Have I done the right thing? Outed myself as a Terf

[smithsinarazz]

On Facebook. Reaction: not all that bad.
Not a massive flurry of support, but some. Several friends saying the important thing is dialogue; one completely agreeing with me.
One TIM haranguing me, calling me various names, and saying "If you carry on arguing a point, without caring about the impact on other people, it's hate." To which I nearly replied "So, you hate women, then?"
Mum said to me, on the phone, "But you won't need to say any more about it, will you, sweetie?" She knows what I'm like, you see. She knows I can get myself into a massive tizzy about things that don't matter a hill of beans. In the background, DH says to the baby, "Don't turn out like your mummy. She's a pain in the arse." He knows what I'm like, too.
Am I being an utter fool for caring about all this? Are we all?

I outed myself some time ago and readily share articles and retweets, so far not lost any FB friends. I also challenge people who come out with anti science crap and had a go at Lush. My bad

I tentatively come out on my own wall....but I often post on other fb pages (such as WEP recent post ) and get into debates, I like most radfem gc pages and always love a Magdalen Berns video.....so I’m sure my fb friends know my stance.

My DM tells me to stop ‘lecturing’ her when I try to explain the issue - she gives no shits, so I feel for you OP.

Then I come back on here and get "radicalised" all over again

There's your problem. Try to make some balanced decisions and stop feeding off the shite anonymous strangers are winding you up with on here.

Do you really need their approval. Do it then come right on and tell them about it for the applause?

Seriously grow up. They wouldn't know you if they walked past you on the street and most of them wouldn't defend you either in real life.

Don't worry, Bluntness, if I expressed opinions for applause I'd be posting "fuck all TERFs" instead.

Don't worry, Bluntness, if I expressed opinions for applause I'd be posting "fuck all TERFs" instead

😂

Hi smiths, did you point out the threatening response to the polite person? Or forward it if it wasn't public. It's the perfect illustration of what we're up against, isn't it?

Sorry that you were subjected to threats of violence. Do you know the person?

I expressed antagonism to the gender consultation on Facebook recently but I don't have many friends and have tight privacy settings. I got more apathy than anything else. I don't really do twitter as it seems an egocentric medium all that broadcasting to the world stuff. I'm fairly thick skinned but don't go looking for aggro from people known to be nasty on social media

I think it's good to have a proper debate about this whatever your feelings. I wouldn't use TERF to describe myself. TERF is a hate term strongly associated with inciting and excusing violence against (usually) women. It is used as a slur against people who speak up for biological women's rights and safety. Speaking up about that shouldn't invite violence.

I also really think most people either aren't aware of it or haven't fully been informed/thought through the issues.

I DID regret it in the end. Not because someone offered to beat the shit out of me - that didn't matter: the opinion of someone who wants to beat tje shit out of anyone isn't worth bothering about. It was that I felt I'd disappointed people.
Basically- is this just me? when I am told I can't say something, I want to say it. Now I just think the trans community - whose view of gender I do not share - ought to distance themselves from aggression - as have the Muslim community, whose existential views I also don't share.

We will always feel that we have disappointed people when we speak for ourselves. Society expects women to advocate for others, not themselves. It is the 34d rule of misogyny: Women speaking for themselves are exclusionary and selfish.
Selfish is a sharp stinging trigger word from almost every woman's child hood.