Judith Butler article, xenophobia
So, there's a new article by Judith Butler in the Guardian ostensibly defending gender, however I am very concerned that it feels like this article is using xenophobia to try to convince "gender critical" feminists to not be, well terfs.
The article feels in general, moderate in tone, but what concerns me most is excessive mention of events in countries seen as "backwards", the exclusion of the US and UK, and that it's addressed to terfs
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2021/oct/23/judith-butler-gender-ideology-backlash
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
The first paragraph raises several red flags for me right off the bat. It lists actions taken in Hungary, Romania, Poland, and Turkey against the ideology of "gender", identifying transness as the result of "corrosive cultural influence from the US and UK".
So here this frames the US and UK as progressive, and these countries as backwards. It is not lost on me that the readers of the Guardian likely hold a lot of xenophobia towards these countries.
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
the article mentions that these attacks on gender ideology are "backed by extensive right wing Catholic and evangelical organizations".
So then, if the question of the article is "Why is the idea of 'gender' provoking backlash the world over", why isn't this article about those organizations that are literally pushing this agenda?
Why is it instead focused on painting these countries, which to readers are "foreign", as backwards and perhaps naive
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
This quote is another huge red flag to me, "The anti-gender ideology movement crosses borders, linking organizations in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and east Asia".
As someone living in the US, the absence of North America from this list is glaring. Again, as mentioned, much of this push is coming from evangelical organizations in the US
So why is this article painting it as something happening in those "other" places?
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
Butler claims, "Anti-gender movements are not just reactionary but fascist trends, the kind that support increasingly authoritarian governments"...."They insist that “gender” is an imperialist construct, that it is an “ideology” now being imposed on local cultures of the global south, spuriously drawing on the language of liberation theology and decolonial rhetoric".
And yet the article does not discuss arguments against this point
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
Instead, it stands that gender really is a construct originating in places like the US and the UK.
Butler argues that the anti-gender movement strengthens authoritarianism and "That is why it makes no sense for “gender critical” feminists to ally with reactionary powers in targeting trans, non-binary, and genderqueer people."
So those targeting trans people are fascists. And where are the fascists? Anywhere but here of course
Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
It seems to me that the article is addressed to gender critical feminists to urge them not to be terfs, because to do so would mean being like these fascist authoritarian countries, you know the "other".
Because surely this isn't happening in the US or UK. This is something happening 'over there'. you know, in those backwards countries. And surely you don't want to be like them do you?
I just realized- it's appealing to the urges of White Feminism
re: Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
@RadiantEmber also didn't the guardian censor her previous article when she directly called these people out?
re: Judith Butler article, xenophobia, transphobia
@confusedcharlot yes and this is apparently in response to that occurrence. So it is very strange that this article seems to be more moderate towards them now