I read it as well and it confused me too. I know what a terf is but the violence within the gltbqi community is ridiculous.

Terf is a trans exclusionary radical feminist.

Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism
 

Thanks, JDeere; okay, so I finally googled Wikipedia:

"They are, in short, a hate group that by no means represents mainstream feminism."

Ah, I now get that their violence is motivated by hatred - absolutely horrid. First, I learned about the incel movement because of the Toronto van killings, and now this! Am stunned!
Women grouping together (vigilantism) & beating up transfolk - mind-boggling.

There have been transfolk who have beat up on TERF'S as well.

I really have not wanted to talk about this here.

I have no way of knowing how it would be received here but it is a very, very, big issue out in the rest of the lesbian world.

There are blogs upon blogs and posts in Tumblr and Twitter and forums, of a large group of transwomen advocating violence against lesbians that chose to not have sex with them, but chose to have sex only with biologically female lesbians.

I have seen and could post here- but won't- of some of the most vicious calls for violence against lesbians, as well as documented celebrations of actual violence against lesbians.

It has become a "thing" in the world outside of BFP.

It upsets me beyond measure.

TERF is a slur. It is a vile slur.

It is once again women being attacked.

You won't find gay men being attacked verbally or physically by transmen if they chose to have sex with only biologically gay men.

No, Only lesbians get this treatment.

What JDeere is referring to is the most recent experience in which a lesbian in a bar made a comment pereceived to be anti-transwomen, so a group of her friends, including the transwoman, beat the shit out of the lesbian outside the bar and then celebrated that they did this online afterward. I read all of their posts.

What the everlasting fuck??!

After all the years that lesbians fought for their right to exist and fuck who they choose, lesbians are being verbally and physically attacked within the queer community?

It feels to many lesbians that there is an attempt to erase us.

BFP has been a safe place for me. I have not had to deal with this here but out in the rest of the real world and the online community it is now happening.

I was so eloquent in my first version of this post. Then the ether ate it.

TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist) is to MtFs as incel (involuntarily celibate - men who can't find women willing to have sex with them) is to men. I don't owe anyone sex. To say that I do is to take away my right of self-determination.

And incels are talking online about getting what is owed to them - by force if necessary. This sounds remarkably similar to the group of MtFs who allegedly beat up the lesbian in the article. Give them what they want or they'll punish us. The first would be rape, and the second is battery. The amount of anger I felt reading that article stunned me.

Both reek to me of male privilege gone wrong. It's not the fact that the physical transition for the trans woman in the article isn't complete that ensures lesbians find her unattractive. It's the fact that anyone expects someone to have sex with them that makes them unattractive.

TERF is a term applied to us not adopted by us. And that slur doesn't effect me at all because it's not a descriptor of me. It does tell me all I would need to know about someone who uses the term.

I can't imagine living in a body which doesn't match my internal knowledge of my real self. It's not an excuse to belittle others or hurt others.

If I offended anyone with this post, please PM me. It was not my intent.

Thank you for this.

No clue. I was completely appalled at the whole situation in the article. I still have yet to fully understand.

This is the first I have heard of TERF. It's horrible. It seems like hate is rampant these days. I suppose it was always there we just didn't have all the means of hearing about it as we do now. :(

I've known of TERFS for a very long time. Dont like em probably as much as they don't like me but ya know violence only makes shit worse.

TERFS are what lesbians are called that choose to have relationships with female born women.

They are called that by queer-identified transwomen that believe violence against lesbians that do not have sex with them is called for.

Is that what you mean when you say that you have known TERFS for a long time and don't like them?

TERF is a slur.

Hold up, folks.

I am getting messages and reports because several folks are very concerned about where this discussion is going...and I am too.

Just to be clear, this thread is a thread for Trans News and Issues. It does not feel safe or fair to have the "TERF" discussion in this thread since that term is being used to describe people who largely identify as Lesbians.

From my own studies, the usage of "TERF" has denoted Lesbians who are "Trans-exclusionary" from their brand of "Radical Feminism", meaning, they DO NOT view MtF's as "real" women. One could make the argument ( and I have seen it in multiple venues) that not seeing Trans women as "real" women is the real reason that Trans-exclusionists don't want to have sex with them.

Do we all agree that nobody of any gender owes sex to another person? God, I hope so. If not, get the fuck off of my site.

I would absolutely be down for having an in-depth, heated, radical discussion about the term "TERF" in the Red Zone, but not here.

Carry on.

Thank you,
Angie

Red zone is fine with me. My purpose was to bring to life the fact that this still exists and that the trans community should know shit like this still happens.

Just a gentle reminder to all that if we mod, please don't respond on the thread to it. If you want to PM us regarding it, that's alright.

2018 LGBTQ Pride News Coverage @ Huffpost
 

I'm leaving an link today to some exceptional news coverage and latest articles found on the Huffington Post website. Lots of interesting stories about how current day activists and LGBTQ pioneers are shaping progress for others in the Trans community and how Matthew Shepherd policy advocates play an critical role in furthering social progress for all.

Cheers,
--K. :rose:

https://m.huffpost.com/us/feature/pride-2018

Interesting article on sex/gender development
 

Hi folks! I've just come across this article entitled "Non-coding DNA changes the genitals you're born with" on the Science Daily website:http://https://www.sciencedaily.com/...0614213729.htm

It's a fascinating and thought-provoking read!

Really would like to read this article, there seems to
be some difficulty with the link. Would you be so kind
as to check and repost. Thanx

Sure! That's weird, two posts in a row where I've posted links and they've not come out right. Never mind!

Here's the link again: https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0614213729.htm

Works great now. Much appreciated. Really interesting article.

The discussion about "TERF" vs FTM and the origin of the term and concept will be continued in the Red Zone. I will start a thread for further discussion pro or against.

Diva Magazine responds firmly and clearly against the LRA
 

Diva magazine, the UK's only (I think) magazine aimed at lesbian and bi women, has spoken out against the shameful activities of the transphobic group calling themselves the "Lesbian Rights Alliance"
http://www.divamag.co.uk/Diva-Magazi...-speak-for-us/

I can say that from personal experience, as well as keeping a look out for items relating to trans issues, that it's clear that, at least in the UK, the LRA and those of like mind are but a tiny minority, and their agenda is firmly rejected by the vast majority of both lesbians and feminists.

The quest to make German more gender-neutral (language)

From the news headlines this morning, I read the latest article on how the current administration is trying to undo law on the books concerning Trans people in the greater LGBTQ community (see link below).

:firetruck: :firetruck: :firetruck: :firetruck: :firetruck:


T***p Administration Eyes Defining Transgender Out Of Existence

This policy change would mean that intersex people would no longer officially exist.

I think you are so correct, Cheryl.

The latest attacks levied against members of the greater LBGTQ community is very concerning and deeply worrisome.

I wondered what Dapper, Jesse or TheOddz or Anya (or other members of our community) might post concerning this issue and I came up with an excellent resource for press coverage on Trans Issues for members of our online community.

1) The Advocate


and...

2) Here is an recent press release by The Advocate, covering what Trans members are doing locally and at national levels of press coverage.


We Will Not Be Erased (video and press release by The Advocate)

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Condemns Discriminatory Policy in the US
 

I am so proud of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association*; they're speaking up loud and clear against recent proposed changes to legislation involving trans and intersex folk in the USA, and calling for other sports bodies to speak up too:

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Condemns Discriminatory Policy in the US

*I'm a non-skating member of the Birmingham Blitz Dames, currently on sabbatical whilst I do my degree)

It could cause transfolk to be disappeared as the Holocaust did to "gypsies". How many people nowadays have heard of the Romanies?

In Aust this has just been launched,to combat the same battle that is happening in the USA.
SAGE,won the high court battle for non gender specific birth certificates and passports.
The Norrie case.

Also in 2011,we won our case for me to get M,on my birth certificate,without having to be steralised "hysterectomy",although 3 yrs ago it was removed,due to ovarian cancer.

http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/...OSqVdGkfCCe4nc

ATM we have a full blown fundamentalist christian Prime minister,"not vai election"who is funded by the religious far right

FILE - Reigning champion Patricia Manuel, of Commerce, Calif., competes in a 132-pound division at the 2010 USA boxing national championships, July 15, 2010, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Saturday night, Manuel, a transgender male, won his first professional bout.



A 33-year-old boxer entered the history books Saturday.

Pat Manuel is the first transgender male to fight professionally in the United States.

In a unanimous decision, Manuel was declared the winner in a fight against Mexican super-featherweight Hugo Aguilar in Indio, California.

“I’m a professional boxer now,” Manuel told the Los Angeles Times.

Saturday was not Manuel’s first foray into the boxing ring, however.

Olympic trials

He competed as a female in the 2012 Olympic trials for the London Games. A shoulder injury after just one fight dashed his Olympic dreams of competing in the first Olympic boxing tournament for women.

The end of one dream allowed him to pursue another dream he had held even longer — transitioning from a female to a male.

After months of hormone replacements and surgery, Manuel was ready to enter the ring again, but this time as a male.

California boxing authorities were not sure about issuing Manuel a boxing license. That all changed, however, when the International Olympic Committee ruled before the 2016 Rio Games that female-to-male transgender athletes could compete “without restriction.”

California license

California issued Manuel a license.

Aguilar, Manuel’s opponent Saturday, learned only two days before the fight about Manuel’s transition.

“It doesn’t change anything for me,” Aguilar said. “In the ring, he wants to win and I want to win, too.”

I have, maybe a handful of times, but I do know what you are speaking about!

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Romanies


However on the subject of trans people "non exisiting" I don't see it happening, native tribes to this day still acknowledge their members who are two spirit, I am thankful mine does!

NCAA board of governors takes a stand in support of Trans athletes.

Article by Mother Jones:

https://www.motherjones.com/mojo-wir...rans-athletes/

How cool is this......
 

Brian Michael Smith of '9-1-1 Lonestar' is first transgender man to make 'People' list of 'Sexiest Men'.....




https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/bria...182441455.html

Washington Post


The mental health establishment is failing trans kids.



https://www.yahoo.com/news/mental-he...002806212.html

The mental health establishment and health care systems is failing everyone, but its failing more on lgbtqi individuals and indigenous people as well.

Is there any single group that's being served properly by the medical/psychiatric community, not lgbtq, not cis-folk, not bipoc?

Medical workers are simply exhausted. I can't imagine having to be a nurse through a 2+ year long pandemic. Barely made it through a 10 day hurricane. I truly have no clue. My hat is off to all of those professionals.

mainly rich people of all colors, get proper healthcare...