Thoughts on reading the new piece by Holly Lawford-Smith: I couldn’t disagree more.
HLS gets the “TWAM” part of the argument correct; there is no way a man could know what it feels like to be a woman, for neither their own internal experience, nor the cultural milieu, give them access to a female perspective
But the part I disagree with is the second part; HLS argues that TMAM, because the male perspective is everywhere, so TM are able to interpret their feelings as Male. She claims this gives legitimacy to the TMAM claim.
This seems like a misreading of the situation
This seems like a misreading of the situation
Firstly; we’re all steeped in the same cultural milieu. If TM are ‘Male-identified’, then this may be true of any of us. Does that mean that any Male-identifiedeiman should be believed if she claims to be a man?
Secondly; what upsets me about this piece is lesbophobia. The idea that we flippantly dismiss women that identify as men from the ‘in-group’ is rooted in a discomfort with lesbian sexuality. Because identifying with the Male role is a common experience for lesbians
The culture gives us access to a heterosexual framing of our attractions: “men love women. I love women. Therefore, I am a man”. It is true that internalised lesbophobia affects us; some more than others. Including being told that our desires mean we are ‘manly’
It may well be comfortable for heterosexual women to dismiss TMAM, rather then ask why so many of our sisters find refuge from a deeply lesbophobic culture, in a popular delusion. It is not comfortable for the rest of us. Your bias is showing.
Women are my sisters. All women. Women with facial hair. Women that love women. Women in flannel. Women that use “he/him” or “they” pronouns. Women that want to be the Prince, and marry the Princess. All of you are my sisters.
If male identification is sufficient to turn a woman into a man, then could any deeply Male-identified women be considered to be a man? Clearly not!
No matter our internal experience. Our sex is immutable. Fixed at conception.
No matter our internal experience. Our sex is immutable. Fixed at conception.
