Magdalen Berns: Difference between revisions

'''Magdalen Berns''' (6 May 1983 – 13 September 2019)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/09/13/whats-current-lesbian-feminist-shero-magdalen-berns-passes-away-at-36/ |title=What's Current: Lesbian feminist shero Magdalen Berns passes away at 36 |publisher=Feministcurrent.com |date= |accessdate=2019-09-14}}</ref> was a British [[Programmer|software developer]] and [[YouTuber]]. Berns, a [[lesbian]] and [[Radical feminism|radical feminist]], came to prominence as a result of a series of YouTube [[vlog]]s focusing on lesbian politics, [[Freedom of speech|free speech]], [[Women's rights|women's sex-based rights]] and the [[gender identity]] debate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvTTakI97sQ4SkMnsH8r0qQ |title=Magdalen Berns |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2019-09-14}}</ref>

===Education===

Berns attended the [[University of Edinburgh]], where she was a recipient of a Doris Gray Scholarship Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wes.org.uk/content/current-recipients-doris-gray-scholarships |title=Current recipients of the Doris Gray Scholarships |publisher=[[Women's Engineering Society]] |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref>

In 2013–2014, she participated in the [[Google Summer of Code]] programme,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/SciRuby/sciruby/wiki/Google-Summer-of-Code-2018-Application |title=Google Summer of Code 2018 Application |publisher=[[Github]] |date=January 2018 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref> working on implementing the [[FFTW|FFTW3]] [[Library (computing)|library]] for [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciruby.com/blog/2014/06/04/introducing-the-fftw-sciruby-gsoc-project/ |title=Introducing the FFTW SciRuby GSoC Project |publisher=SciRuby.com |date=2014-06-04 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref> She went on to join the [[GNOME Foundation]] as a [[Programmer|software developer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dgsiegel.net/talks/gnome-outreach-yearbook-2013.pdf |title=GNOME Outreach Program Yearbook 2013 |publisher=[[GNOME Foundation]] |date=August 2013 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref> She developed the Java ATK Wrapper, a module to translate [[Swing (Java)|Swing]] [[Event (computing)|events]] for the [[Accessibility Toolkit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnome.org/news/2015/08/pictures-from-guadec-2015/attachment/magdalen-berns-present-her-work-with-improving-the-java-atk-wrapper/ |title=Magdalen Berns present her work with improving the Java-ATK-Wrapper |publisher=[[GNOME Foundation]] |date=August 2015 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref>

Berns was criticised by supporters of the [[transgender rights]] community as a [[trans-exclusionary radical feminist]], and has stated that it was this accusation that first led her to research radical feminism. She was also known for her arguments against the concepts of [[Gender variance|gender self-identification]] and [[Gender|gender]] itself. Speaking on the subject of gender and [[Human_sexuality|sexuality]], Berns stated: "You don’t get ‘assigned’ reproductive organs.....males are defined by their biological sex organs. Likewise, [[Homosexuality|homosexuals]] are people who are attracted to the same [[Sex|biological sex]].”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://feministlegal.org/scotlands-magdalen-berns-feminism-a-shero-among-women/#.XX5zTShKjIU |title=Scotland’s Magdalen Berns & Feminism — A ‘Shero’ Among Women |publisher=feministlegal.org |date=2019-09-07 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref> In June 2019, British author [[J.K. Rowling]] followed Magdalen Berns on [[Twitter]], bringing her more visibility and prompting criticism towards Rowling from transgender activists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indy100.com/article/jk-rowling-twitter-transphobe-magdalen-berns-terf-lgbt-8974041 |title=JK Rowling criticised for following 'transphobe' Magdalen Berns on Twitter |publisher=indy100 |date=2019-06-25 |accessdate=2019-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/j-k-rowling-transphobic-behavior/ |title=J.K. Rowling Faces Backlash For Allegedly Displaying Transphobic Behaviour |publisher=altpress.com |date=2019-06-28 |accessdate=2019-09-15}}</ref> Berns was labelled as a [[transphobia|transphobe]] and a self-professed transphobe.<ref>{{cite news |last= Zatat |first= Narjas |date= 25 June 2019 |title= JK Rowling criticised for following a 'famous transphobe' on Twitter |url= https://www.indy100.com/article/jk-rowling-twitter-transphobe-magdalen-berns-terf-lgbt-8974041 |work= Indy100 (from The Independent) |access-date= 15 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Maurice |first= Emma |date= 25 June 2019 |title= JK Rowling under fire for following a ‘proud transphobe’ on Twitter |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/06/25/jk-rowling-under-fire-following-transphobe-twitter/ |work= Pink News |access-date= 15 September 2019}}</ref> In August 2019, Dr. [[Rachel McKinnon]] of the [[College of Charleston]] attracted criticism after describing the celebration of Berns' impending death as "ethically justified" in light of Berns' positions on gender.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/news/the-tweet-heard-round-the-world-charleston-professor-sparks-global/article_4a462cda-c9c7-11e9-8134-d32dc721835d.html |title=The tweet heard 'round the world: Charleston professor sparks global Twitter debate |publisher=[[Evening Post Industries]] |work=[[The Post and Courier]] |date=2019-08-29 |accessdate=2019-09-15 |author=Jenna Schiferl}}</ref>

Berns was diagnosed with a [[Glioblastoma|glioblastoma]] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-brCJkXxzaM|title=My ladybrain update #2}}</ref> Notably, [[Irish_people|Irish]] comedy writer [[Graham Linehan]] voiced vocal support for Berns on Twitter and other platforms,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Linehan|first1=Graham|title=Magdalen Berns 1983–2019|url=https://glinner.co.uk/stunning-and-brave-magdalen-berns-1983-2019/|website=Glinner|date=13 September 2019}}</ref> and visited her in [[Palliative_care|palliative care]]. She was also visited by fellow radical feminist activists [[Julie_Bindel|Julie Bindel]]<ref>{{cite tweet|user=bindelj |author-link=Julie Bindel|number=1171341052109873152|date=10 September 2019|title=I am visiting our Queen, Magdalen Berns tomorrow. I would be delighted to pass on any messages of love and appreciation to her if you would like to send me in a (short) DM? Thank you x}}</ref> and Rachel Moran.<ref>{{Cite tweet|user=RachelRMoran|author=Rachel Moran|number=1172459990570938368|date=13 September 2019|title=I just feel so lucky to have been able to spend time with Magdalen the two weekends before she died. If people could see the carry-on in that hospice room there would be peals of laughter. She was absolutely her feisty determined self to the very end. Rest well little Sister, xxx}}</ref>

She died on 13 September 2019, aged 36 in [[Edinburgh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/09/13/whats-current-lesbian-feminist-shero-magdalen-berns-passes-away-at-36/ |title=What's Current: Lesbian feminist shero Magdalen Berns passes away at 36 |publisher=Feministcurrent.com |date= |accessdate=2019-09-14}}</ref>

==References==