Unpacking TERF Logic

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Glossary • AMAB: assigned male at birth • AFAB: assigned female at birth • Cis: a person who is congruent with their assigned gender at birth • Cis-HeteroNorms: pressure to conform to narrow standards of gender and sexuality • FART: feminism appropriating reactionary transphobes The Why And Wherefore • TERF: trans exclusionary radical This brochure recognizes that trans- transphobes Unpacking exclusionary ideology often infects feminist • Trans: An umbrella term for people circles. Due to the prevalence of these harmful TERF who are incongruent with the gender beliefs, this brochure deconstructs TERF logic they were assigned at birth in the hope that: Logic References 1) It might persuade some TERFs to change their minds By And Pasley 1Linstead & Pullen (2006) Gender as multiplicity 2) It can provide a resource for trans 2Kattari & Begun (2017). On the margins of marginalized activists who are confronted by TERFs 3Trans Murder Monitoring Project – http://transrespect.org/en/research/tran 3) It can safeguard against the s-murder-monitoring/ indoctrination of vulnerable members of 4Williams (2016) Radical Inclusion the feminist community 5Guide to being a trans ally: https://www.the519.org/ What is • Invade safe spaces or claim that trans In Reality Trans-Exclusionary people make spaces unsafe • Gender is far more than the binary and Radical Feminism? • Shut arguments down when they are power dynamics are complex and not called out universal • TERFs believe trans women aren’t Trans people are also survivors of the women & trans men aren’t men Why treat trans people • patriarchy and significantly more likely • TERFs often feel that trans people are this way? to experience violence because of it undermining “women’s” rights • TERFs are invested in the gender (particularly if they are multiply Trans women are often positioned as • binary for various reasons, incl: marginalized)2, 3 predatory men in disguise (despite • Identity-based (Western) feminism having no evidence for this) has traditionally pitted men and • Equating bodies with gender (and • Trans men are often positioned as character) is the same logic that women against each other (men = ‘confused’ lesbians misogynists use oppressor; women = oppressed)1 • These politics undermine trans • Some trans people do bad things, • To TERFs, vaginas = women and people’s ability to live free of harm and because they are people, not because penises = men participate in society they are trans • Like all people, TERFs are survivors of • Radical feminism has been historically patriarchy (which privileges cis- TERFs might trans-inclusive4 heteronormative masculinities) and • TERFs: ‘feminist’ branch of fascism • Call themselves ‘gender critical’ many experience trauma Ways To Respond • Attack trans folks or incite violence • Subsequently, AMAB trans people might feel threatening; • Deny violence • Demand evidence for TERF claims • AFAB trans people might seem like • Centre their own experience • Disengage from toxic interactions deserters (leaving Team Woman); • Not respect pronouns or names • Conserve your resources • And rejecting the binary means there • Not be held accountable • Call them what they are: FARTs is no clear ‘enemy’ • Use ‘offence’ as a diversion • Be an ally5.

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