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CW: Transphobia
Something that basically everyone who’s spent any time on far-right social media is aware of is that transphobia is one of the biggest narratives pushed by the far right.
But so often this goes unexamined, so here's a quick thread on far-right transphobia 1/n
Something that basically everyone who’s spent any time on far-right social media is aware of is that transphobia is one of the biggest narratives pushed by the far right.
But so often this goes unexamined, so here's a quick thread on far-right transphobia 1/n
The far right often adheres to really stringent gender roles i.e. men = warriors and wage earners and women = the domestic realm.
Often this is based in "traditionalism" and a desire to return to an idealised “simpler age” where men and women had strictly defined roles. 2/n
Often this is based in "traditionalism" and a desire to return to an idealised “simpler age” where men and women had strictly defined roles. 2/n
To extremists, trans people are seen to violate their ideal of strict roles, and the concept of gender fluidity is seen to threaten their stereotypical world view of what men and women “should” be like. 3/n
Often the “concept” of transness is seen by the far right as a by-product of modernity and of the corrupt modern age which deliberately seeks to undermine the traditional familial structure, and threaten (white) Western culture. 4/n
Often transness is referred to as an “ideology”, framing trans people as part of a political agenda, and falsely suggesting that being trans is a choice.
This alleged “agenda” is seen to wish to stop men from being "masculine" and women from being traditionally "feminine". 5/n
This alleged “agenda” is seen to wish to stop men from being "masculine" and women from being traditionally "feminine". 5/n
In more extreme far-right circles this "transgender ideology" is seen to be controlled by Jewish people, fusing far-right transphobia with traditional far-right antisemitism. 6/n
Commonly, the far right also frames children – the paradigm of innocence – as the most “at risk” from this so-called transgender ideology.
They suggest children are preyed upon by “trans-advocates” who push them to surgically transition at a young age against their will. 7/n
They suggest children are preyed upon by “trans-advocates” who push them to surgically transition at a young age against their will. 7/n
This is really clearly exemplified by the legal battle between Anne Georgulas and Jeffrey Younger over custody of their transgender daughter, which in 2019 became a HUGE flash point for the far right. 8/n https://www.forbes.com/sites/dawnstaceyennis/2019/10/26/texas-is-afraid-of-a-7-year-old-transgender-girl/?sh=4a54b94a56fa
Younger (the girl’s father) denied his daughter was trans, claiming her mother was forcing her and wanted to immediately “chemically castrate” her.
His custody campaign spread wildly throughout far-right social media where fundraising campaigns for Younger were promoted. 9/n
His custody campaign spread wildly throughout far-right social media where fundraising campaigns for Younger were promoted. 9/n
The idea that children are targeted by “transgender ideology” is partially based in a fundamental misunderstanding of how gender reassignment surgery works.
Transphobes claim that children are at risk of being “mutilated” or forced into “irreversible” hormone therapy 10/n
Transphobes claim that children are at risk of being “mutilated” or forced into “irreversible” hormone therapy 10/n
However, this is far from the case.
Gender reassignment journeys begin with many consultations with medical professionals and the process of beginning hormone therapy or getting access to surgical options (if they are wanted) can take YEARS. 11/n
Gender reassignment journeys begin with many consultations with medical professionals and the process of beginning hormone therapy or getting access to surgical options (if they are wanted) can take YEARS. 11/n
Hormone therapy also simply delays puberty to give a young person time to make the choice that is right for them. It is reversible.
Also, not all trans people will choose to surgically or medically transition. 12/n https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/puberty-blockers#are-they-reversible
Also, not all trans people will choose to surgically or medically transition. 12/n https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/puberty-blockers#are-they-reversible
The idea that children are forced to surgically transition at a young age is therefore a myth perpetuated by the far right to frame transgender people as evil and preying on children, and a tool to help extremists recruit more followers to their cause. 13/n
Transphobia is such a powerful tool for the far right because unfortunately it has been part of mainstream political discourse for some time.
It is a major conservative talking point, and is also a cause taken up by some on the left. 14/n
It is a major conservative talking point, and is also a cause taken up by some on the left. 14/n
In the same way that, for some, misogyny is what initially sucks them into the far-right, extremists seek to harness the popularity of transphobic narratives to recruit “normies” into their movements and into escalating extremism. 15/n
Therefore far-right transphobic narratives are often a more extreme reflection of the discourse that already exists at a more mainstream level, and allows them to attempt to attempt to gain more followers. 16/n
In our recent report, we highlight that extremists have attempted to capitalise on the appointment of Dr Rachel Levine by the Biden administration, as an excuse to ramp up their transphobic propaganda and recruit newcomers. 17/n
https://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ICSR-Report-Far-From-Gone-The-Evolution-of-Extremism-in-the-First-100-Days-of-the-Biden-Administration.pdf
https://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ICSR-Report-Far-From-Gone-The-Evolution-of-Extremism-in-the-First-100-Days-of-the-Biden-Administration.pdf
Groups like the Proud Boys have used Levine as a symbol for their transphobic hatred, and have deadnamed her repeatedly, refusing to recognise her gender identity, and sharing photos of her prior to her transition. 18/n
This shows that groups like the Proud Boys, which claim to be accepting of homosexuality (although this claim is super dubious), still have particularly acute anxieties about transgender people, and view transgender people with a particularly intense hatred. 19/n
Why is this important? Not only is it necessary to understand far-right transphobia because it’s one of the biggest ways the far-right recruits newcomers, and we cannot counter this without first understanding it… 20/n
But also, trans people are at a disproportionate risk of violence, and of suicidal ideation.
In 2015 98% of trans people who had experienced 4+ instances of discrimination and violence in the past year had thought about suicide. 51% attempted it. 21/n http://tinyurl.com/696bjz2k
In 2015 98% of trans people who had experienced 4+ instances of discrimination and violence in the past year had thought about suicide. 51% attempted it. 21/n http://tinyurl.com/696bjz2k
Trans people are also being targeted by anti-trans bills in multiple US states, and in the UK where plans to enable trans people to legally assert their identities were scrapped in 2020 after pressure by transphobic groups. 22/n
http://tinyurl.com/65cs2jeb http://tinyurl.com/4p3x2e33
http://tinyurl.com/65cs2jeb http://tinyurl.com/4p3x2e33
Transphobia should be given far greater academic attention and should be recognised as a key part of security discourse as it is such a major tool used for recruitment by the far right, yet on the whole, it often goes undiscussed. 23/n
Of course, I’m not claiming our recent report is the only one to ever highlight this issue! In 2019 SPLC observed that transphobic threats from white nationalists were escalation, and I would recommend this as essential reading on the topic. 24/n https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/06/26/white-nationalist-threats-against-transgender-people-are-escalating
However, in general far-right transphobia is deserving of far greater attention. This thread only covers (some of) the basics of extremist transphobia, but I really hope this is something that will be given more recognition in the future in the field of security studies. /end
