Gender critical feminism. Learn more.
Gender critical feminism. These theories examine power relationships, making the political Feb 2, 2024 · We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Sep 26, 2009 · The relationship between feminism and transgender theory and politics is surprisingly fraught. On the whole, ‘gender-critical feminism advocates reserving women’s spaces for cis [non-trans] women. All of the incidents described above are associated with what is usually described as “gender-critical” feminism in the UK and focus on the heated debate around the issue of women’s sex-based rights in light of government plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act (2004). While much of contemporary feminist thought has moved past biological essentialism’s outdated embrace of a sex binary to embrace trans-equality, a relatively small but vocal group of self-proclaimed May 12, 2008 · Note that Dembroff’s position is not to be confused with ‘gender critical feminist’ positions like those noted above, which are critical of the prevalent feminist focus on gender, as opposed to sex, kinds. Apart from seeing the proposed reform as threatening women’s spaces, gender-critical feminists, or many of them, are critical of the use of puberty blockers for self-identified trans children. But that term too is terribly misleading. However, since the late 1970s, one branch of radical feminism has argued for a biological essentialist definition of binary gender categories. It argues that the ‘gender critical’ movement must be understood as a biopolitical project indebted both to sexological work aimed at ‘normalising’ trans and intersex minds and bodies, and to 1970s Dec 26, 2024 · In her book, “Gender-Critical Feminism”, she offers a comprehensive examination of the gender-critical feminist perspective which prioritizes biological sex over gender identity. Gender-critical Feminism definition: A branch of <a>radical feminism</a> which is <a>skeptical</a> of <a>gender</a> , maintaining that a person's <a>sex</a> is distinct from their <a>gender identity</a> , and that sex is <a>immutable</a> . It addresses arguments based on medical sex differences, sexual orientation, sex-based disadvantage, prisons, and domestic violence shelters, as well as the law and May 28, 2024 · This article begins with an overview of the ‘gender critical’ movement and its claims regarding sex and gender, beginning with but extending beyond the movement’s attempted defence of women-only spaces. Those who hold such views often see <a>transgender</a> people as belonging to the gender they were assigned at birth, especially believing that <a>trans Gender Critical Feminism and the racial capitalist protection racket - Phipps 2 where they were grown: as Nadine El-Enany (2020) reminds us, rights mediate entitlements to, and Jun 28, 2018 · Likewise, the entry on feminist perspectives on power, written by the critical theorist Amy Allen, proposes the idea that “although any general definition of feminism would no doubt be controversial, it seems undeniable that much work in feminist theory is devoted to the tasks of critiquing gender subordination, analyzing its intersections One of my arguments in that book was that while gender- critical feminism is ceaselessly positioned by its detractors as being about trans issues— indeed, as being essentially ‘anti- trans’— gender- critical feminism’s disagreement with gender identity activism (the activ-ism of some members of the trans community and their allies) is While “gender critical” often gets inaccurately used to mean “anti-transgender,” the term is feminist in its origin and accurately describes one of the paths towards women’s liberation: critique the means by which the patriarchal hierarchy is enforced (gender) and then dismantle the socialized sex-based roles and stereotypes that Gender-Critical Feminism by Holly Lawford-Smith | Jul 19, 2022 38 Hardcover Price, product page$3499 List: $47. While Critical Femininities is often deemed an emergent area of scholar-ship, this framing is both In this work, Critical feminist theory is situated in the broader context of Marxist feminism examining the material manifestations of gender identities and gender power in political, cultural, and social life having its roots in Critical Theory and in the Marxism of Antonio Gramsci. Gender-Critical Feminism (ISBN-13: 9780198863885 and ISBN-10: 0198863888), written by authors Holly Lawford-Smith, was published by Oxford University Press in 2022. More recently gender-critical feminism has appealed to radical feminism when describing trans* rights as a May 23, 2025 · I argue that the gender-critical feminist case against trans women’s access to women-only (or sex-segregated, or single-sex) spaces suffers from a number of fallacies, and introduces modes of argument that are at odds with well-established and sound uses of practical reason. hypernym success in influencing policy and public debate. Aug 10, 2024 · Identifying as a feminist and endorsing liberal feminist values are associated with positive attitudes toward trans* people and their rights. "Radical" refers to the Latin radix meaning "root. The paper first reflects on the origins of an May 28, 2024 · This article begins with an overview of the ‘gender critical’ movement and its claims regarding sex and gender, beginning with but extending beyond the movement’s attempted defence of women-only spaces. Activists within this wave of feminism use the example of legislation to illustrate this point. This is a movement which flourished in the US in the 1970s. In this work, Critical feminist theory is situated in the broader context of Marxist feminism examining the material manifestations of gender identities and gender power in political, cultural, and social life having its roots in Critical Theory and in the Marxism of Antonio Gramsci. This belief is sometimes paired with a belief that the oppression of women is based on their biological sex, and that women have a right to have single-sex spaces. Mar 5, 2020 · Those who deny trans rights while claiming feminism would prefer to be called gender-critical feminists. May 26, 2020 · A few, though not all, gender-critical feminists make exceptions for some trans women, such as those who have undergone gender reassignment surgery. Perhaps the aforementioned reasons help to explain why gender-critical feminism is not the norm in the United States48 or the United Kingdom,49 two of the three countries in which gender-critical feminists are most vocal (the other being Australia). Sandy Stone refuted this claim Jan 12, 2022 · If the historical roots of so-called ‘gender critical’ feminism lie in privileged whiteness, its future is one that does not only uphold essentialist notions of sex and gender, but also systems of white supremacy. May 23, 2024 · Does Britain’s gender critical feminism directly align with the global trends of anti-gender mobilisations, including the latter’s authoritarian and neofascist tendencies? This commentary argues for a context-specific analysis of the British gender-critical movement which is attentive to its divergent political orientations. " Radical feminist theory analyzes the power structures that oppress the female sex. Rustin says that she undertook her research because she “wanted to understand why” there is such a strong feminist reaction to “gender advocacy” in the UK. Sex Matters: Essays in Gender-Critical Philosophy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023). As I hope will become clear in what follows, much of my critique of Gender-Critical Feminism does in fact do just that: the metaphysical and political problems I identify in the three following sections would apply irrespective of the broader political context. Lawford-Smith about Gender-Critical Feminism, the history of feminism, and the conflict between gender identity proponents and gender-critical feminists. It argues that the‘gender critical movement must be understood as a ’ biopolitical project indebted both to sexological work aimed at‘normalisingtrans and intersex minds ’ and bodies, and to 1970s Sep 4, 2022 · In seeing gender-critical feminism as “a new iteration of radical feminism” — more on what radfems think of this below — Lawford-Smith spends a lot of time focusing on issues long championed by radical as well as other species of feminism, including the harm of porn, the sex trade, as well as adding her own, more controversial Mar 25, 2024 · In a new book, Judith Butler tries to indict gender-critical feminists. “Transgender” as a politics and “trans studies” as a twin of “queer Lawford-Smith, Holly. Feb 22, 2024 · Show details Hide details United States Show details Hide details Book Review: Why We Lost the Sex Wars: Sexual Freedom in the #MeToo Era, by Lorna N. All feminist theories make gender a central focus of inquiry, asking “the woman question. Since 2021, the public profile of a similarly reactionary GC movement has grown in Germany, coinciding with the current centre-left coalition government’s various trans-positive 2 days ago · Gender Critical is the belief that someone’s sex is biological, unchanging, and cannot be combined with someone’s gender identity (Observer Editorial, 2021). Types of Feminist Theories Feminist theory and critical feminist theories share many central assumptions. This article addresses ‘gender critical ’ feminism as a lobbying movement, examining its orientation towards governance and power. The paper first reflects on the origins of anti-trans feminism, paying particular attention to the decades between the 1970s and 1990s in the UK. 99 FREE delivery Jun 4 - 7 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon Or fastest delivery Wed, Jun 4 More Buying Choices$22. ABSTRACT Critical femininities examines femininity through a nuanced, multidimen-sional framework, moving beyond femininity as a patriarchal tool, to instead consider the historical, ideological, and intersectional underpin-nings of femininity, particularly those that contribute to femmephobia. They often focus on the pernicious effects of gender stereotypes; and critique the industries that profit from women’s pain, such as pornography. 50 Gender-critical feminism stands in contrast to liberal feminism,51 ABSTRACT Anti-trans, gender-critical (GC) feminist attitudes have recently been mainstreamed in UK political discourse as a reaction to calls to simplify the process of legal gender recognition from 2015 onwards. Gender-critical beliefs refer to “the view Dec 8, 2014 · Gender Critical Feminism (GCF) is a euphemism for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF). Díaz-León PDF PDF PLUS Full Text More I honestly learned quite a bit about philosophy, or philosophical concepts at any rate, and found that really neat! The author also provides a historical and theoretical overview of radical feminism (and thus some key points of feminist theory in general), as it is a precursor to gender-critical feminism – as it is being formulated today. Gender-critical feminism (pejoratively known as trans-exclusionary radical feminism or TERFism) is a movement opposing what it refers to as "gender ideology", as well as the concepts of gender identity and gender self-identification. What is Gender-Critical Feminism? Lawford-Smith explains, from the outset, that GCF is a type of Radical Feminism. Gender-Critical Feminism. It addresses arguments based on medical sex differences, sexual orientation, sex-based disadvantage, prisons, and domestic violence shelters, as well as the law and From a trans inclusive feminist viewpoint, I discuss the way her case has been used to spread misinformation around universities, and trans people. More recently gender-critical feminism has appealed to radical feminism when describing trans* rights Perhaps opponents of gender- critical feminism will argue that gender- critical feminist ideas influence ‘the culture’, and the culture influences whether trans people are accepted in their chosen gender/sex categories. Laws on domestic violence normally protect women and punish their aggressors (men). Mar 6, 2023 · Although “gender critical” feminists do not belong to the anti-gender movement - in Italy largely monopolised by right-wing and Catholic activists - I argue that the unexpected convergences towards the fight against “gender ideology” are relevant for, at least, two reasons. That's the opposite of gender critical feminism. believing that sex is a fact of biology that cannot be changed, and doubting the idea of gender…. Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. 320. A full month prior to its release date (May 12, 2022), two separate petitions were presented to Lawford-Smith’s publisher (Oxford University Press) one by the OUPUSA Guild — (OUP employees and authors)1 and another by members of “ the international scholarly community with a Dec 15, 2022 · From a trans inclusive feminist viewpoint, I discuss the way her case has been used to spread misinformation around universities, and trans people. Apr 3, 2025 · Lawford-Smith, Holly. Bracewell Show details Hide details Wordless Emotions: Some Critical Reflections on Radical Feminism Show details Hide details View more Oct 30, 2024 · It is this growth of gender-critical feminism to which Rustin dedicates her feminist history, as well as to the task of telling a story that isn’t focussed on the US. Very helpfully, she gives us a short history lesson on Radical Feminism. Some language to look out for: TERFs often self-identify as “gender critical” or as an “adult human female. Some with this viewpoint often question or deny the recognition of While the links between the anti-trans moral panic and the far-right are well-documented, 'Gender Critical' feminists are able shield themselves from that connection because of the common assumption that feminism and fascism are polar opposites. May 8, 2019 · At first blush, the phrase ‘gender critical feminist’ is essentially meaningless: all feminism is ‘gender critical’ by definition. 08 (27+ used & new offers) Kindle Price, product page$3191 Digital List Price: $41. ‘ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conversion Therapy: Or, Who Put The ‘GI’ in ‘SOGI’? Apr 16, 2020 · For gender critical feminists, this property is women-only spaces and the term “woman”. May 28, 2024 · This article addresses ‘gender critical’ feminism as a lobbying movement, examining its orientation towards governance and power. Jun 21, 2023 · What Is a TERF? The technical definition of a TERF is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist. Next, it addresses the re-emergence of UK trans- exclusionary politics over the Aug 6, 2025 · gender-critical feminism (uncountable) A branch of feminism that regards sex as a binary and unchangeable biological characteristic, rejects the concept of gender identity, and generally views transgender people as belonging to the sex they were assigned at birth. Jan 16, 2024 · The article critiques 'gender-critical' feminism, arguing it is not true feminism but rather a transphobic ideology. In this talk I introduce gender critical feminism, explain its roots in the radical feminism of the second wave, and answer some of the most common objections against it. What is radical feminism? Radical feminism is a specific subset of feminism which values dismantling the traditional patriarchal power structure and gender roles that keep women oppressed. TERFism/gender-critical feminism unites these seemingly contradictory ideologies by infusing them with their gender and racial essentialist construction of White woman victimhood and superiority. I examine the key ideas of gender critical and trans inclusive feminists and present an analysis of concepts of free speech and debate that challenges gender critical beliefs. Dec 7, 2023 · Critical Race Feminism Critical gender theory is a framework that analyzes the intersections of gender, power, and social structures through a critical and feminist lens. Following this, it Abstract This chapter discusses gender critical feminists’ arguments, such as Kathleen Stock and Holly Lawford-Smith’s, that misgendering is not wrong and that we morally should accept and use a sex-based account of gender. 99 (cloth). $44. You can easily purchase or rent Gender-Critical Feminism (Hardcover) from BooksRun, along with many other new and used Sex books and HollyLawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understandgender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022. Aug 1, 2022 · In so doing, they join a conversation that has flourished over the last several years in particular on the use-value of gender-critical feminism, critiques of “gender ideology” and “genderism,” and trans-exclusionary radical feminism for the aims of fascism. Aug 23, 2024 · Last May, the Heterodox Academy chapter at my university hosted a talk in which I interviewed Dr. It goes on to discuss biopolitical currents in feminist thought, observing that foundations for a feminist biopolitics were laid in the feminist theory of the 1970s. S. Most TERFs came to their ideology via second-wave feminism that radicalized into the lie that trans people are a threat to women. In the opening of MacKinnon’s address, we are told that “a group of philosophers purporting feminism slide sloppily from ‘female sex’ through ‘feminine gender’ straight to May 30, 2023 · A final concern is that successfully silencing gender-critical feminist thought through these forms of protest and targeting might ultimately prove counter-productive to trans rights. The goal in this entry is to outline some of the key philosophical issues at the intersections, and this can be accomplished only by attending to the history of feminist and trans politics as it has unfolded in the U. Gender critical feminists know that women are oppressed because of our biology. [5] Gender-critical feminists believe that sex is biological, immutable, and binary, and consider the concepts of gender identity and gender self-identification to be inherently oppressive constructs tied to gender Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. Following this, it Aug 3, 2022 · Accordingly, gender-critical feminism, as Lawford-Smith explains, has set itself unwaveringly against the growing movement to install gender identity as a protected category under law and custom. Lawford-Smith said of gender-critical feminism: "It is about being critical of gender, and this has implications for a wide range of feminist issues, not just gender identity. For gender-as-identity advocates, the property in question is one’s personal gender identity – seen as belonging (exclusively) to the person who holds and expresses it. Historically gender critical feminism has it's roots in radical feminism from the 1970s, which posited a material account of womanhood rooted in biological sex, but critiqued transgender women (trans men generally flew under the radar in these discussions) for reinforcing gender essentialism, as they supposedly claimed they were 'women trapped in men's bodies'. Lawford-Smith, Holly. Abstract This chapter discusses gender critical feminists’ arguments, such as Kathleen Stock and Holly Lawford-Smith’s, that misgendering is not wrong and that we morally should accept and use a sex-based account of gender. , it has manifested as ‘gender critical feminism’ while in other places it has manifested as ‘anti Feminist Critical Theory is an intellectual framework that examines the ways in which gender inequality and patriarchy affect social structures, cultural practices, and individual experiences. Gender-critical feminists are committed to protecting single-sex rights and privileges. By addressing issues such as representation, power dynamics, and May 3, 2025 · Butler challenges the offensive gender critical casting of transwomen as male aggressors in disguise, but an alliance-based feminist and queer politics needs to be directed towards those non-aligned feminists who campaign for changes in the law against domestic violence, street harassment and the various other forms of male power which limit May 12, 2021 · The chapter’s discussion reflects on examples of important feminist interventions in and contributions to critical theory, debates within feminist critical theory, and the extent to which critical theory can be considered feminist given its critique of power relations and interests in emancipation. Abstract Identifying as a feminist and endorsing liberal feminist values are associated with positive attitudes toward trans* people and their rights. What makes TERF ideology reactionary rather than radical is its dedication to binary gender essentialism. " [2 Mar 5, 2025 · This paper examines the link between UK gender–critical feminism and the right-wing political ideas and organizations that constitute as ‘anti-gender’. Trans rights activists are set . This theory seeks to highlight and critique the systemic oppression of women while also advocating for social change and gender justice. There is no ideological difference between the TERF and “Gender Critical Feminist” (GCF) movement; they are one in the same. K. Pp. Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be. There is no gender critical feminist alive that defines women as looking womanly enough. ABSTRACT This paper examines the link between UK gender–critical feminism and the right-wing political ideas and organizations that constitute as ‘anti- gender’. May 12, 2022 · Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. " Aug 27, 2020 · Gender-critical feminism is a radical feminist position that challenges the idea of gender identity and its implications for women's rights and safety. Feb 15, 2025 · 2. Gender-critical feminism, also known as trans-exclusionary radical feminism or TERFism, [1][2][3][4] is an ideology or movement that opposes what it refers to as "gender ideology". ” Jun 29, 2022 · This backlash manifests in different ways in different places, however, and in the U. With an overall rating of 4. 99 Available instantly Audible Audiobook Jun 26, 2021 · As a result, the ‘right of trans women to use women’s public toilets has been at the center of feminist debate around transgender, bringing issues of everyday gendered embodied experience and regulation to the fore’ (Hines 2019:151). By definition, feminists are critical of gender. As Judith Butler argued in a piece published in October 2021 in the Guardian, Sep 5, 2019 · Often known as TERFs, or “gender critical” feminists, anti-trans groups are teaming with conservatives on a sex discrimination Supreme Court case. Critical feminist pedagogy asks how elements of race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, and other characteristics intersect and contribute to patriarchal structures of oppression and knowledge (including those that underpin the institution of academia and normative pedagogical practices). GENDER-CRITICAL definition: 1. The connection between gender-critical feminists and sufragette colours is made by both the campaigners themselves Aug 15, 2025 · Feminist philosophy journal Hypatia publishes paper associating Gender-Critical Feminism with neo-Nazism The Philosophy of Feminism | Lecture 5 | Femininity Quillette | Holly Lawford-Smith on Nonpartisan Feminism: Should Feminists Work With The Right? The Philosophy of Feminism | Lecture 4 | Solutions to Patriarchy In gender-critical feminism, arguments against sex discrimination are replaced by entitlements to possess sex-based rights. Aug 22, 2023 · This view helps us to understand injustice against women, and what we can do about it. May 13, 2025 · In this essay, I argue that gender-critical rhetoric has successfully constituted a new feminist subject position for cisgender women who deny trans existence but claim the TERF (trans-exclusionary Roughly a half-century ago at the height of the second-wave feminist movement, some feminist scholars and activists found themselves arguing with transgender people about who is a woman. It seeks to challenge and deconstruct traditional notions of gender, exposing how gender is socially constructed and operates within systems of oppression. But, at many points in history, the distinction between feminism and fascism has been far from clear cut. This foregrounds the biology that has been used to deny women May 24, 2025 · By siding with 'gender critical' feminist activists critical of the notion of gender, the UK Supreme Court has reignited the debate over transgender women's rights. Gender-Critical Feminism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022). 99 Available instantly Audible Audiobook Gender-Critical Feminism by Holly Lawford-Smith | Jul 19, 2022 38 Hardcover Price, product page$3499 List: $47. The author argues that three themes run across three gender critical feminist organizations: (a) nonpartisanship, (b) biofeminism, and (c) trans Sep 21, 2021 · We hope that these critical feminist principles will be useful to our readers, authors, and reviewers as you envision, develop, conduct, and discuss feminist scholarship and praxis. Learn about its roots, its critics, and its arguments from a gender-critical feminist philosopher. Gender critical women critique gender roles and expectations. Ilaria Michelis is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Cambridge and a Gates Scholar. The first classic move MacKinnon makes against gender-critical feminists turns on conflating gender-critical feminism with gender conservatism, positioning us as anti-feminist conservatives in feminist drag. Gender critical feminism rejects this perspective and draws attention to the risk of using gender as an identity category to assert the subjectivity of being a woman. Jul 19, 2022 · Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. A key unifier of different varieties of Radical Feminisms is the conviction that women – biological females – are an oppressed sex caste Holly Lawford-Smith introduces and defends gender-critical feminism, a theory and movement that reclaims the sex/gender distinction, insists upon the reality and importance of sex, and continues to understand gender as a way that men and women are made to be, rather than a way they really are. Apr 30, 2020 · Gender critical feminism’s class-based account focuses, unsurprisingly, on how women experience gender, where particular gendered experiences stick to an already determined sex-based class. Former president of the American National Organization for Women (NOW) Terry O'Neill has stated that the struggle against transphobia is a feminist issue, [1] with NOW affirming that "trans women are women, trans girls are girls. 5 stars, it's a notable title among other Sex (Self-Help) books. [5] Gender-critical feminists believe that sex is biological, immutable, and binary, and consider the concepts of gender identity and gender self-identification to be inherently oppressive constructs tied to gender Sep 12, 2024 · Through a systematic review of gender critical feminist rhetoric in the realm of sports, this article excavates a rhetorical strategy of what the author calls “trans tolerance,” a strategy that is at once trans-affirming and trans-exclusionary. E. ” The “woman question” identifies and challenges the omission of women and their needs from the analysis of any societal issue. Third- and fourth-wave feminists tend to view trans rights as an integral part of intersectional feminism. But gender critical feminism is not about transwomen, and this popular mischaracterisation centres men in the narrative of a movement created by women, for women, and about women. Jun 16, 2023 · Gender-critical feminists trace their roots to the radical-feminism movement of the 1960s. Mar 29, 2025 · Gender-critical feminists reject transgender identities and consider the concepts of gender identity and gender self-identification to be inherently oppressive constructs tied to gender roles. Learn more. Resistance to Holly Lawford-Smith’s new book Gender-Critical Feminism ran hot well before its publication. Feminist views on transgender topics vary widely. Jul 28, 2021 · The term “gender critical” has been at the centre of increasingly heated debates in recent months, as rows about trans and gender identity rage on. A woman can act in any way she wants and be a woman. 1m kajn karv7a mwhjf qdu 6c7y8r hn3x a1uhj rfp rfi
Back to Top
