The primary target of Lily Cade's manifesto is trans women by far, but I do think it's worth discussing that even I had no idea about the portion related to trans men until I read the full manifesto. Discussing both does not minimize the greater attack against trans women.
I actually think discussing both, and how they interplay with each other, is much more illuminating than discussing either in isolation. The rhetoric Cade uses is not new - it's recycled from the same double-sided misogyny that is always weaponized into transphobia.
Because besides the overt racism, the transphobia, there is one overarching theme - misogyny and a commitment to traditional gender roles, to be enforced with sexual and sexualized violence.
The full blog post can be found here. Please use extreme caution when approaching it, for transphobia, transmisogyny, rape, violence, death, pedophilia, racism, sexual assault and more.
https://twitter.com/AnaMardoll/status/1455955093916950529?t=mQkLSu-_Io4oEaED6KwuJA&s=19
And you may ask yourself, why does this matter? Why are we still talking about this?
1) The BBC used this person as an expert source on trans issues.
2) These views (and their underlying philosophy) are not at all uncommon among the "gender critical".
3) Silence is compliance.
1) The BBC used this person as an expert source on trans issues.
2) These views (and their underlying philosophy) are not at all uncommon among the "gender critical".
3) Silence is compliance.
TW homophobia, misogyny, transphobia, transmisogyny, pedophilia, rape, bestiality, racism
Cade repeatedly calls for men to step in and "protect" women. This is done with rampant homophobia and an insistence that "real" men follow traditional gender roles.
Cade repeatedly calls for men to step in and "protect" women. This is done with rampant homophobia and an insistence that "real" men follow traditional gender roles.
She specifically calls for cis men to attack trans women, who she claims are coercing AFAB children into transitioning. This is both the transmisogyny of painting trans women as dangerous and the misogyny of painting AFAB trans people as "children", incapable and impressionable.
Transphobia in general relies on the interplay of these two narratives; that trans women are dangerous, and that trans men are naïve. These reflect the traditional gender roles transphobes ascribe to; they believe that men are inherently dangerous and women inherently weak.
The calls to attack trans women are seen as the appropriate response to the perceived inherent danger and aggression of men. The calls to ignore and belittle trans men are seen as an appropriate response to the perceived weakness and naivety of women.
It is important to draw these links between "gender criticism" and misogyny, as "gender critics", including Cade, claim that their rhetoric is in the name of feminism and "protecting" women.
TW misogyny, transphobia, transmisogyny, pedophilia, rape
But this "protection" only extends to women who fulfill traditional gender roles as well. As Cade rages against any man she perceives as "not manly enough", so she rages against "women" she perceives as "traitors".
But this "protection" only extends to women who fulfill traditional gender roles as well. As Cade rages against any man she perceives as "not manly enough", so she rages against "women" she perceives as "traitors".
She rages against trans men and AFAB nonbinary people, labelling us as traitors, specifically for not being sexually available or servile. Her insults are based almost entirely in sexuality and slut-shaming.
Is this your feminism?
Is this your feminism?
TW rape, misogyny, transphobia
She also prescribes corrective rape to fix trans men and AFAB nonbinary people. This has a history both deeply rooted in misogyny and transphobia, explained further in this excellent thread.
She also prescribes corrective rape to fix trans men and AFAB nonbinary people. This has a history both deeply rooted in misogyny and transphobia, explained further in this excellent thread.
https://twitter.com/JohannesTEvans/status/1456198340354482183?s=20
As with all transphobia, Cade describes the deviation from gender roles as being the greatest evil. Trans women, trans men and nonbinary people are both not man enough and not woman enough to fit in the prescribed roles those like Cade demand.
This is one particularly illustrative example of how transmasculine and nonbinary erasure, transmisogyny, transphobia, misogyny and rape culture are all inseparable and deeply intertwined. There is no feminism that excludes trans people, and does not fight for trans women.
This matters. It matters because Cade is far from the only one. It matters because this rhetoric is currently being used to attempt to recruit people you know to the "gender critical" movement. Fight back with us.
https://twitter.com/CaseyExplosion/status/1456300560806817794?t=Gx7XSmhnbIl0rs04emA7LQ&s=19
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