In about 1999, or 2000, just after the publication of her book, the Whole Woman, I went to see Germaine Greer speak in London. She'd touched on the subject in that book. During the talk, she was being heckled (I'm embarrassed I was so naive) by 'drag queens'.
I've since heard her say, that following the publication of the Whole Woman she received death threats IN THE POST! That's how long this has been going on. It's a particular kind of misogyny to write a letter, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it, and walk to the post box.
After that, I can remember thinking, 'well they're not actually women, but where's the harm?'.
I should add that I was a really mixed up kid, desperately didn't want to be a girl, was completely battered by sexism all my life, and was incredibly angry, and my self esteem was all over the place. The Female Eunuch changed my life, I had WORDS for my rage and shame, I finally understood it wasn't ME, it was how the world was and other women thought like me too. Feminism honestly did save me. I'm not saying it fixed my life, but it was a framework for 'tunnelling out' iykwim.
Caitlin Jenner reignited my interest in this subject, I went googling, and to my relief found Miranda Yardley (here was a transsexual saying what I was thinking, it was this article mirandayardley.com/en/transgender-ideology-noes-not-support-women/ ). Permission to be critical (which, is why I don't agree that transsexuals should be excluded from this debate, I personally think we need them, they need us too). I chatted to Miranda on facebook and followed them, and that's how I found my way into this whole network of incredible women standing up to this nonsense.
I've been permanently banned on twitter twice for 'hate speech' - they've never told me what for, and was suspended on facebook for a week for saying 'men commit 98% of all physical and sexual violence and women are disproportionately the victims'.
It's still a matter of profound shock to me that people CANNOT SEE the utter male entitlement in all this, nor the profound envy men have of women's reproductive and sexual power, as I think that's really all this is, just another reincarnation of men's covetousness.