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  • Writer's pictureanonymous woman

Not sure that this fits as it doesn't relate to women-only spaces, but does demonstrate an impact on women.


As a member of the NTEU, I am concerned about the current push by trans members and their supporters against people who are gender critical.


An excerpt from an email doing the rounds is as follows:


"'Gender critical’ is a euphemism used to cloak transphobia by those who don’t want trans people to have equal rights. ‘Gender critical’ ideology is fundamentally transphobia; there are no ‘gender critical’ beliefs/ideas that are not transphobic in nature. It is not a legitimate or recognised field of research, though it seeks to masquerade as one. It is important to specifically call out ‘gender critical’ beliefs as this is the term under which transphobia in tertiary spaces organises."


This (and a multitude of comments relating to this matter on social media) totally misrepresent gender critical beliefs and demonise those who hold them, people who are predominantly women. It is setting up conflict when there is no need - trans people can be supported without throwing gender critical people under the bus.


As it is, I don't feel safe to talk about this matter within my uni's NTEU branch. It's pretty clear that dominant members are in favour of making an anti-GC statement to signal solidarity with trans people. I don't know if this will be put to the vote, but even if it is, how do you vote against such statements without immediately being labelled transphobic and a bigot? Such labels will stick and have a major impact within the work place and academic community more broadly.


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