Though I can understand wariness around men for sure, I'm not entirely sure if female separatism is anything but a niche. It frightens me too because it often comes with bioessentialist ideas that are not only transphobic but homophobic and biphobic as well. It's also an overwhelmingly white tendency as well, ignoring that the racism that women of color experience from white "feminists" makes separatism not as ideal as it is in the shortsighted view of privileged liberal white women.
Also, to be honest, I don't know if any female separatist organizations put into practice were ever actually trans-inclusive, and even if they were, it raises concerning questions when you go beyond trans women and start thinking about where trans men and non-binary people factor into that kind of stuff. Excluding trans men, for instance, is "affirming," but it neglects the fact that they are deeply oppressed by patriarchy despite being men.
Female separatism has always had this "women distancing themselves from men" standpoint without a coherent analysis of intersectionality across race and genderqueer identity, and it has even consisted of heterosexual women who feign lesbianism especially since the height of such movements took place during a time where people didn't properly comprehend that sexual orientation is not a choice.
Some women of color have made this criticism that I made about race regarding the fact that white women are members of a privileged race, so they themselves do not need to find solidarity in fighting against living through racism, but women of color absolutely need to do that, and that often means finding solidarity in fighting racism with men who are the same marginalized race as them. This is why womanist groups were seldom, if ever, fond of separatism to give an example.
Though I can understand wariness around men for sure, I'm not entirely sure if female separatism is anything but a niche. It frightens me too because it often comes with bioessentialist ideas that are not only transphobic but homophobic and biphobic as well. It's also an overwhelmingly white tendency as well, ignoring that the racism that women of color experience from white "feminists" makes separatism not as ideal as it is in the shortsighted view of privileged liberal white women.
That makes a lot of sense. I didn't think of that.
Also, to be honest, I don't know if any female separatist organizations put into practice were ever actually trans-inclusive, and even if they were, it raises concerning questions when you go beyond trans women and start thinking about where trans men and non-binary people factor into that kind of stuff. Excluding trans men, for instance, is "affirming," but it neglects the fact that they are deeply oppressed by patriarchy despite being men.
Female separatism has always had this "women distancing themselves from men" standpoint without a coherent analysis of intersectionality across race and genderqueer identity, and it has even consisted of heterosexual women who feign lesbianism especially since the height of such movements took place during a time where people didn't properly comprehend that sexual orientation is not a choice.
Some women of color have made this criticism that I made about race regarding the fact that white women are members of a privileged race, so they themselves do not need to find solidarity in fighting against living through racism, but women of color absolutely need to do that, and that often means finding solidarity in fighting racism with men who are the same marginalized race as them. This is why womanist groups were seldom, if ever, fond of separatism to give an example.