Why Intersectionality Matters #1 - Gender isn't defined by Biology

Over the next few weeks, for my Feminist Fridays, I'm going to be discussing why we need to be incorporating intersectionality into feminism - I know a lot of people are doing this (me included)because we need to acknowledge that gender isn't the only factor in deciding what inequality is. And many people, prominent figures or not, are simply believing that every woman starts at the same point in life and marginalise many minorities i.e. Women Of Colour, Transgender Women, Queer Women, Disabled Women etc. and as a result Feminism is increasingly seen as this 'elite' movement (more on that another time) which we need to change now because it's socially harmful.

This week, I am going to write about the marginalisation of transgender people.

From an early age, and as we get older, we are taught what makes a boy and what makes a boy - a girl has a vagina and a boy has a penis. However, if you have a penis but identify as a female, like transgender women, than as far as I'm concerned, they're a female - just like if you have a vagina but identify as a male, then you're a male.

Biology should not be the defining factor in someone's gender, it's about what gender you identify with, and want to be and eventually become. And if you're cisgender i.e. you identify with the gender you were assigned at birth, you have privileges that transgender people can only hope for.

If you are cisgender, then you are statistically less likely to be verbally abused on the street, physically attacked, raped, killed and face discrimination. But you already knew that (it's common knowledge) and particularly if you are also a trans woman of colour, or disabled, or queer then you are at even more at risk.

Feminists haven't been the best advocate for transgender equality under the Feminist Umbrella of 'Issues We Need to Tackle' but it is changing, slowly. So let's speed it up.