scrolling on TikTok and um…… what…….
it's a big shift when you realize 99% of all actual beauty comes from nutrition, exercise, sleep, low-stress levels, and dental hygiene. And it doesn't come from makeup, clothes, fake hair, fake eyelashes and fake nails. If you actually want to "glow up" 99% of your focus should be on the former- all the other shit is just cheap nonsense for the most part.
the word “woman” was bad to describe us, so people said “female”. the word “female” was bad so people said “afab”. the word “afab” is now bad too (“talking about afab experiences is transmisogynistic”), and you apparently shouldn’t talk about the experiences of “people with vaginas” only, either.
discussing “radical feminism” was bad, so people said “feminism”, but that was bad, too, so people just talked about “misogyny”, but that was a “terf” dogwhistle, so people talked about “gendered socialization” but that’s a transmisogynistic discussion framework, apparently. So where do you go next?
It’s not that the words were offensive, it’s that the power they gave to women to exclusively discuss ourselves and our problems effectively and accurately was. It’s a silencing tactic. We could call ourselves anything as a sex class and it’d still be offensive that we found solidarity. You can’t talk about, find community with, or protect women if acknowledging sex is banned, and you can’t talk about women’s issues if acknowledging sexism is banned.
Let me describe to you what kind of world gender abolitionists actually dream about: When a child would be born it’s biological sex, being an actual physical reality, would be noticed but not a single assumption regarding the child’s personality would be made based on it. Growing up, children would be free to chose what toys and clothes they prefer. If they want to play with toy trucks or dolls, it would be fine either way. If they want to dress comfortably or in frilly colorful dresses, it would be fine. Regardless of the child’s biological sex. Certain personality traits would not be encouraged in members of one sex and discouraged in the other. Females would be free to be strong, brave and assertive and males would not be shamed for being shy and soft spoken. No female child would be called a tomboy and no male child would be called a sissy. No kid would ever be bullied for what we in our gendered world call “gender expression”. When children would reach puberty they would still be free to dress how they want. Females would not be pressured to wear clothes that reveal their bodies and males would not be shamed if they chose to. Everybody would have a free choice of accessories, which would not be categorized as “men’s” or “women’s” but people could should whichever they liked. Or chose to not wear accessories at all if that’s what they are more comfortable with. Females would not be pressured to keep their bodies slim, soft and hairless. Males would not be pressured to be athletic and muscular. Expectations of femininity and masculinity upon the body would not exist and affect negatively people’s relationship with their own body. Everyone could choose a career without fearing stigmatization within that particular field because of their biological sex. The most important thing would be competence and not what someone has between their legs. Domestic work would not be considered “women’s work” and would be shared equally between the sexes. Biological sex would only be thought about when relevant. Like for example in regards to issues surrounding sexual activity, reproduction or treatment of medical conditions related to a person’s biological sex. And everyone would be free to be themselves without ever having to worry about gender expectations. Nobody would feel the need to repress certain parts of their personality and exaggerate others in order to fit into some gender role that is being forced on them. Gender abolitionism is not about restricting people’s choices but about giving them greater freedom.
http://burningax.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/a-gender-free-world-boring/ (via genderheretic)
-Sofia
(via askaradfem)
one thing i dont think we talk enough about is how pretty much every sex ed resource for lesbian teens tells them they should be open to sex with male partners
i remember being 14/15 and googling how lesbian sex worked and just being confronted with site after site telling me that lesbian sex sometimes includes a penis and it was uninclusive and closed minded to think otherwise :)))
i guarantee you no girl or woman searching for lesbian sex ed resources is looking for advice on how to blow a guy or have piv intercourse, theyre looking for advice about sexual relationships between biologically female partners
i think people underestimate how ashamed and broken it made me and other lesbians feel to read that over and over. after reading those resources i felt so hopeless that i tried to force myself to be asexual because it was the only socially acceptable way to rule out having a male partner
constantly adding these ~helpful reminders~ is like telling lesbians that they just haven't met the right guy yet, and there is no context in which they should forget it
some of these were government affiliated websites insisting that exclusive homosexuality didnt exist, or at the very least that it was unthinkable and unpeakable
its a very impactful and insidious form of homophobia
Story: *medieval setting where a lesbian disguises as a man to marry the woman she loves, be able to practice sword fighting, and to avoid being married by force to a man*
The comments: omg transmasc?? Egg?? Whether she's a lesbian or transmac, it's still a 🌠queer🌠 story 🥰
Yeah these people don't seem like transmisogynists to me or anything
inshallah jk rowling loses her fortune and all her hateful deeds are returned to her x10