TERFs aren’t feminists: lesbians stand against trans exclusion

Abstract

In this article, I examine lesbians’ solidarity with trans people in the United States. Trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs) are feminists who believe that there is a stark difference between the biological reality of sex and the socially constructed nature of gender. They argue that sex is essential and innate. This leads some feminists to the argument that trans people are trying to infiltrate sex exclusive spaces. While TERFs are not always lesbians, lesbians are assumed to make up a large proportion of TERFs. As Thomsen and Essig argue that current ideologies within the media are allowing for the slippage between the terms “lesbian,” “feminist,” and “TERFs.” Some scholars are suggesting that equating lesbian identities with transphobia and trans exclusion is but a new form of lesbian marginalization. I utilize 49 in-depth, qualitative interviews with lesbians across the United States to interrogate the stereotype that lesbians are largely TERFs. Through the voices of lesbians across the United States, I illustrate how many lesbians despise TERF ideology and argue that lesbians must stand in solidarity with trans people in the fight for social justice.

Keywords:

• Trans
• solidarity
• social justice
• LGBTQ+

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Baker A. Rogers

Baker A. Rogers (they/she) is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Georgia Southern University. Their research focuses on inequality, specifically examining the intersections of gender, sexuality, and religion in the U.S. South. Their books, Conditionally Accepted: Christians’ Perspectives on Sexuality and Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights (Rutgers University Press); Trans Men in the South: Becoming Men (Lexington Books); King of Hearts: Drag Kings in the American South (Rutgers University Press); Advances in Trans Studies: Moving Toward Gender Expansion and Trans Hope (Emerald Publishing); Gender and Sexuality in the Southern United States (Cognella); and, Gender and Sexuality in the Classroom: An Educator’s Guide (Routledge), can be found online. Their work is also published in numerous academic journals including, Men and Masculinities; Journal of Interpersonal Violence; Gender & Society; and Qualitative Sociology.