Gender self-ID

[Jashine]

I'm curious to know what people on this site think of 'gender identity ideology', the idea that you can identify as male or female etc. depending on how you feel internally, regardless of your sex. About four years ago, no-one knew anything about self-ID, but it has now become a bit of a hot topic. There has been some polarisation of views, especially on Twitter, where 'trans rights activists' (TRAs) do daily battle with 'trans-exclusionary radical feminists' (TERFs). This has also been the case in the real world, leading to the 'LGB Alliance' in the UK whose aim is to reclaim the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual people 'betrayed' by Stonewall, now a fervently self-ID organisation. More and more women are beginning to realise how self-ID impacts on single-sex spaces (*** crisis shelters, women's sports, prisons, etc) while trans rights activists are adamant that their cause is equivalent to the gay rights campaigning of decades past.

If you don't understand or are not familiar with the issue, please refrain from commenting. This will make way for nuanced, informed discussion. I'm particularly interested to hear trans people's views. I suspect that many genuinely trans people will feel disaffected by 'trans rights activism' on the grounds that, unlike self-ID which regards bodies as inconsequential, they regard their bodies as important. But let's see.

I feel that we in the BDSM community are at the vanguard of all this.

[Deleted Member]

Oh, god! Just imagine how stupid it will look in 10-15 years. Anyone will be afraid to admit they supported this peak nonsense

[Ye****]

Gender is the brains way of defining ones role in society as gender norms and roles grow more and more varied it’s natural for more societal niches to be created and catered to by different types of people, creating a larger variety in identifications to categorize and define individuals if anyone’s confused there’s your explanation as to why such peoples exist

[Sa****]

This is a really interesting point and I’d be interested to hear more about this too. I’m neither trans or female and would like to educate myself on the matter more for sure 🖤

[so****]

Lol that's a very loaded question nowadays. I'm surprised the mods are allowing this conversation to stay active, since it's such a divisive subject lol I'm going to do the smart thing & not give my personal opinion. All I'll say is that as long as the person is happy & not hurting anyone or forcing their views onto others, they can do ad they please.

[wi****]

I don't see how telling people they can't be themselves improves women's issues at all. If anything feminists should welcome trans women in solidarity. If not then the are confirmed bigots.

[jo****]

I think you've brought up a few different arguments that don't have much to do with each other. Whether someone can have access to safe health care (hormones, surgery, counciling) be represented and have equal legal rights as other genders cis or otherwise isn't the same debate of whether trans people can compete in a sporting competition. Also the gay rights movement is the trans right movement. Trans people are the reason stonewall happened its allways been their movement aswell.

[wi****]

^ very well said