Public terfing: "out and proud" or anon?

[XXHelenaXX]

I've raised my voice against a few injustices in my life (I'm in my 50s) and of course expected and received opposition. However, I've never before been made to feel frightened just for holding a belief.

The trans lobby have already mentioned keeping my social media "under surveillance" to "collect evidence" to "report me to the police". Also my name has been given to local activists who have dished out violence to someone who didn't agree with them on this issue. They know where I live.

I'd like to start writing about this issue: articles, maybe a blog or website, possibly even a book. But I am scared of making myself a target for the TRA.

As I am only a couple of weeks into this campaign, it's not too late for me to backtrack and invent a fake online persona and thenceforth cease to mention the issue on my genuine FB and Twitter. Then anything I publish or blog etc would not be traced back to me.

We all know the names of the few brave "terfy" women who openly post on social media, appear in the press, arrange and speak at meetings and go on the telly and radio in their own real names. They must receive threats constantly. Shouldn't I also be "out & proud" in solidarity with them, instead of letting them to take all the flak whilst I cower behind a fake ID?

Or is the main priority to keep myself safe?

If YOU are an "out terf" do you wish you had created a fake ID before you started this campaign?

I'm at a crossroads right now, and would love to hear other women's views and experiences.

I provided FB with proof of ID and they changed my account name without so much as a by your leave.

Why would you show them ID different to your FB name? I'm really confused.

I have an extremely unusual foreign name, in fact I think it's unique on Facebook. How can I get an account in a fake name? They will only accept a driving licence or a passport as ID.

tobee
"we are all spread out ...How can we be more of a coherent force?"

I agree. We need ONE organisation that we can ALL join, even if we are members of any of the small ones. If indeed you can be a "member" (can you?) Like Mayday, Woman's Place, FairPlayForWomen.

But the problem with it is, who would "head" it? We don't want to appoint a "boss of feminism". Feminist already fall out over details.

So its not a named organisation with a members list, it's just "feminism". Surely that one label is kind of like being in a club?

I'm not out. I've considered it more recently since a. things feel pretty desperate and b. someone really important to me whom I enormously respect surprised me by expressing carefully measured gender critical views in public; and I thought her social circle would never tolerate it (some of them did not, it was very tough for her). I'm pretty sure lots of my friends would disagree with me but I am seriously thinking hard about how to come out, and wondering whether I would more regret doign it or not doing it.

I have a TIM in the family whom I suspect of being the sort who some would consider "truscum" and I'm plucking up the courage to ask her views.

I am out on FB and twitter but don't have many friends/followers on either. I also live in an area of Scotland without many transexuals.
Also on twitter I mainly write supportive stuff to fellow gender critical folk rather than being a goady fucker to the TRAs. I have no interest in hearing what Lily Madison and Lily's groupies say.
If someone argues with something I say on twitter I'll post 1 resoponse but not get in to long drawn out battles that become circular. Twitter is rubbish for debates with the word count anyway.

The LBC programme earlier got me wondering whether I really object to TERF or not.
I probably prefer TERF to cis and prefer to reclaim terf as a positive word rather than let the TRAs have woman.

I was on the tv on Sunday Politics, standing next to Posy Parker so i'm out!

I've been interviewed by the Southampton Echo - hopefully they will publish. My real photo is on Twitter. I am really ok with holding my ground on this one. The law needs to protect women and children and I feel obliged to speak up. Men are pretty robust, they can take a bit of criticism.

twitter.com/JaneRobacockle

The LBC programme earlier got me wondering whether I really object to TERF or not. I probably prefer TERF to cis and prefer to reclaim terf as a positive word

I don't mind TERF either. I don't see it as a slur - if being a TERF means on the side of biology and common bloody sense, I'm fine being one.

Right. Really naive question here. What do you think the worst that could happen will would be? Naive but genuine.

As in threats etc.

I don't think anything will happen to me.

I have 6 DC, 2 businesses and a career (that requires professional registration) I would like to return to later in life. I’m terrified they could somehow damage my income and leave me in a dangerous situation financially with so many children. I’m genuinely too frightened.

I was asked to leave a feminist group for providing deep and detailed biological information about the differences in sex beyond genitalia.
Having the group turn on me scared me beyond belief.

I do talk to friends and family I trust about gender critical views and I do also have a roll of stickers in my bag but apart from that I’m afraid I am too chicken to make a public and social media stand with the brave people. I just hope I don’t live to regret it.

I am on a bit of an adrenaline high, having just emailed the Chairwoman of our company about a Women's programme that is open to Self ID women. She is going to pass on my concern to the organisers. She didn't comment on my POV but neither did she scream TERF or BIGOT at me and send me for Inclusion training.

Among friends/family, could not give a shite, if someone doesn't like my opinion, that's for them to deal with. Almost everyone I know couldn't give a crap about this anyway, and I include a large number of gay/lesbian and even transexuals among my friends. I do feel like the people who are threatening to beat people up are mostly teenagers and the whole issue is generally an ivory towers airy-fairy liberal thing, and that is not really my category of people. I mean, I'm liberal as they come, but I have nothing to do with academia or the middle classes.

I am not in the UK. If I was, I don't know if I could be out at work as I'm a teacher. Is it that bad there, really?

I don't really do social media, no fb/twitter/insta, so it doesn't affect me much.

This is such a serious issue - but everyone's situation and personal circumstances are different and not everyone can take the same level of risk. The important thing is that we all do what we can. Even if this is only raising the subject to one new person it all counts.

I have made the decision to be publicly 'out' not because I'm braver than anyone else but because my own personal circumstances make it possible. However, I have been pleasantly surprised that the backlash has been relatively mild. Yes, I get a few insults but nothing serious.

I have just finished writing this report showing how women are being silenced by fear, shame and rejection. This is an age-old sexist hate tactic and people need to know.

fairplayforwomen.com/misogyny_hate_silencing/

I have a business that operates mainly from a Facebook page. I'm easily linked to it via my personal page. The most I've done is share the petition (via the a woman's place UK) and hit like on a few gender critical friends' posts. My business is how I pay my rent each month. I can't risk it.

Thanks for your reply IAmWonko. I was aware of the cowardly attack on Maria MacLachlan. As far as I can see the other uploads are violent threats online but the fact of what happened to Maria MacLachlan would make most think before public pronouncements.

I'm personally very much not brave. I hate the feeling of fear and just having this anger and frustration.

How anyone can say these people are interested in trans rights. It's just a pathetic cover for violent urges and vile misogyny.

I am regularly arguing with people on Facebook, the worst I have got is to be called ignorant, hateful and a disgrace to humanity , no threats of violence or harassment which I would report to police. Thus is free speech and that's the simple truth of it!

I agree tobee They are not in the slightest interested in trans women's rights. It's a game to them. They are misogynistic and violent.

I'm operating under the radar too. Teacher, mother, husband a uni lecturer. I also have a thriving self-employed craft business via FB. Hate that I feel silenced on such an important matter.

I am out in real life as a terf. And have turned every one of my close friends to gender critical too.

I am out on FB, as obviously I only have friends on there

On twitter I am anon. I WAS out, however I started getting serious threats from TRAs and it scared me a bit.

DH is "out" on Twitter with a lot of followers. Nobody abuses him, so I think this is mostly about intimidating women.

Yes this is a great point. I have had endless abuse on twitter. Meanwhile DH is out on there, with many many more followerts than me, and he gets nothing. maybe the odd TRA popping up with a message but they leave him alone once he states his views..they do not harrass him and threaten violence. And, he has not been added to a terfblocker either, which is odd as he is probably more 'terfy' than me and has been taking about these issues on twitter for a lot longer than I have, and tweets more and is MUCH more forceful

I am accidentally out. My twitter uses my name in the handle so can't be changed. I'm careful with what I tweet/retweet - only the less inflammatory ones - but I've still had some targeting. The way they carefully use your name, without using your handle so it's obvious they've clocked it, gives me shivers. I'm not on a block list yet though.

I am getting bolder and and so far have only had one argument. No idea if I've lost anyone because of it - I don't use unfollow counters. No one has asked me about out apart from TRAs so I've not had to explain anything. I would be happy to though.

I'm job hunting at the moment and that scares me. I already have health problem which make things very hard, add this on top and I'm not expecting to get a job any time soon.

Anyone got a time turner I could use?