The reason for the acronym "TERF" is that the core belief of what is currently called "gender critical feminism" by its adherents, "The oppression of women is rooted in their unique biology", is by definition radical feminism
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
It doesn't matter if you think this is a common sense opinion everyone holds or you feel you aren't an "extremist" or "zealous" proponent of this position The word "radical" in this context doesn't necessarily imply its colloquial meaning of "extreme" or "militant"
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
The word "radical" comes from the Latin word "radix", for "root" (like a "radish") In general, the "radical" version of a political movement is the one that focuses on "attacking the root" of a problem, trying to identify what an issue is "rooted in"
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
In Western leftist political movements the opposite of "radical" tends to be cast as "liberal", hence the term "libfem" TERFs like to use for their opponents "Liberalism" being cast here as the idea that the biggest problem people have is a lack of freedom to do as they wish
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
And therefore you don't need to "attack the root" of a problem like sexism, just give everyone more freedom and the problem will resolve itself
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
(Personally I think making "radical vs. liberal" into an opposition is a huge oversimplification There are people who have made "radlib" into an insulting term -- "radical liberal", people who think lack of freedom is the root of all harm -- and I honestly identify with that)
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
But anyway You can be a "radical feminist" and not be a TERF -- i.e. have some sort of ideology that "Sexism goes down to the root of our society and can't just be fixed by giving people more rights and can't be explained by appeals to some other form of oppression"
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
The term "TERF" was, in fact, coined by a "TIRF", a radical feminist (Viv Smythe) who was tired of having people assume she was anti-trans based on her political identification and wanted to keep the simplistic "Oppression is because of uteruses!" mindset from taking over
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
Sadly, she seems to have failed, and in practice now if you say "radical feminist" or "radfem" online most people will say it means "Uteruses are the basis of sexist oppression, and whether you can experience sexism depends on your chromosomes and your reproductive organs"
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Replying to @arthur_affect @GiniAndInsomnia and
Again, I don't think this was inevitable I think you can easily construct a theoretical mindset of a "trans-inclusionary radical feminist", or a "trans-exclusionary liberal feminist" It's just not what people on the ground actually believe
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(I would call most of the mealy-mouthed "TERF allies" as having constructed a "TELF" platform, but one that relies on hiding behind TERFs I.e. "I have no opinion on whether trans women are women but cis women have the right to exclude them if they choose")
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