Packratloser

A teacher, Luisa Velázquez Herrera, dismantles the myth of self-determination of sex:

“For about 16 years, I’ve taught feminist courses and workshops, and I can assure you that no one manages to answer this exercise about these assumptions, no matter how much they defend men or how queer they are. I always concede the point before starting the example:

“Okay, let’s suppose that gender is a choice, that’s what you’ve said, right? That means we can stop being women.” “They answer ‘yes’ with conviction.

“Very well, then let’s launch massive campaigns to encourage all women and all girls not to ‘perceive’ or ‘identify’ as women.” If that puts an end to rape, femicide, the exploitation of girls and women in trafficking networks, in homes, and obstetric violence, we have the solution right under our noses… “—Doesn’t that put an end to violence?

What?! So, gender isn’t a voluntary choice? Don’t we ask women what their gender is before assaulting them?”

“I swear that not a single queer person, right there in front of me, said never a word.” “I wait a few seconds, the last minute arrives, nothing, the silence persists…..”

“Okay… I’ll end the tension… feminism highlights this: patriarchal oppression isn’t based on individually perceived identities, but on women’s sexed bodies, and listen, it’s not because my body contains an ‘essence’ of oppression, it’s because men chose violence and decided what women would be in the system they founded.”

Let's suppose, finally—I say this to conclude the example—that tomorrow everyone wakes up "non-binary," dresses androgynously, and shows creativity in their appearance; rest assured that in the kitchen, in the bathrooms, carrying babies, and suffering obstetric and sexual violence, we women will still be there. That is gender.

Reminder that this is a trans woman.