The Gender Dissidents SurveyThis matters to me because I’m a woman! And over the past ten years, coming into that womanhood, I have felt increasingly erased, spoken over, and silenced.
I have started an alternate twitter account, and had conversations with friends.
I have been called a terf in a bar and been threatened with violence.
E, Young, radical, and XX, US
This matters to me because I have seen real world examples of trans-women taking places in positive action programmes in my workplace. The purpose of these programmes was to address the lack of women in our industry, it had always been expressly for women only.
I was unable to gain a place because I was on maternity leave and was told it was too complicated to facilitate my attendance because I would not have enough ‘keeping in touch’ days. It was suggested that I defer to the subsequent year. By the time the opportunity came again I was so busy trying to balance full time work and being a new mum that I couldn’t take the extra burden of attending this programme in addition to everything else.
Finding out that a trans-woman who had lived as a man for the first 40+ years of her life had gotten a place on the programme hit me hard. It seemed wrong, unfair. It was at that point I started to read more into gender theory and since then I think it’s fair to say I’ve become firmly gender critical. Although I have other concerns, this was my main one.
I’m too scared of the potential consequences having seen women in the public eye treated appallingly for speaking up.
Lucy
This issue is at the heart of modern politics because once again women are being sidelined, if not erased, to meet the needs and wants of men. Woman are not a subset of their sex. It matters that I make a public stand to raise the voices of women around the world demanding to be recognised, heard and keep their sex-based rights.
Gender is a cultural construct and an individual can dress & name themselves how they please but insisting that women accommodate the stereotypical imagery so many mtf (male to female) transgender people insist on rather than men moving up and broadening their gender dynamic.
I have spoken with friends and acquaintances about the issues – loss of as sex-based rights in loss of sex-based communities, revisionism of lesbian and gay history, the demand of lesbians to be accommodating the whole concept of “male lesbians”.
I have been called TERF, put friendships at risk, been asked by my daughter not to discuss the issue bc she doesn’t want to fight.
trash alou, Middle aged old lady with a determination to stand up for those women and children who need a voice
I believe that this is part of a major rollback against women’s rights and I’m concerned for my safety and that of all women and girls if single sex spaces are lost.
I have only felt brave enough to make few anonymous posts online and tentatively mention the issues at work. I have filled out government consultations online and signed petitions too.
I haven’t been negatively affected but I have been met with disbelief, e.g. “that would never happen” type responses to things that have already occurred.
Jiggery Wokery, Politically homeless left-winger
As a woman I have suffered discrimination and sexual abuse, we need to have single sex spaces etc to protect women and their dignity.
I have answered the consultation, emailed my MP, posted on social media, talked to colleagues at work.
I have been called a terf, lost friends.
Helen, Gender free adult human female
This matters to me because we are women, and our biology is a fundamental factor in our oppression worldwide and throughout history. To ignore it, or pretend it isn’t exactly what it is, is just ridiculous, not to mention extremely dangerous. Aside from that, I’m a believer in facts and reality, and I won’t pretend something is X if I know it to be Y. I disagree with compelled speech with every part of my being.
I have created an anonymous twitter account to join conversations and show my support, in light of the brave actions of JK Rowling. If she can stand up for what’s right, it’s time I did too. However I’m sorry I do so anonymously, I’m just scared of TR activists and what they might do if I annoy one of them. I also read and research a lot around the topic, and speak to my friends on the matter where it feels safe to do so.
Not yet really, but I’ve only just started to be properly vocal this week. I imagine it’s only a matter of time.
V GKC E, 31 year old female, who won’t be forced in to a lie that endangers others
I care about this because I believe strongly in both trans rights and women’s rights but while there is a significant overlap between the two, they are not the same. I want properly written laws which are properly thoughtful to the needs of biological women, trans women and trans men not coopting women’s rights without thought to differences or equal consideration to trans men.
I have taken part in surveys and spoken to friends in person.
There have been no consequences because I have only spoken to people I feel safe with.
M
I’m an autistic woman who has real difficulty with affirming things that are obviously not true. My brain just can’t process them, so while I could try to use female pronouns about a man, I’d get it ‘wrong’ most of the time, even if I were really trying – I can say what I see or not talk at all. I’m afraid of ending up in a situation where I am legally or professionally sanctioned for something that I cannot help because of my disability.
I’ve written to my MP on several occasions, attended protests, donated to crowdfunded causes, shared articles and hosted discussions on social media.
I challenged the representative of a pro-transing-children group who came to speak at my workplace, describing my own experience as a GNC child who grew up to be a happy bisexual adult (they told me I was actually a ‘purple jelly baby’ – you can probably guess which charity).
I’m most proud of my part in raising a banner at Bradford Pride in support of lesbian women’s right to sexual boundaries and male-free spaces.
Someone made a formal complaint about me at my hobby group, resulting in a humiliating and bizarre cross-examination/lecture from the head referee. I’ve had people I’ve been friends with for years drop me without discussion, which hurt. I certainly feel more reluctant to do activities or join clubs now, particularly given that I keep my ‘wrong think’ out of unrelated activities, so someone would have had to have gone looking for evidence on my personal social media accounts.
When I protested in person, my group were not only asked whether we were a ‘hate group’ by 2 uniformed police officers, but during the event I had several large males attempt to body-block the sign I was holding, one in particular using his greater height (and girth) to physically get close to me and get in my way. I’m not a very physically imposing or confident person, so that was quite intimidating. I don’t think there’s any place for me as a bisexual at Pride any more, since they keep saying my sexuality is inherently transphobic; I’m only ever there as an activist.
J
As a woman, as a mother of a daughter and as a human, the erasure of woman as a sex class frightens me.
I have tweeted, written to my MP, discussed concerns with family and some friends.
I have friends whose children are transitioning who think I am a TERF/bigot etc.
AHW, Mother of 4
I see the potential impact on our children as being disastrous. I fear the consequences of a very loud minority will be felt by the passive majority.
I’ve engaged on Twitter and taken active role in my child’s school consultation.
Usual Twitter issues (no big deal) but called a hateful transphobe by somebody I must see almost every day.
Mike, Concerned father
The Gender Dissidents Survey