“Given the constant genital policing, you can’t expect trans folks to feel included by an event title focused on a policed, binary genital,” tweeted @DrJaneChi, an abortion and transgender health provider. (She mentioned “internal genitals” as an alternative.)
I'm a little confused by this. If the trans folk she's supporting (and I think it's terrific that she's supporting them, I really do) can be forced to bear the child of a rapist, how is it hurting them to point out that people who are born with vaginas need reproductive freedom?
It's not a question of 'people who are born with vaginas having reproductive freedom'. It's about NOT making a marginalized group even more marginalized by using language which (intentionally??) excludes them.
Out of curiosity, how do you feel such an event/movement could be phrased? I know some guys who mention of/reminder that they have a uterus can be triggering (which is what I can only assume the writer of that tweet means about internal genitals--uteri aren't genitals, but organs, of course, but I'm not sure internal genitals are physically a thing. I could just be misinterpreting her, though, and internal genitals is simply a term I'm not familiar with). So A Night of a Thousand Uteri could be potentially triggering, as well. How could one address the topic of female-bodied/female assigned at birth folk needing reproductive freedom and protection that doesn't exclude or trigger/upset anyone?
You know what, I don't have the perfect answer to that.
The important point though, I think, is to *listen*.
A whole lot of people DON'T LISTEN, you know? They just *roll their eyes* and think to themselves 'oh no not another one'.
I don't claim to represent all aspects of intersectionality. But I think the important point is that if someone points out that something is triggering for them then maybe we should actually listen and figure out how to do things better.
Next time reproductive rights come up in a conversation, try to talk about trans men and see how fast you're shut down. I've done it on here, as a trans man, and it's not a conversation anyone online or in person wants to have. So until my reproductive rights are supported - or hey, I don't get state mandated sterilization to change some paperwork - I don't think anyone gets to tell me how to talk about my genitalia.
I'm a little confused by this. If the trans folk she's supporting (and I think it's terrific that she's supporting them, I really do) can be forced to bear the child of a rapist, how is it hurting them to point out that people who are born with vaginas need reproductive freedom?
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Just no.
It's not a question of 'people who are born with vaginas having reproductive freedom'. It's about NOT making a marginalized group even more marginalized by using language which (intentionally??) excludes them.
Reply
Reply
The important point though, I think, is to *listen*.
A whole lot of people DON'T LISTEN, you know? They just *roll their eyes* and think to themselves 'oh no not another one'.
I don't claim to represent all aspects of intersectionality. But I think the important point is that if someone points out that something is triggering for them then maybe we should actually listen and figure out how to do things better.
Reply
Reply
Reply
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