#genderessentialism

[redd956]

Hear me out!

Genderessentialism towards men is bad because it's genderessentialism

Forget how it promotes patriarchy, is sexist towards men, is inherently transphobic and intersexist, harms young men exploring their identities, creates a hostile environment between the binary genders, and is I dunno bad.

It's bad overall because it's genderessentialism

[smilepilled]

in the occasion you're actually curious (and that this may be useful for others), i'll leave a ramble below the cut. LONG POST AHEAD!

(thing)essentialism goes around like "if XYZ, then ABC" — in this case, it usually occurs like "if you have [biology] then you are [adjective]/ if you dont have [biology] you are [adjective]".

usually, bioessentialism also ties in with gender essentialism, its very distant relative/family friend (metaphorically of course), where if you are a certain gender you are [adjective]. namely — in both cases — the adjective or the phrase itself tends to always be negative, policing/controlling, political, inhumane/cruel, and the like. usually also has to do with marginalization/control of specific groups or minorities

things like "all males are tainted"/"all men are evil" fall directly under bioessentialism/gender essentialism, similarly to "all females are weaklings"/"all women are hysteric" (both very widespred). things like "intersex people are born wrong" or "genital surgery ruins your body" also count, for bioessentialism (and a pint of gender essentialism with the genital surgery).

bioessentialism and gender essentialism are heavily applied to trans and intersex individuals — not only theory, but IN PRACTICE.

for intersex individuals it usually has to do with bioessentialism, with a pint of gender essentialism as well — it can come packaged as "you're intersex, you can't/aren't [xyz]" or even the infamous "you're not intersex enough" (namely for people who "look perisex" but have a history of either forced/coerced OR voluntarily dealing with hormonal/chemical or physical/visual aspects related to being intersex) and many similar phrasings. this may also go deeper into the medical field, for example, where a intersex female with high hormonal differences (namely, lotsa testosterone) is said to be a male or otherwise contested against being a female wih high testosterone. this also may have ties with toxic binary gender spectations (and misoginy of course). it can also have to do with saying a intersex person is confused or otherwise taking their bodily autonomy from them (forced/coerced surgery is the main form of this, but there are many others, such as verbal and psychological abuse)

for trans people, it usually has to do with both (while leaning more towards gender essentialism, in a way) usually comes packaged as "you're not a real [binary girl/binary boy]", which can be present either at childhood through bullying/harrassment (e.g.: a girl being told shes not ladylike enough OR a boy being told hes not manly enough) or at adulthood (namely when someone discloses being trans, or even so much as mentions it vaguely [see: Transvestigating, Sexvestigating]. ironically, since gender is social, a lot of people who were bullied by being told "youre not a boy"/"youre a girl" or "youre not a girl"/"youre a boy" end up being trans because of the social stigma to their being, and then later on the same people dont accept it because its "not natural".

ADDITIONALLY, because of the two points above, a plentiful and massive amount of intersex people describe "feeling trans" because of having both of the aforementioned experiences, while sometimes still theoretically being "cis", by identifying with their enforced gender — in other cases, some end up not identifying with their enforced gender at all, or only partially, or with multiple other genders + that, or something else entirely. this isn't extensive, of course, and there's a lot of different intersex experiences with their biosex and their gender.

"okay but what does that have to do with what i said? you're not intersex, PCOS is not a DSD, it's about being ill/eating badly and because of that having unhealthy hormonal imbal—"

end the phrase right there. intersex as a label is not limited to cases falling under what you call a "DSD" — which is a term known for its villification of sex variations in human beings — and that's something intentional. the intersex community is painfully aware of how terminology and treatment from the medical sector is used to control them, and that's one of the many reasons that many of us avoid being too "strict" on definitions (as well as expanding the term by supporting people with similar experiences to come on in), because it only causes people suffering, ostracization and violence, if not death

if you want to have a decent conversation about this, i'd be delighted to, but from what i can see all you're worried about is taking the word INTERSEX away from people from PCOS, either because you think intersex people are mythical unicorn-like beings that only exist as 1 in five trillion people OR you think intersex is a "dirty word" to use for 'biological womyn with pcos' — both of which only make you sound like a pissed off bioessentialist freak.

"if intersex, = rare", "if pcos = perisex/dyadic/endosex/not intersex", "if intersex = DSD/born wrong" are all bioessentialist (medically abusive) BS, and people are tired of hearing it, myself and the entire community included. you either relearn or reconsider some stuff or get the volatile answers you deserve for the nerve you have to say some shit. science is slowly expanding to comprehend that its not as simple as a "disorser", but moreso a possibility that doesn't happen frequently BUT STILL EXISTS. years of erasure of multiple cases of being intersex have contributed to not only intersexism and the mythification of my people, but also the erasure of PCOS being intersex in any way (since plenty of women do have it, and itd break the myth of intersex people being "rare freaks of nature")

What is the meaning of bioessentialist?

You're plenty aware my friend

[s-exy-sapphillean]

It's rly disheartening that some queer people will unironically go "trans women may not be predatory men in dresses who are invading women's spaces, because they're actually women, but the actual men that wear dresses, oh those are perverse pedophiles trying to claim queer opression and invade women's spaces"

[miraculouslumination]

"Omg I can't stand when people try to use the intersectional feminist argument to include men. Like when they ask if a homeless man can be misogynistic to a rich woman. I'm just worried for the (poor helpless weak females) homeless women AROUND him!!"

So you just suck at intersectional feminism. Okay.

[variousqueerthings]

A striking demonstration comes from research investigating the risks people perceive from technological, lifestyle, and environmental hazards (like nuclear power, smoking, and ozone depletion). These studies routinely find that women perceive higher risks to themselves, family, and society from such hazards.

[...] Flynn and colleagues then subdivided the sample by ethnicity as well as sex, and discovered that one subgroup stood out from all the rest. Society seemed a significantly safer place to white males than it did to all other groups, including nonwhite men. 

[...] Flynn and colleagues then established that it was a particular subset of white males who were particularly cavalier about risks: those who, in response to the social justice movement’s currently fashionable suggestion to “check your privilege,” would take significantly longer than others to complete the task. These men were well educated, rich, and politically conservative, as well as more trusting of institutions and authorities, and opposed to a “power to the people” view of the world. A number of studies have now replicated this socalled “white male effect” with other large U.S. samples, and the research points to it being “not so much a ‘white male effect’ as a ‘white hierarchical and individualistic male effect.’” 

[...]

Interestingly, a recent study conducted in the more socially egalitarian and gender-equal Sweden failed to find the “white male effect.” This national survey of nearly fifteen hundred households found that, all else being equal—and in stark contrast with the U.S. data—Swedish men and women had very similar perceptions of lifestyle, environmental, technological, health, and social risks. 36 The survey found instead just a “white effect,” with people from foreign backgrounds, who are subject to social disenfranchisement and discrimination, perceiving risks as higher than did native Swedes

- Testosterone Rex, Cordelia Fine

(bolded by me)

[barrymccaulkinem]

in Hellboy, "it's got a dick!" would have been so much better a line than "its a boy!"

[a-polite-melody]

The counter to bioessentialism Is Not genderessentialism. It's the rejection of essentialism completely. Stop falling for the notion that throwing a different segment of the trans population under the bus is the way to progress.

[velvetvexations]

While my whole thing is not passing and being proud of that, I recognize it's important to a lot of other trans people and I don't begrudge them for having that as a goal at all. I'm not sure if a sub like that is a great tool, though, since it is so subjective and can even be regional - like in the case of the trans woman who talked about passing better in the Midwest because clothes tended to be bigger signifiers for the people there, whereas in California people were much quicker to expect gender non-conformity. Also, I have a friend who looks like one of the most masculine people I've ever known, and it astounds me that he somehow still gets misgendered. It really is more of an art than a science.

I get that TRFs don't actually care abt any of this. Bc if someone is actually happily detransitioned then they must be both cis (the enemy) and a traitor to transness (even worse). Which is why they're all so quick to pull out the No True Detrans, bc happy detransed ppl aren't Actually detrans bc they're Cis & therefore can't be Trans & therefore can't have detransed. Bc the TERFs are doing bioessentialism wrong but genderessentialism right, it's just actually abt someone's Identity & how they currently identify is the Only thing that matters, lived experiences be damned. Which is why they will always say that a fully closeted, pre-transition trans woman is TMA, but 'crossdressing' men & cis drag queens & someone mtftm & intersex women that weren't amab/camab are always TME. Bc transmisogyny is both a structural force & somehow only affects transfems, bc that's a grounded theory of oppression. (Sorry the rant got so long (⁠・⁠_⁠・⁠;⁠). I don't want to say anything on that post bc TERFs & TRFs have me unwilling to link the fact that I'm detrans to my blog, but I also just. Saw red, & thought it'd be like. 2 paragraphs. I'm so thankful ur here to talk to & tank the Scary Discoursers for those of us that are too scared, Velvet <3<3)

I do what I can because I must. <3 If it helps any, that TRF in particular is a well-known fucking clown.

Literally yes.

[the-autism-album]

Some of you are so afraid of being misgendered you weaponize that fear against other people in frankly wild ways . I'm tired as fuck and it's 3 in the morning so I might reword this later or something but like . You know cis people don't see us as our genders right . You know we are different from cis people right . Like . We are very much our genders but that doesn't exactly mean we're seen as what we really are socially . You can't just swap out bioessentialism for genderessentialism and call it a day . TERFism for TIRFism . Saying the trans men don't have male privilege isn't misgendering, it's acknowledging the material reality of how we're treated as stupid autistic girls (or, the moment we transition too far, evil testosterone filled threats) in society . Saying trans women are seen as perverted men by TERFs and other garden variety transphobes isn't misgendering, it is a major part of the arguments that are very overtly being used to kill trans women . This does not mean trans women are perverted men or trans men are whiny autistic girls, but it's how we're seen . They do not see us as we are, they barely (if at all) see us as real people to begin with . We are threatening concepts, constructed villains . It's wild to put your fingers in your ears and hide inside from what's going on around you in favor of online infighting about who Really Has the Gendered Privilege because fucking spoiler alert, none of us do !

[moonturtlephilosophy]

I replied to a post yesterday about 'radfems' talking about that radical isn't just for transphobic and or man hating women, because it's a very brought descriptor.

And my enteire coment chain was deleted/restricted even tho I didn't day anything wild? I just asked a question and then stated some facts? I am not entierly sure how this site works yet but I feel like someone shut my mouth against my will. I don't like it.

Hell, feminism as a whole is radical, for fucks sake.

---

radical

adjective

1.

(especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.

"a radical overhaul of the existing regulatory framework"

2.

advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social change; representing or supporting an extreme or progressive section of a political party.

---

Wanting to change and or abolish the partiarchy is, most of the time, radical. These 'gender criticals' are the opposite of radical since they pick and chose outdated features of the patriarchy like bioessentialism, genderessentialism, the binary myth, stuff like that and enforce them, aka try to stifle actual progress. Progress always starts as a radical idea.

For feminism that probably started with the then radical idea that women are, in fact, people. And should be treated as such. As women got more legal protections and rights, queer women entered the official conversation with the then radical idea, that they too, are people. And deserve rights. And so on.

The main radical idea now is probably that men need to be included in the conversation/ true intersectional feminism. Be it men/mascs in general or the conversations around trans men/mascs. And thats were the zeitgeist is at. Thats why those who focus on feminism but are stuck in their mindset/unable to evolve, tend to be terfs and stuff.

Intersectional feminism is oposed to bigotry and small mindedness, not being radical.

Now, some people don't stop at 'let it stay like it is' and actually want to revert backwards/against the direction of progress and if they go far enough, they could be right wing radical (yk, like fashists). To be fair, thats a lot of terfs. But that still doesnt mean they 'own' the term radical.

Aside from feminism, radical ideas are the cornerstone of all progress. ALL. I know public schools avoid the topic or tell you about "bad radicals" at best to scare you off, but that capitalist propaganda is something you should decode for yourself.

Yk, messages like "radical means so out there it's absurd" like.. bruh

Also, extremism and being radical are also two different things that many actors in out current climate wanna see muddled together. Learn the difference.

Moral of the story: men are and always have been included in real feminist conversations and feminism is inherently radical. Otherwise, what are you fighting for? What do you acomplish by NOT changing anything??

[nothorses]

hello! I saw your post you reblogged from baeddel-txt about the "men can't explain their feelings... they just have entitlement" idea. I'd also like to add onto that with the concept of another post I saw about how typically people will complain about men in ways that are very oddly specific to mental illness. as a trans man with ADHD, I also often struggle to putting words to my feelings. it is literally part of the disorder; so that "idea" is insensitive beyond bio/genderessentialism to boot

Yeah, also like... men are often taught not to explore, name, or express feelings. We're often punished for doing so, in fact- often by women!

And on the flip side, white women specifically are taught to weaponize their emotions as a way of claiming "victim status" in a situation, regardless of their own part in any harm done. Particularly against men of color.

Men are also often rewarded for lacking compassion, and women are also punished for (often presumed) emotionality, but like... not only is it ableist to imply that struggling with emotional expression means someone Doesn't Have Emotions, not only does it directly enable abuse and violence (both from and to men!), it's also a well-documented racist weapon against men of color.

But radical feminism is just second-wave feminism that never progressed to intersectionality, so we already knew it was racist.

[transenbyconfessions]

I'm so scared that transphobic sentiments are going to kill us all. not just from literal attacks, but from the psychological torture that is misgendering and transphobia.

stuff like "theyfab" and "biological gender" and bioessentialism, genderessentialism, queerphobia, forced detransition, people saying a family member be trans is like "losing a brother/sister", other transphobia.

I see people here asking if they're "just confused" and I feel very very scared for the future of trans wellbeing.

Submitted April 16, 2023

As always, I encourage anyone in crisis, or who otherwise needs support, to reach out to those who are qualified. Trans Lifeline is hotline available in the US and Canada.  The Trevor Project has a hotline, textline, and chatline available, and I believe is also for the US and Canada. If you’re not in a country where it is available, Befrienders has hotlines for different countries.

[xek-xek]

Some of the people on here, (not naming names) just traded bioessentialidm for genderessentialism and called it a day on deconstructing their biases.

[a-polite-melody]

I mean, that’s what badddelism was, an adaptation of radical feminism which swapped bioessentialism for genderessentialism, or a radical feminism which viewed trans people as their stated gender instead of assigned sex while keeping everything else from the theory in tact.

Cw for transphobia from other trans people

She goes on to sincerely argue that there is nothing inherent about manhood, so being a man (including a trans man) is a choice.

Comparing trans men transitioning to someone choosing to be a prison guard is so. interesting. This was the second post down in the transmisogyny tag. First reblog I saw:

Welcome to team baeddel.

[thereisbeautyintheordinary]

Here is a rare image of my sentiments in regards to your respectability politics and your expectations surrounding my genitals...

[yharnamsnewslug]

Hey so, controversial opinion but disabled people deserve to be part of this whole "Let's build a commune" movement. And I'm saying from the invisible disabilities to the most blatantly obvious - because you all seem to be unable to let go of the fact that someone's ability to work is not tied to their fucking value as a human being.

And tied to that is the fact that you all want to be punk and revolutionary and hyper feminist but you all can't let go of deeply rooted racism, transphobia and sexism, because you can't possibly think that beneath all your hyper woke philosophies, there are intrinsically fucked up social expectatives that you've assumed are real.

Ableism, racism, transphobia, sexism. All of these are issues that go deeper beyond "x thing bad". Why is it considered bad? Have you ever questioned that part?

"Disabled people don't belong in a commune", and you KNOW this is bad, but why? Dig deeper, and you see that it's because, "Disabled people aren't always available to put in physical work." But BENEATH that, there's, "Your value as a human being is tied to labor."

Just. Like. Can you all?? Think twice before you speak?? This is how we get twitterwoke and tumblrwoke people shouting that privilege is like a fucking Pokémon type chart.

Everyone is deserving of fucking humanity and if your Super Communist Commune For Gays doesn't take into account disabled people, then you're ableist. Look into yourself. Deconstruct the things you take as real. For fuck's sake.