Category: Media and Arts

I care because I’m a woman, and if the meaning of “woman” is being changed, that affects me. It affects me politically, legally, professionally, and perhaps most importantly, personally. It affects how I define myself, how I’m allowed to see myself. I care because I don’t like the implication that being a woman is a choice, and that modifying one’s body is sufficient to be considered the same as a female person.

I care because I see people (mostly women) making what seem to me like valid, reasonable points, raising thought-out concerns, providing solid evidence to back themselves up, and are met with more vitriol and silencing than feels warranted.

I care because the consequences of the changes that currently seem to be on the table are vast and potentially worldwide, and such changes need scrutiny and debate.

I have done almost nothing to raise my voice. My perception is that very few people I know professionally would agree, and that a decent number would be actively against, and I’m scared. I’m also worried that I’ve got this wrong, and that maybe I’m not open-minded enough or not understanding enough.

However, I quietly follow and read a lot from GC (gender critical) voices, and have written to my MP expressing my concerns both with the proposed changes, and about the tone of the debate. I’m preparing to start speaking quietly with a few friends.

kt

I am very conflicted about about this. I want to hear debates about women only spaces, woman as a category being denied or superseded but these debates are being shut down so I can’t hear the arguments being made.

And it feels like they are being shut down by women who have had all the privilege of growing up male telling me how I should behave and what I should think, just like men.

I’m also concerned that women are being written out of history as I keep hearing of women who have achieved something out of the ordinary for their era being co-opted as trans. I understand that trans people are woefully under represented in history, but so are women. Plus I’ve not heard of any incredible men in history being treated this way. It just always seems to be about controlling the female narrative. And I worry that I feel this way because I am a white, straight woman, born a woman, who identifies as a woman. But maybe I feel this way as I’ve been told to check my privilege. I just want to understand what the debate is.

I’ve spoken to friends about it, but felt wretched like I was being judged for voicing concern. I also don’t feel I know enough not to get shouted down if I say something. I even resist liking something on Twitter for fear of reprisals.

I feel diminished in my friends’ eyes.

Liffy