#genital autonomy

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Alejandro Sanchez

Published: May 22, 2024

Following the Worldwide Day of Genital Autonomy earlier this month, Dr Alejandro Sanchez notes that while child rights continue to progress, boys at risk of non-therapeutic circumcision are being left behind.

Tuesday, May 7, marked the 12th annual Worldwide Day of Genital Autonomy (WWDOGA). WWDOGA commemorates the anniversary of a landmark ruling of Cologne's Landgericht (Court of Appeal), which on May 7 2012 held that religious circumcision of boys amounted to criminal battery.

The ruling was, unfortunately, not to last. Unwilling to be the only jurisdiction in the world to outlaw non-therapeutic circumcision (NTMC), the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, passed a resolution to explicitly legalise the practice. This was despite "the constitutionally protected legal positions of the well-being of the child, the right to bodily integrity, [and] the right to religious freedom".

Nevertheless, the ruling makes Cologne in some sense the spiritual vanguard of the genital autonomy movement.

Each year in the city, WWDOGA brings together doctors, lawyers and child rights advocates from across the globe to process through the streets in opposition to all forms of non-therapeutic childhood genital cutting: female genital mutilation (FGM), circumcision and intersex cutting. The day culminates in speeches in the old town square.

This year, Rubine Singh, of Cologne's intersex support group baraka, shared a moving story of being born intersex in India and being spared unnecessary genital surgery.

"I stand here today as a happy and lucky intersex person", Rubine said, adding: "I want to live in a world where it is not a matter of luck whether you face the knife."

Lilith Raza, of Germany's Lesbian and Gay Federation+, powerfully recounted being subjected to NTMC at the age of five without anaesthesia and pinned down by four people

For me, WWODGA serves as an opportunity to take stock on our work to end non-consensual religious and cultural circumcision. As I mentioned in my speech, it's been a busy year for the NSS on this front: We've lobbied MPs, met with medical organisations, made the case against circumcision before the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva, and recruited prominent voices in cutting communities to support our campaign.

It also represents a chance to think about opportunities that lie ahead.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Children's Health takes a permissive stance on NTMC. It defers to General Medical Council guidance which not only greenlights circumcision, but permits parents to "invite their religious adviser to be present during the procedure to give advice on how it should be performed to meet the requirements of their faith." (The mind boggles.)

However, the College's recent call for a legislative ban on "smacking, hitting, and slapping" a child will put its stance on NTMC to the test. Readers will reach their own conclusions on the wisdom of such a ban, but it would seem absurd to support criminalising a smack on the bottom while defending the 'right' to cut off part of a child's penis.

Meanwhile, Scotland has become the first nation in the UK to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) into domestic law. The UNCRC Act, due to come into force in July, will impose a duty on public bodies to act compatibly with the Convention.

Statutory guidance on the Act recognises "childhood is a special time which must have additional protections" and sets out a vision to make Scotland "the best place in the world to grow up". This vision is to be underpinned by the four 'General Principles' of the UNCRC: non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the child's right to life and the child's right to be heard.

This is to be commended. There is, however, one snag: Scotland is also the only UK nation to provide ritual circumcision on its NHS. How will Bute House reconcile its lofty language on child rights with a state-sanctioned programme of infant genital cutting that nakedly violates all four General Principles?

For a solution, they need look no further than the 2016 recommendation of the Committee that oversees the CRC: "Ensure that no one is subjected to unnecessary medical or surgical treatment during infancy or childhood" and "guarantee bodily integrity, autonomy and self-determination to children concerned".

It is telling that in response the Scottish government laid out strategies to end FGM and intersex cutting, but remained silent on NTMC. The head in the sand approach is a tried-and-true one, and it's easy to feel that nothing will ever change.

As I said at WWDOGA, when it comes to circumcision: "the task is daunting and progress is slow, but we won't give up."

==

[akroposthia]

“People like to theorise and/or justify circumcision in others' works of art and creations, including fantasy worlds. They believe they are being pragmatic about the topic. How do I respond?”

If someone is trying to justify circumcision in a work of art or creation, it's important to remember that these are fictional worlds and should not be used to justify real-life actions. It's important to focus on the reality of the situation and the impact that circumcision can have on real people. It's important to approach these discussions with sensitivity and respect, while also advocating for the bodily autonomy and well-being of all individuals.

If someone is trying to justify or add circumcision to a character or group in a work of fiction that is not their own, it can certainly be seen as a disturbing invasion of someone's creative work. In general, it is important to respect the original creator's vision and intent for their work.

If someone is attempting to justify or add circumcision to a fictional character or group, it may be appropriate to point out that the original creator did not include this detail and that it is not necessary to the story or character development. Additionally, it may be helpful to discuss the harmful effects of circumcision and why it is important to promote body positivity and acceptance.

“These individuals as well as others may also personally assume men they meet are circumcised until proven otherwise. How can I respond?”

You can respond by sharing information and educating them on the prevalence of circumcision and the benefits of keeping the body intact. You can explain that circumcision is not a universal practice and that many cultures and societies do not circumcise. Additionally, you can discuss the harm that can result from circumcision and the importance of bodily autonomy and the right to make decisions about one's own body. Ultimately, it is important to approach the conversation with empathy and a willingness to listen and understand different perspectives.

“Is it better to meet someone with the assumption they have been circumcised?  What about assuming a man is intact? Would that be a better alternative than assuming they have done an irreversible surgery?”

Circumcision is a personal and private matter, and it is not appropriate to make assumptions based on cultural, religious, or societal norms. It is best to approach each person as an individual and not make any assumptions about their body or personal choices.

Assuming a man is intact can be a better alternative than assuming they have undergone circumcision, as intact is the natural state of the male body. It is important to remember that each person's body is unique, and assumptions about their body should not be made without their consent. It is always best to approach conversations about the body with respect and an open mind. If in doubt, it is always appropriate to ask someone about their body and respect their answer.

[soaplantro]

cw life and things you know how it is

In a (by no means original) stroke of transfeminine faux-pettiness, I have decided to commit to referring to my clitoris as such, particularly for the provocative corollaries - eg, the forcible removal of my "clitoral hood." This reframing highlights subtly enforced gaps in the widespread discursive sexing of human bodies, dichotomies which serve to naturalize and trivialize the harmful consequences of sex assignment when the severity of harm exceeds normal (expected) limits, thereby prohibiting robust explication of popular leftist ideals such as bodily autonomy, equality, sex/gender liberation, and so on.

[no-passaran]

Very important and heartbreaking news.

(Organizations to support at the end of the post)

March 19th, 2024

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/19/gambia-female-genital-mutilation-cutting/

Gambia moves towards ending ban on female genital mutilation

Gambia’s National Assembly has voted to advance a bill that would overturn a ban on female genital cutting, putting this tiny West African country on a path to being the first nation in the world to roll back such a protection.

Many of the women who filed into the National Assembly building on Monday to witness the proceedings had experienced the horror that comes with cutting, which has been practiced for generations here. One woman said she was taken by her family at age 8 to a ceremony in which she was pinned down and cut. Another learned on her wedding night that her vaginal opening had been sealed. A third experienced years of infections and later infertility after being cut without her parents’ permission.

The women listened stoically as members of parliament — the vast majority of them men — pounded their gavels in support as Almameh Gibba, the lawmaker who introduced the bill, described it as intended to “uphold religious rights and safeguard cultural norms and values.” (...)

Already, the United Nations says that about 75 percent of girls and women in Gambia between the ages of 15 and 49 have been subjected to genital cutting, which is often described by opponents as female genital mutilation, or FGM. Globally, more than 200 million women and girls are estimated to be survivors of female genital cutting, which can involve removing part of the clitoris and labia minora and, in the most extreme cases, a sealing of the vaginal opening. Medical experts say the procedures, which do not have medical benefits, can cause a range of short- and long-term harms, including infections, severe pain, scarring, infertility and loss of pleasure.

An activist cries and gets support during a debate among Gambian lawmakers on lifting the ban on FGM. (Carmen Yasmine Abd Ali for The Washington Post)

“It is a rollback on women’s rights and bodily autonomy,” said Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian activist whose little sister died as a result of a botched procedure and who found out on her wedding night, at 15, that she had been sealed as a baby. “It is a rollback in terms of telling women what to do with their own bodies. This is all this is.” (...)

Outside the National Assembly on Monday, women and men holding signs that read, “Girls need love, not knives” squared off against Muslim clerics who were preaching to dozens of veiled girls from Islamic schools. They cheered as one cleric told them [female genital mutilation] was justified by religion.

Inside the building, where only five of Gambia’s 58 lawmakers are women, the discussion Monday was dominated by men. Among the survivors in the audience was Sainey Ceesay, the founder of a nonprofit focused on destigmatizing infertility, who said she only recently decided to start talking about what she experienced at 8 years old. At that time, women had gathered her and a group of other girls at a house in Banjul, the capital, and used a razor to cut off her clitoris.

Ceesay, who said she suffered for years from trauma and infections and was unable to conceive, is still holding out hope that the ban will not be repealed. “At least as of today, FGM is still illegal in Gambia,” she said with a quiet sigh.

Fatty, the cleric whose support helped push the bill forward, (...) explained that it was about following the teachings of the prophet, about purity and about reducing the likelihood of cancer. (Doctors say there is no basis for this claim.)

“It is something not to reduce feeling, but to control, to balance the feelings of a woman,” he said in an interview.

When asked to clarify whether he meant women have too much desire in the absence of cutting, he nodded his head and wagged a finger.

“Too much,” Fatty said. “Too much. We can say in sex, women’s power is more than men’s power. … Women can do sex longer than men. So that is why Islam came to balance. They can be together and their desire can be balanced.” (...) [Many Islamic countries do not have FGM.]

(...) Many women note that because cutting often happens when girls are no older than in elementary school, they are never given a choice in the matter. (...)

Fatou Baldeh, an activist and FGM survivor (...), said she tries to “hold grace” for the women who continue to advocate for the practice, knowing many have not been educated and have only their own experience to go by.

But sitting in the parliamentary chambers Monday as she listened to the men debate, Baldeh said she was seething.

When one activist started wiping tears from her eyes with tissues, a lawmaker demanded that women who were crying leave the chambers, and the speaker agreed, asking them not to make a scene.

Baldeh said she wanted to scream listening to the men trivialize the pain women had experienced. But she resolved to stay in the chambers, knowing the importance of the women being present, forcing the men to look at them as they cast their votes.

“We have a right to cry,” she said. “But we knew the importance of staying. So we kept our tears in.”

An activist cries during the parliamentary debate on FGM. (Carmen Yasmine Abd Ali for The Washington Post)

Full support and encouragement to the brave Gambian activists fighting to end FGM.

Support organizations and activists:

Safe Hands For Girls (survivor-led organization focused on ending female genital mutilation and child marriage, and helping women and girls who have gone through or are going through these experiences): website, X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

Jaha Marie Dukureh (activist, founder of Safe Hands For Girls): X/Twitter.

Women in Liberation and Leadership (Gambian NGO): website, X/Twitter.

Fatou Baldeh (activist, in WILL) on X/Twitter.

Network Against Gender-Based Violence Gambia: X/Twitter, Facebook.

(Racists, transphobes, and other hate groups do not interact)

[osokasstuff]

i want to talk about the phrase "cis people are getting gender-affirming care" and underlying assumptions and nuances. and idk how to structure my thoughts on this topic, so i'll just drop some takes and run away.

1) usually when people talk about cis people getting gender-affirming care (and how it's encouraged and not barred), they actually mean intersex people undergoing procedures that make their bodies fit better in perisex expectations of their assigned sex and gender.

1.1) although some intersex people may wish these care, a lot of intersex people are actually forced to undergo it, directly or indirectly when intersex people aren't told about their intersex status and instead are told that they have a disorder and need to undergo these treatment. without actually asking, without proper explanations, without alternatives and anything. also, this so-called "care" may be performed on infants and very young children (igm surgeries, forced hrt) who can't consent at all. and these types of intervention shouldn't be called gender-affirming care for cis people. because gender-affirming care is procedures that bring the body into the line with the person's wishes in a gender-associated sense. and "corrective" procedures performed on intersex people without their consent (consent under pressure also counts as without consent) are the opposite of it. it's conversion therapy. and we should stop mistake conversion therapy for gender-affirming care.

1.2) some people will be surprised, but sometimes intersex people get their assigned sex and gender changed and forced on other types of treatment, if society decides that will be easier. for example, someone may be assigned female, but later in life experience masculinization/more male-associated traits may be revealed, and some of these people will be reassigned male and forced on testosterone hrt/surgeries. this "care" is not gender-affirming, too. it has nothing to do with transition because transition is a consensual act, and this is violence. and if these intersex people want to get gender-affirming care to bring their body back to the first assigned gender? they get denied. they have to fight for it and face transphobia and intersexism. and sometimes they don't get it at all.

1.3) "okay but what about the very specific case when adult intersex person is cis and wishes to get gender-affirming procedures that align with their assigned sex and gender?" it's not easy for them, too. they may be denied for absurd reasons (based on intersexism). a lot of doctors wouldn't listen after "i'm intersex" and refuse to treat the patient. and if any doctor agrees, they may still be unsafe. because doctors may try to force more procedures, or be intersexist, or be incompetent in treating intersex patients, or be in general incompetent. remember how a lot of doctors know zero shit about hrt and gender-affirming surgeries? all of them still know zero shit about it when the patient is cis. and especially know zero shit when the patient is intersex because intersex bodies may work differently, may respond on hormones differently, may look differently, etc tons of medical nuances. i don't know much about this experience because i'm not cis intersex, but i assume there is way more shit.

1.4) some intersex people are cis / identifies with their assigned gender (yes, these experiences need to be separated because some intersex people don't consider themselves cis while identifies with their assigned gender) and still need gender-affirming procedures that aren't typical for their gender (for example, testosterone hrt for an intersex woman). because of health reasons, because of gender reasons, because of any reason. and they have to fight tooth and nails to get it. they get denied in gender clinics, get denied by doctors, get all possible transphobic and intersexist shit. even trans-friendly spaces are not immune to treating intersex people horrible. so it's not easy at all.

2) "okay we understood that intersexism sucks. but what about perisex cis people?" yes, there are cis perisex people who get gender-affirming care. but it doesn't look like it seems.

2.1) there actually are cis perisex people who get gender-affirming care that does not align with their assigned sex and gender! some examples: gender-nonconforming cis people who are cis but still need gender-affirming procedures; cis nonbinary people who need gender-affirming care. and it's not easy for them, too, because they have to face the same transphobia (idk if it may be considered intersexism, and i'm going to write another essay about how intersexism and transphobia are inseparable from each other, so stay with me if you wanna read it /no pressure).

2.3) "okay okay okay fuck you with your untypical cases, but what about cis perisex people who get gender-affirming care that aligns with their gender? can we bitch about them and how their life is easy?" (/joke. sorry for my poor sense of humor). there are some nuances too. i don't have these experiences and have heard not so much about these cases, so take my words with the grain of salt, but let's go.

2.4) another specific case: detrans people. people who have undergone some medical procedures but realized they're cis and need to reverse it. they don't get it easy. detransition is heavily stigmatized both in the general society and queer circles. detrans people have to navigate through transphobic systems and face transphobia, and also get their specific sort of discrimination because they detransition. i don't know much about specific problems, but i'm sure it's not easy.

2.5) and, finally, about cis perisex people who never transitioned and still need gender-affirming procedures that align with expectations from their gender. let's remember how society treats cis women who underwent breast augmentation. not very politely, yes? being a perisex cis person and having "not good enough" sex traits is a way of failing to perform the gender role. so these people get all the shit associated with not performing your gender role properly. even if it's "not their fault" (like they got some organs removed because of cancer), society doesn't give a fuck. it's still a "failure," and there will be the punishment. remember all the jokes about small dicks, not having balls, having small breast, etc etc etc? it's intersexism, yes, but it hurts cis perisex people, too. and it doesn't stop hurt cis perisex people who decide to change it. there's a genre of jokes about implants and whatever. it's still a "failure," even if people "try to make up for it."

3) and the part about "bad doctors know zero shit about gender-affirming procedures" applies to every category.

4) in conclusion, i think there's no demographic that gets gender-affirming care easily. because transphobia, intersexism, and sexism, the causes of barriers to gender-affirming care, don't suddenly finish if you have a correct identity. if someone doesn't have rights, no one has rights. that's why i think we should stop bitch about how other demographic is unaffected by some shit and gets everything easily and continue to find together for bodily autonomy and gender-related rights to everyone.

[professorbussywinkle]

You know what, the right wingers are coincidentally correct in their presumption that there are children out there who are being mutilated...but it's not happening to the kids that they think it's happening to

Talk to any intersex person who, without their expressly given consent, had their genitals surgically reconstructed to have their bodies fit into the predetermined binary against their will, and what that trauma has done to them

You wanna act like you give a fuck about little kids being sliced up, start with empathizing and recognizing the shit that intersex people have been forced to go through and what it's like to have gone through that and listening to their shared experience, then we might be able to have a real conversation on how to stop it from happening

[doom-ocean]

Cut your lips off, it's good for your teeth. Plus, women like how it looks.

[tiercel]

W/ all the reactionary talk regarding trans peoples bodies and shit i would love to see repubs and tεrves reactions to all the fascinating body modifications that exist for aesthetic and fetish purposes

[dovedrangeas]

i have so many posts in my drafts about weird terf shit ive seen, but i don’t want to post them and risk summoning a ton of them to my blog to rant about how im always going to be female and trans women are misogynist men and gender neutral language is misogynistic and all men are dangerous by nature while all women are victims by nature and…………

[intersex-support]

Intersex Resources: Books, Art, Videos

Here's a list with some resources to learn about intersex community, history, and politics! These include some academic sources and some community sources. I'd love to add sources in other languages and that focus on countries besides the United States, so if anyone has recommendations, please let me know. Continually updating and adding sources.

Reading list:

Intersex History:

"The Intersex Movement of the 1990s: Speaking Out Against Medical and Narrative Violence" by Viola Amato.

Hermaphrodites with Attitude Newsletters.

Jazz Legend Little Jimmy Scott is a Cornerstone of Black Intersex History By Sean Saifa Wall

"Hermaphrodites with Attitude: Mapping the Emergence of Intersex Political Activism" by Cheryl Chase

Chrysalis Quarterly: Intersex Awakening, 1997.

"What Happened at Hopkins: The Creation of the Intersex Management Protocols" by Alison Redick.

Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex by Elizabeth Reis.

Intersex Politics

“A Framework for Intersex Justice.” Intersex Justice Project

"Creating Intersex Justice: Interview with Sean Saifa Wall and Pidgeon Pagonis of the Intersex Justice Project." by David Rubin, Michelle Wolff, and Amanda Lock Swarr.

"Intersex Justice and the Care We Deserve: ‘I Want People to Feel at Home in Their Bodies Again." Zena Sharman.

Critical Intersex edited by Morgan Holmes.

Envisioning African Intersex: Challenging Colonial and Racist Legacies in South African Medicine by Amanda Lock Swarr.

"Intersex Human Rights" by Bauer et al.

Morgan Carpenter's writing

"I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me: Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US." by Human Rights Watch.

Cripping Intersex by Celeste E. Orr.

"From ‘Intersex’ to ‘DSD’: A Case of Epistemic Injustice" by Ten Merrick.

"Did Bioethics Matter? A History of Autonomy, Consent, and Intersex Genital Surgery." by Elizabeth Reis.

Intersex Community

"Normalizing Intersex: Personal Stories from the Pages of Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics." edited by James DuBois and Ana Iltis.

Hans Lindhal's blog.

InterACT Youth Blog.

Intersex Justice Project Blog.

"What it's like to be a Black Intersex Woman" by Tatenda Ngwaru.

Intersex Inclusive Pride Flag by Valentino Vecchietti.

The Interface Project founded by Jim Ambrose.

Intersex Zines from Emi Koyama

Teen Vogue's Intersex Coverage

YOUth& I: An intersex youth Anthology by Intersex Human Rights Australia

Intersex OwnVoices books collected by Bogi Takacs.

Memoirs:

Nobody Needs to Know by Pidgeon Pagonis.

Inverse Cowgirl by Alicia Roth Weigel

XOXY by Kimberly Zieselman

Fiction:

Icarus by K Ancrum.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Video/Audio

Every Body dir. Julie Cohen.

Hermaphrodites Speak! 1997.

Liberating All Bodies: Disability Justice and Intersex Justice in Conversation.

"36 Revolutions of Change: Sean Saifa Wall."

Inter_View: An Intersex Podcast by Dani Coyle

Hans Lindhal's Youtube channel.

What it's Like to be Intersex from Buzzfeed.

Emilord Youtube channel

I'm intersex-ask me anything from Jubilee

What it's like to be Intersex-Minutes With Roshaante Andersen.

Pass the Mic: Intercepting Injustice with Sean Saifa Wall

Art

"Hey AAP! Get your Scalpels Off Our Bodies!" 1996.

Ana Roxanne's album Because of a Flower.

Intersex 1 in 90 potraits by Lara Aerts and Ernst Coppejans

Anyone can be Born Intersex: A Photo-Portrait Story by Intersex Nigeria.

Pidgeon Pagonis "Too cute to be binary" Collection

Juliana Huxtable Visual Art

Koomah's art

Please feel free to add on your favorite sources for intersex art, history, politics, and community !

[trans-axolotl]

ID: [A poster created by Sean Saifa Wall and Micah Bazant of a Black parent holding their child. They are dressed in white and almost seem to be glowing, in front of a backdrop of multicolored waves that look like DNA strands. Colorful text reads "Protect Intersex Youth."]

"A Framework for Intersex Justice

Intersex justice is medical justice. Intersex surgeries hurt everyone.

These medical violations bring immediate harm to the child who is subjected to them.

Parents who consent to medically unnecessary surgeries participate in a culture of shame, silence and stigma, perpetuated by doctors, that allows these surgeries to continue. Parents are often left to fend for themselves as they navigate shame and guilt. The issue of parents consenting to these surgeries is especially complex when societies believe that children don’t have individual rights and that parents are always acting in their best interest.

Medical practitioners such as pediatricians, obstetricians, urologists, social workers, and endocrinologists all play a role in upholding an institution that continues to harm children with intersex variations. The practitioners, in turn, are protected by hospitals and state laws that grant them immunity.

This is why intersex justice is important.

Although the framework is evolving, the following is a definition of intersex justice co-created with Dr. Mel Michelle Lewis (they>she), an Associate Professor of Gender/Sexuality in Studio and Humanistic Studies at Maryland Institute College of Art: Intersex justice is a decolonizing framework that affirms the labor of intersex people of color fighting for change across social justice movements. By definition, intersex justice affirms bodily integrity and bodily autonomy as the practice of liberation. Intersex justice is intrinsically tied to justice movements that center race, ability, gender identity & expression, migrant status, and access to sexual & reproductive healthcare. Intersex justice articulates a commitment to these movements as central to its intersectional analysis and praxis. Intersex justice acknowledges the trauma caused by medically unnecessary and nonconsensual cosmetic genital surgeries and addresses the culture of shame, silence and stigma surrounding intersex variations that perpetuate further harm.

The marginalization of intersex people is rooted in colonization and white supremacy. Colonization created a taxonomy of human bodies that privileged typical white male and female bodies, prescribing a gender binary that would ultimately harm atypical black and indigenous bodies. As part of a liberation movement, intersex activists challenge not only the medical establishment, which is often the initial site of harm, but also governments, institutions, legal structures, and sociocultural norms that exclude intersex people. Intersex people should be allowed complete and uninhibited access to obtaining identity documents, exercising their birth and adoption rights, receiving unbiased healthcare, and securing education and employment opportunities that are free from harm and harassment. This framework serves a radical vision where intersex children are protected and survivors of genital cutting are cared for and respected. We owe that to intersex people and we owe that to ourselves.

The implementation of an intersex justice framework should include the following components: 1. Informed consent 2. Reparations 3. Legal protections 4. Accountability 5. Language 6. Children's rights 7. Patient-centered healthcare."

-Intersex Justice Project, founded by Sean Saifa Wall, Lynnell Stephani Long, and Pidgeon Pagonis.

[radfemsiren]

🤍A basic rundown of my beliefs as a radical feminist 🤍

(I don’t represent every radical feminist, but these are usually the standard opinions you’ll find of many radfems. Hate or disagree with them, that’s fine! But know the truth of who I am and what I stand for beforehand)

- there are 2 sexes, the male sex is oppressing the female sex

- femicide, rape, child sex abuse, hijab laws, female genital mutilation, domestic labor, trafficking, war crimes, revenge porn, prostitution… women and girls around the world are being exploited, tortured, and killed because of this oppression, and it must end.

- female oppression is sex based oppression, meaning a woman can’t just identify out of her oppression (for example hijab laws)

- sex is biological and an immutable truth, gender is a social construct

- gender should be done away with because gender roles are male supremacist and result in women and girls being stereotyped, dehumanized, barred from education, safety, bodily autonomy, etc.

- defining women with anything other than biology is misogynistic and relies on stereotypes

- the biological differences between men and women must be acknowledged in order to effectively end patriarchal oppression

- radical feminism is getting to the root of female oppression (radical -> root)

- misandry is not real and is just an extension of misogyny (for example, “men are told not to cry!” Yes because women are seen as inferior and any trait associated with us is seen as degrading/emasculating for men. This is why there is no female equivalent to emasculation.)

- all current religions are patriarchal and made by men to exploit and control women

- access to abortion is a human right and should never be threatened, women are the creators of life and deserve to gatekeep it, as well as exercise full autonomy over our own bodies

- Using sexist gender roles to define yourself is giving these misogynistic stereotypes power (wearing makeup or dresses doesn’t make anyone less or more of a woman, this is misogyny)

- the beauty industry is patriarchal and exploits women, our bodies and our money

- sex work is not work, it’s always exploitation (consent can not be bought)

- the porn industry is patriarchal and relies on trafficking, coercion, and rape to function. It also conditions its watchers to be aroused by violence against women, and results in more real life consequences for women and girls

- women’s spaces and institutions must be protected. Women’s safety is more important than catering to male feelings

- marriage is a patriarchal institution made to exploit the domestic labor of women for her entire life

- BDSM/kink are patriarchal and only center the pleasure and well being of men.

- hookup culture is patriarchal and the risk to reward is not worth it for women to engage in it

- gender ideology is patriarchal and is a direct hindrance to female liberation (we can’t define ourselves or our oppressors, we can’t create spaces away from our oppressors, we can’t create laws and policy based on these definitions, people who are gender non conforming are pressured to alter their bodies to conform to a rigid standard and become lifelong medical patients, etc)

- choice feminism and liberal feminism caters to conforming to patriarchal standards and institutions, and refuses to examine why women make choices under patriarchy

- women of color face oppression on the axis of our sex and race, men of color only face oppression on the axis of their race

- non white patriarchal institutions must be criticized: a mullah is just as dangerous to the liberation of women as a pastor is

- women should decenter the men in their lives just as men have done with women. That means prioritizing us! Engaging in women’s media, art, stories, fostering female communities and support networks, uplifting and empowering their sisters around the world

- being a radical feminist means consistently taking radical action, big or small, we all can do it! Go support a female artist, go donate menstrual products to a shelter, go tell off a man when you see him making a woman uncomfortable. We all can make a difference!

…My feminism focuses on criticism of Islam and middle eastern patriarchy, but there are radfems with many focuses/passions… some in eco feminism, some on uplifting Romani women, black women, neurodivergent women, women with disabilities, prostituted women… some are passionate about women’s sports, women’s art, women’s writing, women’s history, lesbian and bisexual women’s stories… everyone has their passion on here, so before you come to attack, just check out my blog and click around at the different profiles on this corner of the internet…. maybe we might not be the terrible witches you thought us to be. Or maybe we are, but witches are awesome so who cares lol

[not-so-plus-ultra]

Okay, maybe unpopular opinion time, but I started watching DanDaDan (ADORE it so far) and some of you are starting to become the meme of "that one friend who is too woke" about what happens in the first episode

TW for sexual assault + CW light DanDaDan spoilers if you haven't watched it yet. Its gonna be a bit ranty

First of all I wanna preface this with saying that, if Momo's scene with the aliens impacted you and / or you found it triggering, that's extremely valid. I am not claiming it isn't, specially for people who have any kind of sexual trauma. What I'm gonna say is not about that

What I mean is; I think we have gotten so used to a very big number of anime using sexual assault as a "funny" gag, having characters violate other characters' physical boundaries, or having a token perverted / incestuous / p*do character, all in the name of terrible "comedy" or fanservice, that we have started bracing up for any mention or showcase of sexual assault to be treated as a gag or as a "sexy" thing; specially when it comes to female characters, because sadly they're the victims of this 99% of the time. This, without going over the sexualization of characters in general, even when mundane things are happening

It's a sentiment I understand and share. I hate all of these tropes and "jokes" and it makes me really sad when a series I otherwise like has to include something like that. I actively criticize these kinds of things no matter how big a fan I am of a work in question

However, I think because of all this, we have forgotten that media can choose to use scenarios like that as an actual Bad thing to show. A bad and unfortunate thing that happens to a character that isn't used as comedy or as fanservice

I had heard about the sexual assault scene in DanDaDan prior to watching it, and I had decided I was gonna skip that scene, as I am someone who is both disgusted by these things and has trauma related to them. However while skipping quickly through the scene I thought it didn't look as bad as I was bracing for, so I decided it was something I could stomach. I was really surprised when I saw that the scene was strictly being handled as a bad thing happening to Momo, and that it also ultimately ended up with her escaping her assaulters before anything truly scarring happens

No jokes about the situation per se, no compromising shots other than the fact that she was in her underwear - and regarding that, the fact that she was built like a normal girl, her proportions and physical features weren't presented in any objectifying or exaggerated way, and through the whole scene she was fighting against it and being uncomfortable instead of submitting to the situation or being made to blush and get flustered about it like you can Disgracefully see in many other instances of other shows

DanDaDan is ultimately a horror / paranormal series. It's not as dark as others and it seems it doesn't pretend to be, but bad things are bound to happen. I think that, as long as you do it tastefully, almost any subject can be used for those bad things. Sexual stuff is sadly EXTREMELY misused in anime, and tbh in media in general, but I don't think it has to be a taboo thing to have your characters go through as long as youre not being weird about it

Furthermore, I think it's pretty clear that, at least the parts that have been adapted of this manga so far (I am not a manga reader btw, I have only seen the 5 anime episodes that are currently out, so if the manga later proves me defending it wrong, I'm sorry, and I'd like to hear it), are in part talking about bodily autonomy

Our mcs BOTH get assaulted, but nobody online ever pays attention to Okarun losing his genitals as him also having been assaulted simply because it's presented in a more unrealistic way. His initial motivation in the series is to retrieve his genitals, and even when he seems to have gotten them back the first time, something is still wrong (another part missing) and he can't just go about his life normally again as if nothing had happened, which I think is a clear metaphor of a victim's feelings after having been assaulted; and what is more, our first arc ends with the revelation that the ghost who did that to him seems to have done it to protect the place she's bound to, a tunnel, from men, for we get told that many girls have gotten sexually assaulted, killed and dismembered in it

About Okarun, I DO get that his situation is shown in a bit of a silly light because haha penis, but I am also afraid that people would have reacted a lot more if he was a girl losing his genitals instead even if it was painted in the same light. Both Momo and Okarun got out of the situation fighting, both of them were brave and as nonchalant as they could to their assaulters, but it's only Momo's situation which gets treated as the bad one. Both get terrible things done to them ! And both of them are being shown as bad things !

None of this means you personally can't be uncomfortable with any of the mentioned scene; after all, they're portraying something horrible that happens in real life. And again, I get that in Momo's case, although unrealistic elements are involved, the situation she's put in can look closer to a real life assault, and thus, it can be more triggering. But the fact is that the sexual assault of both characters is being used to showcase a terrible thing, it's not there just for a gag or for people to put their eyes on the characters' bodies, and I personally just think it's silly when I see people lump in the situations in DanDaDan with series like Undead Unluck, when the former is portraying assault as not only a genuinely bad situation but also as part of the many points I think the first act of the series makes about bodily autonomy, and the later uses it as a reocurring "funny" gag (I have seen people say it gets better later, but still, it's still used as a gag at some point)

This is brought to you by me seeing people on Twitter compare DanDaDan's assault scene to incestuous characters from other animes like Yuri from Spy x Family, Makoto from Saiki K., and Lance from Mashle. I am a big fan of two of those three series and let me tell you: those characters can fuck themselves, I don't find haha incest jokes funny or necessary in any piece of media

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

trans activists on this platform have like the same ten talking points

we (whoever we is, certainly not us centric) have gay rights because a transwoman threw the first brick at stonewall (not even true)

that analogy about how transphobes see a tree and a chair made of wood and say its the same when its clearly not which means trans real and valid

some animals can change sex which somehow means humans can too

woke non-western cultures with nonbinary and trans gender identities (which usually turn out to be just a result of homophobia and/or misogyny)

transwomen are women, transmen are men (why cant they be acknowledged as their own thing? nobody knows)

„terfs“ are truly misogynistic because they reduce women to our genitals/ability to birth children or because they point out differences between the sexes or want women only leagues or whatever the fuck

„terfs“ are fascist because they uphold nazi gender ideology because nazis burned books by a jewish gay man

something about bodily autonomy that is not actually about bodily autonomy because its someone else doing something to you (prostitution, surgeries, etc)

nothing anybody does is anybodys business because apparently despite popular belief we do NOT live in a society

ooga booga wah wah

[sorrowsdespair]

Alpha John, Beta Ghost, Omega Gaz, Alpha Johnny, Omega Reader(gender neutral).

It’s a rarity for alphas and omegas to have both a penis and vaginal regardless of their gender but it’s widely known. The body autonomy for those with two genitals is simply, the clitoris is replaced by the penis with a pair of testicles underneath but above the vaginal (this idea came from NSFW art sarriathmg NSFW art).

You’re the newest recruit recommended by Laswell herself. Although it was temporary for an experiment, or a test you can say, unbeknownst to the five of you. One that Laswell was unable to share with Price but he had his suspicion just like Ghost. You and Gaz seem to be hitting it off.

-

When it came to introductions everyone was anxious. Laswell was sitting at the head of the table with John, Gaz, Johnny, and Ghost sitting next to each other on the right side of the table. Normally there would be two on one side and two of the other but out of precaution in case Gaz felt threaded by the other omega.

After the so-called tense greetings, Gaz was quick on his feet just barely dodging both Johnny and Ghost to get over to you. Properly greeting you with his usual self and offering to show you to your temporally room plus the rest of the base. Topping it off you match his energy and happily agree, any solemnness you and Gaz had was gone like it had never happened to begin with.

John couldn't help be think out loud that perhaps they were being a tad bit too cautious. Yes, they had come across many omegas, most being civilians. It was rare for unbound or nonmated omega to be in the military due to the potential hazards they bring, their words, not his.

The three can agree on one thing, the moment you and Gaz started being friendly with one another both of your scents filled the room. Oh, boy did it smell heavenly for them. The way you scent blends perfectly with Gaz’s almost had them drooling.

Now with the last few weeks of the current month coming to an end, your heat was due next month, meaning you were in pre-heat. Of course you were given next month off or until after your heat had settled.

This so-called test consists of two things, first, can they introduce bonded omegas to unbounded omegas without causing damage to either omegas, and second to see if resistant omegas can be coaxed to accept courting after meeting bonded omegas.

Due to omegas being allowed to join the military, it was highly suggested for them to form bonds but not forced. Due to unbound omegas can be forced into submission and share secrets with the enemy despite the fact that this can very must still happen even to an alpha or beta, unbound or not.

Many omegas including you choose to stay unbound but many haven’t lasted as long as you have. Climbing the ranks but never an official sergeant, lieutenant, or captain but earned your callsign. You were a soloist sent on missions related to stealth, undercover, stakeouts, observation, or routine and route planning. You are to get in and out unnoticed either stealing information from the enemies, sharing the enemies daily routine, pin point out weak points for infiltration or location an adjective hidden by the enemies.

Sometimes you get to team up with others when it comes to planning and attacking the enemy's base, how convenient that each team is packed without an omega. Some were respectful of you rejecting of their courting attempts while others required breaking their pride for them to back off.

You knew exactly what was being played because of the amount of times you had been reprimanded for challenging pack alphas and embarrassing them in front of recruits. You also knew that they can’t do anything about it, if they threaten to discharge you or do so you have grounds to a lawsuit for wrongful termination and attempt or potential force of bonding additional losing someone with your capabilities. So, eventually they back off letting you continue your solo missions for a good while. Up until you were put with Task Force 141.

[gaycodedvillainy]

Not just “respect that people are allowed to get surgeries if they want to”, but celebrate and rejoice with them when they do

The counterpart to celebrating one persons choice isn’t to say that you respect that someone making a different one is allowed to if they want to, it’s to appreciate and support both people who are making the decisions which suit themselves

we should hype up bottom surgery more i think. both twitter transphobes and chronically online trans people really like to be disgusted at phalloplasty, vaginoplasty, ext. and i really think we should treat them as cool and sexy and neutral like top surgery scars or whatever