Guardian article: Disaster patriarchy: how the pandemic has unleashed a war on women

[RoyalCorgi]

This article is by V, who used to be known as Eve Ensler (author of The Vaginal Monologues).

It's an excellent article, outlining the impact of things like domestic violence, sexual abuse and female genital mutilation and loss of schooling. Yet she writes: "In this devastating time of Covid we have seen an explosion of violence towards women, whether they are cisgender or gender-diverse."

It seems such a stark illustration of cognitive dissonance, when all the examples she then gives are so clearly of women and girls who have been abused and discriminated against precisely because they are biologically female.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jun/01/disaster-patriarchy-how-the-pandemic-has-unleashed-a-war-on-women

So yes , violence against women , no matter what gender they have

Ie gender is irrelevant when it comes to violence against women

Guardian always has a tiny maggot of a sentence about gender identity in their articles about women. It's to appease their wokey readers who will otherwise give them a negative comment.

Otherwise, yes, an excellent article.

what is 'gender diverse'? In this situation, does it just mean 'males'?

@ArabellaScott

what is 'gender diverse'? In this situation, does it just mean 'males'?

It is referring to anyone across the gender spectrum. In this context its most likely referring to trans women and non-binary folk that present as female, but it could also refer to trans men if they are being oppressed as women based on their biological sex i guess.

I read gender diverse as any female who doesn't see herself as particularly feminine

So any woman up to and including transmen

No way of knowing the authors intent is there

The vagina monologues came under a lot of criticism sadly and I don't think are in their original form now. Ie about women. To be more 'inclusive.'

Glad I bought my copy at the turn of the century!

@WarOnWomen

Guardian always has a tiny maggot of a sentence about gender identity in their articles about women. It's to appease their wokey readers who will otherwise give them a negative comment.

Yes, this. The article as a whole is clearly about women being disadvantaged by their biological femaleness, so this clunky sentence was just the usual protection payment to those standing sentry over public discourse.

If a term is that vague that none of us here can be sure of what it means, it's not really very useful, is it?

Because what it 'really means' is sex. Always. It doesn't matter what words people use to try and obfuscate the issue, the only term that has any useful meaning is sex.

I guess the crucial part of your answer, Patrichiarchy, is 'It is referring to anyone'. Males or females.

@ArabellaScott

I guess the crucial part of your answer, Patrichiarchy, is 'It is referring to anyone'. Males or females.

I guess, although I feel its clear from the context of the article being about patriarchical oppression that it would apply in this instance to those who present as women, regardless of their biological sex at birth. Presumably trans women also get the same poo-ey end of the patriarchy stick as cis women?

Transwomen are the patriarchy

@Tibtom

Transwomen are the patriarchy

That makes absolutely no sense, I assume you are joking?

Interestingly the article about hair transplants also on the website today happily just used "men" and "man" throughout with no thought at all to the "gender diverse" men out there with receding hairlines.

@LazyHorizon Nicely put.

@Patrichiarchy Why would she be joking?

@Syeknom What bigots, espicially when trans men are going to be in such need of their products.

Yes, excellent article, bar that one, jarring, note.

Guess it has to be thrown in, to appease the "woke" brigade. 🙄

Why would I be joking? Transwomen are men are therefore represent the patriarchy alongside other men. Just look at their dominance over women and the way their needs are priorotised over women's, their campaigns for the destruction of women's spaces, the way it is used to justify men taking women's places on boards of public bodies keeping women's voices absent.

I would imagine in this context 'gender diverse' would refer to female people who wish to identify out of their femaleness, possibly to protect themselves against violent abuse.

And the fact that 'gender diverse' people are still victims just goes to show that men always know who to abuse.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3573710-Need-to-just-get-this-out

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3145470-Break-it-down-for-me

to those who present as women, regardless of their biological sex at birth. Presumably trans women also get the same poo-ey end of the patriarchy stick as cis women?

Eh? In what sense does 'presenting as a woman' mean that someone is subject to patriarchal oppression? This is nothing to do with hair, makeup or clothing.

Women are oppressed because of their sex. No transwoman has to deal with the many biological factors a woman has to factor in to her life. They ain't dealing with the reproductive burden, and that is the end of it.

@Tibtom

Why would I be joking? Transwomen are men are therefore represent the patriarchy alongside other men. Just look at their dominance over women and the way their needs are priorotised over women's, their campaigns for the destruction of women's spaces, the way it is used to justify men taking women's places on boards of public bodies keeping women's voices absent.

In what way could a trans woman, someone who has rejected their masculinity and instead taken on the social roles and presentation of a woman, represent the patriarchy? Do you really think this is some secret plot to overthrow womens rights with men? As opposed to another woman in different circumstances fighting for the same rights you have?