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'm not out as much as I share the occasional GC link on my Facebook. They never get much attention. I thought about sharing the petition with my old university's FemSoc but for all the majority of the articles etc they share are about issues that are by definition transexclusionary, their current tagline is along the lines of the old "if your feminism isn't intersectional it's bullshit".

I'm out. Not so much on Facebook as I use it for lighthearted stuff mostly, but I'm me on Twitter. I'm retired, my friends and family know I'm a gender critical feminist. It would have been problematic if I'd still been working (HE).

Am out on Twitter and that's my real name, but I o my have about 4 followers so I don't think I'm making waves! I'm more worried about coming out to friends - I have a fair few Corbynite mates who I don't want to get in a slanging match with. Don't know their views on TRAs or self id but they tend to be very 'woke so I'm wary there.

I'm a bit concerned about work - I'm a teacher so there's a bit of a worry there about TRAs contacting my employer. But I'll be leaving the profession at the end of the summer so I reckon I can ride out any nastiness there.

I thought about sharing the petition with my old university's FemSoc

Might be worth doing. I noticed on the petition map that some of the darker patches (ie more signers) were in places like Cambridge- and also Brighton. My guess is there are many women in such places sick of the silencing who may not dare be 'out' but who would be very pleased to sign that (doing so does not carry any 'outing' risk, I believe)

Only out in person to a few friends, I almost lost a friend over being called transphobic when all I was trying to was get her to see the issue in sports. She yelled at me, that she didnt care about sports and that her MtF friends are more important. We agree to disagree and never talk about it public.

Cant be out on social media for work, mine and DH's.

My last work place I did a silence protest by refusing to attend the 'voluntary' (but we know who didnt attend) training on Trans at work. All hell would have broken lose if I had come 'out' I did a small victory by refusing to allow Merm@ids to nominated as a charity partner. Those fuckers promote crazy crazy shit.

I am out with zero fucks given. I have debated respectfully with a few people, most people I know tend to be agog at the sheer lunacy of the proposed changes to GRA, especially once implications are realised. My boss is quietly GC, and I know would back me in a heart beat if anyone tried to accuse me of transphobia.

I've shared the petition on FB and with family.

"And I speak to many people in real life about the issues. Have yet to meet anyone I can’t peaktrans in ten mins. "

@Maidofstars, can I ask what you say?

@mipmipmip you can change your twitter handle to something that doesn’t have your name in it!

What is ‘peaktrans’ I keep seeing?

Out at work. Trying to effect change.

#wadingthroughmud

I'm not "out" I'm not scared of the threats of violence, the risk of being punched at a meeting is one I'll take and I believe threats to burn us and rape us are largely empty.

But I have a job and a family to support and I worry about my employers being harassed and the potential impact in my job.

It's shit

I'm probably out. But only in certain social circles. Anyway I choose carefully and always bring up safe guarding issues.

Cat It's when you think 'hang on a minute, this isn't right'

Cat, that's a good idea but if it's the bit that's @myname you can't change it. You can do the more public bit, which I have.

You can change the @ part

I'm recently out & have had a few interesting conversations...

Not scared (not in UK - it's a long way to come to punch me), but I hate upsetting people, tbh.

One TIF friend was ranting about J K Rowling this morning. They are a massive Potter fan who basically identifies as Draco Malfoy - it's a big part of their life. They are, I think, genuinely distressed that their heroine is OMG an evil terf.

I like this person & we agree with each other on lots of other stuff (work in same field). Also, they are quite vulnerable.

If they see me posting things like petition links & feel betrayed by me, I am going to feel like a bit of a bastard.

Can't be helped as I think it's too important to prioritise anyone's rather confused feelz, but it makes me feel a bit sick.

Much worse than the occasional wanker telling me to DIAF.

you can change your twitter handle to something that doesn’t have your name in it

I did that and though everything was hunky dory until I googled the @ part of my twitter name, and up came my real name

I've cancelled that twitter account now, but AFAIK it will remain active for 30 days and if I login to it in that time it will be reactivated. Started a new twitter account that hasn't got my real name anywhere, including the email I used to set it up.