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).

Likewise, it surprises me that GC feminists spend so much of their time and energy against a tiny group of marginalised people, when there are other, more important issues to address

Like defended women's spaces, services and sports, and indeed the very language that is specific to women?

I simply cannot fathom the extreme narcissism inherent in prioritising ideological conformity and personal sensitivity over the reality of suffering due to having been born female as manifested in FGM.

defending

While I am really cross about the disgusting attempts to get Hibo to focus her attention on people who have nothing to do with her campaign, my t shirt makes me feel better. I'm hoping tomorrow might actually be warm enough to wear it without a jumper over it!

I have admired Hibo for years for her ability to confront the horror of her own life to prevent it happening to other girls. Her focus on their pain and that alone is relentless and true and pure. She has endured a hell of a lot more in her life than any of those bleating ninnies can imagine.

I bet she's a fierce mum!

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

Biology is transphobic then. Perhaps you ought to take that up with Mother Nature, or with God - whichever suits your personal take on matters.

Did anyone clock this creep responding to the video?

*I'm sitting here feeling utterly heartbroken about what is happening to these little girls, coupled with outright fury that trans activists are trying to make even this about them8

Yes! Unbelievable! Truly!

Likewise, it surprises me that GC feminists spend so much of their time and energy against a tiny group of marginalised people, when there are other, more important issues to address.

Women, and Hibo in particular, are trying to spend our energy in protesting and protecting for a sizeable minority of voiceless girls against a barbaric practice.
That you and your ilk decide to shoe horn your way into a campaign that has absolutely nothing to do with you, and when we respond then whine that we are not spending our time on more important issues is crass in the extreme.

You stay in your lane, we’re busy with real world problems.

What I notice, revisiting it, is that Hibo is being called transphobic for describing herself and other victims of FGM as women and girls.

We're supposed to respect the way people identify themselves, aren't we? Hibo doesn't think of herself as "someone with a cervix". Surely she's not obliged to? And I think she's got far more insight into how Somali girls at risk of FGM think of themselves, hasn't she?

She never called this transman a woman. She wasn't talking to him or about him.

But this transman was hurt and offended by how other people described themselves and imposing language on them, and this is evidence that Hibo is transphobic?

I wonder. Was this transman white? Probably American as they were replying to a CNN post. Is this evidence the young transman was racist and thinks of black people, especially black women, as there to affirm the feelings of white people like himself?

Or, given that he probably terms women like Hibo as cis, maybe he's simply "cisphobic".

Im shocked and disgusted that anyone would defend the self centred arseholes who have defamed Hibo and distracted her from her important work.
Its not about you.
I very much doubt any of these people know the meaning of 'distressed invalidated and alienated'.
If they would have the guts they could read about how a small girl was distressed, invalidated, alienated from her own mother, violated, mutilated and scarred.
Anyone who could read that and then think 'but what about me?'
Is seriously sick in the fucking head.
Its not about you.
If you know these people, don't defend them, or make excuses, get them help, as a matter of urgency.
Its not excusable.
Its shameful and low.

Yeah dadjoke

The 200 million girls and women living with FGM today

Yet there you are whining about transphobia

No empathy or thoughts for 200 million girls and women

Or saying great work Hibo

Honestly. What a thing to say or think 🤔

The insensitive, self-righteous attacks on women like Hibo is one of the most egregious missteps made by proponents of the doctrine of gender identity. Because FGM has nothing whatsoever to do with identity and everything with biology, there are no benign reasons whatsoever for bringing gender identity into this particular women's rights campaign.

Most people who hear the stories of FGM survivors are filled with deep sorrow for these women and girls and horror at what was done to them. And their instinctive reaction is that this practice of mutilating girls must stop. I honestly believe that there is something very wrong with those who on hearing these brave women speak can think only of their own feelings. For those who shame themselves by seeking to censor Hibo's language so that believers in the doctrine of gender identity can feel validated I feel nothing but revulsion. Their behaviour contributes nothing to anti-FGM campaigns and forces campaigners to waste time and energy on defending their right to name the victims as women and girls. I view the demand to sever the connection between being female and being subjected to female genital mutilation as an attempt to sabotage anti-FGM work. And that is despicable.

I kind of get why they do it. Once you acknowledge the principle that things can happen to girls and women because of their sex not their gender, then what have you got left?

I kind of get why they do it. Once you acknowledge the principle that things can happen to girls and women because of their sex not their gender, then what have you got left?

YY Floisme. Genderists can make no concessions, ever.

Well, from a tactical point of view I suppose. But from a moral view? How could anyone argue that nonsense and sleep at night?

I don't think it's even tactical. My guess is that it's just a visceral feeling: any concession, even on this issue - especially on this issue - must be resisted.

Floisme it really is as simple as that and therefore even more inexcusable

Well, from a tactical point of view I suppose. But from a moral view? How could anyone argue that nonsense and sleep at night?

Don't make the mistake of judging narcissists by the standards of the average person.

Hibo is a fucking hero. This is a great thread.

@DadJoke

This isn't about trans women. It's about the exclusion of trans men for no good reason. When she was asked to include trans men by a trans man, she said "Not interested, bye." Coming from someone who clearly believes trans men are women, that's pretty harsh.

Can you tell us exactly why a group of women and girls who undoubtedly would qualify as some of the most marginalised people in the world, need to change their language? To change the words they use to describe their situation?

And how lacking in empathy is any person that insists on this inclusive language by talking about ‘their’ alienation, their pain at not being considered by this group?

And finally, how lacking in empathy is any person who believes that a person inserting themselves into a campaign for these women and girls had been harshly treated?

All I can say is, keep posting in this style, on this board that is part of the largest patently forum in the world with a goodly portion being mothers. It really shows the complete picture of someone who is deep in their ideological world and how detached they are from the material realities of the rest of the world.

I don't think it's even tactical. My guess is that it's just a visceral feeling: any concession, even on this issue - especially on this issue - must be resisted

Yes, it is living in a permanent state of defence lest anything unwelcome intrude. Then having the nerve to suggest being under attack. When you are so defended then everything outside of that citadel is a threat: thoughts, words, intentions, the mere reality of the existence of others - especially when that reality diverges from your own.

Floisme it really is as simple as that and therefore even more inexcusable

Everything becomes an existential threat. So we see the whole 'denying that trans people exist' trope.

👏Helleofabore .
Shame on them all!

@Helleofabore

You are putting a whole bunch of words into my mouth. I am not telling anyone to do anything. I think that Hibo's comments were mildly transphobic, but I that transgender people and allies should leave her be - there are much more worthy targets. Hibo is doing good work.

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. Almost every link to Hibo on this topic is a mumsnet thread, or GC feminists doing a screencap.

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.

I think this takes us to the heart of the debate: do girls and women suffer oppression and discrimination because of their sex or because of their gender identity? If you concede it's the first then it's much harder to make the argument for gender based spaces.