Read on Twitter
THREAD 
on how dogwhistles work and why saying "I'm not using it as a dogwhistle" does absolutely nothing
Because people seriously seem not to understand this
on how dogwhistles work and why saying "I'm not using it as a dogwhistle" does absolutely nothingBecause people seriously seem not to understand this
This thread is specifically going to be talking about current discourse regarding the "Lesbians can't be attracted to men" dogwhistle, originally used to justify the exclusion of trans women, especially lesbian trans women, from the queer liberation movement and queer spaces.
Just by definition, a dogwhistle is: "the use of coded or suggestive language in political messaging to garner support from a particular group without provoking opposition. The concept is named for ultrasonic dog whistles used in shepherding."
First addressing the "garnering support from a particular group", yes. That is what you're going to do
Even if you're trans and say "lesbians cannot be attracted to men", you will be attracting the support of TERFs whether you want it or not.
Even if you're trans and say "lesbians cannot be attracted to men", you will be attracting the support of TERFs whether you want it or not.
Clearly the phrase is designed to not be inflammatory, as it says something that would seem obvious to someone uninitiated into what being queer actually is.
And if they're able to define the word, then they can use it to separate the community
Which was always the goal
And if they're able to define the word, then they can use it to separate the community
Which was always the goal
That ideology is at the core of the expression. "Lesbians cannot be attracted to men" comes with the caveat "trans women are men" regardless of your meaning
Dogwhistles are not used to spread what they say, they're used to spread the ideology hidden within what they say
Dogwhistles are not used to spread what they say, they're used to spread the ideology hidden within what they say
I think this would be a good time to mention that there are different kinds of dogwhistles
For example, "1488" is pretty on the nose about it's meaning, and that's why I'm honestly unsure if "dogwhistle" is correct to describe this.
But back to the main topic
For example, "1488" is pretty on the nose about it's meaning, and that's why I'm honestly unsure if "dogwhistle" is correct to describe this.
But back to the main topic
It is impossible to separate a dogwhistle from its actual original meaning, they will always be intertwined
The point is to spread ideology, not spread an opinion
The point is to spread ideology, not spread an opinion
The ideology at the core of "Lesbians cannot be attracted to men" is two things
Trans exclusion and Queer assimilationism
Trans exclusion and Queer assimilationism
I've already gone into the trans exclusion a fair bit, I really don't know how much I need to elaborate on that
TERFs wanted to do as they do and exclude trans women from queer spaces, so they told lesbians that they were secretly just predatory men
TERFs wanted to do as they do and exclude trans women from queer spaces, so they told lesbians that they were secretly just predatory men
and to further ram it home to any bi women who identified as lesbians, as well as to further convince lesbians who were stricly attracted to women, they said "lesbians can't be attracted to men"
Queer Assimilationism is a school of thought within queer spaces that is inherently antithetical to the queer liberation movement
The goal of queer liberation should not be assimilation. We are different, we have historically not been considered the norm.
The goal of queer liberation should not be assimilation. We are different, we have historically not been considered the norm.
Making us into "the norm" will literally never happen.
We live in an incredibly cisnormative and heteronormative society, we cannot change that no matter what.
We live in an incredibly cisnormative and heteronormative society, we cannot change that no matter what.
The goal of queer assimilationism is to make queer identities more comfortable, understandable, and digestible by non-queers.
Part of doing this is excluding identities such as xenogenders, acespec and arospec ppl, intersex ppl, etc
Ofc this also includes trans exclusion
Part of doing this is excluding identities such as xenogenders, acespec and arospec ppl, intersex ppl, etc
Ofc this also includes trans exclusion
Another aspect is making easily definable terms
"Lesbian" had been an identity long before the political lesbianism movement, but that movement attempted to turn it into something definitive.
"A woman who likes women". That is what a lesbian was, according to TERFs
"Lesbian" had been an identity long before the political lesbianism movement, but that movement attempted to turn it into something definitive.
"A woman who likes women". That is what a lesbian was, according to TERFs
A majority of those terfs, btw, were not lesbians
Assimilationism is a dangerous ideology. It can never achieve actual liberation and justice, or even equality, for queer people
The entire point of the ideology is to leave the undesirables behind and try to get desirables through the door before it closes
It's already closed
The entire point of the ideology is to leave the undesirables behind and try to get desirables through the door before it closes
It's already closed
Not to mention that "the desirables" almost never includes nonwhite queer folks
Queer assimilationism leaves behind the queer people who aren't considered acceptable enough and expecting them to eventually pull through
Even the "desirables" won't make it through
The only solution to queer liberation is to destroy the system. We cannot work with it
Even the "desirables" won't make it through
The only solution to queer liberation is to destroy the system. We cannot work with it
And at the center of this dogwhistle, that's whats there
A dangerous ideology that will stagger and probably even stop any chances of queer liberation
You can't take that away. That's what this dogwhistle explicitly supports. This is older and bigger than anyone
So stop
A dangerous ideology that will stagger and probably even stop any chances of queer liberation
You can't take that away. That's what this dogwhistle explicitly supports. This is older and bigger than anyone
So stop
