Caroline Norma: Transgenderism: The Latest Anti-Feminist Wedge of the Left

[GrinitchSpinach]

Anti-feminism on the left came up on another thread and I wanted to share Caroline Norma's perspective here. She traces the link between backlashes to anti-porn and anti-pimp feminists to the current backlash targeting gender critical feminists. She wrote this in 2015 but I think everything in it applies today:

Feminism's mission to dismantle male sexual entitlement is offensive...

At least since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, Lefties have been rankled by the presence of feminists among their ranks.

But purging these uppity women presents a challenge. Overtly denigrating feminists is risky: it can be perceived as misogynistic, and cedes too much political ground on issues lefties like to call their own - such as abortion rights.

Unfortunately, prolific and global male crimes of incest, rape, prostitution, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, child marriage and acid attacks make the feminist cause a bit too justified, and a bit too popular.

So the Left is stuck with having to marginalise through covert means the political movement organised to resist male supremacy and its violent war against women and children.

An effective covert tactic has been to play wedge politics.

www.abc.net.au/religion/transgenderism-the-latest-anti-feminist-wedge-of-the-left/10097710?fbclid=IwAR0J9YNgrNVGpissUXJ6IPXSCdTOR9viYijXiXQApgLi50ZTYXwUio5IRq8

A truly excellent piece.

ps no idea what ABC is so am not endorsing the publication by posting this link. Just think Norma's piece is on point.

The ABC here is the Australian Broadcasting Commission. More or less equivalent to the BBC in UK.

Ah thanks ABQ! Sorry for being so ignorant of your country.

What a great article! Not seen this one before, thank you for posting it.

The Left today is nonetheless achieving a purge of feminists from its ranks unrivalled by their previous successes of the 1980s and 1990s. Playing wedge politics is still the tactic of choice, but the issue requiring women's pledge of allegiance is brand new.

Transgenderism bastardises the core feminist insight that "woman" is a politically defined social category generated by male violence and the exclusion, expropriation and colonisation of female human beings. Rendered as a Leftist wedge issue, this insight becomes the distorted proposition that "woman" is a flexible human "identity" with which any individual might associate themselves - even fully-grown rational male human beings.

Rather than being a designator of subordinated social class membership, "woman" is a feeling that can swell in any man's breast. Acting on this feeling, he might adopt sex-stereotyped clothing and behaviours, and others must hold these caricatured displays in high regard. Female pronouns must be used, and laws and policies must be changed to newly recognise women, not as an historically vulnerable social group, but as the product of an individual man's inner thoughts and feelings.

Absolutely spot on, but depressing.

that's spot on. Its stirred my anger again. I keep thinking i've got over the anger, then I get all wound up again. We can never let go of this can we?

That's an excellent article - right to the point!

Nails it!