The word 'Terf' is a slur right?

@WotchaTalkinBoutWillis
The thing about TERF is that calling someone it can have real life conquences which include physical violence. The other terms you mention, however distasteful to the recipient, thankfully dont have this issue.

Been thinking about this.

'Terf' is a dehumanising insult and is on a par with other insults used on the basis of someone's race, religion, sexuality etc.

I had thought that a 'slur' meant accusing someone of being something that they aren't. But actually slur means 'an insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation'. And 'terf' is so laden with unwarranted nasty associations and pure hatred that it really is a slur.

From your assessed linguistically link, WellBehavedWoman:

Is the word commonly understood to convey hatred or contempt?

Does the word have a neutral counterpart which denotes the same group without conveying hatred/contempt?

The author was more ambivalent about these questions than I feel. I have never, ever seen the word used except as a slur.

And surely GC feminist denotes the same group, though that term might be problematic if men are included.

And that poster is pathetic. I hope it’s unoffocial and is removed.

The blog post this comes from is here:

www.touchstonesupport.org.uk/2020/02/stonewall-names-touchstone-one-of-britains-top-lgbt-inclusive-employers/

Touchstones phone number is 0113 216 3140 or 0113 2718277.

Their email is [email protected]

It’s such a childish and pathetic addition to the poster isn’t it , the individual with the Cher banner. What a sad fucking world we live in

Cher hates terfs?

Has anyone asked Cher?

Cher famously struggled long and hard with her child’s transition. So a strange person (or name) to co-opt into a “terf bashing” effort.

I’m guessing eventually Cher was pressurised into issuing a public mea culpa? Or maybe not. Strange choice, either way.

One of the replies already on the AIBU thread shows exactly why such sterling work as wellbehavedwomen's above is required... but I suspect would be ignored.

flashbac, thank you for highlighting this, I am shocked and saddened that a mental health charity thinks this is appropriate.

@Greenglassteacup no, I know, my own husband can't either. Public sector role. He's watching Forstater, too.

Thank God she took it to Tribunal, and please God let her win.

It is often not safe for staff to speak up if they want to retain their employment

@Greenglassteacup are staff aware of the rape epidemic, of decades now, in mixed sex locked hospital wards? And if so, how do they square that circle?

We need Maya Forstater to win her appeal so desperately badly.

Yes flash, really

Yeah, it's a slur. A High Court judge recently stated, "I have become familiar with the term TERF. It is a derogatory term used by those who seek to deplatform those who hold different views."

When a ton of hate, rape and death threats are thrown around, using a term? It's a slur.

When useage is assessed linguistically, the same terms surround it as are used for eg Jewish or black people by violently bigoted trolls. That's an extremely clear indicator.

‘Terf’ quite often shows up in the same tweet as other words whose status as sexist slurs is not disputed, like ‘bitch’ and ‘cunt’. Other words that occur include ‘disgusting’, ‘ugly’, ‘scum’ and a cluster of words implying uncleanness (‘smell’, ‘stink’, ‘garbage’, ‘filth’)—which is also a well-worn theme in racist and anti-Semitic discourse. Likewise the sexist insult feminazi is also used frequently.

People who would be genuinely furious if anyone suggested that they use all manner of other hateful terms happily use this one. It's only about feminists, right? Who cares if people threaten to rape or kill or slice their spines open. They're only women with opinions.

As is the fact it was created by others and used solely by those who hate the targeted and named group or person. It's used as a means of control and silencing and implicit ordering that any associated views are worthless, by those with narcissistic seeming behaviours that, to many women, look utterly male.

Finally, some try to argue that it's not a slur because it's descriptive. But firstly, SCOPE used to be called The Spastics Society, and an extremely unpleasant abbreviation of transsexual exists which may once have been nothing but descriptive, but is now a slur, so clearly that's not definitive in and of itself... and secondly, the word was created by a feminist who vehemently disagreed with the gender critical position. A word coined by an opposing side should not be used to label the other, while they protest, and then an innocent face made and, "but it's just descriptive!"

It was always meant derogatorily. It's never been used by gender critical people. And the hatred attached to it is plain. Slur.

I don't like the word TERF either.
I'm lately more likely to be called a handmaiden or MRA on here but meh, don't like TERF either.
It's all insults, isn't it?
On my journey of learning about trans issues, I've been called both a TERF, but a handmaiden, TRA, MRA, sealion.
Go figure.
Oh, and who's Cher? Cher as in Cher? No way speaking on behalf of her of course but isn't her daughter trans? She now has a son called Chaz?
Can see why would ne against any transphobic comments if so.

Staff risk being fired if they voice concern

Mental health charities all over the UK are putting on CPD events for staff delivered by trans activists and being asked to add a pronoun into their email signatures

Suggest! Not digest

I saw your post in AIBU and was going to digest you posted over here. I’m appalled but unsurprised at touchstone

God when's this stuff going to stop? So vile, so unpleasant. But, apparently, it's all fine. And people holding other views are part of a hate group.

Very inappropriate!

Yep terf is a slur.

I would automatically assume the individual with that comment in their bio was about 14 years old, and would indeed be concerned about that individual holding any position of responsibility.