I have mixed feelings about that Atlantic piece...

...on the one hand, it talks about how TERFs are radicalized online & have created their own echo chamber. the structure of the article draws associations between them & other widely panned (& banned) groups such as incels, QAnon, etc...

...at the same time, the only "character" we really get to know is a TERF who feels silenced by "oppressive trans people." the article links to TERF tactics & abuses but w/o any 1st hand accounts or detailed refutations of their talking points...

...I think the piece assumes that readers will think "that's horrible how they're unfairly attacking this oppressed minority." this is a very common post-"tipping point" assumption, but I think it's wrong. I think many readers will identify w/TERFs, maybe even seek them out now.

sorry, had to step away for a bit... anyway, when I'm talking to ppl in my life who are pro-trans & supportive of me, but not very online or in the weeds, when I mention that 90% of the online harassment I receive comes from self-described feminists (aka, TERFs)...

...they are horribly confused. partly b/c they support feminism, thus are unclear as to why segments of it are anti-trans. but I also think gender stereotypes come into play: for the same reason that TERFs depict trans women as "men" in order to make us seem way scarier...

...many people have trouble thinking of cis women as bona fide harassers. as an aside, I think this explains some of the QAnon phenomenon, where it's threatening aspects become less obvious as it becomes more & more associated w/"soccer moms" (the U.S. version of Mumsnet?)...

...anyway, here's the article. it's well reported & has useful information. maybe I'm too "in the weeds" myself to know precisely how trans/TERF-unaware readers will react. here's hoping my worries about it being a beacon for future recruits are overblown. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/12/reddit-ovarit-the-donald/617320/

P.S. this passage made me cringe. yes, I'm sure Bou thinks they're nice, b/c HE'S NOT A F-ING TRANS PERSON! if he was, they'd be doxxing him, & publicly speculating about his genitals, & accusing him of being a pervert or rapist, & penning fake posts in his name, & threatening to