FeministWiki

TERF: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

TERF (view source)

Revision as of 16:02, 19 March 2023

29,228 bytes added ,  19 March 2023
no edit summary
No edit summary
 
(53 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{PageSeo | description = TERF is a slur used by transgender activists to debase anyone who criticizes their movement on the basis of feminist concerns. }}
{{PageSeo
|description = TERF is a slur used by transgender activists to debase anyone who criticizes their movement on the basis of feminist concerns.
|image = Sonicfox.png
}}
[[File:Terf-slur-02.png|thumb|300px|A typical tweet containing "terf"]]


[[File:Terf-slur-01.png|thumb|300px|A typical tweet containing "terf"]]
The word ''TERF'' (or ''terf''; pl ''terfs'' or ''terves'') is a slur that is used predominantly by [[transgender ideology|transgender activists]] and their allies against people who criticize the transgender movement on the basis of feminist concerns.  Since the slur is used for people with feminist concerns, the main target tend to be women.  As such, it's usually understood to be an anti-feminist, sexist and misogynist slur.


The word ''TERF'' (or ''terf'') is a slur that is used predominantly by transgender activists and their allies against people who criticize the transgender movement on the basis of feminist concerns. Since the slur is used for people with feminist concerns, the main target tend to be women.  As such, it's usually understood to be an anti-feminist, sexist and misogynist slur.
The word was invented as an acronym for ''Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist'', where the "trans-exclusionary" part referred to those holding roughly the position that transwomen should not be included under a feminist definition of womanhood, and the "radical feminist" part was meant neutrally, i.e. for people who would indeed describe themselves as [[Radical feminism|radical feminists]] in the true sense.


The word was invented as an acronym for ''Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist'', where the "trans-exclusionary" part referred to those holding roughly the position that transwomen should not be included under a feminist definition of womanhood, and the "radical feminist" part was meant neutrally, i.e. for people who would indeed describe themselves as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_feminism radical feminists] in the true sense.  Over time, the acronym pretty much became a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-letter_word four-letter word].  Nowadays the capitalization is frequently omitted, and the already ambiguous original meaning ignored entirely.  Still, users of the term tend to claim that it's a neutral description.  The "trans-exclusionary" part may now refer to anyone who thinks transwomen should not have unfettered access to all female-only spaces (e.g. changing rooms), should not partake in women's sports where they have [[Transwomen in women's sports|unfair advantages]], should not be considered a natural part of the lesbian dating pool, etc.  Although most members of the public would see these as rather sensible positions, considering a "transwoman" may have intact male anatomy, transgender activists nevertheless see all of these types of "exclusion" as unacceptable.
Over time, the acronym pretty much became a [[Wikipedia:Four-letter word|four-letter word]].  Nowadays the capitalization is frequently omitted, and the already ambiguous original meaning ignored entirely.  Still, users of the term tend to claim that it's a neutral description.  The "trans-exclusionary" part may now refer to anyone who thinks transwomen should not have unfettered access to all female-only spaces (e.g. changing rooms), should not partake in women's sports where they have [[Transwomen in women's sports|unfair advantages]], should not be considered a natural part of the lesbian dating pool, etc.  Although most members of the public would see these as rather sensible positions (especially when considering that a "transwoman" may have intact male anatomy), transgender activists nevertheless see all of these types of "exclusion" as unacceptable.


A closely associated term is ''SWERF'', which is supposed to stand for ''Sex-Worker-Exclusionary Radical Feminist'' and is used for those who see the sex industry (prostitution, pornography, etc.) as highly exploitative and sexist.  Like ''TERF'', the term is almost always applied as a slur, and to misrepresent the political position of the person it's used against.  Ironically, some of those who have to face the term most commonly are women who worked in prostitution and became anti-prostitution activists as a result of their own experiences as so-called sex workers.
A closely associated term is ''SWERF'', which is supposed to stand for ''Sex-Worker-Exclusionary Radical Feminist'' and is used for those who see the sex industry (prostitution, pornography, etc.) as highly exploitative and sexist.  Like ''TERF'', the term is almost always applied as a slur, and to misrepresent the political position of the person it's used against.  Ironically, some of those who have to face the term most commonly are women who worked in prostitution and became anti-prostitution activists as a result of their own experiences as so-called sex workers.


== History ==
== History and evolution towards hate speech ==
 
Those who use the term to slur feminists often claim that it first started out as a self-descriptor.  This is a myth.  The term was always applied coercively to radical feminists critical of the concept of transgenderism, and used derisively to paint them as an out-group to distance oneself from.  Over the years, it evolved into what could be argued to be an outright slur or even hate speech.


=== Origin ===
=== Origin ===


The oldest known use of the term is by Viv Smythe aka "tigtog" in a [https://hoydenabouttown.com/2008/08/17/carnivalia-transgenderism-and-the-gender-binary/ blog post] from 2008.  She defended the term as late as 2018, in [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/29/im-credited-with-having-coined-the-acronym-terf-heres-how-it-happened an article] written for The Guardian. Transgender activists frequently try to defend the term on the grounds that Viv Smythe is a woman who herself claims to be a radical feminist, and seems to have first used the term in a way that is not derogatory.  Of course, the benign origins of a term does not mean that it cannot evolve into a slur.
The oldest known use of the term is by Viv Smythe aka "tigtog" in a blog post from 2008.<ref name=terf-origin/> In the article, Smythe draws a distinction between "trans-exclusionary radfem (TERF) activists" and other radical feminists, criticizing the former.
 
Transgender activists frequently try to defend the term on the grounds that Viv Smythe is a woman who herself claims to be a radical feminist.  She also seems to have first used the term in a way that was meant to be objective and not necessarily derogatory.  However, she never identified with the term herself, instead using it for other radical feminists whom she painted as an out-group that should be criticized.  Besides, a term can have benign origins and yet evolve into a slur.
 
Curiously, Smythe defended the term as late as 2018 in an article for The Guardian,<ref name=guardian-smythe/> at which point it should have long been apparent that it had become a slur.
 
=== Early years and first principled critique ===
 
The evolution of the term from 2008 into the early to mid 2010s is not well documented.  Mostly, feminists had to face the term on social media, where it began to be used regularly to debase their positions.  In July 2014, [https://www.feministcurrent.com/ Feminist Current] published two articles referencing the term.  The first, written by C. K. Egbert and titled ''Defending the 'TERF': Gender as political'', explains and defends in length the political theory underlining the ideas of feminists slurred as "terf."<ref name=fc-egbert/>  The second, written by [[Sarah Ditum]] and titled ''How 'TERF' works'', shortly analyses a situation in which a woman is pressured to retract a statement opposing violence against women, on the grounds that the statement originally stems from a feminist who is considered a "terf".<ref name=fc-ditum/>  Since Feminist Current is highly acclaimed among radical-leaning feminists, its decision to support the women slurred with "terf" could be seen as a turning point.
 
In August 2014, Vice published an article titled ''I Am Now Officially a Transphobic Twitter Troll'' (subtitle: ''At least according to the 'Block Bot' I am'') by author Martin Robbins.<ref name=vice-robbins/>  In the article, Robbins talks about how the "Block Bot" project on Twitter, which is supposed to help people avoid abusive trolls, has included feminist authors and journalists such as [[Caroline Criado-Perez]] and [[Helen Lewis]] among the people who should be blocked.  Ironically, Lewis seems to have made it to the list for complaining about abusive trolls, as the "evidence" for the reason to ban her includes objections to tweets such as "kill TERFS", "burn TERFS", or hateful jokes such as "what's better than 1 dead terf? 2 dead terfs."


=== Evolution towards hate speech ===
Another Feminist Current article defending those targeted with the slur was published in November 2015, written by [[Penny White]] and titled ''Why I no longer hate ‘TERFs’''.<ref name=fc-white/>  In the article, White explains how she herself used to be convinced that so-called "TERFs" are worthy of contempt, but changed her mind after starting to look closer into the issue.  This experience seems to resonate with many women and some socially liberal men to this day, who start out being supportive of the transgender movement, only to start becoming skeptical after negative experiences and observations, ultimately leading them to be also labeled "terf" and shunned by trans activists.  After that, Feminist Current started publishing articles critical of the transgender movement with some frequency, much to the enragement of trans activists.


[[File:Mya-byrne-punches-terfs.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Totally not a slur!]]
=== The mainstreaming of hatred ===


The evolution of the term from 2008 into the early to mid 2010s is not well documented.  Mostly, feminists had to face the term on social media, where it began to be used regularly to debase their position.  In July 2014, [https://www.feministcurrent.com/ Feminist Current] published two articles referencing the term.  The first, written by C. K. Egbert and titled [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2014/07/16/defending-the-terf-gender-as-political/ ''Defending the 'TERF': Gender as political''], explains and defends in length the political theory underlining the ideas supported by feminists who are slurred as "terf."  The second, written by Sarah Ditum and titled [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2014/07/29/how-terf-works/ ''How 'TERF' works''], shortly analyses a situation in which a woman is pressured to retract a statement opposing violence against women, on the grounds that the statement originally stems from a feminist who is considered a "terf".  Since Feminist Current is highly acclaimed among radical-leaning feminists, its decision to support the women slurred with "terf" could be seen as a turning point.
[[File:Mya-byrne-punches-terfs.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Totally not a slur!]]


Another Feminist Current article defending those targeted with the slur was published in November 2015, written by [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qUruyYQQ60 Penny White] and titled [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2015/11/10/why-i-no-longer-hate-terfs/ ''Why I no longer hate 'TERFs'''].  In the article, Penny White explains how she herself used to be convinced that so-called "TERFs" are worthy of contempt, but changed her mind after starting to look closer into the issue.  This experience seems to resonate with many women and some socially liberal men to this day, who start out being supportive of the transgender movement, only to start becoming skeptical after negative experiences and observations, ultimately leading them to be also labeled "terf" and shunned by transgender activists and their allies. After that, Feminist Current started publishing articles critical of the transgender movement with some frequency, much to the enragement of transgender activists.
In June 2017, transgender activist [[Wikipedia:Mya Byrne|Mya Byrne]] came to the San Francisco Pride Parade with a t-shirt reading "I PUNCH TERFS", decorated with a large fake blood-stain.  Byrne uploaded a selfie of him wearing the t-shirt at the parade, captioned "This is what gay liberation looks like #pride #yesallterfs" which sparked many negative reactions.<ref name=fc-tra-violence/>  The t-shirt would later be displayed at an "art exhibit" at the San Francisco Public Library, set up by the trans activist group ''The Degenderettes''.  After complaints, the library removed the t-shirt from the exhibition, though similar items showcasing a violent mentality remained, such as baseball bats wrapped in barbed wire and painted in the colors of the transgender pride flag.<ref name=fc-tra-violence/>
 
[[File:Sonicfox.png|thumb|right|250px|Dominique McLean's tweet glorifying violence against women.]]
 
In April 2019, professional video gamer [[Wikipedia:SonicFox|Dominique McLean]] aka "SonicFox" uploaded a video on Twitter, captioned "what I do to terfs," in which a male video game character strikes a female character's neck so hard that her skin comes off, while the camera shows her agony-filled face.  McLean can be heard yelling "terf!" into his microphone with each blow dealt to the female character, reminiscent of a lynching.<ref name=sonicfox/>  The tweet garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and many thousands of retweets and likes.
 
McLean's tweet is made even worse by the fact that the hatred is not just directed at an imagined "terf" character, but at the voice actress behind the character, [[Wikipedia:Ronda Rousey|Ronda Rousey]].  Rousey, who is an MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter, is deemed a "TERF" for having stated, with blunt wording, that it's unfair for male MMA fighter [[Transwomen in women's sports#Fallon_Fox|Fallon Fox]] to compete against women.<ref name=rousey-fox/><ref name=rousey-marysue/><ref name=rousey-reddit/>  A year after Rousey's remarks, female MMA fighter Tamikka Brents had suffered a concussion and an orbital bone fracture during a fight with Fallon Fox,<ref name=fallon-fox/> but this does not seem to have changed the opinion of trans activists.
 
After McLean's tweet was reported for hate speech, Twitter initially decided that it [[:File:Sonicfox2.png|did not break their rules]].  Only after continued protest and many more reports did Twitter react, by removing the tweet and issuing SonicFox a mere 24-hour ban.
 
{{clear}}
 
<gallery caption="Aftermath of McLean's tweet" widths=300px heights=150px>
File:Sonicfox3.jpg | McLean defending his tweet on the grounds that Ronda Rousey is a "TERF" and as such deserving of the violent contempt
File:Sonicfox-copycat1.png | A copycat tweet showing another video game character dying brutally, with the caption "FUCK TERFS"
File:Sonicfox-copycat2.png | Another copycat tweet.  The GIF is of [[Wikipedia:Mortal Kombat 11|Mortal Kombat 11]] character [[Wikipedia:Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]] burning his opponent alive.
</gallery>


In June 2017, transgender activist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mya_Byrne Mya Byrne] came to the San Francisco Pride Parade with a t-shirt reading "I PUNCH TERFS", decorated with a large fake blood-stain.  Byrne uploaded a selfie of him wearing the t-shirt at the parade, captioned "This is what gay liberation looks like #pride #yesallterfs" which sparked many negative reactions.<ref name=fc-tra-violence/>  The t-shirt would later be displayed at an "art exhibit" at the San Francisco Public Library, set up by the trans activist group ''The Degenderettes''.  After complaints, the library removed the t-shirt from the exhibition, though similar items showcasing a violent mentality remained, such as baseball bats wrapped in barbed wire and painted in the colors of the transgender pride flag.<ref name=fc-tra-violence/>
=== New trend: Threaten women with your face attached ===


In April 2019, professional video gamer Dominique McLean aka [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SonicFox SonicFox] uploaded a video on Twitter, captioned "what I do to terfs," in which a male character strikes a female character's neck so hard that her skin comes off, while the camera shows her agony-filled face.  McLean can be heard yelling "terf!" into his microphone with each blow dealt to the female character.<ref name=sonicfox/>  The situation is made even worse by the fact that the hatred is not just directed at an imagined "terf" character, but at the voice actress behind the character, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronda_Rousey Ronda Rousey].  Rousey, who is an MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter, is deemed a "TERF" for having stated that it's unfair for male MMA fighter [[Transwomen in women's sports#Fallon_Fox|Fallon Fox]] to compete against women.<ref name=rousey-fox/><ref name=rousey-marysue/><ref name=rousey-reddit/>  A year after Rousey's remarks, female MMA fighter Tamikka Brents suffered a concussion and an orbital bone fracture during a fight with Fallon Fox.<ref name=fallon-fox/>
In late 2019, a social media trend dubbed "POV you're a TERF in my mentions" started, in which trans activists would pose with a weapon (baseball bat, sword, machete, or the like), sometimes preparing to strike or showing them mid-strike, taken as a [[Wikipedia:Point-of-view shot|point-of-view (POV) shot]] and captioned with the phrase "POV you're a TERF in my mentions" or variations thereof.<ref name=pov-terf/>  The pictures are supposed to represent the point-of-view (POV) of a "TERF" being assaulted by the depicted person.  In other words, women called "TERF" who look at the pictures are supposed to imagine themselves being violently assaulted.


<gallery caption="Some examples of tweets using 'terf'" perrow=3 widths=400px heights=200px>
<gallery caption="Some examples of the trend" widths=300px heights=150px>
File:Terf-gallery-1.png | "terf isn't a slur ... terfs don't deserve rights"
File:Pov-terf-1.webp
File:Terf-gallery-2.jpg | "All terfs will be arrested on sight"
File:Pov-terf-2.webp
File:Terf-gallery-3.jpg | "It's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_pride#LGBT_Pride_Month Pride] punch a terf"
File:Pov-terf-3.webp
File:Terf-gallery-4.png | Putting "terfs" right aside "nazis"
File:Pov-terf-4.webp
File:Terf-gallery-5.png | Arthur Chu supporting incitement of hatred against women if they're deemed to be a "TERF"
File:Pov-terf-5.webp
File:Terf-gallery-6.png | "Being a TERF is a choice.  Like being a Nazi."
File:Pov-terf-6.webp
</gallery>
</gallery>


=== Real-life vandalism, harassment, and assaults ===
=== Political justification of physical violence ===
 
In May 2020, a blog post was published on Medium.com equating so-called TERFs with Nazis in a credible-sounding tone and explaining how various methods such as infiltration, censorship, property damage, and physical violence should be used against them.<ref name=medium-izaguirre/>  The account posting the article was suspended from Medium.com on the same day and the content re-uploaded on WordPress.com soon after.<ref name=wp-izaguirre/>  (Still online as of February 20th, 2021)
 
=== Not even pretending that this isn't a witch hunt? ===
 
[[File:Spain-witch-puppet.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Effigy of [[Wikipedia:Carmen Calvo|Carmen Calvo]] hanging from a tree.]]
 
In February 2021, Spanish news reported about the appearance of a puppet hanging from a tree, with its face made to resemble female politician, author, and vice president [[Wikipedia:Carmen Calvo|Carmen Calvo]] of the Socialist Workers' Party.<ref name=elcomun-calvo/>  Calvo had come under fire from trans activists for her opposition to a proposed [[gender self-identification]] law.  The puppet was hanging from a tree in Plaza 8 de Marzo in Santiago de Compostela, with a sign hanging from its neck saying "Me he perdido…por dónde queda el patriarcado" which could be translated as "I'm lost... where's the patriarchy again?" referring clearly to trans activist claim that it's not them who uphold patriarchal norms, but rather the feminists who oppose them.


<youtube dimensions=500 alignment=right description="The assault by Tara Wolf on Maria MacLachlan (September 13th, 2017)" container=frame>
{{clear}}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_d3ozhSE-U
 
</youtube>
== Real-life assault, vandalism, and harassment ==
 
This section lists known incidents of assault, vandalism, verbal abuse and other harassment against feminist organizations or women, by trans activists who are radicalized by the notion that so-called "TERFs" are after their human rights.  (The only case in which the motivation is not entirely clear is the triple homicide of a lesbian couple and their son, committed by formerly prominent trans activist Dana Rivers.)
 
Later parts of this section draw heavily from the feminist news outlet [https://reduxx.info/ Reduxx.info], which was founded in January 2022 and started providing high-quality reporting on issues pertaining to conflicts with the transgender movement, especially where the mainstream media fails to deliver. Consider [https://reduxx.info/support/ donating to Reduxx] to support their efforts.
 
=== Vandalism of Vancouver Women's Library ===


In February 2017, the newly opened Vancouver Women's Library was met with a small group of vandals, including a very obviously male person who claimed to be a female sex worker.  They ripped off a poster, poured wine on a book, and harassed those trying to partake in the opening celebration.  Their stated reason was that the library included books which they deemed to support so-called "TERF" and "SWERF" ideology.<ref name=vwl/>
In February 2017, the newly opened Vancouver Women's Library was met with a small group of vandals, including a very obviously male person who claimed to be a female sex worker.  They ripped off a poster, poured wine on a book, and harassed those trying to partake in the opening celebration.  Their stated reason was that the library included books which they deemed to support so-called "TERF" and "SWERF" ideology.<ref name=vwl/>


In September 2017, a group of feminists wanted to hold a meeting to discuss proposed changes to the [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2018/09/14/never-mind-reforming-gender-recognition-act-theres-no-need-gender-recognition-certificates/ Gender Recognition Act] (GRA) in the [https://newxlearning.org/ New Cross Learning] community Library in London.  The library had to cancel the event after harassment by transgender activists.  The organizers of the meeting decided to meet at Speaker's Corner, before going to the newly chosen meeting place, which was not announced to protect it from harassment. In Speaker's Corner, they were met with a group of transgender activists shouting slogans, notably "when TERFs attack, we fight back."  Maria MacLachlan, who was filming the protesters with her digital camera, was attacked by someone running out of the trans activist group, who then tried to grab her camera.  As the unsuccessful attacker ran back behind his friends, MacLachlan tried to get closer to the group to get his face on camera.  Several of the activists started assaulting her in that moment.  One of the attackers, later revealed to be Tara Wolf, was ultimately charged with assault by beating.  Prior to the event, he had posted that he wants to "f*ck up some terfs" on social media. The event could be considered a cornerstone in the escalating hatred transgender activists show against feminists, as no such clearly documented assault in relation to the slur "TERF" existed before, and the event gained widespread attention in the news, being covered by The Guardian,<ref name=guardian/> The New Statesman,<ref name=statesman1/><ref name=statesman2/> The Telegraph,<ref name=telegraph/> The Times,<ref name=times1/><ref name=times2/> The Evening Standard,<ref name=standard/> and The Daily Mail.<ref name=dailymail/>  Of course, it was also covered by Feminist Current.<ref name=fc1/><ref name=fc2/> In the aftermath of the event, many transgender activists online defended or even celebrated the assault, leading Meghan Murphy to publish the piece [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2017/09/21/terf-isnt-slur-hate-speech/ '' 'TERF' isn't just a slur, it's hate speech''].  Some publications in support of transgender activists have tried to claim that the assailant was really acting in self-defense, and tried to prove this claim by uploading carefully edited cuts of the recording showing the assault,<ref name=planettrans/> or by framing the assault as "standing up to bullies" who "provoke" transgender activists (by having opinions they don't like, we have to presume).<ref name=queerness/>
<gallery caption="Images of the vandalism" widths=210px heights=175px>
File:VWL-Vandalized-1.jpg | Crude graffiti sprayed at the entrance
File:VWL-Vandalized-2.jpg | Close-up of some of the sprayed text
File:VWL-Vandalized-3.jpg | Wine poured on one of the books
File:VWL-Defamation.jpg | The supposed reason for the vandalism
</gallery>
 
=== Physical assault at Speakers' Corner, London ===
 
In September 2017, Maria MacLachlan was physically assaulted by a transgender activist.
 
Initially, a group of feminists wanted to hold a meeting to discuss proposed changes to the [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2018/09/14/never-mind-reforming-gender-recognition-act-theres-no-need-gender-recognition-certificates/ Gender Recognition Act] (GRA) in the [https://newxlearning.org/ New Cross Learning] community Library in London.  The library had to cancel the event after harassment by transgender activists.  The organizers of the meeting then decided to meet at Speakers' Corner, before going to the newly chosen meeting place, which was not announced to protect it from harassment.
 
[[File:Tara-Flik-Wood-threat.webp|thumb|right|300px|Wolf going by the name "Tara Flik Wood" on social media, posting intent to assault prior to the event]]
 
At Speakers' Corner, the women were met with a group of transgender activists shouting slogans, notably "when TERFs attack, we fight back."  Maria MacLachlan, who was filming the protesters with her digital camera, was attacked by someone running out of the trans activist group, who then tried to grab her camera.  As the unsuccessful attacker ran back behind his friends, MacLachlan tried to get closer to the group to get his face on camera.  Several of the activists started assaulting her in that moment.  The whole sequence of events was [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_d3ozhSE-U caught on camera] thanks others at the place also filming what was going on.  MacLachlan's camera was broken and the memory card stolen.
 
One of the attackers, later revealed to be Tara Wolf, was ultimately charged with assault by beating.  Prior to the event, he had posted that he wants to "f*ck up some terfs" on social media.
 
The event could be considered a cornerstone in the escalating hatred transgender activists show against feminists, as no such clearly documented assault in relation to the slur "TERF" existed before, and the event gained widespread attention in the news, being covered by The Guardian,<ref name=guardian/> The New Statesman,<ref name=statesman1/><ref name=statesman2/> The Telegraph,<ref name=telegraph/> The Times,<ref name=times1/><ref name=times2/> The Evening Standard,<ref name=standard/> and The Daily Mail.<ref name=dailymail/>  Of course, it was also covered by Feminist Current.<ref name=fc1/><ref name=fc2/>
 
In the aftermath of the event, many transgender activists online defended or even celebrated the assault, leading Meghan Murphy to publish the piece [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2017/09/21/terf-isnt-slur-hate-speech/ '' 'TERF' isn't just a slur, it's hate speech''].  Some publications in support of transgender activists have tried to claim that the assailant was really acting in self-defense, and tried to prove this claim by uploading carefully edited cuts of the recording showing the assault,<ref name=planettrans/> or by framing the assault as "standing up to bullies" who "provoke" transgender activists (by having opinions they don't like, we have to presume).<ref name=queerness/>
 
<gallery caption="Images" widths=300px heights=175px>
File:Tara-Flik-Wood-attack.png | A frame from the video documenting the assault
File:Tara-Flik-Wood-supporters.jpg | Some of Wolf's supporters outside court
File:MacLachlan-supporters.jpg | For contrast, MacLachlan's supporters
</gallery>
 
=== Verbal abuse and other harassment against Prof. Rosa Freedman ===


In December 2018, human rights lawyer Prof. [[Rosa Freedman]] found her office door covered in urine after attending debates surrounding proposed changes to the UK's Gender Recognition Act.  She also reported being called a "Nazi" (she is Jewish) who "should be raped" (she is a survivor of sexual violence) and receiving abusive anonymous phone calls.<ref name=freedman/>
In December 2018, human rights lawyer Prof. [[Rosa Freedman]] found her office door covered in urine after attending debates surrounding proposed changes to the UK's Gender Recognition Act.  She also reported being called a "Nazi" (she is Jewish) who "should be raped" (she is a survivor of sexual violence) and receiving abusive anonymous phone calls.<ref name=freedman/>


In 2018, transgender activist Dana Rivers was on trial for triple murder.<ref name=rivers/> The victims were a lesbian couple and their adoptive son. Rivers stabbed and shot the victims, before trying to set their house on fire, in November 2016.  It remains unclear whether Rivers was motivated by the hatred against feminists and lesbians promulgated by transgender activists.  Rivers was, however, a member of the group [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Trans Camp Trans], which was created to protest the women-only rule of the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (aka MichFest).<ref name=camptrans/>  Autostraddle described Rivers as a "very well-known transgender activist."<ref name=autostraddle/>
=== Trans activist Dana Rivers commits triple homicide ===
 
In 2016, transgender activist Dana Rivers (formerly David Warfield) committed triple murder on a lesbian couple and their son.<ref name=rivers/>  Rivers stabbed and shot the victims, before trying to set their house on fire.  It remains unclear whether Rivers was motivated by the hatred against feminists and lesbians promulgated by transgender activists.  Rivers was, however, a member of the group [[Wikipedia:Camp Trans|Camp Trans]], which was created to protest the women-only rule of the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (aka MichFest).<ref name=camptrans/>  Autostraddle described Rivers as a "very well-known transgender activist."<ref name=autostraddle/>
 
=== Trans activist lashes at Julie Bindel after speech ===


In June 2019, [[Julie Bindel]] was physically attacked by a trans-identifying male person after holding a keynote speech about male violence against women at the Edinburgh University, together with Prof. Rosa Freedman.<ref name=edinburgh/> "He was shouting and ranting and raving, 'you're a f***** c***, you're a f****** bitch, a f****** Terf" and the rest of it.  We were trying to walk to the cab to take us to the airport, and then he just lunged at me and almost punched me in the face, but a security guard pulled him away." The male person, who calls himself "[[Cathy Brennan]]" (after famous lesbian and radical feminist lawyer, whom he despises) had previously stood out on social media for [[:File:Joe-brennan-twitter.jpg|encouraging physical violence]] against feminists at Gay Pride events.
[[File:Joe-brennan-twitter.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Cathy Brennan" encouraging physical violence against women]]
 
In June 2019, [[Julie Bindel]] was physically attacked by a trans-identifying male person after holding a keynote speech about male violence against women at the Edinburgh University, together with Prof. Rosa Freedman.<ref name=edinburgh/>
 
Bindel recounted the incidence the following way: "He was shouting and ranting and raving, 'you're a f***** c***, you're a f****** bitch, a f****** Terf" and the rest of it.  We were trying to walk to the cab to take us to the airport, and then he just lunged at me and almost punched me in the face, but a security guard pulled him away."
 
The male person, who calls himself "[[Cathy Brennan]]" (not to be confused with the lesbian and radical feminist lawyer who was born with that name) had previously stood out on social media for encouraging physical violence against feminists at Gay Pride events.
 
{{clear}}
 
=== Harassment and vandalism against Vancouver Rape Relief ===
 
In August 16, 2019, the Facebook account of [[Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter]] reported that a dead rat had been nailed to their door frame.<ref name=vrr-fb/>  On August 26, their Twitter account followed up by reporting their door and windows were vandalized with phrases such as "FUCK TERFS" and "KILL TERFS" as well as "TRANS POWER".<ref name=vrr-twitter/>  The repeated harassment and vandalism garnered attention in local and national news.<ref name=vrr-vancouverisawesome/><ref name=vrr-nationalreview/><ref name=vrr-citynews/>
 
<gallery caption="Images of the vandalism" widths=300px heights=175px>
File:Vrr-vandalism1.jpg | A dead rat nailed to the door frame of VRR
File:Vrr-vandalism2.jpg | The text "KILL TERFS ... TRANS POWER" written on the window
File:Vrr-vandalism3.jpg | The phrases "FUCK TERFS" and "TRANS WOMEN ARE WOMEN" written on the door and window
</gallery>
 
=== Anti-prostitution activists attacked by trans activists in Paris ===
 
[[File:lamazone-banners-1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|L'Amazone and CAPP activists holding anti-prostitution banners]]
 
[[File:lamazone-spraypaint.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Save a trans person, kill a terf" (red paint, in French)]]
 
On March 7, 2021, the French radical feminist group L'Amazone, together with the Collective for the Abolition of Pornography and Prostitution (CAPP), joined International Women's Day protests to raise awareness about violence against women in the pornography and prostitution industries.<ref name=lamazone-protest/>  Some members of the group climbed onto the lower platform of the [[wikipedia:Place de la République|Monument à la République]] and held up banners with messages such as:
 
<blockquote>
We want more means for women to get out of prostitution
 
Porn producers = pimps
 
If your feminism profits pimps then it's not feminism
 
If you promote prostitution as work then you're in the wrong side of history
 
Porn & prostitution is a war against women
</blockquote>
 
The women were then attacked by a pro-prostitution group joined in by "queer activists" shouting murder threats, trying to spray paint at the women's eyes, throwing eggs, tearing up banners, and threatening to throw beer bottles.  The woman reporting on the events retells part of the incident it as follows:
 
<blockquote>
They started spray painting at the bottom of the statue "Save a trans person, kill a terf"
 
We were all shocked at the degree of violence we were going through. Our sisters at the top of statue (who are in majority prostitution survivors) were traumatized and some of them cried.
 
We still managed to keep them from climbing the statue but after over 4h we started to worry about how we would manage to leave the protest and get home. They lined up in front of us and made nazi gestures at us. Some of them started emptying beer bottles and mimicking throwing them at us.
 
The police refused to escort us out and simply told us that if we were attacked they would intervene. Women from other feminist organization as well as a female elected representative came to our rescue and formed a circle around us to protect us and escort us to the nearest subway station.
 
I have never seen this much violence at a feminist protest directed at women.
</blockquote>
 
=== Trans activists attack lesbians at Paris Pride ===
 
On June 26, 2021, members of the lesbian rights group Résistance Lesbienne were attacked by at least one trans activist during a Pride march.<ref name=resistance-lesbienne-protest/>  A video shared on Twitter initially shows three individuals, standing near a group of lesbian protesters chanting slogans such as:
 
<blockquote>
Lesbian not queer: we exist
 
A non-feminine woman is not a man
 
A man in skirt is not a woman
 
Who are the bravest? Lesbians
 
Lesbian resistance
 
What don't lesbians have? Penises! And what lesbians don't like? Penises!
</blockquote>
 
One of the individuals, a tall person in feminine attire, goes slightly out of frame in the video, and seems to attack some of the lesbian protesters.  Some women can be heard yelling "stop" with others rushing in to help, and eventually a pair of police officers intervene to break up the scuffle.
 
=== Lesbians assaulted at Cologne Dyke March ===
 
[[File:Cologne-dyke-march-00.jpeg|thumb|right|350px|The lesbian protesters with their banners]]
 
In July 2022, a group of lesbians at a dyke march in Cologne, Germany, displayed banners with the words "lesbian: homosexual person of the female sex" and "lesbian: homosexual, not queer" in what could be seen as a protest against the concept of the [[cotton ceiling]] i.e. the notion that lesbians ought to consider males who identify as transwomen as part of their dating pool.
 
According to a witness who spoke to Reduxx, trans activists within the march started chanting slogans that included the phrase "f*ck you" and hurling insults at the lesbians.<ref name=reduxx-cologne/>  There is [[:File:Cologne-dyke-march-01.mp4|video evidence]] showing the lesbians being physically assaulted.  One of the women, Susanne, was reportedly attacked by a male person who put her in a choke.  Speaking to Reduxx, she said: "I guess I was anticipating it, but not how suddenly and violently it happened.  I was scared I could die when the guy put me in a headlock."  The banners they had displayed were also aggressively taken away from them.  The physical assault, damage to property, theft of the banners, and personal insults were reported to the police.
 
German gay magazine Schwulissimo also reported on the incident, and interviewed another one of the victims.<ref name=schwulissimo-cologne/>  She talked about the irony of not being allowed to display a banner with the dictionary definition of the word "lesbian" at a dyke march, and how aggressive and self-righteous the attackers were.  According to her, one of the victims suffered a minor wrist injury but otherwise there were no physical injuries.
 
=== Threats of rape and murder at UNAM ===
 
[[File:UNAM01.png|thumb|right|350px|Left: "less abolition, more whoring" and "fewer terfs, more sex" <br/> Right: "rape and death to terfs"]]
 
[[File:UNAM02.png|thumb|right|350px|The "rape and death to terfs" writing seen next to the panic button]]
 
Original source with many more details: [https://reduxx.info/exclusive-trans-activists-stage-coup-of-womens-washroom-at-university-paint-whore-graffiti/ MEXICO: Trans Activists Stage “Coup” of Women’s Washroom at University, Issue Rape Threats]
 
In August 2022, feminist students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) had to confront trans activists while they were painting a lesbian pride symbol, the Labrys, on a wall inside the campus.  According to an anonymous witness who spoke to feminist news outlet Reduxx, the activists started to verbally abuse the women because they didn't approve of that particular symbol.
 
After this event, trans students reportedly declared that they felt unsafe on campus and demanded the administration to establish a gender-neutral washroom near the related area.  While the administration agreed, some activists were apparently not appeased.  They took over a large single-sex women's restroom, painted its walls with anti-feminist and pro-prostitution slogans, and declared it a gender-neutral space.  According to the source that spoke with Reduxx, this restroom was previously seen as a safe space for women, as emergency buttons had been installed inside its cubicles due to the prevalence of sexual assault on the campus.  After the trans-activist takeover, it apparently began being used by men as well, as it had now been declared gender neutral.
 
According to Reduxx's source, the university's administration is continuously being lenient towards extremist trans activists, while condemning the feminist opposition.  A statement by the administration that was published two days after the unrest related to the Labrys symbol and the takeover of the women's restroom, openly expresses support for the trans activists.
 
Women who were unhappy with these developments began painting slogans in favor of single-sex women's spaces inside the restroom's cubicles, such as: "If you want a unisex washroom, take it from the men, don't violate women's spaces."  In apparent response to this, trans activists in turn began painting increasingly violent threats inside the cubicles.  One such threat reads "rape and death to TERFs" and is cynically painted right aside one of the emergency buttons that were installed due to the prevalence of rape on the campus.  Mexico already suffers from one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world.
 
=== Woman suffers permanent injury from assault by trans activist ===
 
On September 24, 2022, an Australian feminist suffered a severe assault by a trans activist, presumably as retaliation over her critical views against the transgender movement.  In other words, for being a "TERF" in the eyes of the attacker.  She is left with a permanent disability in her shoulder, losing the ability to lift her arm above her head.<ref name=reduxx-melbourne-attack/>
 
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, provided a detailed account of the incident and evidence of her injuries to the feminist news outlet Reduxx.  She is quoted as follows, retelling the events leading up to the assault:
 
<blockquote>
“I was walking away, talking to a friend when I noticed one male walking beside the group but in the opposite direction to the rest of us.  As he passed me he shoulder-barged me hard, and I stopped to address him.
 
“He just looked like a metal head with lipstick on, and I had never seen him before in my life.
 
“I said something very close to, ‘Is there a problem here?  Do you and I need to have a conversation?’  He started denying and gaslighting.  He claimed it was an accident and one of his friends backed him up.  It was clearly no accident so I replied, ‘No, he just shoulder-barged me as hard as he could.’
 
“I heard a few murmurs of ‘He?’ Like people were offended at my choice of pronoun.  I stood facing him for another [few seconds] waiting to see if he was going to kick off, but he seemed to have nothing to say so I turned and walked away.”
</blockquote>
 
While turned away, the woman was forcefully attacked from behind by the male person, taking a heavy blow to her arm as she hit the ground:
 
<blockquote>
“I was wearing a heavy studded leather jacket so I went down hard and fast.  I put my left arm out to break the fall with anything other than my head and the impact reverberated all up my arm, shattering my shoulder and breaking my arm at the joint.”
</blockquote>
 
The woman was later able to identify the attacker, Sarah Cadzow, through an indirect relation to the members of her punk rock band.  The assailant had presumably stalked her through social media and became hateful after seeing her views critical of the transgender movement.  On January 25, 2023, Cadzow was charged with assault and scheduled for a court hearing in April.
 
<blockquote>
“It’s getting very scary to be a woman speaking up about women’s rights these days.  This kind of violence is going way, way too far and it has to stop before something even worse happens.”
</blockquote>
 
=== Murderer recently released from prison threatens "TERFs" ===
 
[[File:synthia.png|thumb|right|350px|[https://reduxx.info/transgender-child-killer-released-from-prison-threatens-terfs-on-social-media/ See article on Reduxx.info]]]
 
A member of the gang Latin Kings going by the name Synthia China Blast was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 1996 for the torture, rape, and murder of 13 year-old Ebony Nicole Williams three years prior.  He was released on parole in 2018, and fully freed in 2022 after completing his sentence.<ref name=reduxx-blast-released/>
 
Blast had come to media attention in the intervening years for being supported by the Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SLRP) and various mainstream liberal outlets, who portrayed him as a transwoman wronged by the prison system.  Some activists unsuccessfully campaigned for Blast to be moved to a women's prison.
 
He appears to have been further radicalized by trans activists while serving time, starting to fester a deep hatred for feminists labeled as "TERFs" by trans activists.  The feminist news outlet Reduxx, which covered his past crime and release from prison, reports on how he started targeting their authors with threats and fake social media accounts trying to impersonate them.<ref name=reduxx-blast-threats/>  One of his accounts at one point contained the profile description text:
 
<blockquote>
“TERFs are not only anti-trans they are also anti-men. We must eradicate them before their diseases spread to our young children.”
</blockquote>
 
Another social media account openly claiming to be him used the display name "HuntingTERFs", and another one used the name "KillingTime1235" while trying to impersonate Reduxx editor Anna Slatz.
 
=== Trans activist charged with assault after spitting at women ===
 
On December 14, 2022, trans activists at Edinburgh University prevented the screening of a documentary titled "Adult Human Female," which explains the issues feminists have with the transgender movement.<ref name=reduxx-edinburgh-ahf/>
 
One of the activists, 35 year-old Robyn Woof, went viral on social media after being caught on camera.  He's seen loudly berating the women who came to watch the documentary, physically preventing them from entering the room where the screening was going to take place.  One picture appears to show him spitting at the women.
 
On February 9, 2023, the feminist group Wings Over Scotland shared a statement from Scotland Police, informing them that a "35 year-old woman" had been charged with assault in relation to the incident.
 
=== Trans activist arrested after attacking feminist protester ===
 
On January 15, 2023, feminist activist Florence Waller attended a Let Women Speak event organized by [[Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull]] (aka Posie Parker).  While leaving the event, she was attacked by a trans activist, who reportedly pushed her to the ground and stole her hand-made banner showcasing slogans in support of women's free speech and single-sex spaces.<ref name=reduxx-waller/>
 
Waller was not injured, and pursued the attacker, cornering him as a police officer arrived.  She later pressed charges against the attacker, and her banner was retrieved by another woman.
 
<blockquote>
“I went to the event to highlight the importance of same-sex care for vulnerable elderly women as I am myself a carer, and I have no doubt that this individual has absolutely no concern about anything … I wonder if he had even seen the very simple message on my banner as it was rolled up under my arm.” -- Waller reporting to Reduxx
</blockquote>


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
Line 56: Line 295:
== Analysis of the term ==
== Analysis of the term ==


The original acronym could be split in two halves: "trans-exclusionary" and "radical feminist."  Though many people targeted with the word do not see themselves as radical feminists, their ideals most often tend to align with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_feminism radical feminism] anyway, making that part somewhat accurate.  The "trans-exclusionary" part however is rather ambiguous, and its meaning seems to change at the whim of the person using the term.
[[File:Theterfs-delusion.png|thumb|right|500px|Some of the extreme hyperbole used to justify hatred against radical feminists]]
 
The original acronym could be split in two halves: "trans-exclusionary" and "radical feminist."  Though many people targeted with the word do not see themselves as radical feminists, their ideals most often tend to align with [[radical feminism]] anyway, making that part somewhat accurate.  The "trans-exclusionary" part however is rather ambiguous, and its meaning seems to change at the whim of the person using the term.


When those using the term want to justify it as an objective and accurate description, they will use rather mundane and basic definitions of "exclusion" that applies easily to most people the term is used against.  Examples of this might include:
When those using the term want to justify it as an objective and accurate description, they will use rather mundane and basic definitions of "exclusion" that applies easily to most people the term is used against.  Examples of this might include:
Line 65: Line 306:
* Wanting to exclude transwomen from some political groups that want to focus on struggles unique to people born with female anatomy
* Wanting to exclude transwomen from some political groups that want to focus on struggles unique to people born with female anatomy
* Wanting to exclude crimes committed by transwomen from being recorded as female criminality, especially since the crime patterns of transwomen seem more in line with crime patterns of men,<ref name=dhejne/> who commit the vast majority of violent crimes, specifically sexual violence<ref name=wpcrime/>
* Wanting to exclude crimes committed by transwomen from being recorded as female criminality, especially since the crime patterns of transwomen seem more in line with crime patterns of men,<ref name=dhejne/> who commit the vast majority of violent crimes, specifically sexual violence<ref name=wpcrime/>
[[File:Theterfs-delusion.png|thumb|right|500px|Some of the hyperbolic lies transgender activists use to justify hatred against feminists]]


However, once the term "TERF" is applied to someone on the basis of them holding these opinions (which many people including non-feminists would agree are sensible), the definition of "exclusion" is quickly sharpened to justify expressions of hatred.  Sometimes, the "trans-exclusionary" is even hyperbolically turned into "trans-exterminatory" to increase its panic-inducing effect.  The website (or should we say whacksite) [http://theterfs.com/ ''The TERFs''] goes as far as claiming that the people labeled "TERF" want to:
However, once the term "TERF" is applied to someone on the basis of them holding these opinions (which many people including non-feminists would agree are sensible), the definition of "exclusion" is quickly sharpened to justify expressions of hatred.  Sometimes, the "trans-exclusionary" is even hyperbolically turned into "trans-exterminatory" to increase its panic-inducing effect.  The website (or should we say whacksite) [http://theterfs.com/ ''The TERFs''] goes as far as claiming that the people labeled "TERF" want to:
Line 72: Line 311:
* Exclude trans people from housing (make them homeless)
* Exclude trans people from housing (make them homeless)
* Exclude trans people from employment (make them unemployed)
* Exclude trans people from employment (make them unemployed)
* Exclude them from education
* Exclude them from education (keep them uneducated)
* Exclude them from accomodation equality
* Exclude them from accommodation equality
* Exclude them from local, state, national and United Nations protections(!)
* Exclude them from local, state, national and United Nations protections(!)


As such, the women labeled "TERF" are represented less as women who simply want to uphold women's sex-based rights, and more like fascist monsters, which is then used to incite hatred and violence against them.  It's also noteworthy how exclusion of transwomen (from female-only spaces etc.) turns here into supposed exclusion of all trans people (from whatever).  As a matter of fact, women targeted as "TERFs" will frequently say explicitly that they welcome transmen in their groups, since transmen also face the sex-based oppression all women face from birth.
As such, the women labeled "TERF" are represented less as women who simply want to uphold women's sex-based rights, and more like fascist monsters.  This is then used to incite hatred and violence against them.  It's also noteworthy how exclusion of transwomen (from female-only spaces etc.) turns here into supposed exclusion of all trans people (from whatever).  In fact, women targeted as "TERFs" will frequently say explicitly that they welcome transmen in their groups, since transmen also face the sex-based oppression all women face from birth.


The strategy of transgender activists of using simple definitions of "TERF" to make the term look accurate, but then twist the definition to justify hatred, is quite similar to a "troll" strategy that has been noted by philosopher Nicholas Shackel, and dubbed the ''Motte and Bailey Doctrine'' in a paper titled [https://philpapers.org/archive/SHATVO-2.pdf ''The Vacuity of Postmodernist Methodology'']:
The strategy of transgender activists of using simple definitions of "TERF" to make the term look accurate, but then twist the definition to justify hatred, is quite similar to a "troll" strategy that has been noted by philosopher Nicholas Shackel, and dubbed the ''Motte and Bailey Doctrine'' in a paper titled [https://philpapers.org/archive/SHATVO-2.pdf ''The Vacuity of Postmodernist Methodology'']:
[[File:Motte-Bailey.png|thumb|right|500px|An illustration of the "motte and bailey" style of fallacious argumentation.]]


<blockquote><em>
<blockquote><em>
Line 94: Line 335:
=== Inspection of the claims on ''The TERFs'' ===
=== Inspection of the claims on ''The TERFs'' ===


[[File:Theterfs-logo.png|thumb|right|300px|Actual logo of TheTERFs.com: Evil black scribbles!]]
[[File:Theterfs-logo.png|thumb|right|300px|Actual logo of TheTERFs.com: Evil black scribbles]]


It should be noted that ''The TERFs'' offers little more than out-of-context quotes from several decades ago as "evidence" for its hyperbolic claims regarding so-called "TERF" ideology.  It also showcases a small number of cherry-picked tweets, half of which are from right-wing sources that also happen to oppose the transgender movement, which trans activists claim proves that feminists are secretly allied with them in a big conspiracy.  (This line of thinking is often ridiculed as: "Hitler was a vegetarian, therefore vegetarians are Nazis.")
It should be noted that ''The TERFs'' offers little more than out-of-context quotes from several decades ago as "evidence" for its hyperbolic claims regarding so-called "TERF" ideology.  It also showcases a small number of cherry-picked tweets, half of which are from right-wing sources that also happen to oppose the transgender movement, which trans activists claim proves that feminists are secretly allied with them in a big conspiracy.  (This line of thinking is often ridiculed as: "Hitler was a vegetarian, therefore vegetarians are Nazis.")
Line 102: Line 343:
To summarize: there is not a single documented instance of a feminist group going up to a transgender group to assault or threaten them.  Any claims of "violence by TERFs" refer either to women trying to evict transwomen from female-only spaces, extremely rare verbal threats, and lots and lots of fabrication.  In comparison, transgender activists have gone to women's libraries to vandalize them,<ref name=vwl/> went to feminist meetings to assault women,<ref name=fc1/><ref name=fc2/> appeared with face masks at feminist conferences to intimidate women,<ref name=jamjar/> and the ubiquitous verbal abuse they send in the direction of women fills up [https://terfisaslur.com/ a whole website] set up solely to archive it.
To summarize: there is not a single documented instance of a feminist group going up to a transgender group to assault or threaten them.  Any claims of "violence by TERFs" refer either to women trying to evict transwomen from female-only spaces, extremely rare verbal threats, and lots and lots of fabrication.  In comparison, transgender activists have gone to women's libraries to vandalize them,<ref name=vwl/> went to feminist meetings to assault women,<ref name=fc1/><ref name=fc2/> appeared with face masks at feminist conferences to intimidate women,<ref name=jamjar/> and the ubiquitous verbal abuse they send in the direction of women fills up [https://terfisaslur.com/ a whole website] set up solely to archive it.


=== The term 'SWERF' ===
== 'SWERF' ==


The word ''SWERF'' is a close relative to ''TERF'' and is applied in a similarly dishonest, misrepresenting way.  Women (and men who care about women's rights) who are critical of the sex industry for its exploitative nature are accused of being "sex-worker exclusionary" in an attempt to make them seem hateful towards an oppressed group.
The word ''SWERF'' is a close relative to ''TERF'' and is applied in a similarly dishonest, misrepresenting way.  Women (and men who care about women's rights) who are critical of the sex industry for its exploitative nature are accused of being "sex-worker exclusionary" in an attempt to make them seem hateful towards an oppressed group.
Line 109: Line 350:


Notably, one of the biggest anti-prostitution and anti-pornography feminists [[Andrea Dworkin]] was an ex-prostitute herself, and not ashamed of admitting so.  Another notable example is [[Rachel Moran]], who was in prostitution between the ages of 15 and 22, only to become one of the most notable anti-prostitution, pro-Nordic Model activists in recent years.
Notably, one of the biggest anti-prostitution and anti-pornography feminists [[Andrea Dworkin]] was an ex-prostitute herself, and not ashamed of admitting so.  Another notable example is [[Rachel Moran]], who was in prostitution between the ages of 15 and 22, only to become one of the most notable anti-prostitution, pro-Nordic Model activists in recent years.
== Gallery ==
<gallery caption="Some examples of tweets using 'terf'" widths=300px heights=150px>
File:Terf-gallery-1.png | "terf isn't a slur ... terfs don't deserve rights"
File:Terf-gallery-2.jpg | "All terfs will be arrested on sight"
File:Terf-gallery-3.jpg | "It's [[Wikipedia:Pride Month|Pride]] punch a terf"
File:Terf-gallery-4.png | Putting "terf" right aside "nazi"
File:Terf-gallery-5.png | [[Wikipedia:Arthur Chu|Arthur Chu]] supporting SonicFox's hate speech
File:Terf-gallery-6.png | "Being a TERF is a choice.  Like being a Nazi."
</gallery>


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Transgender ideology]]
* [[Transgender ideology]]
* [[Allison Woolbert]] (founder of "TERF Tracker")
== External links ==
* [https://www.feministcurrent.com/2017/09/21/terf-isnt-slur-hate-speech/ TERF isn't just a slur, it's hate speech | Feminist Current]
* [https://www.feministcurrent.com/tag/terf/ TERF Archives | Feminist Current]
* [https://speakupforwomen.nz/dont-call-women-terfs/ Don't Call Women 'Terfs' | Speak Up for Women NZ]
* [https://terfisaslur.com/ terfisaslur.com - Documenting the abuse, harassment and misogyny of transgender identity politics]
* [https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/the-myth-of-both-sides The Myth Of 'Both Sides']


== References ==
== References ==


<references>
<references>
<ref name=terf-origin>
{{cite web
|url=https://hoydenabouttown.com/2008/08/17/carnivalia-transgenderism-and-the-gender-binary/
|title=Carnivalia, transgenderism and the gender binary
|author=Viv Smythe (aka tigtog)
|date=August 17, 2008
|website=Hoyden About Town
}}
</ref>
<ref name=guardian-smythe>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/29/im-credited-with-having-coined-the-acronym-terf-heres-how-it-happened
|title=I'm credited with having coined the word 'Terf'. Here's how it happened
|author=Viv Smythe (aka tigtog)
|date=November 28, 2018
|website=The Guardian
}}
</ref>
<ref name=fc-egbert>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.feministcurrent.com/2014/07/16/defending-the-terf-gender-as-political/
|title=Defending the ‘TERF’: Gender as political
|author=C.K. Egbert
|date=July 16, 2014
|website=Feminist Current
}}
</ref>
<ref name=fc-ditum>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.feministcurrent.com/2014/07/29/how-terf-works/
|title=How ‘TERF’ works
|author=Sarah Ditum
|date=July 29, 2014
|website=Feminist Current
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vice-robbins>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/7bap7y/whats-the-block-blot-martin-robbins-757
|title=I Am Now Officially a Transphobic Twitter Troll
|author=Martin Robbins
|date=August 8, 2014
|website=Vice
}}
</ref>
<ref name=fc-white>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.feministcurrent.com/2015/11/10/why-i-no-longer-hate-terfs/
|title=Why I no longer hate ‘TERFs’
|author=Penny White
|date=November 10, 2015
|website=Feminist Current
}}
</ref>


<ref name=fc-tra-violence>
<ref name=fc-tra-violence>
Line 171: Line 492:
|title=Celebrity TERF Ronda Rousey to play Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11
|title=Celebrity TERF Ronda Rousey to play Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11
|website=reddit
|website=reddit
}}
</ref>
<ref name=pov-terf>
{{cite web
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019184351/https://radfemrebecca.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/terfinmymentions/amp/
|title=“This is what I want to do to you” – Dissecting the ‘POV ur a TERF in my mentions’ trend.
|author=Rebecca
|date=October 6, 2019
|website=radfemrebecca.wordpress.com
}}
</ref>
<ref name=medium-izaguirre>
{{cite web
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527135844/https://medium.com/@laura.izaguirre/resisting-terfs-and-transforming-their-organizations-95cd21714fc8
|title=Resisting TERF's and Transforming Their Organizations (Archived from Medium.com)
|author=Laura Izaguirre
|date=May 26, 2020
|website=Medium.com
}}
</ref>
<ref name=elcomun-calvo>
{{cite web
|url=https://elcomun.es/2021/02/20/violencia-machista-ahorcan-a-una-muneca-con-la-cara-de-carmen-calvo-en-santiago/
|title=Violencia machista: Ahorcan a una muñeca con la cara de Carmen Calvo en Santiago (English: "Sexist violence: They hang a doll with the face of Carmen Calvo in Santiago")
|date=February 20, 2021
|website=El Común
}}
English translation by Google: https://2lovojqocmwrvggaapshhrg6yi-adwhj77lcyoafdy-elcomun-es.translate.goog/2021/02/20/violencia-machista-ahorcan-a-una-muneca-con-la-cara-de-carmen-calvo-en-santiago/
</ref>
<ref name=wp-izaguirre>
{{cite web
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528035805/https://queeratxlaura.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/resisting-terfs-and-transforming-their-organizations/
|title=Resisting TERF's and Transforming Their Organizations (Archived from WordPress.com)
|author=Laura Izaguirre
|date=May 28, 2020
|website=WordPress
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 375: Line 737:
|date=December 5, 2018
|date=December 5, 2018
|website=BBC News
|website=BBC News
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vrr-fb>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.facebook.com/VancouverRapeRelief/posts/710603379412445
|title=Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter - Facebook
|date=August 16, 2019
|website=Facebook
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vrr-twitter>
{{cite web
|url=https://twitter.com/VanRapeRelief/status/1166426534321647616
|title=VancouverRapeRelief on Twitter
|date=August 26, 2019
|website=Twitter
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vrr-vancouverisawesome>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/2019/08/28/vancouver-rape-relief-centre-targeted-vandalism-threats-transgender-controversy/
|title=Vancouver Rape Relief centre targeted with vandalism, threats over transgender controversy
|author=Jessica Kerr
|date=August 28, 2019
|website=Vancouver is Awesome
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vrr-nationalreview>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/08/women-only-rape-relief-shelter-defunded-then-vandalized/
|title=Women-Only Rape-Relief Shelter Defunded, Then Vandalized
|author=Madeleine Kearns
|date=August 28, 2019
|website=National Review
}}
</ref>
<ref name=vrr-citynews>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/08/27/vancouver-rape-relief-centre-vandalized-likely-over-restrictions-for-transgender-people/
|title=Vancouver Rape Relief centre vandalized, likely over restrictions for transgender people
|author=Jonathan Szekeres and Lauren Boothby
|date=August 27, 2019
|website=City News
}}
</ref>
<ref name=lamazone-protest>
{{cite web
|url=https://twitter.com/radfmnst/status/1368678240127234050
|title=narfem (@radfmnst) on Twitter retelling the attack by trans activists
|date=March 7, 2021
|website=Twitter
}}
</ref>
<ref name=resistance-lesbienne-protest>
{{cite web
|url=https://twitter.com/GetTheLOutUK/status/1408896814569472002
|title=Trans activists attack lesbians at Paris Pride
|date=June 26, 2021
|website=Twitter
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-cologne>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/lesbians-assaulted-by-trans-activists-at-dyke-march-in-cologne/
|title=Lesbians Assaulted By Trans Activists at Dyke March in Cologne
|author=Genevieve Gluck
|date=July 4, 2022
|website=Reduxx
}}
</ref>
<ref name=schwulissimo-cologne>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.schwulissimo.de/neuigkeiten/ausschreitungen-bei-dyke-march-koeln-queere-aktivisten-schlagen-auf-lesben-ein
|title=Ausschreitungen bei Dyke March in Köln: „Der Angriff zeigt, dass die Community ziemlich intolerant gegenüber anderen Meinungen geworden ist!“
|date=July 4, 2022
|website=Schwulissimo
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-melbourne-attack>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/exclusive-australian-woman-left-disabled-following-attack-by-trans-activist/
|title=EXCLUSIVE: Australian Woman Left Disabled Following Attack By Trans Activist
|date=February 20, 2023
|author=Anna Slatz
|website=Reduxx
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-blast-released>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/violent-transgender-killer-completes-sentence-for-1996-torture-murder-of-13-year-old-child/
|title=Violent Transgender Killer Completes Sentence for Torture, Murder of 13-Year-Old Child
|date=October 24, 2022
|author=Anna Slatz
|website=Reduxx
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-blast-threats>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/transgender-child-killer-released-from-prison-threatens-terfs-on-social-media/
|title=Transgender Child Killer Released from Prison, Threatens “TERFs” on Social Media
|date=November 11, 2022
|author=Genevieve Gluck
|website=Reduxx
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-edinburgh-ahf>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/uk-trans-activist-charged-with-assault-after-spitting-on-woman-at-edinburgh-university/
|title=UK: Trans Activist Charged With Assault After Spitting On Woman At Edinburgh University
|date=February 10, 2023
|author=Shay Woulahan
|website=Reduxx
}}
</ref>
<ref name=reduxx-waller>
{{cite web
|url=https://reduxx.info/uk-trans-activist-arrested-after-assaulting-woman-at-a-free-speech-event/
|title=UK: Trans Activist Arrested after Assaulting Woman at a Free Speech Event
|date=January 16, 2023
|author=Shay Woulahan
|website=Reduxx
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 380: Line 877:
</references>
</references>


=== Other links ===
<!-- Language links: -->


* [https://terfisaslur.com/ terfisaslur.com - Documenting the abuse, harassment and misogyny of transgender identity politics]
[[pt:TERF]]
* [https://www.feministcurrent.com/tag/terf/ TERF Archives | Feminist Current]
* [https://speakupforwomen.nz/dont-call-women-terfs/ Don't Call Women 'Terfs' | Speak Up for Women NZ]
* [https://medium.com/@amydyess83/terf-is-hate-speech-and-its-time-to-condemn-it-6efc897ce407 TERF Is Hate Speech and It’s Time to Condemn It]
Retrieved from "https://feministwiki.org/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/675...1310"