I think it's clear that she's on the receiving end of misogynistic hatred (as documented in that article). As someone taking a feminist stance in an unmoderated public forum, this is not surprising although it's a shame on the ignorance of the haters.
Perhaps this barrage of hatred is one of the factors that obscures her ability to address the rational criticisms of her approach. I think perhaps it takes a person of exceptional emotional maturity to be able to distinguish rational criticism from a screed of hate mail, and to address the genuine points of concern - I'm just imagining what it might be like for her. Though perhaps this point falls into the pattern I called "Alex's Grandma error" here ('omg but what about the poor menz/racistz/rich people's feelingz??') by omitting attention to the power dynamic between a transphobic public figure and the marginalised position in society of transgendered people who suffer from the results of her prejudice.
I guess reading that it made me feel a little more sympathy for public feminists of any kinds. I'm not sure I have the capability to bear much hate mail, or to pick out the rational criticism from a great pile of hate mail. But I suppose I also haven't chosen to expose my opinions publicly - my publications so far have been highly collaborative, and mostly scientific where the opinion content is very limited and well-marked, and every statement must be justifiable. Perhaps I have been fortunate that my own stupidities have not so far been given much public airing, and nor am I in a position to affect other people's lives greatly - whereas Bindel's prejudice and transphobia is problematic when acceptance and assistance for transgender people and other issues to do with the way gendering hurts people are so marginalised in society at large.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-12-27 12:20 pm (UTC)Perhaps this barrage of hatred is one of the factors that obscures her ability to address the rational criticisms of her approach. I think perhaps it takes a person of exceptional emotional maturity to be able to distinguish rational criticism from a screed of hate mail, and to address the genuine points of concern - I'm just imagining what it might be like for her. Though perhaps this point falls into the pattern I called "Alex's Grandma error" here ('omg but what about the poor menz/racistz/rich people's feelingz??') by omitting attention to the power dynamic between a transphobic public figure and the marginalised position in society of transgendered people who suffer from the results of her prejudice.
I guess reading that it made me feel a little more sympathy for public feminists of any kinds. I'm not sure I have the capability to bear much hate mail, or to pick out the rational criticism from a great pile of hate mail. But I suppose I also haven't chosen to expose my opinions publicly - my publications so far have been highly collaborative, and mostly scientific where the opinion content is very limited and well-marked, and every statement must be justifiable. Perhaps I have been fortunate that my own stupidities have not so far been given much public airing, and nor am I in a position to affect other people's lives greatly - whereas Bindel's prejudice and transphobia is problematic when acceptance and assistance for transgender people and other issues to do with the way gendering hurts people are so marginalised in society at large.