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{{PageSeo | description = Transgender ideology refers to world views that are supposed to uphold transgender rights, but often end up supporting sexism and homophobia instead.
{{PageSeo | description = Transgender ideology refers to world views that are supposed to uphold transgender rights, but often end up supporting sexism and homophobia instead.
}}
}}
'''Transgender ideology''' is a loose catch-all term referring to philosophies, world views, and dogmatic statements adhered to by political activists who try to uphold the human rights of [[transgender]] people.  The political movement of furthering these ideologies is called the '''transgender movement'''.
'''Transgender ideology''' is a loose catch-all term referring to philosophies, world views, and dogmatic statements adhered to by political activists who see themselves as trying to uphold the human rights of [[transgender]] people.  The political movement of furthering these ideologies is called the '''transgender movement'''.


The practice of supporting transgender ideology is called '''transgender activism''' (often shortened '''trans activism''') and a person who follows this practice is called a '''transgender activist''' (often shortened '''trans activist''').  The word "transgender" in the phrase "transgender activist" is not to be understood as an adjective for the person in question (i.e. "an activist who happens to be transgender") but as a reference to the activism they practice (i.e. "an activist supporting transgender ideology").  Many trans activists are not transgender themselves.
The practice of supporting transgender ideology is called '''transgender activism''' (often shortened '''trans activism''') and a person who follows this practice is called a '''transgender activist''' (often shortened '''trans activist''').  The word "transgender" in the phrase "transgender activist" is not to be understood as an adjective for the person in question (i.e. "an activist who happens to be transgender") but as a reference to the activism they practice (i.e. "an activist supporting transgender ideology").  Many trans activists are not transgender themselves.


Feminists tend to use the term ''transgender ideology'' with a critical tone when pointing out sexist, homophobic, or otherwise problematic aspects of the transgender movement.  Those who support the movement tend to oppose the term, likening it to the phrase ''homosexual agenda'', which is used to ascribe sinister intent to gay/lesbian/bisexual rights activists.  Indeed, right-wing and Christian organizations heavily use the term ''transgender ideology'' in their publications critical of the movement, however their reasons for opposing it tend to be radically different than those of feminists.
Feminists tend to use the term ''transgender ideology'' with a critical tone when pointing out sexist, homophobic, or otherwise problematic aspects of the transgender movement.  Those who support the movement tend to oppose the term, likening it to the phrase ''homosexual agenda'', which is used to ascribe sinister intent to gay/lesbian/bisexual rights activists.  Indeed, right-wing and Christian organizations also heavily use the term ''transgender ideology'' when criticizing the movement.  However, their reasons for opposing it tend to be radically different than those of feminists.
 
The term '''trans rights activist''' (shortened '''TRA''') is sometimes used for its similarity to ''men's rights activist'' (shortened ''MRA'').  The idea behind this is: just like so-called MRAs claim to support men's human rights but end up blaming everything on women and opposing feminism, so do TRAs claim to support transgender human rights but end up blaming everything on women and opposing feminism.


== Aspects ==
== Aspects ==
Line 11: Line 13:
=== Trans women are women ===
=== Trans women are women ===


One of the core dogmata of the transgender movement is the statement that '''trans women are women''' (and the less often repeated ''trans men are men'').<ref name=fc-hendley/>  Under this view it's important to write ''trans woman'' as two words (adjective and noun) and not ''transwoman'', to stress the fact that "trans women" are literally a subtype of women, just like white women, black women, short women, tall women, and so on.  The statement "trans women are women" is not meant as a vague slogan of moral support, but in a literal sense.<ref name=nytimes/><ref name=stonewall/>
One of the core dogmata of the transgender movement is the statement that '''trans women are women''' (and the less often repeated ''trans men are men'').<ref name=fc-hendley/>  Under this view, it's important to write ''trans woman'' as two words (adjective and noun) and not ''transwoman'', to stress the fact that "trans women" are literally a subtype of women, just like white women, black women, short women, tall women, and so on.  The statement "trans women are women" is not meant as a vague slogan of moral support, but in a literal sense.<ref name=twaw-nytimes/><ref name=twaw-stonewall/>


This statement contradicts the definition of the word "woman" as seen in some dictionaries (i.e. adult human [[sex|female]]).  Many trans activists believe that a definition based on self-identification would be better.  This tend includes the circular definition, "anyone who identifies as a woman, is a woman."  As such, the statement "trans women are women" is probably best described as a dogmatic position.
Since the statement contradicts the dictionary definition of the word "woman" (adult human [[sex|female]]), it implies that a different definition would be better.  When asked about this, transgender activists usually avoid providing an actual definition.  Most attempts tend to revolve around a circular definition, such as "anyone who identifies as a woman, is a woman."  As such, the statement "trans women are women" is arguably best described as dogma.
 
The idea that transwomen are literally women is taken as the basis for many problematic conclusions, such as: transwomen deserve to partake in women's sports,<ref name=businessinsider/> transwomen should be seen as part of the natural dating pool of lesbians (see also [[cotton ceiling]]),<ref name=yardley/> transwomen deserve to use all female facilities, enter female-only spaces and events, speak on women's rights as women, and so on.<ref name=twaw-stonewall/>  These issues are made only worse by the fact that any intact male person can simply self-identify as a "trans woman" without needing to undergo any sort of medical transition.
 
==== Intact males in women's spaces ====
 
If male people who identify as women are literally women, it would follow that they should be allowed to use the same locker rooms, communal showers, and other such sex-segregated public facilities for women.  [[Helen Staniland]] summarizes this issue by posing the rhetorical question, "should male born people with a penis be free to enter and undress in communal changing rooms where women and girls are undressing?"  The question has been dubbed the Staniland Question.  Most trans activists refuse to provide a straight answer, as saying no would mean that they don't agree that self-identified "trans women" should be allowed in women's locker rooms, whereas saying yes reveals the very problem being demonstrated.
 
<gallery caption="Some trans activist men struggling with the Staniland Question" widths=300px heights=300px>
File:Nate-answering-staniland.png | Nate avoids giving a straight answer
File:Michael-answering-staniland.png | Michael says it's been happening for decades
File:Devon-answering-staniland.png | Devon, finally, gives a straight answer
</gallery>
 
The images above are from discussions in July 2021 that sparked after an incident in Wi Spa, L.A., in which a woman complained about a male person with a penis wandering around naked in the women's section of the nude spa.<ref name=wispa-4w/><ref name=wispa-wapo/><ref name=wispa-nypost/>  Without any actual evidence, trans activist groups cast widespread doubt on the event and managed to get mainstream and local media publications to report that the incident "might have been staged."<ref name=wispa-wapo/><ref name=wispa-advocate/><ref name=wispa-lablade/>  It's noteworthy that while some trans activists went the route of claiming that the incident must have been staged, others chose to openly defend the principle of an intact male using female-only spaces (see images above), hence rendering moot the question of whether the incident was or wasn't staged.
 
After the incident, another woman came forth about the same thing having happened to her in Wi Spa in 2018, and agreed to a detailed interview with journalist [[Anna Slatz]] about her experience.<ref name=wispa-4w/>
 
Some trans activists reacting to these stories went as far as saying that women were at fault for looking at the male person, that they are the real sexual aggressors for eyeing the male person in the female-only section, or making jokes about how the women must have been aroused by the man.
 
<gallery caption="Trans activists going all out with their victim-blaming" widths=300px heights=300px>
File:Sesmith-wispa.png | A person who writes for The Guardian and has a verified Twitter account says women are at fault for looking at the nude male in the women's section
File:Zinniajones-wispa.png | Zinnia Jones mocks the second woman who came forth about her experience in 2018
File:Nate-wispa.png | A verified account backs the logic put forth by a troll who implies that women are the real aggressors
</gallery>
 
==== Males in women's sports ====
 
''Main article: [[Transwomen in women's sports]]''
 
Another logical conclusion of "trans women are women" is that males who identify as women get to play in women's sports.  This idea is indeed widely supported by trans activists, and has been applied in many sports events, leading to male athletes at times massively overpowering female competitors and taking the first spot / gold medal.  See the above linked page for details on this topic.


=== Gender identity ===
=== Gender identity ===
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[[File:Womb-girl-boy-gender-discomfort2-768x432.jpg|thumb|right|Image used by GIRES to explain inborn gender identity and inevitable gender dysphoria]]
[[File:Womb-girl-boy-gender-discomfort2-768x432.jpg|thumb|right|Image used by GIRES to explain inborn gender identity and inevitable gender dysphoria]]


The idea that "trans women are women" is usually backed by several philosophical viewpoints.  Some hold a belief in an essential, inborn, and immutable "gender identity" that every person possesses.<ref name=genderspectrum/><ref name=gires-inside-story/>  Transwomen are said to be real women on the grounds that they possess a "female gender identity" which they are said to share with women.  Likewise for transmen and a male gender identity that is supposedly shared by all men.  Others believe that all words are social constructs that lack objective definitions.  Nevertheless, they argue the terms "man" and "woman" hold a particularly meaningful role with regards to individuals' identities.  In the absence of an inherently true definition to protect, they support basing gender in self-identification, which has a substantial benefit on transgender mental health.<ref name=youth-accepted-by-families/><ref name=medical-guide/>
The idea that "trans women are women" is sometimes backed by a belief in an essential, inborn, and immutable "gender identity" that every person supposedly possesses.<ref name=gender-id-genderspectrum/><ref name=gender-id-gires/>  Transwomen are said to be real women on the grounds that they possess a "female gender identity" which they are said to share with women.  Likewise for transmen and a male gender identity that is supposedly shared by all men.  Others believe that all words are social constructs that lack objective definitions.  Nevertheless, they argue the terms "man" and "woman" hold a particularly meaningful role with regards to individuals' identities.  In the absence of an inherently true definition to protect, they support basing gender in self-identification.


The conclusion to such philosophical ideas is that biological sex characteristics do not factor into womanhood and manhood.  For example, a few transwomen have full beards and intact male anatomy, and many trans activists claim they are literally real women like any other.<ref name=hufpo-drummond/><ref name=vice-mtftop/>
The conclusion to such ideas is that biological sex characteristics do not factor into womanhood and manhood at all.  For example, some transwomen have full beards, and most have intact male genitals, yet most trans activists nevertheless claim that such people are literally real women.<ref name=hufpo-drummond/><ref name=vice-mtftop/>


=== Transgender children ===
=== Transgender children ===


Since gender identity is said to be inborn, it follows that some children would be transgender.  Once they show signs of such, medical consensus is to support the child in whatever identity they hold and allow them to freely express themselves.  Doctors and trans activists also generally support [[Wikipedia:Puberty blocker|puberty blocking]] medication such as Lupron to children who think they are transgender.<ref name=nytimes-aap/>  This prevents them from experiencing puberty that may result in dysphoria later in life and allows them to decide what body is right for them as they grow older.<ref name=medical-guide/>
Since gender identity is said to be inborn, it follows that some children would be transgender, and only need to find this out.  Once it's found out, the only way forward is to support the child in its transgender identification.  This leads to the transgender activist "affirm-only" approach towards youth, where for instance a boy who says "I wish I was a girl" or "I'm actually a girl" is from that point on treated as if the child is literally a girl.  (Given a female name, referred to by female pronouns, asked to be considered a girl by others, and so on.)  Likewise for girls who express that they wish they were a boy, or claim that they are internally a boy.  Trans activists are opposed to the alternative "watchful waiting" approach.
 
The trans activist affirm-only approach has been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.<ref name=nytimes-aap/> Parents concerned over this model of treatment published a long criticism and launched a petition reaching 1,200 signatures.<ref name=4thwave/>  Psychologist [[Wikipedia:James Cantor|James Cantor]] also published a fact-check article criticizing the AAP's decision.<ref name=cantor/>
 
Trans activists usually support giving [[Wikipedia:Puberty blocker|puberty blocking]] medication such as Lupron to children who think they are transgender.<ref name=nytimes-aap/>  These children may be as young as 9 years old, and may be prescribed cross-sex hormones at ages as young as 12.<ref name=guardian-hrt/><ref name=transtrend/>
 
(TODO: Mention Tavistock and the Cass Review.)


Some who oppose these medications argue that there are high rates of children who realize they are transgender too late.  The studies cited usually include irrelevant statistics regarding children who were deemed unlikely to be trans by their doctors.  According to a medical guide published by the Human Rights Campaign, the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics: "It is clear that many children who are gender-expansive or have mild gender dysphoria do not grow up to be transgender — but these are not the children for whom competent clinicians recommend gender transition."<ref name=medical-guide/>
According to a 2022 report by Reuters looking at U.S. health insurance claims within the three-year period from the start of 2019 to the end of 2021, there were at least 774 mastectomies, and at least 56 genital surgeries, performed on minors in the age range of 13 to 17.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-transyouth-data/ | title = Putting numbers on the rise in children seeking gender care | author = Robin Respaut & Chad Terhune | date = October 6, 2022 | publisher = Reuters }}</ref>  While the data do not reveal the actual youngest age of a patient receiving genital surgery (merely that they are in the age range of 13 to 17), a study published in May 2018 confirms that when it comes to mastectomies, they really are performed on minors as young as 13.<ref>{{ cite web | url = https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2674039 | title = Chest Reconstruction and Chest Dysphoria in Transmasculine Minors and Young Adults | author = Johanna Olson-Kennedy, MD; Jonathan Warus, MD; Vivian Okonta, MPH; et al | date = May 2018 | publisher = JAMA Pediatrics }}</ref>


=== Cisgender people oppress transgender people ===
=== Cisgender people oppress transgender people ===


Another core tenet of transgender ideology is the notion that many [[cisgender]] people oppress transgender people, just like how men oppress women, white Americans oppress black Americans, or how straight people oppress gay men and lesbian women.<ref name=cissexism/><ref name=transmisogyny/> Trans activists often cite high rates of homelessness, trans minors being disowned by their parents, and suicide rates correlating to societal treatment in their claims of trans people being oppressed.<ref name=homeless><ref name=youth-accepted-by-families/>
Another core tenet of transgender ideology is the notion that [[cisgender]] people oppress transgender people, just like how men oppress women, white Americans oppress black Americans, or how straight people oppress gay men and lesbian women.<ref name=ef-cissexism/><ref name=ef-transmisogyny/> As such, when a man identifies as a transwoman, his position relative to that of a woman turns from being her oppressor to someone who is oppressed by her.  His male privilege is denied as he is now considered a woman, and the fact that he is a ''transgender'' woman means that he is oppressed by so-called ''cisgender'' women.  Further, being both a woman and transgender means he is considered to suffer under two axes of oppression, akin to how black women suffer both from racism and sexism.  This way, a white man suddenly becomes comparable to a black woman with regards to oppressive power dynamics in society.
 
As per the principle of ''intersectionality'' (misappropriated from [[black feminism]]), transgender activists often say that the feminist movement should not only include transwomen's concerns, but outright center them in many discussions, as otherwise the feminist movement might fail to sufficiently address their concerns. (TODO: citation)


=== Supporting "sex work" activism ===
=== Supporting "sex work" activism ===


For reasons not entirely clear, many if not most transgender activists also seem to support the "sex work" movement.<ref name=fc-bindel/>
For reasons not entirely clear, many if not most transgender activists also seem to support the "sex work" movement.<ref name=fc-bindel/> Possible explanations for this collusion might be:
 
* Both movements stem from ''queer ideology'', which is based on ''transgression'' of social norms without regard to ethical concerns
* The transgender movement being dominated by [[Autogynephilia|autogynephilic]] men who are interested in upholding a society in which women exist for male sexual pleasure
* Anti-feminists supporting both the transgender movement and the "sex work" movement, simply because they see both of them as weapons against women's liberation


== See also ==
== See also ==
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|author=Alicia Hendley
|author=Alicia Hendley
|date=April 10, 2019
|date=April 10, 2019
|website=Feminist Current
|publisher=Feminist Current
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=nytimes>
<ref name=twaw-nytimes>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/opinion/trans-women-feminism.html
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/opinion/trans-women-feminism.html
Line 64: Line 108:
|author=Carol Hay
|author=Carol Hay
|date=April 1, 2019
|date=April 1, 2019
|website=The New York Times
|publisher=The New York Times
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=stonewall>
<ref name=twaw-stonewall>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.stonewall.org.uk/truth-about-trans
|url=https://www.stonewall.org.uk/truth-about-trans
|title=The truth about trans
|title=The truth about trans
|website=Stonewall
|publisher=Stonewall UK
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
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</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=genderspectrum>
<ref name=wispa-4w>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.genderspectrum.org/quick-links/understanding-gender/
|url=https://4w.pub/exclusive-interview-with-wi-spa-mother/
|title=Understanding Gender
|title=LAPD Officer Blamed a Mother for Exposing her Daughter to Male Genitals at Wi Spa
|website=Gender Spectrum
|author=Anna Slatz
|quote=According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “By age four, most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.” This core aspect of one’s identity comes from within each of us. Gender identity is an inherent aspect of a person’s make-up. Individuals do not choose their gender, nor can they be made to change it.
|date=July 7, 2021
|publisher=4W
}}
</ref>
 
<ref name=wispa-wapo>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/07/05/transgender-woman-los-angeles-spa/
|title=A trans woman reportedly undressed in a spa. Customers said they were ‘traumatized,’ and a protest ensued.
|author=Caroline Anders
|date=July 7, 2021
|publisher=The Washington Post
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=gires-inside-story>
<ref name=wispa-nypost>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.gires.org.uk/transsexualism-the-inside-story/
|url=https://nypost.com/2021/07/06/furor-over-trans-in-la-spa-proves-progressives-arent-really-feminists-after-all/
|title=Transsexualism: The Inside Story
|title=Furor over trans in LA spa proves progressives aren’t really feminists after all
|website=gires.org.uk
|author=Bethany Mandel
|publisher=GIRES
|date=July 6, 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928030238/https://www.gires.org.uk/transsexualism-the-inside-story/
|publisher=New York Post
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=guardian-hrt>
<ref name=wispa-advocate>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/11/transgender-nhs-doctor-prescribing-sex-hormones-children-uk
|url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2021/7/09/was-trans-nudity-incident-los-angeles-spa-staged
|title=UK doctor prescribing cross-sex hormones to children as young as 12
|title=Was Trans Nudity Incident at Los Angeles Spa Staged?
|author=Kate Lyons
|author=Trudy Ring
|date=July 11, 2016
|date=July 9, 2021
|website=The Guardian
|publisher=The Advocate
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=transtrend>
<ref name=wispa-lablade>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.transgendertrend.com/puberty-blockers/
|url=https://nypost.com/2021/07/06/furor-over-trans-in-la-spa-proves-progressives-arent-really-feminists-after-all/
|title=Puberty blockers
|title=Alleged Trans incident at upscale LA Spa may have been staged
|website=Transgender Trend
|date=July 7, 2021
|publisher=Los Angeles Blade
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=medical-guide>
<ref name=gender-id-genderspectrum>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.hrc.org/resources/supporting-caring-for-transgender-children
|url=https://www.genderspectrum.org/quick-links/understanding-gender/
|title=Supporting and Caring for Transgender Children
|title=Understanding Gender
|date=September 2016
|publisher=Gender Spectrum
|author=Human Rights Campaign Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP)
|quote=According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “By age four, most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.” This core aspect of one’s identity comes from within each of us. Gender identity is an inherent aspect of a person’s make-up. Individuals do not choose their gender, nor can they be made to change it.
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=youth-accepted-by-families>
<ref name=gender-id-gires>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/lgbt.2015.0111
|url=https://www.gires.org.uk/transsexualism-the-inside-story/
|title=Family Rejection as a Predictor of Suicide Attempts and Substance Misuse Among Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Adults
|title=Transsexualism: The Inside Story
|date=May 25, 2016
|publisher=Gender Identity Research & Education Society
|author=Augustus Klein and Sarit A. Golub
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928030238/https://www.gires.org.uk/transsexualism-the-inside-story/
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 157: Line 213:
|date=July 25, 2015
|date=July 25, 2015
|author=James Michael Nichols
|author=James Michael Nichols
|publisher=Huffington Post
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 166: Line 223:
|date=January 29, 2019
|date=January 29, 2019
|author=Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard
|author=Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard
|publisher=Vice
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 175: Line 233:
|author=Perri Klass
|author=Perri Klass
|date=October 15, 2018
|date=October 15, 2018
|website=The New York Times
|publisher=The New York Times
}}
</ref>
 
<ref name=homeless>
{{cite web
|url=https://endhomelessness.org/resource/transgender-homeless-adults-unsheltered-homelessness-what-the-data-tell-us/
|title=Transgender Homeless Adults & Unsheltered Homelessness: What the Data Tell Us
|date=July 24, 2020
|website=National Alliance to End Homelessness
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 207: Line 256:
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=cissexism>
<ref name=guardian-hrt>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/11/transgender-nhs-doctor-prescribing-sex-hormones-children-uk
|title=UK doctor prescribing cross-sex hormones to children as young as 12
|author=Kate Lyons
|date=July 11, 2016
|website=The Guardian
}}
</ref>
 
<ref name=transtrend>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.transgendertrend.com/puberty-blockers/
|title=Puberty blockers
|website=Transgender Trend
}}
</ref>
 
<ref name=ef-cissexism>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/03/everyday-cissexism/
|url=https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/03/everyday-cissexism/
Line 213: Line 280:
|author=Sian Ferguson
|author=Sian Ferguson
|date=March 21, 2014
|date=March 21, 2014
|website=Everyday Feminism
|publisher=Everyday Feminism
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>


<ref name=transmisogyny>
<ref name=ef-transmisogyny>
{{cite web
{{cite web
|url=https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/01/transmisogyny/
|url=https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/01/transmisogyny/
Line 223: Line 290:
|author=Laura Kacere
|author=Laura Kacere
|date=January 27, 2014
|date=January 27, 2014
|website=Everyday Feminism
|publisher=Everyday Feminism
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>
Line 233: Line 300:
|author=Julie Bindel
|author=Julie Bindel
|date=October 2, 2017
|date=October 2, 2017
|website=Feminist Current
|publisher=Feminist Current
}}
}}
</ref>
</ref>

Latest revision as of 16:54, 21 November 2022

Transgender ideology is a loose catch-all term referring to philosophies, world views, and dogmatic statements adhered to by political activists who see themselves as trying to uphold the human rights of transgender people. The political movement of furthering these ideologies is called the transgender movement.

The practice of supporting transgender ideology is called transgender activism (often shortened trans activism) and a person who follows this practice is called a transgender activist (often shortened trans activist). The word "transgender" in the phrase "transgender activist" is not to be understood as an adjective for the person in question (i.e. "an activist who happens to be transgender") but as a reference to the activism they practice (i.e. "an activist supporting transgender ideology"). Many trans activists are not transgender themselves.

Feminists tend to use the term transgender ideology with a critical tone when pointing out sexist, homophobic, or otherwise problematic aspects of the transgender movement. Those who support the movement tend to oppose the term, likening it to the phrase homosexual agenda, which is used to ascribe sinister intent to gay/lesbian/bisexual rights activists. Indeed, right-wing and Christian organizations also heavily use the term transgender ideology when criticizing the movement. However, their reasons for opposing it tend to be radically different than those of feminists.

The term trans rights activist (shortened TRA) is sometimes used for its similarity to men's rights activist (shortened MRA). The idea behind this is: just like so-called MRAs claim to support men's human rights but end up blaming everything on women and opposing feminism, so do TRAs claim to support transgender human rights but end up blaming everything on women and opposing feminism.

Aspects

Trans women are women

One of the core dogmata of the transgender movement is the statement that trans women are women (and the less often repeated trans men are men).[1] Under this view, it's important to write trans woman as two words (adjective and noun) and not transwoman, to stress the fact that "trans women" are literally a subtype of women, just like white women, black women, short women, tall women, and so on. The statement "trans women are women" is not meant as a vague slogan of moral support, but in a literal sense.[2][3]

Since the statement contradicts the dictionary definition of the word "woman" (adult human female), it implies that a different definition would be better. When asked about this, transgender activists usually avoid providing an actual definition. Most attempts tend to revolve around a circular definition, such as "anyone who identifies as a woman, is a woman." As such, the statement "trans women are women" is arguably best described as dogma.

The idea that transwomen are literally women is taken as the basis for many problematic conclusions, such as: transwomen deserve to partake in women's sports,[4] transwomen should be seen as part of the natural dating pool of lesbians (see also cotton ceiling),[5] transwomen deserve to use all female facilities, enter female-only spaces and events, speak on women's rights as women, and so on.[3] These issues are made only worse by the fact that any intact male person can simply self-identify as a "trans woman" without needing to undergo any sort of medical transition.

Intact males in women's spaces

If male people who identify as women are literally women, it would follow that they should be allowed to use the same locker rooms, communal showers, and other such sex-segregated public facilities for women. Helen Staniland summarizes this issue by posing the rhetorical question, "should male born people with a penis be free to enter and undress in communal changing rooms where women and girls are undressing?" The question has been dubbed the Staniland Question. Most trans activists refuse to provide a straight answer, as saying no would mean that they don't agree that self-identified "trans women" should be allowed in women's locker rooms, whereas saying yes reveals the very problem being demonstrated.

  • Some trans activist men struggling with the Staniland Question
  • Nate avoids giving a straight answer

    Nate avoids giving a straight answer

  • Michael says it's been happening for decades

    Michael says it's been happening for decades

  • Devon, finally, gives a straight answer

    Devon, finally, gives a straight answer

The images above are from discussions in July 2021 that sparked after an incident in Wi Spa, L.A., in which a woman complained about a male person with a penis wandering around naked in the women's section of the nude spa.[6][7][8] Without any actual evidence, trans activist groups cast widespread doubt on the event and managed to get mainstream and local media publications to report that the incident "might have been staged."[7][9][10] It's noteworthy that while some trans activists went the route of claiming that the incident must have been staged, others chose to openly defend the principle of an intact male using female-only spaces (see images above), hence rendering moot the question of whether the incident was or wasn't staged.

After the incident, another woman came forth about the same thing having happened to her in Wi Spa in 2018, and agreed to a detailed interview with journalist Anna Slatz about her experience.[6]

Some trans activists reacting to these stories went as far as saying that women were at fault for looking at the male person, that they are the real sexual aggressors for eyeing the male person in the female-only section, or making jokes about how the women must have been aroused by the man.

  • Trans activists going all out with their victim-blaming
  • A person who writes for The Guardian and has a verified Twitter account says women are at fault for looking at the nude male in the women's section

    A person who writes for The Guardian and has a verified Twitter account says women are at fault for looking at the nude male in the women's section

  • Zinnia Jones mocks the second woman who came forth about her experience in 2018

    Zinnia Jones mocks the second woman who came forth about her experience in 2018

  • A verified account backs the logic put forth by a troll who implies that women are the real aggressors

    A verified account backs the logic put forth by a troll who implies that women are the real aggressors

Males in women's sports

Main article: Transwomen in women's sports

Another logical conclusion of "trans women are women" is that males who identify as women get to play in women's sports. This idea is indeed widely supported by trans activists, and has been applied in many sports events, leading to male athletes at times massively overpowering female competitors and taking the first spot / gold medal. See the above linked page for details on this topic.

Gender identity

Image used by GIRES to explain inborn gender identity and inevitable gender dysphoria

The idea that "trans women are women" is sometimes backed by a belief in an essential, inborn, and immutable "gender identity" that every person supposedly possesses.[11][12] Transwomen are said to be real women on the grounds that they possess a "female gender identity" which they are said to share with women. Likewise for transmen and a male gender identity that is supposedly shared by all men. Others believe that all words are social constructs that lack objective definitions. Nevertheless, they argue the terms "man" and "woman" hold a particularly meaningful role with regards to individuals' identities. In the absence of an inherently true definition to protect, they support basing gender in self-identification.

The conclusion to such ideas is that biological sex characteristics do not factor into womanhood and manhood at all. For example, some transwomen have full beards, and most have intact male genitals, yet most trans activists nevertheless claim that such people are literally real women.[13][14]

Transgender children

Since gender identity is said to be inborn, it follows that some children would be transgender, and only need to find this out. Once it's found out, the only way forward is to support the child in its transgender identification. This leads to the transgender activist "affirm-only" approach towards youth, where for instance a boy who says "I wish I was a girl" or "I'm actually a girl" is from that point on treated as if the child is literally a girl. (Given a female name, referred to by female pronouns, asked to be considered a girl by others, and so on.) Likewise for girls who express that they wish they were a boy, or claim that they are internally a boy. Trans activists are opposed to the alternative "watchful waiting" approach.

The trans activist affirm-only approach has been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.[15] Parents concerned over this model of treatment published a long criticism and launched a petition reaching 1,200 signatures.[16] Psychologist James Cantor also published a fact-check article criticizing the AAP's decision.[17]

Trans activists usually support giving puberty blocking medication such as Lupron to children who think they are transgender.[15] These children may be as young as 9 years old, and may be prescribed cross-sex hormones at ages as young as 12.[18][19]

(TODO: Mention Tavistock and the Cass Review.)

According to a 2022 report by Reuters looking at U.S. health insurance claims within the three-year period from the start of 2019 to the end of 2021, there were at least 774 mastectomies, and at least 56 genital surgeries, performed on minors in the age range of 13 to 17.[20] While the data do not reveal the actual youngest age of a patient receiving genital surgery (merely that they are in the age range of 13 to 17), a study published in May 2018 confirms that when it comes to mastectomies, they really are performed on minors as young as 13.[21]

Cisgender people oppress transgender people

Another core tenet of transgender ideology is the notion that cisgender people oppress transgender people, just like how men oppress women, white Americans oppress black Americans, or how straight people oppress gay men and lesbian women.[22][23] As such, when a man identifies as a transwoman, his position relative to that of a woman turns from being her oppressor to someone who is oppressed by her. His male privilege is denied as he is now considered a woman, and the fact that he is a transgender woman means that he is oppressed by so-called cisgender women. Further, being both a woman and transgender means he is considered to suffer under two axes of oppression, akin to how black women suffer both from racism and sexism. This way, a white man suddenly becomes comparable to a black woman with regards to oppressive power dynamics in society.

As per the principle of intersectionality (misappropriated from black feminism), transgender activists often say that the feminist movement should not only include transwomen's concerns, but outright center them in many discussions, as otherwise the feminist movement might fail to sufficiently address their concerns. (TODO: citation)

Supporting "sex work" activism

For reasons not entirely clear, many if not most transgender activists also seem to support the "sex work" movement.[24] Possible explanations for this collusion might be:

  • Both movements stem from queer ideology, which is based on transgression of social norms without regard to ethical concerns
  • The transgender movement being dominated by autogynephilic men who are interested in upholding a society in which women exist for male sexual pleasure
  • Anti-feminists supporting both the transgender movement and the "sex work" movement, simply because they see both of them as weapons against women's liberation

See also

References

  1. ↑ Alicia Hendley (April 10, 2019). I supported trans ideology until I couldn’t anymore. Feminist Current.
  2. ↑ Carol Hay (April 1, 2019). Who Counts as a Woman?. The New York Times.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The truth about trans. Stonewall UK.
  4. ↑ Alan Dawson (April 17, 2019). The biggest thing critics continually get wrong about transgender athletes competing in women's sports. Business Insider.
  5. ↑ Miranda Yardley (December 9, 2018). Girl Dick, the Cotton Ceiling and the Cultural War on Lesbians and Women. Medium.com.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Anna Slatz (July 7, 2021). LAPD Officer Blamed a Mother for Exposing her Daughter to Male Genitals at Wi Spa. 4W.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Caroline Anders (July 7, 2021). A trans woman reportedly undressed in a spa. Customers said they were ‘traumatized,’ and a protest ensued.. The Washington Post.
  8. ↑ Bethany Mandel (July 6, 2021). Furor over trans in LA spa proves progressives aren’t really feminists after all. New York Post.
  9. ↑ Trudy Ring (July 9, 2021). Was Trans Nudity Incident at Los Angeles Spa Staged?. The Advocate.
  10. ↑ Alleged Trans incident at upscale LA Spa may have been staged. Los Angeles Blade. July 7, 2021.
  11. ↑ Understanding Gender. Gender Spectrum. "According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “By age four, most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.” This core aspect of one’s identity comes from within each of us. Gender identity is an inherent aspect of a person’s make-up. Individuals do not choose their gender, nor can they be made to change it."
  12. ↑ Transsexualism: The Inside Story. Gender Identity Research & Education Society. Archived
  13. ↑ James Michael Nichols (July 25, 2015). This Incredible Trans Woman Is Challenging The Way We Think About Gender. Huffington Post.
  14. ↑ Sessi Kuwabara Blanchard (January 29, 2019). The Ins and Outs of Topping as a Trans Girl. Vice.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Perri Klass (October 15, 2018). Helping Pediatricians Care for Transgender Children. The New York Times.
  16. ↑ Parents petition American Academy of Pediatrics in response to policy statement on trans-identified youth. 4thWaveNow. October 29, 2018.
  17. ↑ James Cantor (October 17, 2018). American Academy of Pediatrics policy and trans- kids: Fact-checking. Sexology Today!.
  18. ↑ Kate Lyons (July 11, 2016). UK doctor prescribing cross-sex hormones to children as young as 12. The Guardian.
  19. ↑ Puberty blockers. Transgender Trend.
  20. ↑ Robin Respaut & Chad Terhune (October 6, 2022). Putting numbers on the rise in children seeking gender care. Reuters.
  21. ↑ Johanna Olson-Kennedy, MD; Jonathan Warus, MD; Vivian Okonta, MPH; et al (May 2018). Chest Reconstruction and Chest Dysphoria in Transmasculine Minors and Young Adults. JAMA Pediatrics.
  22. ↑ Sian Ferguson (March 21, 2014). 3 Examples of Everyday Cissexism. Everyday Feminism.
  23. ↑ Laura Kacere (January 27, 2014). Transmisogyny 101: What It Is and What Can We Do About It. Everyday Feminism.
  24. ↑ Julie Bindel (October 2, 2017). The pact between trans rights advocates and the sex trade lobby. Feminist Current.
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