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A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

economist.com

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Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#12

I don’t know if this article is describing this phenomenon accurately, as the first paragraph contains an obvious falsehood: “ A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating. ”. TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defens…

> No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defense and the trans panic defense has. No one was lynched for being a TERF like black people have been.

That is a bizarre standard for what constitutes a slur, and would exclude the vast majority of slurs. This reads more like an attempt to inject an emotional appeal to deny a point you personally disagree with.

TERF is a phrase pretty much always used to attack its target. Coupling it with "shut the fuck up" makes the intention pretty clear.

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#13
I think the courts are the right place for this battle, some fundamental free speech rights for both sides need to be enforced. I didn't think this would the necessary in academia but with universities turning into service industries it seems inevitable.

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#14
Gender politics is a cancer on the left, even though I agree with it, it takes up so much time and energy away from things that would benefit everybody including trans people, like universal healthcare, better employee protection laws and better, more available education. Such a small percentage of the population has been the center point of so much discussion and debate, and for what benefit? All I see it doing is give the right-wing more ammunition to harden their bases.

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#15

I don’t know if this article is describing this phenomenon accurately, as the first paragraph contains an obvious falsehood: “ A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating. ”. TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defens…

> TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court That’s hardly the defining characteristic of a slur.

[deleted]

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#16

I don’t know if this article is describing this phenomenon accurately, as the first paragraph contains an obvious falsehood: “ A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating. ”. TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defens…

1a : an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo

b : a shaming or degrading effect

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slur

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#17

I don’t know if this article is describing this phenomenon accurately, as the first paragraph contains an obvious falsehood: “ A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating. ”. TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defens…

> TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court That’s hardly the defining characteristic of a slur.

I’ve associated the term slur in the common understanding with an actual history of marginalization, and I think the claim is totally unnecessary politicking in the reporting.

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#18
post #6

A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating Not accepting incivility from people is hardly what I'd call a "backlash". We don't operate our universities on the heckler's veto.

Also, I'm not aware of anyone who seriously considers "TERF" an offensive slur...

It's like saying "bigot" is a slur, or being more afraid of being labelled a racist than actually being racist...

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#19

I don’t know if this article is describing this phenomenon accurately, as the first paragraph contains an obvious falsehood: “ A flyer with an image of a gun and text reading “shut the fuck up, terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a slur) was circulating. ”. TERF isn’t a slur. No one has successfully beaten and killed a woman while calling her a TERF and then got away with it in court like the gay panic defens…

A slur is an allegation that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation. That's clearly why terf was used in this context.

I've noticed leftist communities frequently attempting to redefine incendiary words (such as 'racism') as a political tactic, to a lot of success.

Re: A backlash against gender ideology is starting in universities

#20
One thing I find quite odd is how the study of gender emerged out of an approach that demanded a critical understanding of assumptions and the things society insist upon (that there are only 2 genders, that gender is essentially related to biological sex rather than something that is manifest in social behaviour, ect.) and yet that view has twisted into a sort of all or nothing view that is extremely antagonistic to critical inquiry. The tendency for a number of trans activists and talking points to revert back to a kind of gender essentialism; the logical inconsistencies in the idea that one identifies a private gender identity, rather than a personal desire to transition or live as another gender; the insistence that a trans person has special insight into the concept of gender --- raise up any of these points and you bear the risk of being labelled a "transphobe" even though you are entirely committed to the protection of a trans persons rights and dignity.

A small, extremely vocal minority insists that anyone that voices the slightest hesitation in accommodating trans people into gender/sex segregated social functions must be a transphobe or be complicit in the violence against trans people. It makes the entire conversation exhausting.

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