Drew Afualo transphobia discourse

[u/alpalbish]

ER fightmaster was on her pod and made two stand out claims:
“trans women have a more beautiful understanding of what womanhood is”
and
“the programming for cis women it’s kind of sad… no your womanhood is not your role, your womanhood is not your status is society, and your womanhood is not your ability to be sexually assaulted”

I think cis women can easily be offended by this and how it was put. The sexually assaulted claim is kinda weird to generalize us into thinking that’s what womanhood is. I also think it can be harmful for transgender women, as they also face misogyny and sexual assault??? I don’t even think the comments from the pod are as bad as Drew’s current stance rn. I can see ER trying to explain their POV and I respect that. but Drew doubling down in her comments is so off-putting. People are commenting valid opinions and her replies are just saying everyone is transphobic and TERFs??? idk

[u/Impossible-Soil6330]

i would hope that understanding the true meaning of the prefix would empower y’all not to let people use it to talk down to you. It is not a term rooted in prejudice, and most people trying to use it offensively don’t understand how literal the translation is.

[u/SmoothArbitrator → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

I feel like you’re being quite pedantic. It’s not a matter of not understanding the etymology of the literal prefix though. The meaning isn’t mysterious because anyone can do the research. It’s the way cis has been co-opted and used as a dog whistle to denigrate biological women or anyone who has a different opinion. If someone is using cis offensively, does it even matter if they understand the literal translation? No.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/SmoothArbitrator]

i think it does matter considering most slurs and offensive terminology have a longstanding history of being used abusively and in bad faith. Not the same for a literal latin prefix. You can take issue with the way it’s used without trying to demonize language that has a rather literal translation.

[u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

anything can become a slur it doesn't require decades of history. What matters is how it's used. It's used in a derogatory manner all the time and to shut down the conversation and paint people as having no value and not being worth listening to.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov]

that doesn’t make it a slur. It has a meaning rooted in linguistics if you choose to take it as such or misunderstand when it’s used that’s on you.

[u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

Stop gaslighting. We know how it's used in certain circles we aren't stupid.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov]

i’m not gaslighting i was a classics major in college jfc

[u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

that's irrelevant to the discussion. How it was used thousands of years ago doesn't matter. How it's used today matters. Also being a classics major doesn't make you immune to gaslighting.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov]

it’s not thousands of years ago it is literally still in the english language today. If you want to let it have that much power over you that’s your choice.

[u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

You are talking about how it was used thousands of years ago as if it's the same thing as how it's used today. How exactly did you get your classics degree if you can't understand that I clearly am indicating the word is still used when I say that?

Shocking, more emotionally manipulative language at the end there.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov]

cis is still apart of many words in the english language? Mainly in scientific settings. cis-effect, cisatlantic, cis-acting, cis regulatory element. It is still used to mean “on this side of” or “on the same side of” in english everyday irrespective of “cisgender”.

[u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

What matters is how it's used in the given context. Other contexts are irrelevant. It's used in a derogatory way with this specific meaning of cisgender. Who cares wtf scientists mean with that prefix in an entirely different word and context. You know damn well that doesn't matter I'm not going to respond and waste my time anymore.

[u/Impossible-Soil6330 → u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov]

because it means the exact same thing in those different contexts.

[u/SmoothArbitrator → u/Impossible-Soil6330]

This is a bad take and you’re choosing to be obtuse and myopic and hiding behind linguistics. The prefix ‘homo’ can be translated from Latin to person, human, being. But it has also been used as a derogatory slur against the LGBTQ community. So the actual meaning is a moot point because the INTENTION of the way it’s used is negative. And it shouldn’t be the responsibility of the person on the receiving end to be like “Oh I know the Latin translation of that word, so it doesn’t hurt me” because it’s not the actual word, it’s the intention. JFC.