Thursday, 19 June 2014

More thoughts on Trans rights

Why is it that seemingly reasonable people wish to marginalise trans-women and trans-men?

Part of the problem is a seemingly legitimate fear of the male invading the 'safe' spaces of the female. There are some cases which seem to legitimise this fear, those of Christopher Hambrook, Robert Kosilek and David E. Megarry Jr. All of whom have committed crimes against cis women either whilst being trans gender or have begun the process of trans gender transformation after the crimes whilst in jail. 
Yes, it is undeniable that these cases are concerning. However, they are concerning because abusers and rapists attacked vulnerable people and may be in a position to do so using transgender safe rules and laws to do so.

Instead of calling trans women 'he' and focusing so much on whether they have been able or willing to go through the full gender surgery, there are many risks in re-assigning a penis, for example, to a vagina such as damaging the urinary process, lack of any sensation, incontinence, infection. All feminists need to listen and empathise with each other. Women, be we cis or trans, attacking and harming other women does nothing to keep any of us safe.

We must stop abusing each other, and learn to listen to each other and find a way to create safe places for all of us.

I will say it again you can NEVER gain rights for one oppressed group by removing them from another group, and granting trans women rights of safety and gender identity removes nothing from me as a cis woman. Not even bathroom safety as I've been threatened in bathrooms by outright cis men and outright cis women, not trans women - so my bathroom safety is dependent on the nature of the other people in the bathroom, NOT whether that person is trans or not.

We need to speak together about creating safe places for ALL women, not just cis women - THAT is what my feminism is about. Safe places for ALL, NOT a select few!

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