Trans women as NUS Women's Officer- Part 2

(You know, like not being allowed to join a men-only golf club if you've transitioned to being a woman? )

Does identifying as a cat mean I can pick and choose the bits I like the look of, like sleeping on the sofa all day when DH is at work all day & the kids are at school, but not having to eat Whiskas or let the vet put a thermometer up my bum? If so, count me in. Or is that my human privelege talking?

These people don't like women. Or rather, they like the ones that toe the line and behave. The ones who don't get threatened, silenced and marginalised.

They'd be far more welcome to women if they didn't act so much like men and display such staggering male privilege.

Could eat a lamb that identified as a carrot though.

Everything, I mean everything we need to talk about is to do with our bodies. Our female bodies. That is feminism/women's rights. In its entirety. Ding ding ding (?)

Barry that made me laugh

How blind do you have to be to absolutely be convinced that these trans activists are allies?

I've always thought that the roots of misogyny come from, in part at least, an intense jealousy of women's bodies, and ability to reproduce.

I also suspect that if trans didn't exist, the MRA would have more members....

You cannot be vegetarian if you are a cat; or you will die

It is troubling when women talk about our bodies?
Oh do fuck off men.
Women/feminists need to care less about what men think of us, and I know a lot of feminists agree with that. However, young feminists who wouldn't want their conversation to be policed by a man will now change topics and terminology if male trans people said something was troubling and transphobic.

I'm thinking of identifying as a cat. I'll get lots of strokes, looked after, fed, can sleep all day on a comfy bed, don't have to do anything for myself. The downside is that I may be thrown out at night, but on balance I feel I would be good at being a cat.

Bit of a problem over not having four paws, whiskers, pointy ears, a tail and lots of fur. But, if I self identify as a cat, then hey I'm a cat.

Remember though - they're our allies. They're fighting WITH us.

bollocks

What else could it mean?! Women's bodies are undeniably different to men's, and trans women's bodies. No woman will get prostate cancer, but trans women might, they won't get cervical cancer though. How can you meaningfully talk about women's bodies when that could include any man who identifies as female?

@helenstaniland @Mauvelty But anything talking about 'women's bodies' that means cis women's bodies is immediately troubling

The above is from twitter. This is as pal of SarahNoble. So, yes, trans narrative IS seeking to shut down discussion of women's bodies

Just incase there is any doubt

Yea I guess... as an ex student, who might even still have her old nus card knocking around, I think I might have a valid claim to the title. I'm also studying a language on the interwebs... that makes me a student, right? and the state of squalor in my kitchen means I could easy pass as one

Is this the thread about that fat bloke in a dress?
If yes, the other one was really interesting (looking forward to reading this one as well)

i'll vote for you barry. I'm trans-disabled. I identify as able-bodied

BarryMerry, you could identify as a student.

I've realised my real self! I'm going to identify as a trans-trans-woman. Double trans if you will. Double the oppression and disadvantage, double the distance on my journey towards acceptance and validation. It's so dispiriting being born a cis woman but who identifies as a trans woman and has had to make the perilous crossing over TWICE. But you know what, I'm going to put myself forwards as a candidate for NUS Trans officer. Being double trans gives me so much more insight into trans disadvantages and issued than a mere single journeyed trans person, I think I'd be perfect for the position. Damn, I'm not a student though, I reckon that would rule me out :(

Doh! let's NOT forget....

When I was reading 4th Wave's post I couldn't help wondering how young she was. Wait til you're in your late 30s/early 40s with young kids and getting passed over for promotions and leapfrogged by younger, less qualified and able men because you are now on the "mum track" despite keeping up full-time hours and busting a gut. Totally fucking annoying. I agree with whoever said upthread that getting older really brings your disadvantage as a biological female into focus. Let's forget the higher mortality rates for women having heart attacks because your classic heart attack patient is a middle-aged man. I'm also sort of looking forwards to becoming an invisible older women because I'm fed up of blokes gawking at my tits. Yep, TW, the male gaze is largely unwelcome for most women - not something you court.

"are you saying that infertile women aren't women" really, really boils my piss.

Mine too.

You have to really be committed to misunderstanding what is to be a woman to think infertility is anything other than one of the essential experiences that women can have that are totally different for "non-women" (don't want to leave out anyone who wants to show up to that party).

All I can conclude after reading the last few pages is that the cognitive dissonance in '4th wave' feminists must be massively overwhelming. I hope they're saving up for good therapy.

I was wondering how we could reclaim the term TERF. Thinking back to some of the earlier posts about sticking with biologically sound, recognised definitions and avoiding double-speak/moving of goal posts/emperors-new-clothes-itis, I think TERF could equally be summarised as "The Earth is Round, not Flat".

And will likely have been raised with the assumption that their future is motherhood. I hate to think of how I've limited my own career on this basis, never mind how others may have discriminated.