I’ve been thinking and god it’s so frustrating that “TERF” literally doesn’t mean anything. It has no consistent, communicative meaning. The only thing people truly mean when they say it is “transphobe.” There is no “trans-exclusionary” there is no “radical” there is no “feminist” there is no “radical feminist” and there is no “trans-exclusionary radical feminist” trait consistent across all uses.
It bugs me particularly when public influencers/famous people use it, especially if they’re not typically very involved in feminism/gay rights/other social activism. Like Adam Savage with that “TERFs are shit” Tweet. Literally, what does that even mean? I don’t think he knows.
My sister showed me an Instagram story from some book reading account, this girl was sent a message that said something like “Please rant about terfs i want to make some mad” and she responded with that meme picture edited to say “I don’t know what TERF means and at this point I’m too afraid to ask.” My sister actually came to me and was like “Should I say something? What should I say?” and I genuinely struggled to come up with an answer.
Starting with explaining the acronym just opens a can of worms because then it’s like “So it’s radical feminists? No? It’s not? Then why are they called TERFS?” so I’m just like... it basically just means “transphobe.”
But it’s not. It’s thrown at anyone who questions trans ideas. Want to have a female-only rape shelter? Nope, TERF. Don’t like that women’s symbols are removed from female-only items/space? You’re a TERF. Don’t like dick? TERF. Do you think maybe a child shouldn’t be given experimental hormones? TERF. Do you know there are two sexes? TERF. Mention the fact that trans women have different bodies than “cis” women? TERF, particularly if you’re “cis.”
Like??? It means nothing! It’s just fear-mongering! Just use “transphobe” for the love of god if you really want to argue things like this.
