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Hello, so it's come back to me that some of the fellow students in my class might be intimidated by a screenshot that I gave Fionne permission to share, that showed my rebuttal to a class discussion on TERFs and JK Rowling.
I want to apologise for intimidating other learners and my poor tutor. I thought it would be OK because only my words were visible in the image. I have asked Fionne to remove the tweet. And I won't be sharing any thoughts of our in class discussions again.
I understand the feeling of fear that your views might be marked unacceptable by others. I have felt that way when I have heard people casually call JK Rowling a TERF or Transphobic. I don't want any of my classmates to feel that way. We have enough to worry about right now.
But here, in my own space I want to explain what my issue is with dismissing JK Rowling and other so-called TERFS as bad. This may take awhile.
JK Rowling, Gender Critical people or 'TERFs' have been kind, supportive and behaved decently towards my sister who is a transwomen. There have been several Trans Rights Activists who have belittled and insulted her.
You can be called a TERF for expressing fairly innocent concerns like
1. young people are medically transitioning without being in a position to fully consent to potentially lifelong side effects, inc infertility. See Keira Bell case
1. young people are medically transitioning without being in a position to fully consent to potentially lifelong side effects, inc infertility. See Keira Bell case
2. The implications on women and girl's safety if single sex spaces are expanded to include both sexes without extra safeguards.
To clarify - not all transwomen are a threat to women, neither are all men. Enough men are a threat to warrant single sex spaces.
To clarify - not all transwomen are a threat to women, neither are all men. Enough men are a threat to warrant single sex spaces.
3. The dehumanising connotations of replacing the word woman with 'vulva havers', 'birthers' etc. Our sex may be what makes us women, but we are more than walking body parts.
4. That Gender Ideology reinforces gender stereotypes that are harmful to men and women, and especially children. If woman does not mean adult human female, what does it mean? A kind nurturing person? Someone who likes glitter and lipstick?
5. That women who express any of the above receive death threats, may be fired from their jobs and sent heaps of abuse online.
There's more but that is enough for now. I again apologise if any of my fellow students felt like I was attacking them. You're a lovely bunch and I learn so much from you. This is a personal issue for me, but if you disagree with me, I still respect you.
