I just outed myself as a “Terf”

[Zintox]

Oh good grief. I will have to name change after this as it’s too outing.

I am involved in an organisation which works with local Maternity services representing women’s views and helping to shape the service.

At a recent meeting we were discussing accessibility and a fellow member mentioned trans. It was picked up as a discussion point so I left it but it got me wondering what my organisation’s stance was.

Tonight I was talking to the Chair (I have a position of authority too) and asked the question.

She is usually so well informed but in this just looked at me and said “what about people born in the wrong body?” I said I didn’t think we could ignore biology and I couldn’t support that in the context of our work.

Can. Of. Worms.

I’ve now sent her a link to some resources but basically she now thinks I’m an evil bigot. Arrrgh! This is beyond awkward.

Maternity services may also end up in the situation where a woman who requests a female HCP does not actually have a guarantee of getting a biological female, but instead a TIM. I wonder if your chair would be more likely to see the issue with this? (Eg could send the cervical smear news item)?

Basically all of my friends are very lefty, right-on, liberal blah blah. Most of them repeat the 'transwomen are real women' line in public, but in private, they'll admit that they don't actually believe it.

I'm the only person I know who will publicly 'admit' to not believing in it. (Admit makes it sound like it's a bad thing, which I don't think it is.)

Quite sick of this whole nonsense, especially considering it affects such a small percentage of the population.

The whole rewriting of
breast feeding = chest feeding doesn't even stand up to transgender ideology scrutiny.
Seeing as newsflash MEN have breasts too!

Men can get breast cancer.
Men can lactate from their breast.

If the idea that this language is supposed to accommodate the non existent transman who is so dysphoric they have had a full mastectomy so no longer have breasts well newsflash
They will NOT BE breastfeeding because they no longer have their breasts from which to feed so do not need to be included in discussions about breastfeeding.

If we are supposed to buy into the Female Penis, it is not a stretch to buy into the male babyfeeding breasts.

• non existent transman who is so dysphoric they have had a full mastectomy Sorry I'm not calling transmen who have had a full mastectomy non existent. But ones who do this and want to breastfeed will be.

I just wish I hadn't said anything but it was relevant and I couldn't just let it pass.
I will only ever raise it if necessary and I agree with respecting individuals' wishes re terminology and pronouns but not with a general rewriting of everything in order to accommodate a minority who are in my opinion somewhat deluded.

Love those sweet women in the video (doulas)

I just wish I hadn't said anything but it was relevant and I couldn't just let it pass

I suspect you would have regretted it more, if you hadn't spoken up.

If the two of you discuss it further, you could mention that you are aware that many trans people reject the 'born in the wrong body narrative', and that many gay people consider it homophobic in the extreme (because the people usually identified as being 'in the wrong body' typically have characteristics associated with being gay e.g. "effeminate" men). Surely she is not suggesting your organisation uses homophobic terminology?

Or, taking another approach, suggest that you survey service users to ask if they want to retain the words 'woman' and 'female' in discussing maternity services.