Creeping TERFism in the BBC

I came across this about a BBC report that incorrectly stated lesbians are being duped by transwomen into having sex with them:

The article quotes three unnamed lesbians who said they had been coerced into dating trans women, and used research many have criticized as biased.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/lesbians-stand-trans-women-open-letter-dangerous-bbc-article-rcna3903https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/lesbians-stand-trans-women-open-letter-dangerous-bbc-article-rcna3903

The article was based upon a self-selecting poll of members of a lesbian organization that wants the 'L' out of LGBT as they don't want to be associated with us.

Well, I am nearly as guilty as I want the term LGB...T to be the more accurate representation - but I still want the gay portion of the acronym to stand.

Hi Michaela,

The article is very positive, which is good news. Such people exist in all communities that would try and fool people into relationships, sexual or otherwise.

Particularly this occurs with people pretending that they are not married or already part of a relationship, far greater a percentage, I would hazard as probable, than the few baddies that are within our ranks.....

...but such a headline would not glean many clicks as bait, for it is so commonplace.

Celia xx

I agree the article is positive and I wasn't picking at the UK, but simply trying to point out there is TERFism in many places - and that it has an attractive voice in some quarters, especially against transfolk as we become a more visible group.

Let the terfs stalk off. In fact let me rephase that, let them fuck off.

They want their L back, fine with me. I've already taken my T back.

"Strength in numbers" I don't automatically subscribe to that. The customer isn't always right either.

Sure, not all are bad. I know plenty of cis lesbian friends. I don't know many cis gay men I want to respect. The thing is, by numbers, I'm likely to say most of my REAL friends are cis heteros. I don't automatically hate people for being cis hetero.

I know of no shortage of transgender people I'd rather NOT know. It's why this is the ONLY place that is transgender that I participate in for transgender dialogue. Because the rest all failed me.

Coerced into dating transgender women? That's like me saying I'm being coerced into dating gay men, or gay men are being coerced into dating transgender men. It's all bullshit being pushed by people who likely are not datable, to begin with.

The grass is NOT greener anywhere.

After 4 years of doing my best, I finally end up with a transgender woman for a partner.
Lesbians were not happening, gays were not happening, and the few hetero men I encountered, I was glad it didn't happen after meeting them.

I see a lot of "I wouldn't want to date you" out there in media. Jesus Christ on a crutch, they actually think I'd want to date THEM?

What needs to be said, is plenty of the transgender community, DO NOT WANT a lot of lesbians and gays. Not only are we not trying to trick/coerce them, but we'd also like to have better ways we can find out more about them before we even notice them long enough to think about them.

What does a TERF even have to offer me? Less than nothing. At least a humdrum cis hetero man has a functioning cock. There's nothing special about having a vagina. I have one too, and while I like it just fine, it's just a vagina.
What does a gay man have to offer a transgender man? Not much either. Sure they have a cock. But not all transgender men dream of being knocked up.

Actually, as men go, I find transgender men are likely better at being men than cis men gay or hetero.

I don't do Pride anymore. The queer scene is no longer my scene. I'm transgender...ONLY. I celebrate being transgender on my own days. The only reason you will see me at a Pride event, is as a guest, not a participant.

Regarding the link, I'm glad to see that it was referencing another article that is NOT being supported by the larger majority out there. BBC has dropped the ball before. 60 minutes is guilty of that too.

The JKs of the world need to know, we ain't yer friend, and we ain't buying your goods. Second hand is ok, or free watches online. But she can forget my cash ever helping her.

Are there bad apples out there? damn right.
Transgender people are human too.

I had the misfortune of encountering a rather militant group of terf's in 03 when I lived in the UK, a classmate in college introduced me to them, they were some of the most hate filled negative people I have encountered in my life, kinda felt sorry for them tbh being that filled with hatred for no reason.

I have to agree with Lenneth, they are rather lost souls..... up themselves.... clinging to bigotry to give themselves a little lift of feeling outrage..... incapable of grasping the very basics of the quite common decency of live and let live.....

.... for, I uphold that decency myself, very much so... I wish no ill upon any TERFs and I discourage any harm upon them of any kind, written or otherwise..... in fact I wish no law biding citizen ill.... but I have to comment...

..... because, apart from the few that let us down with unnecessary militancy and those using our place in the world for criminal intent... they have no good cause against us, no decent cause at all, no cross to bear whatsoever... ... for always, yes always, every single time, their musings are flawed and hypocritical...

I give an example.... I wish the writer no ill whatsoever... her books are a joy....

“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

OK, that is quite clear, but... here are just some common words/phrases, in the English language. Some have existed for many centuries, they are generally applied to people born male with female characteristics....

womanlike, womanly, womanish, feminine, old woman, big girl's blouse, effete, girly girlish girllike, old maidish, ladylike, ladyish...

....there are more, but enough, for my point is made.... sometimes even a clever wordsmith can get something wrong, upholding a flawed belief.

It is a paradox. An inhumane, unsociable and uncaring TERF woman holds the most unfeminine traits of pretty well any other woman in existence, in actual of fact. They need to think hard about their beliefs.

I do get part of it though.... and don't shoot me.... for it needs to be addressed, but not with writing or demonstrating sheer hogwash against the average, normal, everyday transgender woman, with ignorant TERFism.

For, I understand all concerns where criminals pretend to be transgender, for very dark reasons.... And I hate militancy amongst transgender people.... I even understand the problems involved with sports and the great bathroom/women's clubs and changing room issues.... the unTERFish average Jane Doe in the street worries about all of that.... and so do I.

Celia xx

My name... Bunny, is so accurate, in unfortunate ways.

I talk about my bark and my bite. The truth, like a bunny rabbit, I don't have any real bite, and I can't actually bark.

If I sound dangerous, you don't really know me.

But, I have no trouble wishing ill on the genuinely mean.

Those that seek to harm me, even if just in word. Those that seek to create barriers against me, through mean laws, or vicious interpretations of their stupid myths (which is an accurate way to describe religion), they won't get any form of 'nice' from me. Ever.

Fuck the TERFs. Fuck anything about them. In short, fuck them.

I'm an atheist. I don't suffer any form of fear based on my thoughts or actions. The non existent God isn't going to be judging me. I don't need to be saved. And I'd gladly snap my fingers and let all the TERFs out there vapour lock and drop dead if it was that simple. No, I don't care if it would hurt their 'loved ones'. Granted, I would let them off for the needed few minutes or whatever, if they were piloting a plane etc. I have no desire to hurt innocent people. They'd land the plane, then drop dead suddenly.

I don't give a flying fuck if life gave them a womb and a means to use it.
It doesn't make them more female than a woman who life made sterile for any reason.
They are not more female than me.
They are not more female than a pre op transgender woman.

All a TERF is, is a rotten human. Fuck em.

I would like to point out that transgender men, as a general rule, menstruate.

And they are not women.

Yep, but if you ask a TERF, they are just women who have betrayed them.

Celia Eriksson wrote:

“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

My point is "wumben, wimpund, woomud" do not in any way apply to trans men.

Let us not forget our brothers.

WoMAN.

It just pisses off TERFs to the point of lunacy any time they are forced to confront anything male.

It's also an arrogant ENGLISH language biased behaviour. Because in say German, it's spelled frau. In Italian its, donna, and in Japanese it's josei. So all this 'personhole' nonsense means nothing to anyone that isn't a native English language speaking person.

Which explains possibly why TERFs seem to be limited to English language nations.

I've at least never heard of non English speaking TERFs. Not that a TERF has to speak English.

It's spelled HuMAN. It's spelled MANkind. But really, were called homo sapiens. Which of course irks under educated white Christians. Because they are conditioned to think anything homo is wrong. "Oh I just don't like those homos, including homo sapiens, they're always just inventing new words."

Pronouns. I simply don't have enough daylight to waste it on someone who gets overheated on whether I'm a he a she or a them. It used to bother me being called a 'sir', then I realized how little it really matters in most cases.
If I am due to never interact with the person again, why care? If I'm going to meet that person constantly, like a store clerk, and if they can't do it after being corrected, THEN it might be malicious.
And then you simply treat them like any other asshole in your life. Because, assholes, they will ALWAYS be there. I'm very friendly to anyone that earns it. Those that don't, won't have any reason given to like me of course.

The best defense against a TERF, give it right back to them.
Calling a TERF a man will drive them out of their tree. Offer them a 'sir'. Mistake them for a man. Make it plain it's intentional. Make it obvious it wasn't an honest mistake. You won't get anything nice in return, but, we've already established you weren't going to get anything civil from them to begin with.

A TERF is just a man trapped in a woman who is pissed off about it.
Not truly accurate of course.
But who cares? They are not interested in factual accuracy at any rate.
I can give as good as I'm forced to receive.

The best defense is a good offense.
I'm openly transgender. And I don't hide from it.
I don't wear labels aggressively. But I DO wear transgender colours based jewelry.
I'm not afraid to own it.
And I have found, that being in their face about it (the transphobic) is often the best cure.
Shut them down before they even begin.
"Yes, I'm transgender and too fucking bad if you can't handle it."

If you act like a victim, maybe you ARE a victim.
Victim, it's not a word anyone is going to apply to me any time soon.

Masculine words don't scare me.
Idiots don't scare me, normally. Some idiots have nukes. That should scare anyone with a brain.
Idiots can occasionally annoy me. Some can piss me off.
But the level of control you give them, IS controlled by you.

Hi Bunny,

That is the best post I have read for a very long time..... anywhere.

With a couple of wonderful jewels..... the first, quoted below, everyone should note.... the second, I shall certainly use in keeping with in any perfect situation.... and very much hope one comes along for doing so!

Bunny wrote:If you act like a victim, maybe you ARE a victim.
Victim, it's not a word anyone is going to apply to me any time soon.

The best defense against a TERF, give it right back to them.
Calling a TERF a man will drive them out of their tree. Offer them a 'sir'. Mistake them for a man. Make it plain it's intentional. Make it obvious it wasn't an honest mistake. You won't get anything nice in return, but, we've already established you weren't going to get anything civil from them to begin with.