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Original poster

Discussion thread - GC? Radfem? Terminology we use, and does it matter?

88 replies

xxyzz · 27/12/2020 17:57

Just this. Sparked by a slight bicker between two people I follow on Twitter, both of whom I generally agree with, with one saying the other 'wasn't really GC'. It reminded me of other discussions I've seen between people arguing over whether they'd call themselves radfems or GC or neither, and that I wasn't (truth be told) that sure of the difference.

So - what is the difference, assuming there is one? I often call myself GC but probably my preferred term would be 'feminist' - I stand up for equal rights for women, in a long tradition of other women doing the same. It's a widely-understood term, in the way that radfem and GC aren't.

So what do you call yourself? Does it matter? Would a different or new term do better?

NB Please note this is not a thread for swords to be crossed at dawn with political enemies, just a gentle look at terminology for that slow period in the run up to the new year... :)

OP posts:
HecatesCats · 27/12/2020 19:03

I think it's important to reassert that GC feminism IS feminism. I think over time that it will come to be understood that those that didn't stand by women (particularly the most vulnerable - women in jail and refuges) weren't feminists.

Original poster
xxyzz · 27/12/2020 19:00

Thanks, Rufus. :)

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RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 27/12/2020 18:56

I think it might be this one

openpsychometrics.org/tests/FPS.php

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 27/12/2020 18:54

Oh I don’t think i do xxyy

I’ll see if i can remember where it was....its deffo on here

Original poster
xxyzz · 27/12/2020 18:50

@HubertHerbert

I don't know what I'd use to refer to myself as because I don't know what sort of situation I'd have to make such a reference.
You're not obliged to call yourself anything. I'm on Twitter so do sometimes feel the need to define myself, in opposition to those who would label me a T*.
OP posts:
BuntingEllacott · 27/12/2020 18:50

I say I am a feminist. If I'm feeling particularly arsey, I'll say I campaign for women's liberation. I don't refer to gender unless it relevant to a conversation. As a feminist, I believe gender is a harmful system that disadvantages women, but I'm not going to define my beliefs using the things I stand against. I'm not a rape-critical feminist, or a patriarchy-critical feminist.

I mean, if feminist isn't enough, and I accept that it often needs qualifying these days, I'll go with a positive spin and say 'woman-focused feminist', because that idea seems to piss off lots of self-defined feminists who prefer us to focus on everyone but women.

Original poster
xxyzz · 27/12/2020 18:49

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

I think id just say feminist

Im gender critical...but not just that

And when i did one of those ‘what type of feminist are you’ things i came out rad/lib and intersectional. Evenly...ish

Didn't know there was such a thing. Do you have a link?
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RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 27/12/2020 18:39

I think id just say feminist

Im gender critical...but not just that

And when i did one of those ‘what type of feminist are you’ things i came out rad/lib and intersectional. Evenly...ish

HubertHerbert · 27/12/2020 18:25

I don't know what I'd use to refer to myself as because I don't know what sort of situation I'd have to make such a reference.

Original poster
xxyzz · 27/12/2020 18:22

@WhereYouLeftIt

The problem with the terminology is that every term means different things to different people. So with no agreed definitions, we always end up either talking at cross-purposes or questioning what exactly you mean by that word.
Agree, that was rather the point of this thread!

Not that I think there is a definite answer to this, but I'm interested in finding out more about the origins of the terms.

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nauticant · 27/12/2020 18:05

Being able to communicate with people outside of our echo chamber is very important. It's frustrating seeing posters from FWR go into a thread in AIBU that's discussing trans issues and using specialised terminology such as "TRA" and "AGP" and expecting casual readers to immediately understand or to seek a translation.

WhereYouLeftIt · 27/12/2020 18:05

The problem with the terminology is that every term means different things to different people. So with no agreed definitions, we always end up either talking at cross-purposes or questioning what exactly you mean by that word.

Original poster
xxyzz · 27/12/2020 17:59

Second NB - given that we are often labelled as T*fs, involuntarily, I think it's useful to think about what terms we feel represent us, rather than accepting others' labels. I know there are women who do embrace the T*f label, although I can't personally.

But another thought to add.

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