The Gender Dissidents SurveyI’ve been threatened and discriminated because I’m a woman. Not because I identify myself as a woman nor I look like “female”. It’s because I have a vagina.
I have been using social media to raise my voice and have created a community where only women can join and discuss about those issues.
I’ve been getting threatening emails from strangers and got attacked by several men in real life.
JJ, A survivor, Korea
My response is a bit limited because it’s only 3 days ago that I learned that any man can claim to identify as female, without having the hormone & surgical treatment that would alter his gender identity. I’m still reeling at the implications.
At this point – 3 days in, I have argued with – mainly women – on Twitter, and had to block a few.
Marian S, Irish, woman, retired TV journalist, Ireland
I am a trans widow and now have a trans identifying son.
I have told my story in detail and will share it as much as possible. I have spoken out to friends, associates and anyone how show an interest in engaging.
I have been cut out of my son’s life, I have been cast as a terf, a bigot, unstable, dramatic, selfish and mentally ill.
Jennifer K, Mother, feminist, survivor, force to be reckoned with, Ireland
This matters to me because women have been nonexistent/erased from history thus far and right now when it’s literally been a few seconds since we’ve begun to wake up and reclaim our place in the scheme of things, they want to erase the very meaning of being a woman…to make way for yet another millennia of History with tales of “mankind” and “human people”…if men are women, then what are women??? What is sisterhood if it includes brotherhood…? This is a war on our minds and on female estate. I’m scared for the future.
I have only now started to speak up on social media.
I’m anonymous on social media and have only broached the topic with people in real life.
AR, A woman who will not chip away at parts of herself to accommodate men, India
As a young woman and lesbian, I can’t ignore the blatant misogyny and homophobia that has taken over the trans movement.
SY, France
This matters to me because I am a lesbian, and have been harrassed by trans activists before I even know what a terf was. When I was younger(around 18yo) I was a vocal feminist and lbgt activists on tumblr, and supporting trans people, but a lot of trans messaged me saying I was transphobic because I asked trans people questions to better understand and help them. After that, I faced more and more issues with harassment based on my sex and sexual orientation, so I stopped being an activist for social issues for a while, trying to understand where I was wrong.
Last year, I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t wrong, and made another blog, going back to being a feminist and lgbt activist. Without the T this time.
I also care because when I was young, I fell in love with my female best friend, and I tried being more masculine to woo her, so I know that being a lesbian can be confusing and I want to help young lesbians to not hate and change themselves.
I created a new tumblr, a twitter account, I try to donate when I can, and to speak up when it doesn’t put me in danger. I plan to volunteer at a women’s shelter at the end of the pandemic.
I have been harrassed online (death threats, pictures of dead and abused animals, threats of men saying they would hurt children if I keep speaking my mind…) and I have lost some friends over it. It’s still something I can’t talk to some of my friends because I know they would disapprove without letting me explain my experiences.
Lavande, Lesbian working in publishing, France
I have PMDD. An extreme mood disorder tied to my menstrual cycle. It is a uniquely feminine burden. Sex is very real to me and the trend conflating it with gender has diminished the representation of what womanhood really is. I do not accept gender as a concept to live our lives by. We are humans with bodies and a personality.
I can’t be vocal about these views at risk of losing my job.
I have been called a “bad ally” and a transphobe.
K D, Canadian Millenial, Canada
I care about women’s rights and protections. I care about truth-telling. I care about mental and physical health for all. I care about child safeguarding. I care about preserving my Charter rights and freedoms.
I’m a founding member of Canadian Women’s Sex-Based Rights (caWsbar), non-partisan, volunteer coalition working to preserve the sex-based rights and protections of women and girls as enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
I attended Meghan Murphy’s talk in Toronto and I was appalled at the hate mob that threatened us physically and verbally with misogynist slurs. I felt unsafe and rattled. I’d never felt like that before in my own hometown, which is normally safe and peaceful. As a founding member of caWsbar, I use a pseudonym to protect myself, my family and my livelihood. I hope to be “coming out” soon as gender critical.
Esmeralda Vee (pseudonym), Media worker, documentary filmmaker, mother, Canada
I may have limited exposure and knowledge of all the aspects of feminism, but as a female born woman who completely embraces her physiology and sexuality as a woman and developing my own personal relationship and identity as a woman I would like to be able to keep that word for myself. I feel protective about it and it feels like if I don’t change what that word means, then I’m excluding people and therefore a bigot or transphobe or someone hateful. Why does celebrating or embracing my womanhood now feel like its a threat to other peoples rights?
I have commented on posts and replied to comments on facebook and twitter.
I am holding my breath because I feel I will be attacked harshly for speaking up.
Ida, USA
I care about the rights of women and children.
I spoke up, took my losses, and now I have a newsletter.
I have lost freelance relationships, several longtime activist friendships, and altered the course of my career.
Matt, US Army veteran, former progressive activist, USA
The Gender Dissidents Survey