Anti-FGM campaigner Hibo Wardere comes under attack

[JustTurtlesAllTheWayDown]

Again. I know Hibo has put out more than one video clarifying that her focus is on women and girls and on stopping FGM, but she did another one last night after being piled on and called a hater for not being 'inclusive' in her language.
mobile.twitter.com/HiboWardere/status/1362100744216866825
I am bloody angry about it this morning.
Hibo Wardere is a personal hero of mine for the amazing work she's done.
Attacking her for not focusing on other issues is the lowest of the low. The misogyny is rank.
(Also, if anyone hasn't got her book 'Cut' on their feminist book shelf, I really do recommend it. It's not an easy read but I found her journey incredibly inspiring).

No. DadJoke I don't think I am putting words into your mouth. You stated that Hibo treated the transman on twitter harshly. I am responding to that.

I feel you are still reprimanding Hibo by stating she was 'mildly transphobic'. Enough is enough in my book.

These "attacks" are a handful of tweets from the trans men and intersex people, plus one trans woman, hugely amplified by a bunch of GC feminists.

This is some old trope, I'm afraid. I have followed Hibo and other FGM activists. This is NOT just a handful of tweets. This is a constant issue for them. And where are those trans activists (those who are not considered 'GC'), who support Hibo coming out in defence and support? I might well change my point of view if you can show me prominent trans activists calling out the 'handful', to date, I have not seen this.

No. Please stop minimising this as 'a handful' and stop inferring that Hibo was in the wrong ('mildly' or not) by stating her boundaries.

I read this type of post as undermining women's and girl's boundaries for the sake of someone else's needs.

@persistentwoman

Just a reminder of the rest of that post of Dadjoke's:

"She's clearly slightly transphobic, yes. She has never said "it's because I don't want to dilute my message that I don't want to include trans men." When she talks about women, she's explicitly referring to biology, as do most posters here - it's trans exclusionary, the very definition of transphobic "

Trans exclusionary to talk about biology that is the basis of the oppression of girls subject to FGM. Shame on you.

No.

Trans men also have vaginas. As you would say - that's biology. So it's excluding a bunch of people you would refer to as women. That's the entire basis of the very mild tweet from a trans man.

@persistentwoman

Just a reminder of the rest of that post of Dadjoke's:

"She's clearly slightly transphobic, yes. She has never said "it's because I don't want to dilute my message that I don't want to include trans men." When she talks about women, she's explicitly referring to biology, as do most posters here - it's trans exclusionary, the very definition of transphobic "

Trans exclusionary to talk about biology that is the basis of the oppression of girls subject to FGM. Shame on you.

Yes. Persistentwoman.

The reminder is very important.

Undermining victims of FGM, ie. women and girls, boundaries all the way.

We're talking about little girls being tortured and you want Hibo to change her language so she is less able to communicate with the women and girls who are victims of this torture so she doesn't offend a tiny minority of women who find mention of the fact they're women unpalatable.

I can only assume you can't possibly have any idea how badly you're coming across right now @DadJoke. I hope the dad in your name really is a joke.

Nope dadjoke

Hibo speaks for all women and girls

And here is a Leeds-based FGM support clinic launched in Leeds. They've managed to centre women with just a nod towards trans men. It's really not that hard.

Alison Lowe, CEO at Touchstone said:
“Touchstone is delighted to be part of this national NHS pilot programme. We feel the specialist needs of women (and some trans men) who have been subjected to FGM has not been met by previous services and this new pilot gives us the opportunity to put that right. Touchstone’s passion is the people it serves and we are excited to amplify the voices of this much marginalised group of people for the first time.”

touchstonesupport.org.uk/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-support-clinic-launches-in-leeds/

Is there even a single transman who has suffered FGM?

I agree with pp that those trying to get Hibo to adopt their recent redefinitions of "women" and "girls" just look like racist dicks.

Dadjoke

Why are you telling Hibo what to do what to write and what to think ?

It's bizzare how you demand that trans men are women, but then want to exclude them from services related to their biological needs.

We're talking about little girls being tortured and you want Hibo to change her language so she is less able to communicate with the women and girls who are victims of this torture so she doesn't offend a tiny minority of women who find mention of the fact they're women unpalatable.

I say once again, I am not demanding anything at all. I am not suggesting that she changes her language centering women. Sure, I'd like to see a single tweet acknowledging that she includes intersex people and trans men, but that's not a demand.

Prostate Cancer UK usually talks about men suffering from prostate cancer (because it's almost always men) but reminds people once in a while that trans women have prostates, too.

Why are you telling Hibo what to do what to write and what to think ?

Because he thinks this is some sort of totalitarian regime where anyone not displaying the correct sign is suspect.

And again, the question remains, a victim of FGM should have the right to describe herself and who she supports in her words. I am sure that she also would know just who in the UK has been affected by this brutality.

No one should be chiding her for this. No one. Not even mildly.

Why would Hibo have to care that her referring to 'women and girls' when talking about FGM makes some people feel excluded, when those people are not victims of FGM themselves? What's to got to do with her, it's not her issue?

Sure, I'd like to see a single tweet acknowledging that she includes intersex people and trans men, but that's not a demand.

What % of FGM victims are intersex and transmen out of interest?

Prostate Cancer UK usually talks about men suffering from prostate cancer (because it's almost always men) but reminds people once in a while that trans women have prostates, too.

Again, has there ever been a transman that has suffered from FGM????

I think not.

Sure, I'd like to see a single tweet acknowledging that she includes intersex people and trans men, but that's not a demand.

How sinister is this?

Relevant links:

hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/the-power-of-the-powerless-vaclav-havel-2011-12-23

The manager of a fruit-and-vegetable shop places in his window, among the onions and carrots, the slogan: "Workers of the world, unite!" Why does he do it? What is he trying to communicate to the world? Is he genuinely enthusiastic about the idea of unity among the workers of the world? Is his enthusiasm so great that he feels an irrepressible impulse to acquaint the public with his ideals? Has he really given more than a moment's thought to how such a unification might occur and what it would mean?

I think it can safely be assumed that the overwhelming majority of shopkeepers never think about the slogans they put in their windows, nor do they use them to express their real opinions. That poster was delivered to our greengrocer from the enterprise headquarters along with the onions and carrots. He put them all into the window simply because it has been done that way for years, because everyone does it, and because that is the way it has to be. If he were to refuse, there could be trouble. He could be reproached for not having the proper decoration in his window; someone might even accuse him of disloyalty. He does it because these things must be done if one is to get along in life. It is one of the thousands of details that guarantee him a relatively tranquil life "in harmony with society," as they say.

Sure, I'd like to see a single tweet acknowledging that she includes intersex people and trans men, but that's not a demand.

People with any of the 40 or so conditions under the intersex umbrella are male or female. Not some other.

@littlbrowndog

Dadjoke

Why are you telling Hibo what to do what to write and what to think ?

I am not telling her what to write or what to think. Me saying what I'd like to see is not that at all.

In summary:

I think she is doing great work.
I think it's unwise for the tiny handful of trans men and intersex people who are upset by her language to tweet at her.
I'd love to see her mention trans men, just once, but that's a wish not a demand.

No dadjoke

Hibo works for all women and girls

It’s really just that

Not complex

A woman fighting against the mutilation of young girls, criticised for not centring men.

Fucking Hell, I’ve had enough of this.

Sure, I'd like to see a single tweet acknowledging that she includes intersex people and trans men, but that's not a demand.

Intersex women are women. Stop othering them. They are not a third sex.

Women = women.
Trans Men = women.
Intersex Women = women.

All are covered under the word ‘women’.

*Prostate Cancer UK usually talks about men suffering from prostate cancer (because it's almost always men) but reminds people once in a while that trans women have prostates, too.

And yet, women's health charities are falling over themselves to never utter the word 'woman' but instead 'people with a cervix, uterus havers and birthing bodies'.

Prostate Cancer UK's entire campaign revolves around the word MEN, it's all over their stuff. And I haven't seen much in the way of any reminders that transwomen have prostates (shhhhhhh!)

Sorry my first paragraph was a quote there.

Seen the dove advert on the rugby for men

They are total bastards dove. Keep just using the word men

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Dove indeed are total bastards. They hate women and torture animals.