I used to be involved in LGBT activism and I feel lied to

I care because I’m a young woman, and have seen women in my industry and in my life disappear into the “gender” fantasy in order to escape from their problems. It is not helping them.

I am alarmed and dismayed at the rapid progress of gender ideology into law and the damaging psychological and physical consequences on young women. I care because I used to be involved in LGBT activism, and I feel lied to. When lesbians protested Pride in the UK with “Get the L Out” I was told not to research them, and that they were bigoted TERFs who wanted trans women out of public life. I took this at face value, and I’m ashamed of this now, as these women had very good reason to be upset.

I’m new to gender critical philosophy, but I have been researching as much as I can. I’ve spoken to women in my life who I feel would be receptive (luckily, they are) and I’ve just recently come out publicly on social media. Right now, I am mostly keeping my head down as I do my own research into the problem on a local level, including the number of girls being referred for transition services and what has been happening legally in the past few years. I think this will give me the best possible basis to speak out strongly for local women later on down the track.

I’ve been called a TERF, and have had friends questioning my motives. Luckily, so far I’ve avoided the worst of what many women go through. I am certain that if my employer learned what I was looking into, there would be professional repercussions.

Amy, Australia