Senate Let's Talk: Feminism

I think that feminism, or equality feminism, is just part of the larger egalitarian humanist ideal. That's why it's beautiful. Like, the purple flowers in Austin I saw.

Okay. I'm going to try to be more thoughtful, as Solojones said we should. Heteropatriarchal ideas--my term for sexism as a whole--have been bad for men and trans men, too. Like, that preceding comment about baldness. I know because I have met trans women who transitioned because they feared going bald. As I always say, we are our brains. We should be called beautiful, and yet people envy us and fear us for no rational reason per se. I'm thankful for the support of my allies in Texas (DFW and Austin), as well as the good people of the JCF.

 

Every feminist? Including all the ones in this thread?

I personally really value the trans women in the feminist community because they of all people can bring a perspective on the real differences in how you get treated when you're viewed as male vs. presenting as female. They and trans men feminists both, such as @poor yorick, can really tell us about sexism at its core.

 

You don't truly know anyone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We all thought a certain someone was normal before the romani hate came out...

 

I'm just saying that stating ALL feminists get outed this way eventually is pretty obviously not fair. Do you truly believe NO feminists welcome trans women into the movement?

I don't think that's fair.

 

From circles I've moved in, a significant amount of feminists (I've engaged with) have been very hostile to trans getting involved in the movement. Not sure about the United States, but it is still a taboo subject for the feminist movement here (see my post about the British Labour party)

 

I'm sure that is absolutely true. I'm just saying Vivec literally said "all", and that's clearly not accurate.

I would be comfortable with saying we all have inate biases that we may have to work to overcome. Society plants them in everyone's heads about all sorts of things. But ALL feminists being unwelcoming to trans women is pretty objectively accurate. Pretty sure some of the people in this thread alone show that.

 

I cannot speak for him, but an educated guess is the possibility of a subconscious bias within all feminists

 

subconscious or not. "all" is a pretty stupid claim.

 

I can't imagine that all cis women feminists are crypto-TERFs. I've known several who were nothing but decent and supportive to me, although I'm not trying to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as a fellow woman. It's true that unconscious transphobia is a thing, but I think that this is the case for most people, including many trans people.

 

I mean, I know that the issue of whether men can, or should, really claim the label of "feminist" has always been and will always be a very loaded issue and, as a man, I've always found it a bit uncomfortable, just speaking for myself, to say "I'm a feminist" or some variation of that phrase. Just feels awkward.

But if believing in equal rights for women all across the board makes a person a feminist, I guess I am one and I'm not trans-exclusionary at all. Or maybe I'm just an ally; either way, I'm not trans-exclusionary and I think that's true of a lot of feminist men/allies.

And, anyway, all that aside, I just reject the notion that trans women are granted more respect than women broadly, which is what a lot of the TERFs seem to be saying. Like that tweet: "Men in dresses get brocialist solidarity I never had." That's bull****. I mean, it sure seems like it is to me. Trans women get along easier than cis women in modern society? There's this huge wing of male "progressives" who don't think cis women should have equal rights but are super-supportive of trans women? I . . . that . . . what?

 

Men can definitely be feminists: you're seeing all them the subject of #MeToo accusations....

My issue is that you see a lot of racism and transphobia in the feminist movements, especially in the anglosphere. I don't walk around assuming every feminist I meet is a TERF. But I am never surprised when they out themselves one by one.

 

Like the fact that many black and latina feminists are against abortion, but are then told that means they're not welcome at the women's march. That's only for rich white feminists.

 

*ahem* /Umbridge

Just want to politely point out that the Rowling Like of that tweet was a misclick. My childhood hero remains one of the heroes of my adulthood.

 

I also want to point out "cis" is an idiotic descriptor and we should stop creating the impression cultural studies academics add value to society. Also Vivec let some of your rage subside, it's not good for you.

 

What else should we call women and men who were born as such? Just women and men? So we should only label transmen and transwomen. We should further other them by saying "well cis women is stupid. Those are just regular women. Unlike you."

Also, you are the last person on earth who has a right to coach people about their anger levels.

 

I like Vivec and worry about him solojones. He is good people. He does not deserve to end up like me. Have some care.

 

Somehow I just can't see the term cis-man catching on .

 

I don't think it needs to be used all the time. Just like most of the time we should just call transmen and transwomen men and women. But they do also have special concerns as a group, and then it's useful to have that language. Just like when talking about TERFs, it's useful to have the cis distinction.

Hey look, we have a common belief about something! Awww

 

Personally, I loved this article. Julia Serano is one of my heroes. She sounds more optimistic than she did ten years ago, much like I do. She said that TERFs are less common than TUMFs, the latter of whom are swayable.

 

Women describe themselves the way a male writer would

Pure gold.