The Minori-tea Report
Halloween is just one day of the year, but in politics, it seems scaring the public is an every-day activity! Minority groups are dressed up as monsters all year round, filling headlines with terrifying stereotypes and false fear. Disabled people are the blood-sucking vampires, draining our economy with their laziness. Immigrants are the zombies coming en masse to steal our brains jobs. And of course who could forget the ghosts: trans people. They make up a tiny portion of our population, but are scapegoated so much that they seem to haunt every narrative.
Introducing, The Minori-tea Report. We will be spilling the tea on the real monsters in our society. Spoiler: it’s not minorities.
We’ve all heard those fearful remarks… A casual ‘well the NHS is crumbling because there are just too many people in this country!’ somehow works its way into the most benign conversation. ‘I don’t have a problem with trans people but a woman can’t have a penis!’ as if a woman is only defined by a body? ‘Oh yeah my friend got benefits just like that! It’s too easy!’ when benefits forms aren’t even able to be filled out online? Perhaps the scariest part is these phrases can be said by people who truly mean well, who have been scared into thinking that the most marginalised members of our community are a problem that need to be solved. Maybe that’s you, or maybe it used to be you. Either way, I hope the following helps you replace fear with the facts.
Inspired by some of my closest friends and family members, I sincerely hope this is something that will make those stressful conversations easier. Together we CAN brew a new reali-tea.
The Ghosts: ‘Trans People are ruining our society!’ or are they?
It’s basic biology: there are only two genders!
Sex and gender are not simple binaries, and never have been. 1.7% of people intersex, which is as common as having ginger hair or twins! Biology is complicated, rooted in patriarchy and white supremacy, as Stevie Boebi describes in her recent What is A Woman? Video:
‘The concept of woman and man wasn't invented to protect anyone. It was built to exclude. The gender binary wasn't just saying everyone is a man or a woman. It was men versus women and then them versus everyone else. It was a colonial weapon. It erased third gender roles, fluid identities, and sacred queer traditions across entire cultures.’
–Stevie Boebi
We cling on to categories because they offer certainty in chaos, but this certainty has a cost, and it is far too high. Even within cis people, gender is a spectrum. Women and men don’t fit into neat boxes anyway, regardless of being transgender. We can all transcend societal expectations, and we need to for equality. That’s why women can vote or have their own bank accounts! Men can enjoy cooking and cry without judgement! These things should never have belonged to a certain gender, and other things don’t have to. Enforcing two tiny boxes helps nobody, and damages everybody.
Trans people don’t belong in sports
Due to the lack of research and high quality studies, as well as the tiny number in elite sports, definitively banning trans people from sport would be dangerous. It creates an environment of fear, encourages false allegations, and leads to invasive screenings that increase the risk of abuse to all women. A ban does not address the real threats to athletes like sexual violence and harassment:
‘There are real, pervasive threats to women and girls in sports that have nothing to do with trans people’s participation— threats that are being largely ignored by those who call themselves champions of women’s sports. A 2016 USA Today investigation found that at least 368 young gymnasts reported being victims of sexual abuse over the past 20 years. More than 100 coaches and gym officials were accused of abuse, yet USA Gymnastics failed to track predatory coaches, allowing them to move between gyms unchecked and exposing more young girls to harm. Requiring athletes to undergo genital inspections or other invasive methods of verification puts young athletes at even higher risk of abuse.’
– San Francisco Government
Apply this to any other environment and we can quickly see how damaging a policy like this could be.
Besides, we celebrate cis athletes who have physical advantages without hesitation- think of Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt- so why are trans people the exception?
It is incredibly harrowing to think that a trans person potentially winning a medal is more important than allowing everybody to be welcomed, included, and enjoy sport.
But we need to protect women and children!!
Absolutely! If you are worried about keeping women and children safe, you have a lot in common with the trans community! The problem is not trans people. The problem is predatory people. Predatory people do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, and we need to acknowledge that truth. Ways we can tackle violence against women and children include educating men and boys on consent, teaching them how to hold each other accountable for toxic masculinity, and showing them how to take on their share of the mental load. Even tiny actions can contribute towards dismantling the patriarchy, which ultimately benefits all of us. This is how we can protect the vulnerable members of our society instead of blaming them.
Trans people are being used as a political football to distract and divide us. So, who are the real ghosts?
Facts over Fear: Scapegoating, stereotypes, and scare tactics do the real haunting!
The Zombies: Immigrants are taking over our society!
There are too many people in this country!
Migration is the leading cause for population growth in the UK. However, the UK fertility rate is dropping, and our aging population is soaring. The truth is that our working population, those who provide the services we rely on, is shrinking. Therefore, welcoming immigration is vital for our survival. Overpopulation is a myth rooted in racism and ableism. Privatised services, housing shortages, the climate crisis, and the cost of living are far more pressing concerns than immigration. Migration is not a threat to our welfare state, our welfare state depends on immigrants. - Zoe Gardner, Migration Expert
Why don’t they just stay in France?
They do! France receives more asylum claims than Britain, and 72% of refugees actually stay in countries that neighbour their homeland, never making it to the UK. The UK is home to just 1% of refugees who have been forcibly displaced worldwide. Considering our involvement in creating this displacement through colonialism, it makes sense that our language and cultural values are shared by many migrants as well as those seeking asylum.
They’re taking our jobs!
Those seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support which, contrary to popular scare stories, equates to less than £7 a day. We are facing 100k + vacancies in the NHS that need filling by skilled workers, so immigrants are more of a solution than a problem when it comes to our jobs! Supporting a refugee doctor to practice costs around £25k whilst training a new doctor is estimated to cost between £200k - £250k
“Immigrants cost too much!”
In the UK, the richest 1% holds, more wealth than the bottom 70% combined. Less than 0.5% of all UK government budget is spent on immigration, whilst immigrants have a net positive financial impact on the UK, and that’s ignoring their positive cultural and community influences. Zack Polanski says it best:
Britain is not broken because of migration. Britain is broken because of inequality. Because of an economy that allows billionaires to hoard wealth while millions struggle to get by.
The demonisation of immigrants is a divisive scare tactic used by the media. So, who are the real Zombies?
Facts over Fear: Misinformation, racism, xenophobic policies, and lack of media literacy is the true cause of our brain rot.
The Vampires: Disabled People are draining our society!
They get free money!
PIP fraud rate is 0%
Benefits are gruelling to apply for, leaving millions of families struggling without support. I have been disabled since I was a child, with my mother sacrificing her career to be my unpaid carer. Only last year, after over a decade of struggling and applying to the torturous process multiple times, did I finally start receiving benefits. If you do eventually qualify for benefits, they are not enough to live off, let alone cover the extra expenses of being disabled which amounts to an extra £1000+ a month compared to predisabled people.²⁴ The stigma you face for receiving them is also incredibly difficult.
Most people don’t know that actually, £24 billion pounds in benefits is left unclaimed by the UK each year. 1 in 10 members of the population receive disability or incapacity benefits (many of whom are not out of work) yet closer to 1 in 4 people are disabled. This means that more people should be claiming benefits, not less! Learn more about disability benefits here.
Lazy suckers, they don’t have to work!
Disabled people do work, even though being ill is a full-time job! Our ableist attitudes and inaccessible society prevent many disabled people from being employed. Even so, they volunteer, start their own businesses, or work for free. Increasing employment of disabled people by just 5% would grow our GDP by £23 billion by 2030. Unsupportive employers refuse to hire or retain disabled people, and failing ‘help’ schemes like Access to Work often do more damage than good.
“Disabled People drain our economy!”
Unpaid carers save the NHS around £162 billion each year, and that’s just in England and Wales. This is equivalent to providing a second NHS. Disabled people and their families are, arguably, the backbone of the economy, with a global estimated spending power of $13 trillion.
£466 billion is the Wealth of the richest 50 families in the UK. This figure, £466 billion is also the combined wealth of half of the UK population. Therefore, it is clear that nothing will be solved by cutting the benefits of the poor or disabled. Wealth inequality can be helped by a wealth tax that closes loopholes so companies and individuals can pay their fair share. 80% of millionaires support wealth tax of 2% over 10 million
‘We’re proud to pay and we’re here to stay.’
— Julia Davies, British millionaire and impact investor
We need to cure disability!
Disability always has, and always will, exist. 1.3 billion people worldwide are disabled in some way, and everyone will experience disability at some point. Disabled people are innovators, and inspire invention. That thing you’re reading this on? Was made possible by disability. We can’t cure it, and we shouldn’t want to. We should want to fund research that makes medication and accommodations more accessible!
'It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.' -
– Charles Darwin
Who is the most adaptable to change? Disabled people. We have to adapt every single day.
– Blossom
Disabled people are simultaneously villainised and painted to be helpless drains by media and news stories. So, who are the real vampires and what can we do?
Facts over Fear: Billionaires, corporations, media, and divisive policies, and wealth inequality are the real blood suckers.
Please consider donating through patreon or ko-fi or subscribing on Substack to support my work! Tea with HB supports thousands of disabled and vulnerable people all over the world, and it doesn’t exist without you!
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
Speak out! Share this with a friend or repost to your social media.
The Minori-tea Report Series has been lovingly made with help from immigrants, trans people, and disabled people. Thank you for all your help!
What YOU can do
Listen to the Tea with HB Podcast
Come to Poetry Orchard’s Harvest Hope event to get inspired about system change!
Join the Green Party
Watch Jessica kellgren fozard youtube
Read Crippled: Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People by Frances Ryan
Join the Green Party
Watch Jessica kellgren fozard’s youtube
Read Crippled: Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People by Frances Ryan
Listen to Diabolical Lies: The Rise & Fall of Capitalism
Read The T in LGBT by Jamie Raines and watch his YouTube
Watch Jackson Bird’s Ted Talk
Watch Stevie Boebi’s ‘What is a Woman?’ YouTube Video
Watch Heartstopper on Netflix
Watch Evan Edinger’s YouTube
Read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Watch Zack Polanski’s Bold Politics Podcast with Zoe Gardner
Glossary
Disability means a condition (physical or mental) that causes long-term difficulty with daily activities. Some disabled people recieve benefits, others don’t know they qualify. Some work, some don’t, and some are prevented by inaccessibility.
Predisabled means someone who is not yet disabled
Ableism is discrimination against disabled people such as preconceived ideas that disabled people are lazy, weak, or pitiful.
Accessibility means things that make life easier for people regardless of ability, such as remote work, flexible school attendance, or well designed public transport.
Benefits are state-funded payments that anyone who is struggling with something like illness, low income, or caring responsibilities can apply for.
Sex means the biological characteristics such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones etc, that make up the categories of male, female or intersex.
Gender means socially and culturally constructed ideas of behaviours and roles that make up your identity of man/woman/nonbinary
A Trans person is someone whose gender does not match the sex they were identified with at birth.
A Cis person is someone whose gender matches the sex they were identified with at birth.
An Intersex person is someone born with sex characteristics such as chromosomes, genitals, etc, that don’t fit into a male/female sex binary— many don’t know they are intersex until later in life.
A Nonbinary person is someone whose gender doesn’t fit into the gender binary of man/woman
A migrant is anyone who moves from one country to another to live, work or study, from Ukrainian refugees to UK citizens retiring to the Costa Del Sol. The terms “legal migrant” and “illegal migrant” are often used to differentiate between those who enter a country with permission and those who do not.
An asylum seeker is someone who has left their home country because of persecution, war, or violence and travelled to a safe country, like the UK, to ask for protection. Governments in the safe county then consider their request. During this time, asylum seekers are placed in temporary accommodation and are not allowed to work.
A refugee is someone whose asylum request has been accepted. This means the government agrees that they would be unsafe if they returned to their home country. Refugees have the right to live, work and access services in the UK – just like any other resident.
