the claim that feminism isn’t transphobic is really a claim about what feminism should be. it’s just as important for feminists to reckon with the ways in which actually-existing feminism is or has been transphobic

have seen lots of “this isn’t feminism” or “this isn’t real feminism” but feminism as it really exists has contained harmful essentialist ideas and moments that need to be reckoned with rather than pushed to the side

and this reckoning with shouldn’t be a simplistic “it was bad in the second wave [a historical moment which contained hugely divergent views!] but now it’s good”, but a serious questioning and conceptual disentanglement along with actual practical solidarity

I’m saying this in relation to the discussions about academic philosophy so the former bit of reparative thinking is particularly relevant but I’m sure both apply to many other groupings or communities too

this means thinking about how the particularities of philosophy as a discipline have been able to further legitimise an incredibly dangerous movement in the UK. It means looking at philosophy and exclusionary feminism critically and seriously and not just meming low-hanging fruit

“that’s not real feminism” is a powerful normative claim but we also need to reckon with the ways in which it is feminism too

anyway, I’m quite frustrated by the limits of the discussion on this topic within philosophy twitter and also don’t have my glasses on so sorry for any typos

And I don’t think any of this is original or groundbreaking at all, just thinking philosophy could do a bit better philosophically on this