Category: Feminism

How the Trans-Rights Movement Is Turning Philosophers Into Activists

Gender-critical feminist philosophers oppose a policy of self-identification alone, oppose the inclusion of male people in women’s sport, oppose the inclusion of male people in women’s single-sex spaces or services (such as changing rooms, and domestic-violence or rape shelters), and oppose open access to women’s single-sex provisions (such as women’s prizes or award shortlists). They are concerned with the impacts of the wider “gender-identity” narrative upon children and young people, and on gay and lesbian youth; particularly as it displaces the idea of gender as a set of harmful norms, imposed on the basis of sex.

The foundational commitment of philosophy, my field, is the pursuit of truth.

Even if one were to accept the goal of suppressing truth-seeking for the purpose of helping a vulnerable group, the argument is dubious. The link between suicidal ideation and social treatment needs to be established, whereas often it is just assumed. If the suicidal ideation has other causes—such as childhood sexual abuse, or mental-health problems—then social treatment as the sex one identifies with is not likely to resolve it. If trans vulnerability can be met with third spaces rather than by granting access to binary spaces in line with gender identity, then the link between vulnerability and full inclusion in line with sex identification is severed.

Source: How the Trans-Rights Movement Is Turning Philosophers Into Activists – Quillette

Rebel women fight back by wearing western clothing in Saudi Arabia

A handful of rebel women in the Saudi Arabia have made the momentous decision to shun the obligatory abaya in a push for more social liberties. The billowy over-garment, usually all-black, is customary public wear for women in the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom, where it is widely seen as a symbol of piety. However, a number of brave women have made the momentous change, saying: ‘No-one should force me to wear something I don’t want.’ The women face attack by religious fundamentalists but there are signs that society is very slowly changing.

Source: Rebel women fight back by wearing western clothing in Saudi Arabia | Metro News

Indian women form a gang and roam their village, punishing men for their bad behaviour

These Indian women were fed up with some men in their village, so they formed a gang to stop gambling, protect their friends from abuse, and topple the patriarchy.

The women are known in these parts as the “Green Gang”.

They’ve made it their collective mission to stamp out domestic violence, alcoholism and gambling, problems they say were endangering their lives.

The Green Gang’s approach is unorthodox.

Together they march through the village confronting men who are troubling their wives or gambling and drinking away their income.

They’ve been known to raid gambling dens, smashing up vessels of bootleg liquor with large sticks.

“We used to talk like this,” she says, draping the head-covering from her sari down over her eyes and mouth.

She whips it off again and grins.

“Now we are 25 women all together. We are united. Our unity makes us strong. This is the reason men now respect us,” Ms Devi said.

Source: Indian women form a gang and roam their village, punishing men for their bad behaviour – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Spinster is in its infancy, but is already making waves in the Fediverse

On August 12th, Spinster, a women-first social media platform, burst into the Fediverse. In its first month, Spinster faced misogynistic attacks from both the left and the right, repeated attempts to de-platform us (including removal of its android app from the Google Play store), and threats against the site’s users. Despite this, Spinster has established itself as a place for feminist discussion, where a culture of sisterhood, sharing, and freedom has filled the gap tech giants like Twitter refuse to.

On Spinster, women are allowed to speak about male violence, sexism, and their bodies freely. Criticisms and questions about gender identity ideology are not shut down. As a result, trans activists like Joss Prior, Katy Montgomerie, and Arthur Chu have attempted to infiltrate the site in order to sow discord (despite the fact that it is an open platform that they are welcome to join), smear, and misrepresent the platform and its users. One individual threatened to dox Spinster users by posting their home addresses on the dark web. Some Fediverse users sent Spinster users rape and death threats, including pictures of pointed guns with the caption, “Shut the fuck up TERF.”

Despite the backlash, or maybe thanks to it, Spinster is becoming an unstoppable force of female determination in the Fediverse, and we refuse to be silenced.

Source: Spinster is in its infancy, but is already making waves in the Fediverse

Scotland’s Magdalen Berns & Feminism — A ‘Shero’ Among Women

Berns is a captivating and insightful speaker. And her YouTube channel — with over 30,000 subscribers and hundreds of thousands of views — continues to be a great source of inspiration and clarity for those trying to resist gender extremism.

Berns has also exposed the bully-boy tactics of well-known gender extremists. For instance, as Berns lies dying, Rachel McKinnon — who won the women’s cycling world championship despite being a man — tweeted that Berns is “a trash human” and “maybe [should] live by the maxim whereby ‘Don’t be the sort of person who people you’ve harmed are happy you’re dying of brain cancer.’” McKinnon has previously attacked the tennis star Martina Navratilova for her views on men competing in women’s sports in similarly unpleasant terms.

Berns certainly pulls no punches on gender extremism. “You don’t get ‘assigned’ reproductive organs,” she says in one video, “males are defined by their biological sex organs. Likewise, homosexuals are people who are attracted to the same biological sex.” But she delivers her message with common decency and sense. Not to mention humor.

 

Source: Scotland’s Magdalen Berns & Feminism — A ‘Shero’ Among Women | National Review

If Anyone Can Be A Woman, Then No One Is a Woman

The transgender movement is before the Supreme Court of the United States, seeking a redefinition of the term “sex” under Title VII.

The EEOC is asking the Supreme Court to judicially amend the word “sex” to include “transgender status.” The funeral home company disagrees with this radical redefinition, and asks the Supreme Court to enforce the original congressional definition, which they describe as “biological sex, something fixed and objectively ascertained based on chromosomes and reproductive anatomy.”

As of today, 95 amici briefs representing different interest groups have been filed with this case. Amici briefs are legal memoranda to showcase a special-interest position in a case pending before the Supreme Court. Ninety-five is a large number of special interest groups, even by Supreme Court standards.

Real proponents of women’s rights should be very worried. The legal theory peddled by the EEOC will demolish the discrimination protections drafted by Congress to protect women.

American women only obtained the right to vote in 1920. Sex was deemed by Congress as a special, protected class decades later in 1964 due to public recognition of centuries of discrimination against females throughout the globe. Congress sought to even the playing field with Title VII. This protection is now on the line. Why? Because the idea of “gender identity” obliterates the concept of female sex entirely. Female is shifted from objective legal fact to subjective opinion and speculation. If anyone can claim to be a female, then the laws forbidding discrimination against women are rendered entirely meaningless. If anyone can be a woman, then no one is a woman. To embrace “gender identity” necessitates an abolition of special protections for our women and girls.

Source: If Anyone Can Be A Woman, Then No One Is a Woman

Apple made Siri deflect questions on feminism, leaked papers reveal | Technology | The Guardian

Exclusive: voice assistant’s responses were rewritten so it never says word ‘feminism’

An internal project to rewrite how Apple’s Siri voice assistant handles “sensitive topics” such as feminism and the #MeToo movement advised developers to respond in one of three ways: “don’t engage”, “deflect” and finally “inform”.

The project saw Siri’s responses explicitly rewritten to ensure that the service would say it was in favour of “equality”, but never say the word feminism – even when asked direct questions about the topic.

Previously, Siri’s answers included more explicitly dismissive responses such as “I just don’t get this whole gender thing,” and, “My name is Siri, and I was designed by Apple in California. That’s all I’m prepared to say.”

A similar sensitivity rewrite occurred for topics related to the #MeToo movement, apparently triggered by criticism of Siri’s initial responses to sexual harassment. Once, when users called Siri a “slut”, the service responded: “I’d blush if I could.” Now, a much sterner reply is offered: “I won’t respond to that.”

Source: Apple made Siri deflect questions on feminism, leaked papers reveal | Technology | The Guardian

Invisible Women – 99% Invisible

Snow plowing patterns seem an unlikely subject of a gender study conducted in a small town in Sweden. After all, the town’s approach appeared logical and neutral enough on the surface: plow major roads first, particularly those leading into and out of town, followed by smaller local streets.

As researchers dove into the subject, however, they discovered that male and female driving patterns were markedly different. While men mainly commuted to and from work, women drove all over to run errands and to take care of elderly family members. They also walked more, trudging across often-unplowed intersections, sometimes with kids in tow.

In Sweden, the city council looked at the findings and reversed their approach, plowing side roads and sidewalks first. It had a huge impact, reducing the people admitted to emergency centers, women in particular, and had a corresponding economic impact from lower healthcare costs.  Driving through a few inches, as it turned out, was less dangerous than walking through the snow, particularly if one was pushing something like a baby carriage as well.

Source: Invisible Women – 99% Invisible

The Vagina Bible adverts blocked by social media

Social media ads for a doctor’s book were denied for ‘promoting adult sexual products’.

“Vagina is an anatomical term and not a “dirty” word” wrote Dr Jennifer Gunter in a tweet shared thousands of times, and many social media users criticised the platforms’ decisions.

The UK-based Vagina Museum also revealed that just one of seven submitted Facebook posts advertising its organisation has been approved.

Source: The Vagina Bible adverts blocked by social media – BBC News