‘Non-binary’ is not an alternative identity to ‘woman’

Apr 17th, 2016 | By
Category: Notes and Comment Blog
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Continuing our suddenly regular feature, Comments On Bonkers Green Party Women Posts on Facebook, I give you some comments from the post that explains to us slow women that the group for women has to include non-binary genders and other gender identities, including those that say they are not women and resent being called women.

  • As a lesbian, I am particularly offended by the implicit homophobia and misogyny underlying your baseless assertion that womanhood is somehow a gender; it’s as if you believe female people somehow choose to be subjected to sex-based oppression and that you’re saying women who don’t present themselves in a stereotypically “feminine” way are not “actual women”, but “non-males”. I hope the Scottish Greens don’t win a single seat in the Holyrood elections this May as a direct result of your disgraceful disregard for the humanity of 51% of the population.
  • Since the focus is on gender balance: I’m interested to know what the committee’s position is on All Women Shortlists? And if in favour, would you also be in favour of renaming them All Non-Man Shortlists, and allowing male people who identify as non-binary to stand?
  • Not sure why a self described ~~women’s group~~ should be erasing women in order to include people who don’t even consider themselves to be women.
  • ‘Non-binary’ is not an alternative identity to ‘woman’. It’s an alternative philosophy to feminism, which sees all people as non-binary. Saying ‘I don’t consider myself to be female’ to me sounds a lot like ‘I’m not like other girls’
  • I take it trans men, being men, are not included in the group of people you recognise as oppressed by gender?
  • Basic politics fail. You don’t stand for what you are NOT. You stand for what you ARE (Green, Women, it’s right there in the name). You can’t win votes this way. You can lose them, though.
  • The final paragraph is so loaded- ‘those that stand against sex workers’ rights’. I presume you mean End Demand..which most definitely promotes sex worker safety. However, this straw-non-non-man is an attempt to caricature those who disagree with your position as exclusive at best and bastards at worst. Arguing against being defined against the oppressing group is not a ‘disagreement on terminology etc’, it’s a fundamental tenet of feminism. One thing did ring true- your statements, including this one, do tend to be incoherent.
  • Well done, Green Party: you just lost my vote.

    You are supposed to be the Green Party WOMEN group. If the Green Party wants to support other marginalised groups, fine: you can do that. You can’t do that by re-defining ‘women’ as ‘non-men’.

    I strongly support everyone’s right to live as they want. Male and female gender stereotypes are discriminatory and soul-destroying and have resulted in mental and physical harm to generations of women.

    I reject these stereotypes with everything I am. The are unfair to men and women. They artificially limit the wonderful scope of every individual’s capacity and personality.

    Without these stereotypes, the term ‘non-binary’ has no meaning.

    I am a woman, because of my female biology and the gendered socialisations I have experienced since birth. I am not the same as someone born biologically male, someone raised male, who identifies with the female-gendered stereotypes I reject. You want to represent the specific interests of groups such as these, who undoubtedly suffer discrimination and need support? Fine. Good. But DON’T abandon women in the process. Or women such as me will abandon you.

Just a small sample.

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