A tale of two TERFs. Firstly TERF is not a hate term, it's literally an acronym that stands for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist. It's important to understand this because of how it's used. Now unusually I'm using this to argue that two people don't deserve to be called TERFs

Firstly, let's get Gr*ham Linh*m out the way. He's not actually a TERF because he's not actually a radical feminist. He's jumping on the bandwagon to spread his hate rhetoric. He's just as likely to be attacking gays and lesbians as he is trans people. He's a bigot. That's all.

Now for TERF of the day, JKR. Or not, because I don't think of her as a radical feminist either. She just has an irrational fear of men, or rational if you consider her previous rather public relationships.

Let's be clear, no one deserves to be a victim of domestic violence. No one should be a victim of any violence, physical, verbal, or sexual. And I don't see protecting women from violence as a radical concept. It's just a feminist concept that should be normal for everyone.

I also don't see JKR as really transphobic. She's certainly not in the league of GL who has used the platform to falsely accuse people of being pedophiles and violent extremists. My worry is that one day he will be the reason someone is murdered.

I honestly believe JKR is no more transphobic than your average Briton. Probably less if I'm honest as the average Briton is wont to make snide comments and sidelong glances which I think would be beneath JKR. I do however think she is misguided and ignorant about trans people

I think this ignorance is in part fueled by her fear of men, that projects that fear onto all men. Our fears are reflections of our own experience and let's face it her experience of men isn't a good one. But what about her ignorance of trans people?

Well for starters she says she's a trans ally and yet insists on calling trans women men and trans men women. Moreover she links trans identities to autism and considers trans people to have been tricked into being trans because they're autistic. That's not an ally.

So by insisting trans women are men and associating men with violence she insists that trans women must be excluded from women's toilets. Because men might claim to be trans to enter. There's a number of issues with this assertion

1. Men are not going to claim to be trans to enter toilets. They'll just walk in anyway if they think the opportunity is there. Assaults are an act of opportunity, not planning.

2. By forcing trans women to use the men's toilets you put them at much greater risk. Not just of assault, but at risk of murder. Trans hate crime is very real, fueled by bigots like GL.

3. By asking trans men to use the women's toilets you now put them at risk of abuse by women. Every trans man and butch female will now be questioned as to whether they are truly female. Let's get one thing straight, this will discriminate against trans men.

4. If you were afraid of cis men claiming to be trans women, you just handed them the trump card. To pass as a trans woman they would have to dress in women's clothing, do their hair, wear makeup. To pass as a trans man they simply have to say "I'm a trans man".

As said, while well meaning JKR has ignored the very real concerns of trans people for their safety, while exposing the very women she wants to protect to greater risk by not understanding what it is to be trans.

By demanding that trans women be excluded she actually puts women at greater risk. And it's a risk that is unfounded. Trans women have been legally allowed to use women's toilets for years and there has been no increased risk to women.

In her ignorance she is assuming that trans women shouldn't be given a right they already have. Rights that are already protected under UK law. And if you change that law to exclude trans women from toilets it doesn't change the risk to women. Violent men will still break the law