Gender-critical feminism

This article is about the movement originating within radical feminism. For the broader or related right-wing movement, see anti-gender movement.
"TERF" redirects here. For the acronym, see TERF (acronym).

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Gender-critical feminism, also known as trans-exclusionary radical feminism or TERFism,[1][2][3][4] is an ideology or movement that opposes what it refers to as "gender ideology",[5] the concept of gender identity and transgender rights, especially gender self-identification. Gender-critical feminists believe that sex is biological and immutable,[6] while believing gender, including both gender identity and gender roles, to be inherently oppressive. They reject the concept of transgender identities.[7]

Originating as a fringe movement within radical feminism mainly in the United States,[4][8][9] trans-exclusionary radical feminism has achieved prominence in the United Kingdom[10] and South Korea,[11][12] where it has been at the centre of high-profile controversies. It has been linked to promotion of disinformation[13][14][15] and to the anti-gender movement.[16] Anti-gender rhetoric has seen increasing circulation in gender-critical feminist discourse since 2016, including use of the term "gender ideology".[5] In several countries, gender-critical feminist groups have formed alliances with right-wing, far-right, and anti-feminist organisations.[17][18][19][20]

Gender-critical feminism has been described as transphobic by feminist and scholarly critics,[1][4] and is opposed by many feminist, LGBT rights, and human rights organizations.[21][22] The Council of Europe has condemned gender-critical ideology, among other ideologies, and linked it to "virulent attacks on the rights of LGBTI people" in Hungary, Poland, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and other countries.[23] UN Women has described the gender-critical movement, among other movements, as extreme anti-rights movements that employ hate propaganda and disinformation.[24][25]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Thurlow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Williams was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Rogers, Baker A. (2023). "TERFs aren't feminists: lesbians stand against trans exclusion". Journal of Lesbian Studies. 28 (1): 24–43. doi:10.1080/10894160.2023.2252286. PMID 37679960. S2CID 261608725. many lesbians despise TERF ideology
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Bassi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Pearce, Ruth; Erikainen, Sonja; Vincent, Ben (2020). "TERF wars: An introduction". The Sociological Review. 68 (4): 677–698. doi:10.1177/0038026120934713. hdl:2164/18988. S2CID 221097475. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  6. ^ UK Parliament. "Employment Tribunal rulings on gender-critical beliefs in the workplace". House of Commons Library. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. ^ Sullivan, Alice; Todd, Selina (10 July 2023), "Introduction", Sex and Gender (1 ed.), London: Routledge, pp. 1–15, doi:10.4324/9781003286608-1, ISBN 978-1-003-28660-8, retrieved 20 October 2023
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Thomsen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference BD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference HinesSocRev was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Lee, Hyun-Jae (December 2020). "A Critical Study of Identity Politics Based on the Category 'Biological Woman' in the Digital Era: How Young Korean Women Became Transgender Exclusive Radical Feminists". Journal of Asian Sociology. 49 (4): 425–448. doi:10.21588/dns.2020.49.4.003. JSTOR 26979894.
  13. ^ Billard, Thomas J (3 April 2023). ""Gender-Critical" Discourse as Disinformation: Unpacking TERF Strategies of Political Communication". Women's Studies in Communication. 46 (2): 235–243. doi:10.1080/07491409.2023.2193545. ISSN 0749-1409. S2CID 258464300. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  14. ^ Willem, Cilia; Platero, R. Lucas; Tortajada, Iolanda (2022). "Trans-exclusionary Discourses on Social Media in Spain". Identities and Intimacies on Social Media. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. pp. 185–200. doi:10.4324/9781003250982-15. ISBN 978-1-003-25098-2. OCLC 1334107848.
  15. ^ Tudor, Alyosxa (May 2023). "The anti-feminism of anti-trans feminism". European Journal of Women's Studies. 30 (2): 290–302. doi:10.1177/13505068231164217. ISSN 1350-5068.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Council of Europe 2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Butler, Judith. "Why is the idea of 'gender' provoking backlash the world over?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  18. ^ "'Rights aren't a competition': Anti-trans hate is on the rise in Canada, activists and advocates say". CTV News. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  19. ^ Alm, Erika; Engebretsen, Elisabeth L. (15 June 2020). "Gender Self-identification". Lambda Nordica. 25 (1): 48–56. doi:10.34041/ln.v25.613. hdl:11250/3048285. S2CID 225712334.
  20. ^ Studnik, Joane (24 January 2023). "Was bedeutet TERF? Wie linke Transfeindlichkeit Rechtsextreme stärkt" [What does TERF mean? How left-wing transphobia strengthens the far right]. Der Freitag.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference Canada 110 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference Toutes des femmes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference Resolution2417 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference unwomen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference thetimesantirights was invoked but never defined (see the help page).