rose mcgowan and transmisia, part 1

(NB: this was written 3 February 2018.)

I'm gonna try and get as much of this out as i can while at work. this is a patented Julie long ranty heap of broken images thread.

Let's get some stuff out of the way.

1) I'm white.

2) I'm a woman.

3) I'm trans.

I am born with certain inherent privileges that come from existing in a system that has been built to benefit white people.

I am trans, and I face a lot of discrimination because of that, but I am still white. and trans women of colour face much greater discrimination and violence than I do.

I have privilege.

I feel every woman has a place at the table.

Trans women.

Trans women of colour.

Cis women.

Disabled women.

Black women.

Indigenous women.

Japanese women.

Chinese women.

Korean women.

Vietnamese women.

Latin and Latinx

Fat women.

Skinny women.

Buff women.

Women full stop.

And as a white woman, I sit my ass the fuck down and listen to people with other experiences and lives to mine.

I learn from them.

I don't speak over them.

I don't speak for them.

I learn, and I amplify with their words.

I don't ask them to do labour I can do.

For any woman to set herself as not only an arbiter for womanhood in general, but for the hurt, abused, raped, etc...

That's adhering to a patriarchal system that presses down on all of us.

Feminism, to me, should be a socialist thing. For everyone according to their need, from everyone according to their ability.

Some women need more right now.

And until we have a level playing field, we all need to realise this, accept this, digest this, and move forward.

Together.

People like Rose McGowan..Alyssa Milano...so many others...when we say white feminism, they are who we speak of.

What happened with Rose is not uncommon...especially from her.

It is not the first time.

It likely will not be the last.

We've all spoken about it before.

And no one listens cos hey trans women lulz.

We all have stories to tell.

And the only storied we can tell are our own.

None of us have the right to speak for everyone.

And those of us who have benefits because of the system that others do not need to use those benefits to uplift voices that are unheard/ignored.

And people who stan women like Rose McGowan..who cheer her as she shouts down a trans woman, who sits there and asks them 'what have you done for women,' who separate themselves from all women...are not feminists I want to ally with.

For all of us, or for none of us.

Those are the options.

Choose wisely.

(follow me on twitter @xycyberjulie to see these posts as they happen.)