This is a wide net that includes supporters of Thistle’s right to free expression regardless of their views on transgender ideology and politics.
Women’s Liberation Radio News (WLRN), was alerted this week that anti-feminist activists have created a fake WLRN website. The website, designed to trick potential WLRN supporters, is the latest in an ongoing attempt to defame and discredit Thistle simply for asserting that sex and gender are distinct and that gender is a social system that keeps women subordinated to men. This time however, the attacks have expanded to include a collective of women who produce feminist news. They have also included, you, dear reader, and all supporters of DefendFeminists. Their rhetoric is both hyperbolic- as seen in their accusation that gender-critical feminists are “fascists” and it is also inflammatory. It is not hate speech to recognize that sex is immutable. Thistle and Defendfeminists believe that all people have the right to dress and present as they choose. It is a call to action to “weed out” what they consider anti-trans rhetoric. If words alone equaled violence, the call to “weed out” those who hold differing opinions would take the cake. We are reminded of the famous witch hunts in which women were accused of causing violence through some mystical means. As this fake website acknowledges “written words may seem innocuous” but they somehow give women like Thistle- a grassroots activist- the power to make transwomen “more vulnerable to physical violence at the hands of oppressive powers.” Once again, Thistle, and the wider community that supports her, are made culpable for other people’s violence.
We simply cannot allow this harassment to silence us. DefendFeminists calls on these “activists” to aim their fire at those who do the violence! The United States is at a pivotal moment. Real fascism is on the rise. Immigrants, including women and children, are locked in cages at the border, the death penalty has been reinstated for federal crimes, abortion access is under attack, among the many horrors. Can we afford to spend time fighting for Thistle? Can we afford to spend time fighting for women’s right to discuss our own oppression? The real question is whether we can afford not to. The actions of these so-called activists only serves the interest of those in power. We need a strong, vibrant, truly anti-fascist movement, one that does not marginalize, shame, ostracize, threaten or bully those who they disagree with.
DefendFeminists urges all of our supporters to join us in making this possible.
I am an old retired Australian radical feminist academic philosopher and old enough to remember WW2, fascism and being in concentration camps. What is happening at the moment with the invasion of transgendered so-called ‘women’ at all levels is remiscent of fascist tactics. My previous head of department (a controlling bully,full of male entitlement and probably still in possession of his male tackle) is now an internationally famous transgender ‘woman’ who maintains that feminism needs people like him (in a dress), because his trans struggle is like ours as women, only more important! (Please do not publish this email)