Building on earlier thoughts, characteristics of cultural feminism are quite prevalent in GC & terve spaces, so it's helpful to be able to recognize them. A short summary of the tendency: WHAT IS IT?: cultural feminism grew out of the radical feminism movement. Whereas the radical feminists sought to abolish gender--making sexual characteristics socially irrelevant-- cultural feminists sought to reclaim "female values." Its characteristics:

Increasingly annoyed by the language that is used in GC circles. Frequently, GCs reify their own ideas by declaring them "reality," "truth," "objective," etc., the obvious message being that their perspective is just self-evidently correct, not even subject to interrogation. In conjunction with naming the opposing viewpoint "gender ideology" or "trans ideology," the GC belief system is portrayed as simple, indisputable fact rather than an ideology itself, and the opposing viewpoint is the result of a disconnect or diversion from "reality."

Left-wing groups have been told for years that they need to prioritize the issues and concerns of men and stress their disillusion under patriarchy. It seems to have done very little to actually appeal to said men, yet the point is still repeated as a failure of feminism. Men who feel disillusioned by not meeting the expectations of manhood/masculinity gravitate towards MRA/redpill communities precisely because they promise them what they identify as their right as men: the submission of women, respect & status for the sole reason of being a man.

I, and others detrans people, have been accused of presenting ourselves as the trans equivalents of ex-gays, and as implicitly endorsing conversion therapy by virtue of using the "detrans" label. There's wariness about the term that I understand, but we have reasons for using it. As a GNC woman who medically/surgically transitioned, I will probably always have traits that situate me outside the gender/sex binary. Being GNC feels true to who I am and I have no desire to rid myself of masculine features. But it does means I will be othered.

When I first started detransitioning, I felt lost, scared, and ashamed. It felt like I was proving right those who said I'd change my mind. I felt like I'd ruined myself. That if I was so determined to transition and it didn't work out, then I could never trust myself again. But I hadn't done anything wrong and there was nothing wrong with me. I transitioned because I was enduring pain severe enough to interfere with living a normal life. For years, it did help me. Transitioning didn't really make my life worse and I never regretted any treatment.

A while back I got a comment on a chat I had about my detrans experience. It contained the usual "oh how tragic, how heartbreaking this poor confused girl etc etc" but what really caught me was: "she will never find a partner." Well, nevermind that I'm married. Why, exactly, would I "never find a partner?" Because of my hairiness, or my voice or my flat chest? Why are these traits seen as defects, as things that make me fundamentally unattractive and unlovable?

Some of the replies/QTs on my Detrans Awareness Day post.

It's interesting that the common refrain is "listen to detransitioners," but once a detransitioner has opinions that they don't like, it becomes "shut up, narcissistic gaslighting cultist." Common between these messages is the explicit or implicit belief that I am not a "real" detransitioner, that I am lying about my experiences or identity. Or, that I am indoctrinated by the "trans cult" and therefor cannot be trusted to speak on matters of my own detransition.

Today is #DetransAwarenessDay.

Today has mostly been used to weaponize detransitioners against trans rights, as anti-trans voices have so often done to us.

I want to embrace a different kind of #DetransAwareness.

Here's what I want people to be aware of on detransition: - Much like trans identity, the way we conceptualize our detransition and current gender varies widely from person to person. Some of us still ID as trans, NB, or some form of gender diverse. Some of us ID as our AGAB. There's no singular "detransitioner experience."

Sometimes there isn't a perfect answer to your discomforts. Sometimes things don't work out how you'd hoped. That can be devastating, but it doesn't need to be life-ending. In a world that viewed TGD with respect & care, we'd have the resources, information, and support to cope. When I decided I needed to detransition, I was shocked by the absolute lack of resources. There was little info on what I could expect. Most 'communities' were oriented around self-hatred and/or anti-trans ideologies, not support or mutual uplifting.

I decided to do it alone.

There's an assumption that because I'm detrans, I must support restricting trans healthcare. This comes from both pro- and anti-trans folks.

While I understand why ppl think this, not all detrans ppl are pro-gatekeeping.

here are some things I want, as a detrans person.. - research into health post-detrans. what to expect after medical/surgical detransition, short and long-term
- legal protections & resources for TGNC ppl
- safety to talk about de/retrans experiences w/o fear of harassment, or fear that our stories will be used w/o our consent

If we were to survey incarcerated women on the issues that concern them the most, I'm fairly confident that "trans women in female prisons" would not be very high on the list. Incarcerated women have higher rates of mental health issues, substance abuse, unresolved trauma, history of abuse, STIs, breast and cervical cancer, preterm birth, miscarriage.. Their health is failed by the prison system.

Why are we not talking about that?