Gender critical feminist group?

[TheDailyMailLovesTheEUReally]

Long time lurker - I used to post in FWR a long time ago (under my pre-Jeffrey profile) when it was first created. I left because I felt that I didn't understand a lot of the activism/chat that developed around trans issues, and I'll admit, I didn't really see what the problem was.

However over the last year, I've become increasingly concerned and I feel like I now do "get it" - I'm just a bit embarrassed that it took me so long! I am not anti-trans but I don't support self ID, I find being referred to as "cis" quite offensive, I'm worried about biological women and girls being erased from sport, from the gender pay gap, from safe spaces...

So I have taken the plunge today and applied to join a local feminist group because I feel like I need to do something. As far as I can tell they are gender critical (I have asked in my application if this is the case, because I don't want to participate in a group that thinks I am a TERF just because I don't agree that a penis can be female...). I am a bit nervous - I have never been part of a feminism group before.

I'm a recent MNer myself, and I am learning heaps about this all the time. I actually spend far too long on this every day but it now feels like it's my job and I'm in the 'newbie' stage of it most definitely. Now I know what I know, I can't believe I heard T May make that speech last October about the proposed amendments and I didn't bat an eyelid, it just didn't sink in! But it has now.

I haven't read any comments here that I would class as transphobic which, if we define it as an irrational fear or hatred of trans people, is surprising really as we stand to lose lots of our rights if all this goes through. But then it wouldn't be irrational, would it? Like Jews being Naziphobic: a way of staying alive or living in the way you think you are entitled to, so who wouldn't be? But it actually makes no sense to me, all I see are heartfelt arguments put by people who can see their future. No doubt some nasty comments do surface but MNHQ are pretty good at taking them down.

I hope your group meets your expectations.

I am interested in looking for a local group, unsure where to start, the only one I have found is in the local labour party which will not appreciate my self id stance!

Thanks ancient

Pearly I found this group by searching for those specific terms and then having a close look at the aims/manifesto of the groups that came up. The one I have found specifically says that it supports safe spaces for women, does not support the use of the term 'cis' and specifically calls out 'TERF' as a slur - so I am hoping they'll be OK! It has been really difficult though to find one.

Good luck. All my local feminists are pro transgender.

Hence I belong to a Facebook group which does actual real campaigning against this awful transgressing on our rights.

"Like Jews being Naziphobic"

Thanks for this Ancient. I am going to use it relentlessly when they call me a transphobe.

I've looked for a feminist group and the only local one I could find was one that does lots of campaigning for the rights of workers in strip clubs etc. I'd rather campaign for the strip clubs to be closed down and for women to be encouraged to get different jobs!

Artemis and Raisin I was really taken aback by how difficult it was. I have absolutely no issue with transwomen wanting to participate and support feminist activity etc. But so many of the feminism groups seem to have signed up wholesale to self ID which I am absolutely NOT comfortable with. How can a feminist group possibly support open access - wake up one day and bang, I've decided I am now a woman! - to rape crisis centres, refuges and so on?

It's really opened my eyes to how pervasive this ideology has become.
I've followed the Woman's Place FB page and am hoping that I will start to find links to local resources. In the meantime I'm hoping that the local group will accept my application (fingers crossed!) and that they are like minded on this issue...