way with social changes – which is why we blame it for gender ideology 😊 The USA has been in a dark place with that, so seeing even a little bit of light shining out from that neck of the woods is like a beacon of hope for us here.

In 2021, though, it was dire everywhere. Gender ideology was like the march of an invading army through women’s and girls’ rights (it won’t be forgotten who aided and abetted that). So, when Lisa Townsend, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, UK, came out on the side of single-sex spaces², I was so bloody excited that a person in a position of some power made a stand like she did, I emailed my thanks to her -

Although I said there was no need to reply, a reply did come to me on her behalf. It seems I wasn’t the only one thrilled with her taking a strong stance for women and girls –

From memory, the only time I have sent an email of appreciation to anyone in NZ for sticking up for women and girls, is to NZ First party candidate Lee Donoghue in Sept 2023. He was the only man on a political debate panel, and the only one who stuck up for single-sex spaces. In the words of Rex Landy, all the others - all women - were a f*cking disgrace. In 2021, though, I knew of no one here, and to date most of those in the public service, and in a multitude of organisations, remain sellouts to gender ideology.

It’s true that it can be harder to make a stand against a rampaging ideology in a country with a small population, as the pool for allies to emerge from and have your back is also small. Everyone is too afraid for their jobs and careers to take the risk of being the lone voice, or to stand with that lone voice. By now, they have seen what happens to those who take the risk, whether intentionally or naively – and it’s not pretty. Gender ideology is merciless in its execution, in stark contrast to the piteous, but unevidenced, stories perpetrated by transactivists about the need for it.

Whilst we may be feeling a sea change, prising gender ideology out of policies here in NZ, and preventing more of it being inserted into legislation will be no easy task. Adherents to gender ideology within our institutions have little ability to see past their inculcation, and TQ+ lobbyists still have an inordinate amount of influence on them. However, there are also strong, rational women and men everywhere and in all walks of life who oppose gender ideology, and those numbers are increasing by the day.

Even if opposing it is still an uphill battle for us, I believe that 2025 has started with a sliver of hope that the many years of activism by some incredibly stoic and brave souls, particularly women, have forged the way to where we are now seeing some light. It might be mostly from afar at the moment - but we can still see it from here at the edge of the world.

¹Judge Rejects Biden’s Title IX Rules, Scrapping Protections for Trans Students - The New York Times

²Women's refuge defends PCC's comments on trans women in female-only environments - Surrey Live

Header image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay