I find it horrifying that “feminist” groups talk about women as “non-male”

This matters to me because I am a feminist and believe women are oppressed based on their sex. If “sex does not exist”, we deny the material reality of women. Also, this would mean same-sex relationships would not be acknowledged anymore.

I find it horrifying that “feminist” groups talk about women as “non-male”. Men are the standard and we are the “others”, how is that feminist?

I was appalled to learn that radical feminists were harassed and received death threats during the last Women’s March, because of their views on the abolition of prostitution and gender. They communicated this to the organizers, that have not denounced this publicly.

I have spoken to people but only face to face, in private settings. I never dared to say too much in the general meetings of my feminist group, once the “issues” about using the word woman began. When this debate came up, it was explicitly said that anyone who thought sex-based differences exist was a transphobe. But when I have discussed in private with other women from that feminist group, they had the same concerns as I did, and also did not dare to speak up.

I resist in small things. I carried a representation of a vulva during a Women’s March and address fellow feminist colleagues with female pronouns, despite criticism.

I now participate in other feminist groups where the material reality of women is not denied. I have removed myself from these circles.

Camille, Feminist activist, Belgium