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I do not use the term TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) unless ppl use it themselves. Because, most trans-exclusionary ppl aren't feminists, let alone radical feminists; especially so for ppl with actual power to exclude, like Trump - military ban, insurance, toilets.
Some ppl are using/piggybacking on niche work from separatist feminism, lesbian feminism, cultural feminism & radical feminism to promote/progress conservative bigotry against trans ppl & widely LGBTQ+ communities. But many have never read that work & have no feminist background.
Writers like Raymond are gender-abolitionist. They define gender (masc,fem,etc) as social constructs that uphold sexism & must be abolished. Raymond said GNC natural & saw early gender ID clinics & SRS science as killing revolt against gender, that's the Empire she refers to.
Raymond argues that birth sex confers sex class & that sex-class is permanent, even if one changes sexed body. She defines 'woman' as: the total lifelong experience from pre-birth of being treated as a girl & woman in patriarchy. Thus she said trans women aren't 'real' women.
Then there's writers like Sheila Jeffreys who asserts that trans rights movement is jst part of larger powerful fetishistic men's movement for increased sexual access to women & children in order to abuse & control, eg lower consent age, ease porn regs, mainstream child sx abuse.
Jeffreys is also gender abolitionist, & has written against the beauty industry, fashion industry etc & advocates all women withdrawing from feminine gender role practices including beauty practices. & she promotes political lesbianism which is mainly leaving heterosexuality.
Many Radical Feminist theorists were anti-essentialist & rejected any trappings of cultural feminism. Many wrote about fluidity of gender & also sex, back in the 1960s. It is a huge generalisation & incorrect to equate radical feminism default with trans exclusion & bigotry.
It is documented that trans women were part of key feminist groups, including lesbian feminist & radical feminist groups, such as Sandy Stone in Olivia Records & the collective, Beth Elliott in lesbian feminist collective & an organiser of largest US lesbian conference in '73.
