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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

UK radical feminists; what to do?

879 replies

RealRoseCritic · 29/07/2026 15:19

So there was a question earlier today in one of my groups about TERFs in the UK, why are they so strong there, etc. Let me elaborate on something.

There is something special in mainstream British feminism that is quite different from European feminism(s), but since the English speaking internet concerns mostly the Anglosphere and not Europe, due to us having separate, isolated debates in each country/language, you won't likely ever hear how the UK is substantially different.
It is important to understand the logic of British feminism. Unlike European feminism, which is mostly inclusive and focused on stuff like equal pay, care, safe design of public space and general equity, in the UK it was always about "separate but equal".

British centres of power were always men-only, and many British feminists didn't react the way European women did (aka pushed their way into male spaces, so that these became co-ed spaces), but created their own, separate spaces, which they then aggressively policed the same way British men did with theirs. Add some Victorian prudishness and bioessentialism, that was abandoned in Europe after WWII for obvious reasons, but not in the UK, and voilà, here come British second-wave radfems and the TERFs.

I am from the Czech Republic where I currently live; I lived in Norway, Poland and the Netherlands, I speak fluently multiple European languages and understand few others; I don't say that to brag, but to show my ability to do the comparative analysis, since I study the topic closely.

Out of EU member states, only in Bulgaria and Hungary are trans rights worse than in the UK at the moment, with Hungary being expected to get substantially better soon, and in neither of those two countries are trans people, and especially trans women, as demonised as in the UK.

In all EU member states transphobia comes exclusively from far right places; it is unheard of that liberals or anyone non-far right would say what is absolutely the mainstream in the UK, including Hungary and Bulgaria.
If you are saying the stuff JKR is saying, you are 100 % aligned with far right politics.

We had an attempt by a group of our far right senators to enact a bill proposal similar to what is in the UK, but the proposal was killed within a week before it could have been even voted upon in the Chamber of Deputies. Just for instance.
Scandinavian feminism is focused mostly on fair share of care and chores, German feminism focuses mostly on equal pay, Kita for everyone and the like, Polish feminism is mostly about access to abortion, Czech feminism is mostly about equal pay and safety from domestic violence - I could go on, but all in all, men are welcome to participate and the goal is to create equity for everyone, regardless of their gender. Together.
We don't get British obsession with separate spaces for women, women here are absolutely fine with the way things are, mostly because cultures in the Continent are far less prudish and overall we treat men and women as one people rather than different species.

Moreover, because of civil law rather than common law, we have different approach to legal texts and their interpretations; this makes it different too.
Not just regarding trans rights, but also regarding women's rights, I am often amazed by how much backward the UK is in so many ways compared to the EU (again, including places like Hungary, this needs to be stressed). I often see women in English-speaking debates saying things like "ugh, men" on things that actually concern problems that are specifically British and that stem mostly from both societies' tendency to separate already boys from girls, treating them differently and sexualising women in contexts we don't really see as sexual at all.

We can't really get this across the Channel, because we just don't have the power to do so. For instance Czech debate on feminism is quite isolated; it's interesting, but no more than 15 million people would ever be able to participate in it (CZ/SK) due to the language barrier, the same goes for Scandinavia (17 million), Benelux (28 million), Poland (38 million), or even DACH (95 million). It is nothing compared to half a billion people of the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and IE that are giving tone to the worldwide debate in English.

So, if you are a British trans woman, you would do yourself a great favour if you moved to mainland Europe. You will be welcomed and cherished (for the most part).

OP posts:
Thread gallery
19
scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:27

helderste · 29/07/2026 16:25

OP is only proposing that trans women will be cherished. There’s no mention of how trans men will be welcomed.

Well. Quite.

Igneococcus · 29/07/2026 16:25

Will it completely fry your brain to know that there are EU citizens on this board?

helderste · 29/07/2026 16:25

scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:01

I'm just laughing at the idea of trans people being "cherished" in most European countries!

OP is only proposing that trans women will be cherished. There’s no mention of how trans men will be welcomed.

1984Now · 29/07/2026 16:25

scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:22

This ⬆️

Of course they dont, All those men who've Self IDd as women are absolutely without ill intent, as much a risk to women as other women. Because they say they're women.
The Europeans have swallowed this hook line and sinker.

scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:22

SwirlyGates · 29/07/2026 16:19

We don't get British obsession with separate spaces for women, women here are absolutely fine with the way things are, mostly because cultures in the Continent are far less prudish and overall we treat men and women as one people rather than different species.

Oh I see, you live in some kind of utopia where men do not harass women. They do not threaten them. They do not murder women. They do not expose themselves nor film women in toilets. They do not rape. They do not masturbate next to random women (weird, because that happened to me in a Greek cinema). And they do not piss on toilet seats or toilet floors. Got it.

And we British women are "prudish", and somehow at fault for being concerned that men do these things in every bloody country on earth.

This ⬆️

1984Now · 29/07/2026 16:21

There are so few reasons to feel good about Britain right now. We all know the checklist for what we're failing at.
But the rearguard action of Terf Island is a real exception.
What it reminds me of, other than the stuff which is critical for women's and girl's (and more and more boy's) rights, is what actually made this country great in the last couple of hundred years, from the push to end slavery, to women getting the vote, to the progress made since the 60s, and in equal measure the bloody minded attitude which is a prerequisite for GCs to fight back.
This feels very "British".
I salute the likes of Sophie Cunningham right now, but there's so much toxic politics culture around Trump and the fall of The Democrats to IDentarian politics, their battle feels different to ours.
From Forstater to Sexatters, to Barnes expose of Tavistock, to the SC For Women fight, to nurses being dragged over hot coals in various courtrooms, to Queen Bee JKR and the hardcore of GC journalists who've never let this go, it feels like Britain is in the eye of the storm, but has a culture that will steer us away from the worse excesses.
Looking at Australia, Canada, Spain, Germany etc, you can keep them.

SwirlyGates · 29/07/2026 16:19

We don't get British obsession with separate spaces for women, women here are absolutely fine with the way things are, mostly because cultures in the Continent are far less prudish and overall we treat men and women as one people rather than different species.

Oh I see, you live in some kind of utopia where men do not harass women. They do not threaten them. They do not murder women. They do not expose themselves nor film women in toilets. They do not rape. They do not masturbate next to random women (weird, because that happened to me in a Greek cinema). And they do not piss on toilet seats or toilet floors. Got it.

And we British women are "prudish", and somehow at fault for being concerned that men do these things in every bloody country on earth.

soupycustard · 29/07/2026 16:13

Trans people have exactly the same rights as everyone else.
+
They have the extra rights against discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment under the EA.
However, if a bunch of powerful loud aggressive trans-identified males think they will be treated better elsewhere, I certainly won't be stopping them from going wherever they wish. I hear Iran has a relatively large trans population (male trans obviously, not female trans).

DworkinWasRight · 29/07/2026 16:12

WrongKindOfFeminist · 29/07/2026 15:43

Iran, Malta. Both bastions of 'trans' culture, both terrible on women's rights.

Let’s not forget Ireland, which has a long history of oppressive policies towards women, and which has embraced trans ideology with enthusiasm.

scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:11

Bakeittillyoumakeit · 29/07/2026 16:05

Gosh aren't we lucky to have a Czech person mansplain British history and politics to us.

Absolutely! 💯

murasaki · 29/07/2026 16:08

Ereshkigalangcleg · 29/07/2026 16:06

I’m fully in favour of “British trans women” making the move to the EU if they feel it offers them better prospects. I might support a general crowd fund if you set one up.

I thought loads were going to claim asylum. I can really see that working in some of the countries listed above.

AimsAndObjectives · 29/07/2026 16:07

Ah well. Don't forget that MN supplies a handy 'hide' the thread function folks.

BIWI · 29/07/2026 16:07

The EU is welcome to take them!

Ereshkigalangcleg · 29/07/2026 16:06

I’m fully in favour of “British trans women” making the move to the EU if they feel it offers them better prospects. I might support a general crowd fund if you set one up.

Bakeittillyoumakeit · 29/07/2026 16:05

Gosh aren't we lucky to have a Czech person mansplain British history and politics to us.

Shedmistress · 29/07/2026 16:03

I'd say 'where to start' but that analysis is so completely misunderstood it really is too scorchingly hot here in France to even bother.

scienceteachersarefun · 29/07/2026 16:01

I'm just laughing at the idea of trans people being "cherished" in most European countries!

Igmum · 29/07/2026 15:58

I too speak several languages and have previously lived outside the UK. I have reached a career point previously held only by men and still male dominated. I’m not sure where you got your notions of British female separatism from.

A fair few of the countries you mention have horrendous records on women’s rights. The Soviet influence on the Eastern Bloc seems to mean that women are free to work full time, while also doing all of the household chores and childcare and being mocked in a pornified culture (actually that isn’t restricted to E Europe).

Trans people in the UK have all of the rights non-trans people have. Some of them really don’t like that.

This includes the right to travel so please do feel free to invite them over, but please don’t deprive women of rights as you do so.

Hedgehogforshort · 29/07/2026 15:58

@MyAmpleSheep this thread has acquired some use, thanks will be nicking that too!!!

fromorbit · 29/07/2026 15:57

BumblebeesandPaperbags · 29/07/2026 15:38

I had a quick Google.

Percentage of parliamentary seats held by women:

UK: 40%
Hungary: 14.6%
Bulgaria: 24.5%
Poland:29.3%
Czech Republic: 26%

Women in Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Bulgaria seem substantially underrepresented politically, which is interesting in light of your argument.

Edited

The Czech Republic is way more sexist than the UK. It is difficult to break free and imagine saying no to men, but can be done.

Surge in gender violence reports in Czechia signals both progress and pain

However, social attitudes toward gender-based violence in Czechia remain a challenge, with surveys showing higher tolerance and victim-blaming compared to other EU countries.
https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/reported-rapes-evictions-for-domestic-violence-on-rise-in-czechia

Surge in gender violence reports in Czechia signals both progress and pain

Data reveals that 2024 was the second-highest year for domestic abuse cases since 2014.

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/reported-rapes-evictions-for-domestic-violence-on-rise-in-czechia

AimsAndObjectives · 29/07/2026 15:55

MyAmpleSheep · 29/07/2026 15:51

If you are saying the stuff JKR is saying, you are 100 % aligned with far right politics.

I prefer to say that far right politics is aligned with me. However if they feel the need to make themselves look more respectable by agreeing with MyAmpleSheep on something, that's not my issue.

I prefer to say that far right politics is aligned with me.

Oooh, can I steal that line?

ApplebyArrows · 29/07/2026 15:54

It would be interesting to read an accurate analysis of differences in feminism in different countries. Unfortunately, OP, you write with a certain rather superior style that we have become very familiar with from pro-trans types on Mumsnet recently. These types of posters also have a tendency towards sharing misinformation, whether deliberately or not I don't know. So it's difficult to know if any of your claims can really be trusted.

murasaki · 29/07/2026 15:54

EmpressDomesticatednottamed · 29/07/2026 15:52

If you are saying the stuff JKR is saying, you are 100 % aligned with far right politics.

No.
And there is your problem, how to deal with the dissonance of women from the left saying and doing things you don't like, you have to try and put us in the far right box because we don't align with or accept your definitions and you have nothing else.
Not our problem.

Which sounds remarkably like men deciding that other men who don't behave like them must be women.

StrongestWoman · 29/07/2026 15:53

I think you have taken a very selective view of the feminist debate in the mentioned countries or you don't actually speak the languages fluently enough to understand the full discussion.

Best regards from

A radical feminist who also speaks several European languages fluently and have lived in several European countries.

Arran2024 · 29/07/2026 15:52

https://unric.org/en/europe-violence-against-women-a-public-health-issue/

They may be bad at keeping women safe but at least they have good trans rights (said the men)!!!