God I'm so Sick of Talking About Trans - Remember Women's Issues??

submitted by Irascible-harpy from self.GenderCritical

I want to talk about porn. I want to talk about beauty culture tearing women and girls apart. I want to talk about discrimination and microaggressions and the constant fear of violence. I want to talk about the pain of living around and loving men who struggle to recognize a woman's humanity. I want to talk about our mothers and fathers, our grandparents, I want to talk about inter-generational trauma. I want to talk about rape culture. I want to talk about solidarity spanning class and race and national borders. I want to talk about our collective trauma. I want to talk about gas lighting and the patriarchy and what girlhood does to girls. I want to talk about the insults, the catcalls, the fear of walking to your car at night. I want to talk about harassment in the workplace and prostitution and sex trafficking.

Fuck trans. Fuck gender identity. Fuck regressive neoliberal feminism. I can't believe we're still fighting for so many of the same things our grandmothers were fighting for. And for as much as she suffered, at least my grandmother never dated a man who spent three hours a week watching violent sadomasochistic gangbangs.

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[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Tired of this bs too. I say I don't like penis, and get called a the t slur and a Transphobe. Also tired of people saying transwomen are women and cis women are privileged. Trans women are men transitioning to look like women. Cis women are more oppressed than trans, because we were always women at birth whilst transwomen are men at birth to look like women. I'm also tired of tras saying that you have to like them even though lesbians like women, not men.

[–]uhhuhher 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That's the entire point. So long as we have to constantly fight these issues, we can't effectively do other things. The whole trans thing is getting so much traction and getting so much support from high places because it works to dismantle women's rights and struggles.

[–]oyasuminasai50 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

The whole landscape on feminism has changed from the topics you mentioned to trans issues - with (at most) a spattering of abortion. I was very active on tumblr 10 years ago, and we were able to talk about all of these topics alongside trans issues. Now, trans issues dominate feminist discourse. Odd given that over 99% of people who call themselves women or AFAB are not be impacted by trans issues.

[–]Irascible-harpy[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

OH SHIT. I COMPLETELY LEFT OUT HEALTHCARE AND ABORTION ACCESS. THAT TOO

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Pretty sick of them taking over those places. They don't have a uterus , so why are they even bothering going there in the first place?

[–][deleted] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I deleted my tumblr account because every other post on everyone's blog was about trans women and nonbinary people, and most of it was absolute bs (cotton ceiling type arguments, derailing posts to center trans issues, calling random women terfs). It's exhausting.

[–]Spikygrasspod 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I feel like trafficking and prostitution are one of the biggest issues for women, along with straight up poverty. But I remember talking about rape culture and prostitution before, many years ago, and the hostility I got in response was discouraging. Plus it was so grim to read about. Maybe if I felt like I could DO something about it, that would make it bearable. I don't know what to do, however.

[–]aqrylix 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I was just going to post the same. I understand why it's necessary, but holy fuck I am so sick of their bullshit. I'm so sick of the histrionic response to any criticism, so sick of the gaslighting, so sick of the utter nonsense that is gender identity ideology. I'm an atheist, stop telling me I have to believe in your anti-science religious beliefs in order to not be taxed as a transphobe. It's fucking exhausting and a total energy and time suck like people have mentioned. I'm especially disgusted and dismayed by the behavior of my fellow leftists, it makes me want to give up political activism altogether and turn accelerationist, god knows climate change will swallow us whole anyway so why bother.

[–][deleted] 12 insightful - 1 fun12 insightful - 0 fun13 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

If you'd told me 20 years ago that all things TIM and AGF would co-opt center stage in my life, and after extricating myself and screwing my head back on I'd still be dealing with and discussing this bullshit, I'd have laughed.

I feel you. My weariness with TRA-everything has doubled. After trying to take over my own life, uninvited, it spread its toxic seeds everywhere online and throughout pop culture. There is so much other work to do, so many other things to discuss. But no, we get to battle this bullshit first.

In my darker moods I wonder if that's part of the TRA agenda -- co-opt and corrupt everything female, so we can't even get onto those other issues.

[–]chrysthefeminist 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

In my darker moods I wonder if that's part of the TRA agenda -- co-opt and corrupt everything female, so we can't even get onto those other issues.

Yes, it is. Your darker mood perceptions are the more accurate ones.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Wellllllll damnit then. 😑

[–]courage2courage 12 insightful - 1 fun12 insightful - 0 fun13 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

IA. The whole thing is a damn energy vampire. But it's also one of the most hot-button topics right now, with laws being written right at this very moment. Some new bullshit is farted out out every single day from a mainstream source and women have to work so damn hard to combat the narrative and kick up a fuss. I would much, much rather be discussing all the things you mention, OP -- for some damn variety, at the very least -- but this ideology is insidious when whole institutes have been captured.

I imagine there'll be an uptick in people attending IRL feminist orgs once it's safe to do so, and that makes me optimistic.

[–]MonstrousRegiment 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The whole thing is a damn energy vampire.

It's true, it can be! But there's another side–first of all, really looking at the claims of TRAs can be a clarifying experience. Gallus Mag (GenderTrender/GenderTrending) has a super insightful post analyzing this (which unfortunately I can't find in her archives. Great reading there though!) And besides that, unapologetically discussing women's issues in public inevitably attracts TRA attacks (e.g. r/PCOS), so we can't really separate the trans issues from our real needs. We need to have clear heads around this so we can respond in a good way to the attacks.

[–][deleted] 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I feel somewhat consumed by this topic at this point because I'm shocked at how easily and blatantly they took over and banned women from Reddit. I'm shocked that all the media outlets are calling GC and other similar subs "hate subs"... I distinctly remember how most of the posts were on issues that did NOT include trans-anything. It's just mind-blowing and terrifying, and I have no one IRL who can relate.

My issue was often regarding the porn. It seems to me that the trans community is vehemently pro-porn, and I'm wondering if internet platforms are taking their side BECAUSE doing so gives them justification to ban anti-porn women from their spaces. Porn is big money.

[–]Cat13 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think it’s just because it’s so new and in your face still. Jk speaking up, the mass reddit bans, various social media censors. It’s still raw and infuriating. I’m sure once our community settles a bit and the dust settles it’ll go back to more than just arguing against the trans movement.

[–]PandorasAquarium 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I feel the transgender issue has forcibly been inserted into women's spaces and effectively shoehorned these incredibly important conversations into the back seat. I can't speak for other women; however I've experienced online conversations where topics like these have been derailed by people who feel the overwhelming need to make me shut up and "educate myself" that it's 'not just cis women that go through this' and 'not all women have XYZ anatomy'

I'm surrounded by the "sex work is work and empowering" crowd. Domestic violence? Oh well women hit men too! What about them? Want to discuss how I went through fertility treatment and my experience, when supporting another woman asking for this information? Well don't forget this is triggering to TW who will never get pregnant! Be Kind!

I'm tired of the transgender issue sucking the oxygen out of real and important issues like what you've mentioned here. I just don't know how we move these things forward without every discussion being forcibly derailed by this loud and obnoxious minority.

[–]MezozoicGay 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Domestic violence? Oh well women hit men too! What about them?

It is the same argument that patriarchy was doing for hundreds of years. No one want to see the difference is that for 5 thousand cases of men beating women, there only 1 case of women beating men. So men doing domestic violence is systematic problem, while women doing domestic violence happening very rarely and just random fluctuation in statistics. Same with "transgender people are killed all the time", while in reality most of killed transgenders are black transgenders, and it is still only 1.9 deaths per 100 000, while women being killed is 2 deaths per 100 000. So women are abused and killed much more often than white transgenders and slightly more often than black transgenders, and because there few thousand times more women than transgenders, total number of killed women is much-much bigger. And yet society is speaking not about women problems, not about domestic abuse and not about hate crimes based on sex, but about much smaller and not systematic problem.

[–][deleted] 25 insightful - 2 fun25 insightful - 1 fun26 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

GC was not all about trans issues. It's just that since we've been banned by TRAs, it's understandable we're talking about them. I don't care what trans ideology says as long as they stop dictating how women need to think and behave. When I talk about their ideology, I am talking about the erasure of women's spaces, women's voices for the benefit of male feelings, safeguarding, and the insidous redefinition of what it means to be a woman to prefer gender over sex. But I also care about other feminist issues like trafficking, women's healthcare, how law enforcement and the army treats women, women's access to education around the world, child marriage, access to childcare, abortion access, and more. TRA ideology's dictatorship is dangerous in that it disallows us to talk about women specifically. Where will we be when we're robbed of the language with which we need to communicate?

A twitter quote I found sums it best, "Oppressing women on the basis of their sex and then denying that sex is a meaningful concept is a particularly brazen form of gaslighting. It's like repeatedly kicking someone in the shins and then denying that they have shins at all." https://twitter.com/Mgardner2000/status/1149085905250127872

So many things are kicking women's shins, but only one of them is telling them they don't have any.

[–]Moirawr 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I think we gravitate towards talking about trans issues because 1) we can’t talk about it anywhere else and 2) it’s just so damn easy. Low hanging fruit. Trans women are men, duh. Men do horrible things. Look at this fucked up man. Look at that fucked up man. Justified outrage! It’s the same reason why people who are absolutely not allies to women are being praised for saying the obvious. Everyone knows trans women aren’t really women. Men get no points for saying so but they get pats on the back anyway. And 3) women and men who don’t really agree with radfem can participate fully in those discussions. One other point, 4) since it’s tied heavily with censorship due to recent events it’s probably going to be talked about a lot more for a while...

I realized I was a part of the problem and quit the sub a while back to lurk and not contribute to it.

[–]Irascible-harpy[S] 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think there's a time and place for the finger pointing and the mockery women have for men who pantomime womanhood. Derision is a powerful social tool and the costumery that womanhood has become is an insult in itself. We need to talk about how bullshit and laughable a lot of trans ideology and behavior is, but trans is just so goddamn loud and endless. There are things which have a much greater impact on our lives that we struggle to talk about because we're losing so much energy on the unending parade of absolute fucking nonsense that the liberal left have embraced to the detriment of women.

[–]RuminatingOracle 52 insightful - 1 fun52 insightful - 0 fun53 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

I'm tired of it too. Told my husband I was maybe a radfem and agreed with GC and he jokingly said that he didn't know he married a transphobe. Yes, it was actually a joke and when I explained why I was examining feminism he got it. His answer was that he didn't know what I experienced as a woman so he had no place to judge and would support me in every way he could.

I first began my journey when I was trying to have a baby. I had two miscarriages and needed to use "the abortion pill" to clean out my uterus. This was about the time when pharmacists stopped prescribing these drugs based on their religious opposition in the US. I was infuriated- how dare these (mostly) men think they had the right to make women suffer? Without that medication that I could use at home, I would have been forced into a D&C (chance of scarring) or wait for the fetus to pass naturally (a horrific thought since I was mourning the loss of my pregnancy)

The injustices didn't stop once I got pregnant- I had to see an additional doctor because my age made me high risk. That doctor disregarded my health for the sake of my child. I didn't get sufficient painkillers after my emergency c section because Advil less than a day later should have sufficed and "was I really in pain? I was stigmatized by having anxiety problems in the past and my baby kept in NICU too long.

All of these issues made me finally realize that the rules are made by men and we have little autonomy. Like many women, I suffered other health problems that I was told were no big deal or that I was exaggerating.

I want to be part of a feminism that cares about me first, that puts me first.

I give little thought to trans people in my everyday life. I think they should have rights like everyone else and should not be persecuted for who they are. I don't give a flying fuck about pronouns. I do object to having hate piled on me for wrongthink for knowing that a trans woman is not a woman, and will never understand my experiences. There is something about natal women's communities that is key to my life, and I need those spaces to exist. Where I can admit that my first sexual experience was against my will, and i kept quiet for fear I would be blamed.where I can admit tons of other things and not be judged.

Sorry for the word salad- I didn't think I would write this much I til i started. I guess it needed to come out. I was a lurker on Reddit but I know it's time to start participating.

Thanks to all of you for being here and speaking your truths.

[–]RestingWitchface 24 insightful - 1 fun24 insightful - 0 fun25 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Totally agree! Yesterday I saw some idiot on Twitter saying cis-women are privileged and therefore cannot understand transwomen's trauma. Excuse me?! I've been through domestic abuse and multiple sexual assaults. I have been driven to the brink of suicide by my abusive ex-partner who took intimate photos of me and distributed them online without my consent. I have been dismissed, unnecessarily medicated and gaslit by the medical system which caused my autism to go undiagnosed until I was in my late 20s (and even then, the cost of getting the diagnosis was expensive financially). I have suffered "women's diseases" for which there is no cure because the research simply hasn't been done. I have suffered the severe side effects of birth control, which included 6 years of chronic pain, because I wasn't given the information I need to make decisions about my own body. "Cis privilege" is an insult.

[–]RuminatingOracle 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Wow. We survive all sorts of things, but god forbid you misgender someone and then it's "burn the witch"

[–]MezozoicGay 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

cis-women are privileged

It is very common topic among young transwomen nowadays, and seems it is came from 4chan and similar places. For some reason so-called otaku and b-tards are thinking that women have much easier experience and way to live than men, that everything is easy - women just need to smile and everyone will give them everything, and so on. I am not sure why they have such beliefs, I suppose they just never saw real woman.

And I actually started peaking when my ex-boyfriend became TiM and was saying that he is now "a better woman" and "women life is so easy".

[–]RuminatingOracle 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

We make it look easy because we are strong as fuck. They wouldn't be able to handle real women's lives.

[–]MezozoicGay 5 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

It seems that they aren't able to handle even men's life as a gay.

[–]denverkris 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

"I want to be part of a feminism that cares about me first, that puts me first."

This. I get so sick of hearing libfems or men say "but feminism is about equality!" No, no it isn't!

"he jokingly said that he didn't know he married a transphobe"

oof. Sadly, my husband was the one who warned me, back when I was an "ally". Two years later one of the worst parts about this whole thing is me having to admit that he was totally right :/

[–][deleted] 14 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 0 fun15 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I think it often takes a major life experience like childbirth to make one's eyes open. I think this is part of the reason so many young women dismiss radfems... they haven't "learned the hard way" yet. I definitely learned the hard way. I don't think I started really facing reality until I had my child when I was in my mid-20s.

[–]gparmesan 13 insightful - 2 fun13 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

there is just no denying reality when you're in the thick of pregnancy, birth and healing. I needed to get away from ridiculous "welcoming" gender neutral language that felt sterile and fake. I notice the most visceral negative responses to things like gender-reveal parties are from young woke kids, with no knowledge of how punishing and long pregnancy can be. Definitely a huge eye-opener

[–]Irascible-harpy[S] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks for joining us here. You've got some very importance experiences to share and we're absolutely here for your perspective. I'm sorry for all the shit you had to deal with in your reproductive history. I hope you and your baby are hale and healthy now. Your voice is a valuable part of our community and I hope you continue to speak of the challenges you faced.

[–]Carthimundia 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

In her paper "Contingent Foundations", Judith Butler actually argues that never ending debates about what a woman is should be the foundation of feminism, and she is super gleeful at the prospect of feminists just doing nothing but fighting about this: "the rifts between and amongst women over the content of the term woman should be safeguarded and prized...indeed the constant rifting should be affirmed as the ..ground of feminist theory." Our current stasis and fixation on trans issues has been wished for by postmodern feminists for a long time.

[–]aqrylix 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Judith Butler is a disgrace.

[–]Irascible-harpy[S] 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

God, is there anything less productive to meaningful change than postmodernism? Ugh. It's important to talk about what it means to be a woman, but as soon as men joined the conversation, as it always goes, the conversation became a black hole of women's time and energy for the coddling of men.

[–]PassionateIntensity 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Butler delights in turning her own self-hatred onto all women everywhere. You've reminded me of this article:

https://4w.pub/emotional-pacifism-responding-to-feminist-in-fighting-with-nonviolence/

One woman, who prefers to be anonymous, argued in response that this behavior is rooted in women’s self-hatred, and can only be overcome through conscious intent. “If (the) feminist movement is to succeed, women need to monitor and manage their anti-woman animus,” she writes, “However, that requires self-awareness and self-control.” (snip) “If we use violence, fear and intimidation in our effort to make change, that will be what is reflected in the change that we create.” Violence, manipulation, and emotional destruction are patriarchial tools — we can not build a feminist world by using them.

[–]Radfem_the_Hun 12 insightful - 1 fun12 insightful - 0 fun13 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Totally agreed. And at this point, I'm pretty sure that's the point of the majority of "trans-activism," especially the AGPs who have found a ~woke way~ to oppress women.

They're wasting our time when we have more important issues to face.

But, unfortunately, we have to fight this battle. Because they are trying to take away the meaning of "sex," and without that meaning, all of our efforts are for nothing. If "sex" is no longer a protected class, then women no longer have sex-based rights.

[–]SameOldBS 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Amen.

[–]CaliforniGinger 14 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 0 fun15 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I want to talk about the pain of living around and loving men who struggle to recognize a woman's humanity.

Yeah this has been an eye opening year or so, realizing just how hard it is for men SEE our problems or to FEEL them, even when explained at great length. Then they tone police rightful anger about women's oppression and the next second are yelling fiercely about some random little irritation. I've cut off/cut way down on contact with a lot of dudes and will never see men the same. Why is it SO hard for them to just go "Wow, that sucks, I'm going to do X to try to help your cause." They can spend all this time and money and fury on frivolous game things or social group issues, but can't spare the time for actual injustices that make the world a darker place by existing.

[–][deleted] 21 insightful - 1 fun21 insightful - 0 fun22 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

It’s seems trans women (men) are obsessed with play acting “porn actress” or “Disney princess” and want to force the rest of us to validate their delusions.

What will happen to these young MEN when aging catches up with them, or they need to replace their breast implants and don’t have the money for more surgery?
And what’s more irritating is that this seems to be a rich man’s hobby. It’s not like your average Joe can afford to transition... so it’s like a elite movement on top of a men’s movement.

[–][deleted] 14 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 0 fun15 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Well, if we move into a form of universal health care within the US, would those seevices be covered?

Insurance companies are already covering feminizing surgeries and top surgeries for women. I'll be willing to bet that it would be wedged into some clause to get at least partial payment on it. Meanwhile some woman who didn't have insurance for years dies of metastatic uterine cancer..

*Speaking of, if you guys have any pictures taken in a doctor's office or hospital, make sure your face is covered or you can cover parts of yourself. Most of them will just send over medical records without thinking twice about dignity or how many people might see a patient's body in the trail.

[–][deleted] 15 insightful - 1 fun15 insightful - 0 fun16 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I enrages me that "feminization surgery" is covered for men, but women who have (for example) debilitatingly large breasts have to jump through hoops of fire before insurance will cover a dime of their breast reductions.

[–]Diversity_Racket 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Nothing else to add, just to say: I agree. Would love to have more discussions on the above.

[–]milpathecat 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah. That's the whole point of transactivism. It's been the tool of patriarchy to entirely derail the new wave of feminism that's been growing since five, ten years ago. A neat trick to exhaust true feminists and put the libfems back at the service of men.

[–]emissch 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yes, that's what I keep saying! there are SO MANY other issues that are/were being addressed on GC. It's not just some trans bashing sub, but a place for women to discuss a million other things affecting them on a daily basis and now it's gone. it's just heartbreaking to me.

[–]fuckingsealions 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I get the heartbreak. My heart has melted and turned into magma. I've found my anger, I can't be sad right now.

[–]gparmesan 35 insightful - 2 fun35 insightful - 1 fun36 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. While I still talk about the TRAs I have to recognize it for what can become.. more emotional labor spent on males

My arrival at GC had nothing to do with the trans issue but about motherhood for me.. for the first time I needed to feel female strength and power, and I found that the feminism I had learned had been watered down, made palatable, friendly, and useless. I was looking for discussions about imbalance of power in work/life for women, the need for childcare and respect for women in the workforce, a true functioning healthcare system that worked for women and girls. I wanted to talk about issues like maternity leave- of which I received very, very little- which were now fusty, boring, old issues from second wavers. Except the part where they remain unsolved and continue to shape women’s lives. (Obviously I am coming from a very American perspective here). So I am on board, I hear you.

Returning to GC communities was the moment I was waiting for, to find where all the actual feminists had ended up. They’re the cancelled witches now? Perfection. That’s how I know it’s the real thing. Let’s talk about women’s issues and let’s do it without walking on eggshells.

[–]MonstrousRegiment 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes! I want to see more about this. I think that mainstream feminism has failed mothers. Maybe most feminism has. Motherhood is not an experience I'll ever have so my thinking about this isn't well developed. It does seem to me that a lack of serious thinking about mothers is one reason we have trouble getting a lot of women on board as committed feminists. I'd love to see a lot of conversation about feminism and motherhood where there is a commitment to avoiding the "mommy wars".

[–]DangerJelly 17 insightful - 1 fun17 insightful - 0 fun18 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

This is SUCH a mood. Please feel free to post a link or start a discussion thread about any of these things! I think you'll find a lot of women here will have something insightful to say.

[–]chrysthefeminist 73 insightful - 1 fun73 insightful - 0 fun74 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Yes, trans issues are a giant energy suck. Energy suck has always been one of the main ways by which men prevent women from making progress out of our oppressed, secondary state. If they succeed in getting us to expend energy on trans issues then they have won, even if we're totally not buying the trans ideology.

[–]fuckingsealions 26 insightful - 1 fun26 insightful - 0 fun27 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I am using what little energy I have IRL to refuse to engage in this mental twister you're supposed to engage in to just get through a conversation referring to yourself. I don't care who's feelings I hurt referring to myself as a woman. Every time I've been leered at, attacked, made myself smaller, made to feel smaller, watched two children come out of my body... I've earned the title.

[–]chrysthefeminist 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

And what a shame to have to expend energy just to keep from expending energy! But every time you refuse to compromise your integrity by calling yourself something other than a woman just to please them, you strengthen yourself more and more in the process.

[–]jkfinn 22 insightful - 1 fun22 insightful - 0 fun23 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Plague time is probably not the best time to return to real radical feminist orgs, but I’m convinced that’s what’s needed. The first reason this would work is that TiMs would be absolutely excluded--yes, excluded from each & every group. And that in itself would be a basic victory, a turning one’s back on transgender, and one that would initiate & inspire all other oppositional work as in sex trafficking, reproductive tech., prostitution & others. you mention. And it would mean community, connection, real actions in real places, having each others' back, and gaining tangible victories.

[–]fuckingsealions 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I think it's a really good time. I'm hearing so many stories about women and children being abused in lockdown. We need each other. Any time there's any instability men make a power grab and all libfems have to say is "choke me daddy."

[–][deleted] 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What is awful is that mainstream media outlets are completely ignoring domestic violence right now, at least in the US. It seems other countries are covering this phenomenon, but we're not unless it's local news. Our media outlets are also promoting transwomen and are shaming women into allowing them into their spaces.

[–]jkfinn 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think it's a really good time. I'm hearing so many stories about women and children being abused in lockdown.

Since it's a very good time for anti-racism, then certainly yes.

[–]milpathecat 21 insightful - 1 fun21 insightful - 0 fun22 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yup. We need to organize, organize, organize. We are witnessing the revival of radical feminism. This moment is historic. We need to keep going.

[–]ThisReality 25 insightful - 1 fun25 insightful - 0 fun26 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

👏👏👏

Trans issues are not the only issues women face, and not the only aspect of being gender critical.

[–]MezozoicGay 7 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

And ideally gender problems should not even be linked with transes, but with gender stereotypes. However, for some reason, following patriarchal gender stereotypes now is "being transgender", while before it was not about it at all.

[–][deleted] 14 insightful - 1 fun14 insightful - 0 fun15 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think 99.9% of the threads I posted on when I visited GC had nothing to do with trans issues. Didn’t really hit my radar until the last week.