Anti-FGM campaigner Hibo Wardere comes under attack

Yeah dadjoke

The 200 million girls and women living with FGM today

Yet there you are whining about transphobia

No empathy or thoughts for 200 million girls and women

Or saying great work Hibo

Honestly. What a thing to say or think 🤔

Im shocked and disgusted that anyone would defend the self centred arseholes who have defamed Hibo and distracted her from her important work.
Its not about you.
I very much doubt any of these people know the meaning of 'distressed invalidated and alienated'.
If they would have the guts they could read about how a small girl was distressed, invalidated, alienated from her own mother, violated, mutilated and scarred.
Anyone who could read that and then think 'but what about me?'
Is seriously sick in the fucking head.
Its not about you.
If you know these people, don't defend them, or make excuses, get them help, as a matter of urgency.
Its not excusable.
Its shameful and low.

What I notice, revisiting it, is that Hibo is being called transphobic for describing herself and other victims of FGM as women and girls.

We're supposed to respect the way people identify themselves, aren't we? Hibo doesn't think of herself as "someone with a cervix". Surely she's not obliged to? And I think she's got far more insight into how Somali girls at risk of FGM think of themselves, hasn't she?

She never called this transman a woman. She wasn't talking to him or about him.

But this transman was hurt and offended by how other people described themselves and imposing language on them, and this is evidence that Hibo is transphobic?

I wonder. Was this transman white? Probably American as they were replying to a CNN post. Is this evidence the young transman was racist and thinks of black people, especially black women, as there to affirm the feelings of white people like himself?

Or, given that he probably terms women like Hibo as cis, maybe he's simply "cisphobic".

Likewise, it surprises me that GC feminists spend so much of their time and energy against a tiny group of marginalised people, when there are other, more important issues to address.

Women, and Hibo in particular, are trying to spend our energy in protesting and protecting for a sizeable minority of voiceless girls against a barbaric practice.
That you and your ilk decide to shoe horn your way into a campaign that has absolutely nothing to do with you, and when we respond then whine that we are not spending our time on more important issues is crass in the extreme.

You stay in your lane, we’re busy with real world problems.

*I'm sitting here feeling utterly heartbroken about what is happening to these little girls, coupled with outright fury that trans activists are trying to make even this about them8

Yes! Unbelievable! Truly!

Did anyone clock this creep responding to the video?

She's clearly slightly transphobic, yes. She has never said "it's because I don't want to dilute my message that I don't want to include trans men." When she talks about women, she's explicitly referring to biology, as do most posters here - it's trans exclusionary, the very definition of transphobic

Biology is transphobic then. Perhaps you ought to take that up with Mother Nature, or with God - whichever suits your personal take on matters.

While I am really cross about the disgusting attempts to get Hibo to focus her attention on people who have nothing to do with her campaign, my t shirt makes me feel better. I'm hoping tomorrow might actually be warm enough to wear it without a jumper over it!

I have admired Hibo for years for her ability to confront the horror of her own life to prevent it happening to other girls. Her focus on their pain and that alone is relentless and true and pure. She has endured a hell of a lot more in her life than any of those bleating ninnies can imagine.

I bet she's a fierce mum!

defending

Likewise, it surprises me that GC feminists spend so much of their time and energy against a tiny group of marginalised people, when there are other, more important issues to address

Like defended women's spaces, services and sports, and indeed the very language that is specific to women?

I simply cannot fathom the extreme narcissism inherent in prioritising ideological conformity and personal sensitivity over the reality of suffering due to having been born female as manifested in FGM.

The tone deaf entitled arrogance is absolutely revolting.

[quote DadJoke]@Notoriouslynotnotious

I don't think a campaigner against genital mutiliation should exactly be target number one for people who want language which is inclusive trans men. There are many better causes, and more transphobic individuals. Likewise, it surprises me that GC feminists spend so much of their time and energy against a tiny group of marginalised people, when there are other, more important issues to address.

Yes, it's trans exclusionary women rather than trans exlusionary men who get more attacked, and misogyny is at play there.[/quote]
You express surprise that we spend so much time arguing against the doctrine of gender identity (not against trans people per se), while providing us with evidence of why that is a vital part of our fight for women's rights.

Hibo has zero interest in trans issues. She has no issues with trans people. Proponents of the doctrine of gender identity have attacked her - not the other way round. That's because FGM has nothing to do with gender identity and everything to do with sex. Explicitly with the sexual function of female people. There is no overlap with trans issues. None.

And I think her response to that self-absorbed, coldhearted individual was much more polite than that person could expect. She simply declined to entertain their inconsiderate, asinine notion that a campaigner against a horrific human rights violation inflicted almost exclusively on girls in African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries ought to adjust her language so as not to upset the tender sensibilities of a minute number of Anglo-American females, who have neither suffered FGM nor campaign against it.

I'd have told that callous twit to FOTTFEOF and then fuck off some more once she got there.

But then again, Hibo is a much better person than me.

Agreed to all this.

Hibo is dedicated to making the world better. She writes, she provides safeguarding training, she provides interviews. On a weekly basis she describes the unsanitised reality of what FGM was like to experience as a six year old girl, at goodness knows what emotional cost to herself.

If Hibo thought for a moment that she would reach more families and communities and prevent more cases by saying "people with a cervix", she would have done it already.

Let's not forget that many of the girls this happens to don't speak English. Muddying the language is not acceptable. Using words like women and girls is absolutely necessary to reach her audience.

It's. Not. About. You.

When she talks about women, she's explicitly referring to biology, as do most posters here - it's trans exclusionary, the very definition of transphobia

I can’t write what I want to say to you because I’d be banned. Hebo does a brilliant job of raising awareness against little girls going through an horrific procedure. She can use whichever language she likes and anyone trying to police her language should just fuck right off.

I'm recovering the power of speech now - wine has helped. The point of view of some posters (or was it just the one) on this thread has really floored me today.

My T-shirt arrived today. Really comfy and organic cotton.

It really isa different world

Clearly they don’t! No one cares! Or the performers don’t. I read about some stupid faux feminism Facebook group on here and went to have a nose and under a post about fgm was some man whining about circumcision. Why can’t these runts go and start their own group? Why do they cling to random women and beg them to be their nannies and sort out their issues instead of even acknowledging the one at hand that doesn’t affect them???
I’m definitely getting one of those t shirts if they do reappear though.

Thank you, dadjoke, for perfectly illustrating the misogyny we’re always talking about. It’s really clearing up any lingering doubt that anyone might have had that there is indeed a conflict between women’s rights and trans rights, and it’s not coming from women.

It's enraging that the racism that runs through all these attempts to silence Hibo is never called out. It's as if some people get a pass to oppress vulnerable groups with impunity.
Are we so self obsessed as a society that this group of girls matter so little?

Ereshkigalangcleg

"I guess it's too bad when material reality does not align with your personal ideology."

I cannot imagine the frustration, particularly when you try to force others to go along with the ideology, rather than reality and they simply walk away.

Perfect woke speak that Dadjoke can understand.

This has happened to Hibo. I wonder if that 6 year old girl felt distressed, invalidated and alienated when her mother and other relatives held a party for her, bought her pretty dresses and sweets and then held her down and hurt her so badly she will never ever forget.

When your own mother can knowingly inflict that much pain on your little body, I would think that would be a bit alienating and distressing.

Why would anyone tell Hibo she is doing her advocacy for victims of FGM wrong because she is not including a group of people that it hasn't happened to (and to whom it is never likely to happen)??

And who would agree with them ?

Yeah it’s pretty racist to wade into FGM and demand deference to your identity in its context of western white privilege no?