Powerful Medium article on how it hurts to lose friends because you are GC

[MrsSnippyPants]

This really hit a nerve with me, because it is exactly what happened to me in a group of women I cared about.

medium.com/@hatpinwoman/i-used-to-be-a-terf-until-i-educated-myself-f78d81e08ce

"It was that happening, more than anything, that made me determined to speak in some way. Not being allowed to have an important conversation made me feel so certain it was imperative to have it."

I care nothing for people who throw away women's rights so easily. They are not who I thought they were.

There has been no day so far, when the sun has set on a world that is fair to women.

That made me really sad because it’s true. We speak out not just for ourselves but for women we don’t know and will never meet.

I was really lucky because the two friends who disagreed were respectful about it and we agreed to disagree. One actually told me recently that he doesn’t agree with the sports thing. Both came from the be nice crowd.

I was very brave and posted the GRA information in a work FB group. Several likes, no comments and no hate mail.

In real life two men out of the numerous people I’ve spoken to have said “but what if they have genital surgery?” and once you talk about DNA etc they get it. Everyone else is on board with the GC outlook.

Sadly my 'friends' were not respectful, and in fact their reaction to me had the effect of shutting down all debate on the issue because now some friends who did agree with me just completely avoid the subject.

It’s such a shame and such a kick in the teeth.
I was brought up to believe that it is poor form and a weakness to behave like that (eg personal attacks, silencing etc) in a debate - I grew up having very heated debates with my family around the kitchen table but at no point was shutting people down an option.

I have only lost online friends. None who are real offline friends. None. Not a one. They all agree with me. But... we're all older women from the second wave of feminism so that's not really that great a surprise.

I am sorry that happened Snippy.