I see a lot of people say things like "TERFs aren't real feminists" or "We should call TERFs something besides feminists," and I understand where this viewpoint comes from, but as a transfeminine person, I honestly don't like this approach.

I feel like when people utilize this approach, they're trying to see TERFs as a problem from the outside rather than a problem within. We cannot build a better, more inclusive, and more intersectional flavor of feminism if we assume that problematic tendencies such as transphobia are inherently beyond feminist thought.

Is TERF ideology flawed and misguided? Absolutely, 100%. Is it not feminist? On some level, I see why some would say it isn't, but at the very least, it's in the name of feminism. Although TERFs are incredibly sus with their hyperfocus on trans people, especially transfeminine people, and very minimal focus on actually advocating for women's rights, TERFs are not exactly stemming their transphobia from a viewpoint that conservative Christians, for instance, might stem their transphobia. Their viewpoint is tied to a certain interpretation of feminism, even if that interpretation sucks major doodoo ass.

We have to remember that even mainstream, liberal feminists are not exempt from some problems that TERFs embody. These kinds of feminists can often have transphobic and bioessentialist ideas as well. The difference? They are often more implicit and mask-on with these problematic tendencies. If they're not outright transphobic in their thinking, they, at the very least, tend to be very erasing of trans struggles, as they usually are with all other kinds of intersectionality. Their major issue with failing to grasp intersectionality is painfully obvious with how much they focus on white cishet women, failing to demonstrate that they don't even have a single place in their mind concerned about black women, trans women, and other more marginalized groups of women. I see these feminists as a problem obviously (because libs suck), but I certainly wouldn't say they're not feminists.

I'm functionally at a point where I can only trust feminists that are truly intersectional and communists, but unfortunately, I wouldn't say that outlook comprises most self-identified feminists. However, I wouldn't say that any feminist that deviates from the most helpful outlook on patriarchy isn't a feminist. They're just, in some way, a failed one in desperate need of education.

  • EelBolshevikism [none/use name]
    ·
    22 days ago

    Far from it- The cornerstone of much of TERF theory is that, as they believe sex is entirely socially constructed and primarily used as a form of social control:

    CW transphobic thought process
    1. As sex is (supposedly) entirely constructed, dysphoria is either not real or is entirely the product of social conditioning (This is incorrect as there is overwhelming evidence that sex is partially constructed and partially biological. Or, more accurately, aspects of sex are real biological traits but the binary as well as hierarchical and numerous psychological assumptions we make about it are incorrect and socially constructed)
    2. Therefore, they believe the only reason for someone to transition is as a form of either delusion caused by social abuse, as a form of appropriation of the other sex, or as a form of class traitorism. (This is, I believe, is why many of them hate transmasc people as well. It goes without saying they are incorrect and dysphoria is a scientifically proven phenomenon)
    3. Therefore trans women are just insert horrifically incorrect and twisted stereotype here.

    at least this is how I read part of whipping girl. I may be wrong knight-nod

    • iridaniotter [she/her, they/them]
      ·
      22 days ago

      I think we are both right... Points 2 and 3 are pretty much unanimous opinions that TERFs hold. Point 1 should be held by all, but is not because TERF as a category is overly broad. And then despite nominally believing in the social construction of sex, a lot of TERFs hold bioessentialist opinions simultaneously. Like if sex is a class then you can change sex but they also say you'll never be a woman. They have to hold these contradictory views because if they excised them then they'd end up with radical trans feminism. The issue with TERF ideology is that they're gender fascists and you should not take fascists' words at face value.