this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2023
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Social construct ≠ fake. "Gender is fake" is a phrase I've only ever seen employed against trans people.
well if the feminist movement is all about deconstructing gender and removing fixed ideas of gender, then surely the trans movement is reversing this by reinforcing stereotypes in how people dress etc. /s
You jest but I've actually seen this take
ok, I'll bite and role-play devil's advocate. how do you respond to such a take?
"So are cis women who like wearing dresses pushing stereotypes by existing?"
If they think so, point out that, by their logic, the only way to destroy gender stereotypes is to force women to wear certain articles of clothing, which is likely counterproductive to their goals.
If they don't, probably don't even waste your breath on them. The component keeping their internal logic together is likely some transphobia they're not willing to admit to.
but isn't the difference in one case free gender expression, whereas the other is (e.g. for trans male to female): I think I'm a woman and to show this I'm going to specifically dress in the 'stereotypically womanliest' way possible?
or, more generally, people shouldn't be using gender as the reason to dress and act the way they want to. else they're affirming that a certain gender means a certain form of acting.
obviously this is an exaggeration. but since we're playing the game.
The thing is, gender roles usually prevent trans women (and sometimes trans men) from wearing those clothes in the first place. I'm a currently semi-closeted trans woman and I don't plan on wearing dresses or skirts all the time. But it's something that I've rarely had the chance to experience in the first place, that other women typically do. (Plus, I look kinda pretty in them :3)
Also most people associate wearing dresses and skirts as something women usually do, so people will be more likely to gender me correctly even if I don't "pass".
I'm sure you do :)
That being said, by choosing not to break gender norms, are you not helping reinforce what an idea of female is?
(OK, maybe I'm going round in circles here)
Anyway, you have a lovely day :)
Aw, thank you! :3
The thing is, I've only ever seen this argument employed against trans women and not cis women. Nobody bats an eye if a cis woman chooses to wear makeup and a dress, but if a trans woman does, certain people come out of the woodwork crying that she's an instrument of the patriarchy. Cis women can wear what they like, but anything a trans woman wears is a political statement.
I feel like the foundations of this sentiment rest on the idea that trans women are only "honourary women", total outsiders begrudgingly accepted into womanhood but still secretly regarded as some kind of potential intruder to be kicked out at first suspicions.
Thank you, you too!