Cosmo jumping on the Trans lesbians thing

[Z0rr0]

So I know I'm no longer the demographic for Cosmo being as they target Millennials and younger, but they do say they're for women, so I'm massively bummed that their sex and relationships editor keeps asking for stories from trans writers. I'm particularly annoyed that she asked for 'trans lesbians' to pitch stories for the upcoming Lesbian Day of Visibility. @Glinner recently highlighted some issues around 'trans lesbians'. I really think it's wrong to invite males to write about their sex and relationship needs supposedly as lesbians.

I'm also irrationally annoyed at this from Museum of London about a lesbian feminist being grouped with queer history.

'Trans lesbians' as in....blokes?

That’s made up surely?

No. I screenshot the request (but don't know how to post pics). The editor has since deleted the request although I don't know why because all the responses were from people keen to pitch to her.

It's currently masquerading as 'new' and 'progressive' by those who haven't thought it through properly. It does on the surface have very nice, shiny, lovely feel good packaging.

However there's now a whole lot of modelling of the thinking it all the way through going on, and awareness rising that no, under the initial nice feels there's a whole lot going on that isn't nice, or progressive or positive at all, and it isn't a neutral or no-harm stance to take. Cosmo are about to provide another example/opportunity for eye opening.

I'd like to think so, but I have my doubts. Either way inviting intact males dressing as women who still enjoy sex with women but therefore call themselves 'lesbians' to write about sex for women feels grossly insulting, in particular to actual lesbians given what they're now being accused of by Stonewall et al.

In any other arena, men talking about 'lesbian sexual experiences' would just be a massive perv alert wouldn't it?

You'd think. How did it come to this?

Asking heterosexual males to write something for lesbian day of visibility? Not homophobic at all is it. No. Nothing to see here. Just more men's wank fantasies.

You know, I feel like Cosmo has been quite consistent over the years. They have always been mainly a banner for the sex positive movement and a very particular view of what it is to be female. Strange as it sounds I think they are being true to their roots in this.

I'm particularly annoyed that she asked for 'trans lesbians' to pitch stories for the upcoming Lesbian Day of Visibility

What is a 'trans lesbian?'

People with penises cannot be lesbians. It's like a Monty Python sketch.

I'm sad to say this isn't a surprise to me. Cosmo, Teen Vogue etc have been, as Goose says, sex positive and pro anal, pro porn etc...was it Teen Vogue or Cosmo that had a diagram of female and male anatomy that removed the vagina? I can't remember, I stopped buying magazines ages ago.

I recommend that you complain to IPSO anyway, there are journalism guidelines on recognising gender but I think it's worth complaining anyway, for one thing this conflicts with representation of sexuality/sexual orientation which is a protected characteristic.

Unfortunately I already wrote to Cosmo last year to tell them I'd never buy a Cosmo again

I once saw an incident involving two penis having humans giving each other blow jobs in a car described as "hot lesbian sex". Perhaps our keen to be PC editor has just received an entire inbox full of that?

Remember when we used to laugh blithely when men would joke "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body?"

It is no real surprise that magazines like Cosmo are pushing genderism. Their income comes directly from adverts for makeup and clothes. That is why they want everyone to believe that the essence of being a woman is buying lots of makeup and clothes.

Oh how I miss those days Mucklowe.

@BovaryX
A 'Trans Lesbian' is a MtF transitioner who still prefers sex with women and so now calls 'themself' lesbian.
@Glinner posted about a particularly savoury looking character calling themself a trans lesbian a few days ago.

Mucklowe
Remember when we used to laugh blithely when men would joke "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body?"

Ah yes & many would wear a t-shirt so you knew on sight who to avoid - thoughtful of them!

Yeah this is really crazy. How can someone with a male bodypart be a lesbian? They will not have the same sexual experience as a woman, let alone as a lesbian. Just like I don't think FtM have a gay experience if they have sex with men. Technically both these experiences are 'straight' based on the genitals involved. Maybe it would be best to just put all of this under an umbrella called 'trans experience'. But part of the fetish for some MtFs is pretending they are a lesbian :/ so they'll probably insist on keeping that language.

I think @BlackForestCake hit the nail on the head.

As long as Cosmo can go on convincing us that being a proper woman depends on what you buy and what you wear, rather than unchanging biological facts, their advertisers will see it as a job well done. Same old, same old.