Sex Wars and (Trans) Gender Panics: Identity and Body Politics in Contemporary UK Feminism

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

Current attempts to exclude trans women from feminism could be seen simply as the latest instance within a very long tradition wherein dominant women seek to construct feminism in their own image.

“Current attempts to exclude trans women from feminism could be seen simply as the latest instance within a very long tradition wherein dominant women seek to, literally, construct feminism in their own image.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The feminist organisation 'A Woman's Place UK' (WPUK) formed in 2017.

“Amidst the UK government's consultation on the GRA, the feminist organisation 'A Woman's Place UK' (WPUK) formed in 2017.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

The lengthy and complicated process currently required to register for a gender recognition certificate is untenable.

“In particular, the lengthy and complicated process currently required to register for a 'gender recognition certificate', which is needed before changes in documentation (gender recognition) can be processed, is untenable.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Cordelia Fine challenges understandings of sex based on hormonal difference, showing that the 'sexual natural order' is diverse and malleable.

“In her book Myths of Sex, Science and Society, neuroscientist Cordelia Fine challenges understandings of sex that are based on hormonal difference: what she terms that 'familiar, plausible, pervasive and powerful story' (2017).”

• Also stated in: § The diversity of sex · plain

  “Fine shows how, to the contrary, the 'sexual natural order' is diverse and malleable (2017).”

• cites Fine, 2017Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

A model of self-identification or self-declaration, which decentres medical practitioners and psychiatrists, has been proposed to streamline the recognition process.

“A model of self-identification or self-declaration, which decentres the involvement of medical practitioners and psychiatrists, has been projected in order to streamline the recognition process.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Since the mid-2000s, deliberations within feminism around trans lives have intensified to the degree that such contestations currently represent polarised positions.

“Since the mid-2000s, deliberations within feminism around trans lives have intensified to the degree that such contestations currently represent polarised positions.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

There are more similarities in the biological make-up of men and women than differences (Fine, 2017).

“There are, she argues, more similarities in the biological make-up of men and women than differences.”

• cites Fine, 2017Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Western feminist understandings of gender and sex as distinct enabled recognition that gender was not binary, leading to acknowledgement of gender as potentially plural and allowing non-binary gender expressions.

“Subsequently -and critically -Western feminist understandings of the categories of gender and sex as distinct enabled the recognition that gender was not binary.As the sex/ gender binary was disturbed so too was the binary of male/female, leading to the acknowledgement of gender as potentially plural and allowing for gender expressions that were non-binary.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Sex and gender as conceptual categories and as a lived experience are subject to contestation and renegotiation in the contemporary UK.

“This article considers how sex and gender -as conceptual categories and as a lived experience -are subject to contestation and renegotiation in the contemporary UK.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The claim that trans women are a potential danger to 'real' women in sex-segregated spaces is forwarded as a rallying cry against proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act.

“The argument then follows that trans women are a potential danger to 'real' women, especially in the context of sex-segregated spaces: a man may appear as a woman in order to access women's toilets or changing rooms with the intention of committing sexually abusive acts.This claim is forwarded as a rallying cry against proposed changes to the GRA”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Reproductive function has gained primacy as the fundamental site of women's disadvantage in this debate.

“More so, reproductive function has gained primacy as the fundamental site of women's disadvantage.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

At the heart of current debates lie divergent understandings of the ontology of the categories of 'sex' and 'gender' and conflicting understandings of their relationship.

“At the heart of current debates lie divergent understandings of the ontology of the categories of 'sex' and 'gender' and conflicting understandings of their relationship.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Reducing womanhood to reproductive capacity and role undoes decades of feminist work that has sought to upturn conservative thought that relegates gender role to sex.

“Reducing womanhood to reproductive capacity and role undoes decades of feminist work that has sought to upturn conservative thought that relegates gender role to sex.”

May combine two claims.

Work on intersex by Fausto-Sterling and Kessler configures sex outside a binary, bringing to light the diversity of chromosomal make-up.

“Work on intersex by scholars such as Fausto-Sterling (1985, 1993, 2000, 2019) and Kessler (1998) also configures sex outside a binary -in this instance bringing to light the diversity of chromosomal make-up.”

• cites Fausto-Sterling, 1985, 1993, 2000, 2019Not checked yet

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• cites Kessler, 1998Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Anti-essentialism untied gender from biological characteristics, but the biological premise of sex remained fixed within much feminist thought.

“What became known as 'anti-essentialism' importantly untied gender from biological characteristics.Yet, although the biological basis of 'gender' was seriously disrupted through these interventions, the biological premise of 'sex' remained fixed within much feminist thought”

• cites Oakley, 1972Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The gendering of bodies means women are subject to discrimination because of, and through, their bodies in ways that men are not.

“As feminist thought and politics have undeniably argued, the gendering of bodies means that women are subject to discrimination because of, and through, their bodies in ways that men are not.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

In recent years, UK organisations have sought to isolate sex from gender, placing sex as the apex of what makes a woman.

“In recent years, then, UK organisations have sought to isolate sex from gender, placing it as the apex of what makes a woman.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

At the hub of the battle over Gender Recognition Act reform is the sex/gender binary, wherein sex is reinstated as the primary source of women's oppression in order to agitate against trans rights.

“At the hub of this battle is the sex/gender binary wherein 'sex' is reinstated as the primary source of women's oppression in order to agitate against trans rights.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Questions around the definition of 'sex', both in relation to womanhood and more widely, are at the heart of these tensions.

“Further, as the article explores, questions around the definition of 'sex', both in relation to womanhood and more widely, are at the heart of these tensions.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The primary goal of WPUK is to agitate against self-declaration of gender within recognition processes.

“The primary goal of WPUK is to agitate against self-declaration of gender within recognition processes.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Proposals for self-identification have proved highly contentious within some sections of feminism, opening old wounds in debates around feminism and trans people.

“As this article will address, proposals for self-identification have proved highly contentious within some sections of feminism -serving to open old wounds in debates around feminism and trans people.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

The binary articulation of sex in order to serve an exclusionary agenda is scientifically, as well as politically, untenable.

“Yet, as the article moves on to explore, the binary articulation of sex in order to serve an exclusionary agenda is scientifically, as well as politically, untenable.”

May combine two claims.

Anti-trans feminist groups are small in number and face much opposition from the majority of members of feminist and LGBT communities, but have had a high media profile in the UK and have linked with international organisations such as the US group 'Hands Across the Aisle'.

“Though small in number and with much opposition from the majority of members of feminist and LGBT communities, anti-trans feminist groups have had a high media profile in the UK and have linked with international organisations such as the US group 'Hands Across the Aisle'.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The majority of members of feminist and LGBT communities oppose anti-trans feminist groups.

May combine two claims.

Trans exclusionary radical feminism rests on a rigid reading of the sex/gender binary and an essentialist understanding of woman and man as identified at birth on the basis of genital observation.

“Suffice to say, that this argument rests on a rigid reading of the sex/gender binary and an essentialist understanding of 'woman' (and man) as one who was identified as such at birth on the basis of genital observation.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The paradoxes and problematics of using 'sex' to articulate bodies are profound.

“The paradoxes and problematics of using 'sex' to articulate bodies are thus profound.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

What is at stake here are understandings of sex, not sex itself.

“What is at stake here are understandings of sex, not sex itself.”

May combine two claims.

There are many human chromosomal combinations other than XX and XY; biologically speaking, there are many gradations running from female to male; at least five sexes and perhaps more (Fausto-Sterling, 1993).

“there are many human chromosomal combinations other than XX (typically used to denote female) and XY (typically used to denote male): 'biologically speaking, there are many gradations running from female to male; and depending on how one calls the shots, one can argue that along that spectrum lie at least five sexes -and perhaps even more' (Fausto-Sterling, 1993, p. 23).”

• cites Fausto-Sterling, 1993Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Anne Fausto-Sterling proposes an orthogonal model, which intertwines sex, gender, orientation, bodies, and cultures without a demand to choose one over the other (Fausto-Sterling, 2019).

“In her most recent work, Anne Fausto-Sterling thus proposes an orthogonal model, which 'intertwines sex, gender, orientation, bodies, and cultures without a demand to choose one over the other ' (Fausto-Sterling, 2019, p. 529).”

• cites Fausto-Sterling, 2019Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The presumption that the category of woman denotes a universal experience, wherein reproductive function is central to women's oppression, negates individual, historical and cultural specificity.

“First, the presumption that the category of woman denotes a universal experience, wherein reproductive function is central to women's oppression, negates individual, historical and cultural specificity.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Many athletes are let down by attempts to 'draw a hard line between the sexes', which represents a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of biological sex; science keeps showing that sex doesn't fit in a binary, whether determined by genitals, chromosomes, hormones, or bones (Kralick, 2017).

“As bone researcher Alexandra Kralick has argued, many athletes are let down by attempts to 'draw a hard line between the sexes', a practice, which, for Kralick, 'represents a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of biological sex.Science keeps showing us that sex also doesn't fit in a binary, whether it be determined by genitals, chromosomes, hormones, or bones' (2017).”

• cites Kralick, 2017Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

As trans feminist work has shown, it is possible to trace the common ground between the specific feminist projects of women and non-binary people who are differently located.

“As trans feminist work has shown, it is then possible to trace the common ground between the specific feminist projects of women and non-binary people who are differently located.”

May combine two claims.

Each of those categories is in itself complex; the percentage of male and female characteristics can vary enormously among members of the same subgroup (Fausto-Sterling, 1993).

“Further, 'each of those categories is in itself complex; the percentage of male and female characteristics, for instance, can vary enormously among members of the same subgroup ' (1993, p. 23).”

• cites Fausto-Sterling, 1993Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Issues around the recognition of, and the rights afforded to, gendered bodies have remained constant campaigning issues for trans movements since their inception in the 1970s.

“Thus, issues around the recognition of, and the rights afforded to, gendered bodies have remained constant campaigning issues for trans movements since their inception in the 1970s.”

May combine two claims.

The reduction of gender to sex within some strains of feminism is scientifically as well as politically problematic.

“The reduction of gender to sex within some strains of feminism is thus scientifically as well as politically problematic.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Western culture is deeply committed to the idea that there are only two sexes (Fausto-Sterling, 1993).

“Though Western culture is, as Fausto-Sterling says, 'deeply committed to the idea that there are only two sexes ' (1993, p. 23)”

• cites Fausto-Sterling, 1993Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

In 2018, police forcibly removed a cis woman from a women's toilet in North Carolina, US, after receiving calls that she was not feminine enough; the state had recently passed the 'bathroom bill', which made trans people use the toilet corresponding to that on their birth certificate rather than that with which they identified; in 2019 the Bill was repealed after campaigns by LGBT right groups (Hø

“In 2018, for example, police forcibly removed a cis woman from a women's toilet in North Carolina, US, after receiving calls that she was not feminine enough.The state had recently passed the 'bathroom bill', which made trans people use the toilet corresponding to that on their birth certificate rather than that with which they identified.In 2019 the Bill was repealed after campaigns by LGBT right”

• cites Holpuch, 2019Not checked yet

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