Ky Schevers

In terms of my politics, I could still be classified as a kind of radical feminist but my views diverge so much from what gets called "radical feminism" these days that I hesitate to call myself one.

I draw on the social constructionist, materialist, gender abolitionist strains of radical feminism. I explored other more essentialist tendencies but ultimately rejected them. The kind of radical feminism I believe in can easily integrate trans people into its overall analysis.

The idea that trans people can't be radical feminists is bullshit. We have unique insights to add to radical feminist theory and practice. We can take ideas developed in radical feminism and use them to analyze our own oppression under heteropatriarchy.

When I say I became disillusioned with radical feminism, it's more accurate to say I'm disillusioned with what it's become, how it's been increasingly co-opted by the right and become more conservative, bioessentialist, and centered on opposing trans people.

Reactionary tendencies have long been part of radical feminism, particularly with cultural feminism, "women's spirituality" and some forms of lesbian feminism/separatism. But they've ramped up a lot and part of that is from working with the Christian Right.

I've seen detrans rad fems I know become increasing bioessentialist over time in ways that disturb me. I've seen hardcore lesbian separatists collaborate with right-wing Christians who promote conversion therapy.

That so many "radical feminists" see trans people as a bigger threat to them than the Christian Right breaks my brain. The collaboration between rad fems and the Right was a huge part of why I left. It shocked and disgusted me.

I couldn't understand how these rad fems didn't see the Christian Right as being a part of the patriarchy they claimed to oppose. To be fair, I did know a lot of rad fems who were as horrified as I was but that ultimately wasn't enough to keep me from leaving.