The Inconvenient Truth TERFs Won't Acknowledge: 7 Years Later, Their Arguments Still Don't Hold Up

Introduction

In her 2024 follow-up letter1, the self-described "gender critical" author Caroline revisits an exchange from 2017 in which she was called a TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist) for her views on transgender rights and women's rights2. The letter doubles down on harmful myths and misconceptions about what it means to be a trans woman in today's society. "In the intervening years," Caroline writes, "I have only become more certain that my original position was correct."

But as a trans woman and feminist myself, I have to ask: What makes Caroline, a cisgender woman, feel so confident in claiming to know what's best for trans women? What expertise or lived experience is she drawing upon to dismiss our identities and experiences as invalid or threatening? The arrogance and condescension of presuming to speak over trans women about our own lives is telling.

In this response, I will debunk the core TERF arguments put forth in Caroline's letter, including the false notion that trans rights undermine women's rights, the mischaracterization of trans women as predatory men, and the denial of transphobic discrimination. I will highlight the common cause between feminist and transgender activist movements, center the voices of trans women, and call for expanding our circle of compassion to fully embrace trans humanity.

The Prejudiced Roots of TERF Ideology

Examining the history and tactics of TERF ideology reveals its deep roots in prejudice and right-wing backlash. Far from being a new or progressive form of feminism, it is a repackaging of age-old tropes and scare tactics used to demonize marginalized groups.

Many of the arguments made by TERFs today echo those made against gay people in decades past. A particularly chilling parallel can be seen in the rhetoric of anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant, who led a successful campaign to repeal a non-discrimination ordinance in Florida in 1977.

Like modern-day TERFs, Bryant painted herself as a concerned mother and moral guardian, warning that LGBTQ+ rights would lead to the corruption of children. She claimed that "homosexuals cannot reproduce, so they must recruit" and that "if gays are granted rights, next we'll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters."3 These absurd and inflammatory claims were not rooted in fact, but they didn't need to be - their purpose was to exploit societal prejudice and ignorance to sow fear.

The parallels with TERF rhetoric today are striking. Just as Bryant portrayed gay people as a threat to children and families, TERFs paint trans women as dangerous predators invading women's spaces. And just as Bryant presented herself as the voice of moral reason against a powerful "gay agenda", TERFs position themselves as brave truth-tellers up against the "trans lobby."

Consider this quote from Caroline's letter:

"Trans activism has been extraordinarily effective in recent years, but we must not allow ourselves to be cowed into silence by the name-calling and no-platforming that inevitably follows any challenge to trans orthodoxy. We owe it to future generations, to our daughters and granddaughters, to speak up now, before it's too late."

The language of "orthodoxy," the framing of trans people as a monolithic and menacing force, the invocation of future generations - all of these rhetorical moves directly echo the fearmongering of anti-gay crusaders like Bryant. It's a timeworn tactic of stoking moral panic by painting a marginalized group as an existential threat to the social order.

But just as Bryant's campaign was ultimately on the wrong side of history, so too will the TERF movement be judged harshly by posterity. Their ideology is not some bold new frontier in feminist thought, but a reactionary backlash fueled by prejudice and willful ignorance about trans lives and experiences.

The fundamental problem with TERFism is that it proceeds from a commitment to a certain conception of womanhood and then attempts to make the world conform to it, rather than beginning with the concrete realities of gender as it's lived and letting that guide its politics. For example, philosopher Talia Mae Bettcher has written extensively about the metaphysical assumptions underlying TERF claims and how they fail to account for the lived realities of trans people4 In other words, TERFs start with their conclusion - that trans women are not "real" women - and work backwards to justify it, ignoring or distorting any evidence to the contrary.

They paint trans women as deceitful predators, rather than acknowledging them as women who face misogyny and male violence, compounded by transphobia 5. This is not a defense of women's safety, but a demonization of trans people.

Debunking TERF Arguments

Caroline's letter repeats several inaccurate and misleading claims often made by TERFs to argue against trans inclusion. For example, she suggests that trans women are really men seeking to infiltrate women's spaces and erase the notion of biological sex:

"The idea that a man can simply declare himself to be a woman and expect to be accepted as such in all contexts is not only absurd, but it also poses a serious risk to the safety and dignity of women and girls. We are now seeing the fruition of an ideology that teaches children they can be 'born in the wrong body' and that their healthy bodies are in need of drastic surgical intervention."

However, this fear is not supported by facts. Studies have consistently shown that allowing trans women to use women's restrooms does not increase safety risks. A 2018 study of Massachusetts towns with trans-inclusive public accommodation policies found no increase in criminal incidents after the policies took effect. 6 As lead author Amira Hasenbush noted, "This study provides evidence that these incidents are rare and unrelated to the laws."7

Similarly, the notion that trans women have an unfair advantage in women's sports is not supported by scientific evidence. A 2017 systematic review of the literature on transgender people and sport concluded that "there is no direct or consistent research suggesting transgender female individuals (or male individuals) have an athletic advantage at any stage of their transition."8 The idea that trans women are just men trying to game the system is a pernicious myth not grounded in reality.

Additionally, major medical organizations agree that sex and gender are not the same, and that gender identity is a core part of a person's sense of self 9. Caroline also repeats the common TERF claim that lesbian identity is under attack, implying that trans women are pressuring lesbians to date them:

"Lesbians in particular are being told they are bigoted if they refuse to consider a male-bodied person as a sexual partner. Lesbian dating apps are rife with men who identify as lesbians, and lesbians are being banned from social media for stating that their sexuality excludes males."

This is a homophobic and transphobic trope not rooted in reality. Genital preferences are valid, but stating a categorical refusal to date any trans person solely because they are trans is rooted in prejudice, not mere preference. As Julia Serano argues in Whipping Girl, the notion that trans women are always 'visibly' trans, and thus inherently undesirable as partners, 'stems from the assumption that trans female bodies are undesirable and illegitimate'. This idea that trans women's femininity is deceptive and that their bodies are really male is a form of what Serano calls 'trans-misogyny.' Categorically refusing to date trans women as a 'preference' is rooted in this transphobic ideology, not neutral attraction.10

No one is forcing lesbians to be attracted to trans women, but acknowledging that some lesbians date trans women is not "lesbian erasure." It's simply recognizing the reality that gender and sexuality are complex, and that there is no one right way to be a lesbian.

Common Cause Between Movements

Caroline's letter presents women's rights and trans rights as diametrically opposed, claiming that "the idea that 'trans women are women' is incompatible with women's liberation." But a closer look at history reveals the deep interconnections between feminist, gay, and transgender activism.

As pioneering trans activist Sylvia Rivera noted in her famous 1973 "Y'all Better Quiet Down" speech, the Stonewall Riots that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement were led by trans women of color and gender non-conforming people:

"I have been to jail. I have been raped, and beaten. Many times. By men, heterosexual men that do not belong in the homosexual shelter. But, do you do anything for me? No. You tell me to go and hide my tail between my legs. I will not put up with this shit. I have been beaten. I have had my nose broken. I have been thrown in jail. I have lost my job. I have lost my apartment for gay liberation and you all treat me this way? What the fuck's wrong with you all?"11

The notion that embracing trans rights somehow takes away from women's rights ignores the reality that trans women have been fighting alongside cis women for decades. It was trans women like Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson who helped build the feminist movement and paved the way for greater freedoms for all women.

In fact, many of the arguments made against trans women today - that they are delusional, dangerous, and defying biology (or reality) - echo those made against feminists and lesbians in decades past12. The idea that women's spaces need to be "protected" from trans women parallels the homophobic notion that gay people pose a threat in public restrooms. It's a tactic of exclusion and fearmongering that has long been used to enforce rigid gender norms and police women's bodies.

As feminist scholar Sally Hines notes, "Anti-trans feminism is not feminism at all. It is misogyny dressed up as pseudo-science, and its goal is to control, police and ultimately exclude women: cis and trans alike."13True feminism fights for the liberation of all women, rejecting all patriarchal gender norms, not just those who conform to narrow notions of womanhood, including those that say only cisgender women are "real" women.

Centering Trans Voices

One of the more galling aspects of Caroline's letter is the complete absence of trans perspectives. She claims to be concerned about the well-being of trans people, particularly trans youth, but at no point does she actually cite or engage with any trans voices. This omission is telling, as it reveals the fundamental flaw in TERF ideology: a refusal to listen to trans people about our own lives and experiences.

As trans actress and activist Laverne Cox has eloquently stated, “I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community.”14 This simple but profound truth seems lost on TERFs like Caroline, who are convinced they know better than trans people ourselves.

If Caroline were truly interested in understanding trans realities, she would seek out the wealth of trans writing, art, and activism that has flourished in recent years. She might engage with the powerful memoirs of trans women like Janet Mock15 and Imara Jones, who chronicle their journeys of self-discovery and the joys and challenges of living authentically. Scholar and poet Jos Charles pens heartbreaking verses about the stigma and violence trans women face 16. She could learn from the incisive commentary of trans feminists like Julia Serano and Emi Koyama, who have long argued for an expansive and inclusive vision of feminism. Maybe she wants to Netflix and chill? The documentary "Disclosure" features in-depth interviews with trans women in Hollywood about the impact of media representation17 .

But instead, Caroline dismisses trans voices as "a small minority of very vocal activists" pushing "a harmful ideology." This framing not only minimizes the diversity and complexity of trans perspectives, but also paints trans people as a monolithic and nefarious force out to destroy society. It's a dehumanizing trope that has long been used to justify violence and discrimination against marginalized groups.

By ignoring this rich history and the contemporary realities of trans lives, TERFs like Caroline erase our humanity and perpetuate dangerous myths and stereotypes.

From Fearmongering to Reality

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Caroline's letter is the sheer lack of concrete examples to support her dire warnings about the supposed dangers of trans inclusion. She makes sweeping claims about the erosion of women's rights and the threat to children, but offers little in the way of specific evidence.

This fearmongering is a common TERF tactic, as it allows them to paint trans people as a vague but looming menace without having to grapple with the actual realities of trans lives. It's much easier to stoke anxiety about hypothetical scenarios than to engage with the facts on the ground.

For example, Caroline warns that "we are now seeing the fruition of an ideology that teaches children they can be 'born in the wrong body' and that their healthy bodies are in need of drastic surgical intervention." But this framing completely misrepresents the careful, multi-step process of gender-affirming care for trans youth.

As the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines make clear, no minor undergoes genital surgery as part of transition-related care. 18 For children who have not yet reached puberty, transition is entirely social, involving changes like name, pronouns, and clothing. Even for adolescents who may begin medical transition, the first steps are fully reversible puberty blockers, not surgery.

The reality is that gender-affirming care is literally lifesaving for trans youth. A 2022 study by the Trevor Project found that access to gender-affirming hormone therapy was associated with 40% lower odds of recent depression and suicidal ideation among trans and nonbinary youth.19 As lead author Dr. Jonah DeChants noted, "It's clear that gender-affirming care has the potential to reduce rates of depression and suicide attempts while banning this vital care and exposing young people to harmful political rhetoric can cause real harm."20

But TERFs like Caroline seem more interested in stoking unfounded fears about trans youth than in engaging with the actual science and lived experiences of trans people and our families. Her letter is full of ominous warnings but devoid of real-world examples of the supposed harms of trans inclusion.

This reveals the fundamental weakness of TERF ideology: it is based not on facts but on prejudice, not on reality but on hyperbole. As writer and activist Aurelien Mondon notes, "the transphobic process of 'othering' based on moral panics, which seeks to construct, homogenise and exaggerate a [trans] threat."21

Transwomen are not dominating women's sports, abusing women in restrooms, or brainwashing children with "gender ideology"22. In fact, trans people continue to face staggering levels of discrimination, poverty, and violence23. The real threat to women is not trans inclusion, but patriarchal oppression in all its forms. This is beginning to encroach upon cis people, particularly women of color, gay or straight.

The Institutional Nature of Transphobia

While Caroline's letter focuses on supposed "concerns" about trans inclusion, the reality is that trans people in the UK and around the world continue to face staggering levels of discrimination, marginalization, and violence. This is not the result of individual prejudice alone, but of entrenched systems and institutions that treat trans lives as disposable.

As the 2022 Galop report on transphobic hate crimes in the UK found, 4 in 5 trans people had experienced a hate crime in the past 12 months, with younger trans people even more likely to be targeted. Over a third of trans people avoid certain streets because of safety concerns, and nearly half feel less able to leave their home due to fear of harassment.24 These grim statistics paint a picture of a society that is fundamentally hostile to trans existence.

But the institutional nature of transphobia goes beyond street harassment and violence. In every sphere of life, from healthcare to employment to housing, trans people face systemic barriers and discrimination. A 2021 study by TransActual UK found that 45% of trans people had experienced healthcare discrimination in the past year, including being refused treatment, subjected to invasive questioning, or outed without their consent.25

In employment, a 2021 YouGov survey found that 65% of trans employees in the UK hide their trans status at work, fearing discrimination from managers and colleagues. 26 And in housing, a 2020 report by the Albert Kennedy Trust found that LGBTQ+ youth make up 24% of the youth homeless population in the UK, with family rejection and abuse as the leading cause. 27

These are not isolated incidents or individual biases, but the product of a society that devalues and marginalizes trans lives at every turn. And yet, in the face of this pervasive discrimination, TERFs like Caroline have the gall to claim that it is trans people who hold too much power and influence.

This is the insidious nature of TERF ideology - it takes the very real oppression faced by trans people and turns it on its head, painting us as the oppressors rather than the oppressed. It's a classic tactic of backlash politics, wielded by those who see their privileged position threatened by the advance of marginalized groups.

As author and activist Julia Serano writes in her book Whipping Girl, "When the dominant group feels threatened, there's a tendency to shift blame away from the dominant group and toward the minority group. This is why there's so much hand-wringing about the 'trans threat' and the idea that trans people are seeking to 'erase' cis women, when in fact it is trans people who are fighting erasure on a daily basis."28

TERFs may cloak their arguments in the language of feminism and concern for women, but at their core, they serve to reinforce the very systems of patriarchal oppression they claim to oppose. By denying the womanhood of trans women and perpetuating myths and stereotypes about us, they lend legitimacy to the institutional discrimination we face and make it harder for us to advocate for our basic rights and dignity.

Towards Liberation for All

Dismantling TERF ideology is not enough. We must also actively work to dismantle the systems and structures that perpetuate transphobia in all its forms. This means fighting for comprehensive non-discrimination protections, access to gender-affirming healthcare, inclusive education and media representation, and economic and racial justice for trans communities. These policies, these goals, these protect and elevate not just trans women, but all women.

In the face of such entrenched prejudice and oppression, it can be tempting to despair. But I believe that another world is possible - a world where every person, regardless of their gender identity or expression, is free to live authentically and with dignity. Getting there will require hard work, solidarity, and a commitment to justice that extends beyond individual identity politics.

As writer and activist Raquel Willis powerfully argues, "Trans liberation is not about 'fitting in' or assimilating into oppressive structures. It's about reimagining the world and our relationships to each other. It's about centering the experiences and leadership of those most marginalized, not just within the trans community, but in society as a whole." 29

This means recognizing that the struggles for trans liberation, racial justice, disability rights, economic equality, and so many others are fundamentally interconnected. It means showing up for each other not just when it's convenient, but when it's hard. It means listening to and amplifying the voices of those who are most directly impacted by oppression, rather than speaking over them.

For cis feminists in particular, it means interrogating the ways in which your feminism may be exclusionary or harmful to trans women and taking active steps to do better. It means not just paying lip service to trans inclusion, but actively working to dismantle the systems and structures that perpetuate our marginalization.

As a trans woman, I am not asking for special treatment or privileges. I am simply asking to be seen and treated as fully human, with the same rights and dignity as anyone else. I am asking for a world where my sisters and siblings and I can walk down the street without fear, where we can access healthcare and housing and employment without discrimination, where our lives and experiences are valued and celebrated rather than erased and demonized.

That world is possible, but it will not come about through the efforts of a single group or movement alone. It will take all of us, working together in solidarity and with a shared commitment to justice and liberation for all.

As the great Black feminist Audre Lorde wrote, "I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own. And I am not free as long as one person of Color remains chained. Nor is anyone of you."30

So to Caroline and others who would seek to divide us with fear and prejudice, I say this: Your time is up. The future belongs to those of us who believe in the radical notion that every person deserves to live free from oppression and discrimination.

We will not be silent, we will not be erased, and we will not stop fighting until that future is realized. Because trans liberation is not just about trans people - it's about the liberation of all people, cis and trans alike, from the shackles of gender-based oppression. Our feminism does not treat womanhood as a limited resource to be hoarded from trans women. It recognizes that all women, cis and trans, are united in a common struggle against patriarchal oppression.

So to the TERF author and all those who share her views, I invite you to envision a different future. A future where we celebrate the beautiful diversity of womanhood and work together to build a world where every woman can thrive. A future where we fight for each other's dignity and humanity, not against it. That is the only path forward.

Conclusion

In the end, the question is not whether trans women are "real" women or whether our inclusion in feminism is a threat to cis women. The question is what kind of world we want to build together - a world of fear, exclusion, and oppression, or a world of solidarity, compassion, and liberation.

In the seven years since the original letter, the world has not ended because trans women are being acknowledged as women. On the contrary, feminist and trans activist movements have more reason than ever to unite in common cause against those who wish to control our bodies and deny our humanity.

So I know which world I am fighting for. I am fighting for a world where every person can live authentically and with dignity, free from violence and discrimination. I am fighting for a world where we celebrate the beautiful diversity of gender and sexuality, rather than policing it. I am fighting for a world where we recognize that our struggles are interconnected and that none of us can be truly free while others remain oppressed.

That is the world that trans inclusion in feminism seeks to build. It is a world that has room for all of us, in all our complexity and humanity. It is a world where we lift each other up rather than tearing each other down. One where feminism does not treat womanhood as a limited resource that must be hoarded and gatekept, but one that celebrates all women, in our beautiful diversity, and fights for a world where we can all thrive as our authentic selves.

So let us move forward together, with open hearts and a fierce commitment to building a better world for all of us.

To the TERF author, I say: I hope you will one day expand your circle of compassion to include your trans sisters. We are all in this together.