Being a TERF makes no sense
Photo courtesy of Marc Nozell / Wikimedia Commons
A trans-exclusionary radical feminist, or TERF, is someone who self-identifies as a radical feminist and whose ideology excludes those who identify as transgender, particularly transgender women. Radical feminists argue that transgender women are not “real” women and thus should not be permitted entry into women’s spaces; they often cite safety concerns and may even go so far as to argue that transgender women mock “real” women (people who were assigned female at birth) in their gender expression.
As someone who considers herself a feminist, I cannot help but be incredibly offended that these people would claim the same title. It seems to me that their ideology, their attitude of exclusion, is entirely antithetical to what feminists should stand for. Feminism is rooted in the belief that gender should not determine one’s opportunities or rights; in their exclusion of and derision toward trans women, they oppose the very tenets they claim to support.
Feminism is about opposition to the patriarchy, about lifting the voices of all those who find themselves victims of a system not built for them, even if feminists have not always been entirely inclusive in their efforts. Feminism is also about unity, particularly as those in power only benefit when the opposition is divided.
Further, the arguments that TERFs make are also simply illogical. For instance, there is often a concern raised regarding the freedom of trans women to use women’s bathrooms; this argument is centered around the safety of people assigned female at birth. This concern, however, is both offensive and misplaced. Not only does it imply that those assigned male at birth are inherently more violent or perverted (as you do not hear these concerns raised about trans men), but it also implies that those who would be willing to commit the crime of assaulting another person are only stopped by a sign on the door.
Additionally, it assigns malicious intent to a group of people that face a significant threat of danger— and face that danger when choosing to enter a women’s bathroom. This is partially why trans women have demonstrated a higher rate of UTIs than cisgender women, as many avoid public bathrooms due to the safety risks they pose. In doing so, they may hold the urine in their bladder for long periods, allowing bacteria to multiply. The arguments against allowing trans women into women’s bathrooms are offensive (to both trans women and cisgender men) and are, at their core, an illogical misinterpretation of reality.
That is only one example of the illogical nature of the TERF ideology. Still, it demonstrates what I believe is the root of this issue: fear, misunderstanding, and discomfort with anything that goes against societal norms and expectations. It is understandable, even if it is regrettable, that radical feminists turn to exclusion and intolerance rather than open-mindedness. It is often easier to find safety in our ignorance and fear of anything considered ‘abnormal’ or ‘queer’— to uphold the status quo —than to accept the reality that you don’t know or understand everything. Still, anyone who genuinely interacts with trans people knows that the fear— and sometimes genuine hatred —is entirely unwarranted and truly hurtful. While it may feel safer to pursue an exclusionary ideology, it has harmful real-world consequences.
I urge anyone who experiences uncomfortable feelings when dealing with something they don’t understand to put in the effort to learn. And, at the bare minimum, treat people with respect and avoid becoming part of the system that true feminists are meant to work against.