Penna Dexter

A feminist writer and podcaster named Meghan Murphy recently had her Twitter account suspended due, she thinks, to her observation that "men aren't women." The notice from Twitter said this was "hate speech." This reveals the conflict between two ideologies of the left: feminism and transgenderism. Ms. Murphy maintains that the transgender ideology undermines feminism because feminism depends upon femaleness being a real gender category. If men can be women, then what is feminism? The first iteration of feminism celebrated the differences between men and women and sought rights for women in light of those differences. But, when feminism moved into its radical Second Wave in the 1960's, there was this attempt to deconstruct gender. Radical feminists would not tolerate references to differences between men and women. They insisted upon sexual parity in all discussions. At the same, time they sought the advancement of women. The transgender moment we're in is a very uncomfortable one for the feminist who maintains this kind of thinking. It's pretty tough to reconcile the push for opportunities and rights for women with the idea that gender is fluid and men can be women. The feminist movement can celebrate real accomplishments in fields like women's sports. But the transgender movement mitigates the good in this by insisting that biological males be allowed to participate. In a commentary, John Stonestreet of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview asks the question, "Are Women Real?" If men can be women, then this is a fair question. John Stonestreet suggests that feminists and progressives consider the principle outlined in the book of Genesis that there is a difference between sexes and this is "an intrinsic and good feature of human nature, that together magnifies the divine image which both men and women bear." Radical feminism's logical successor is transgender ideology. Some feminists, like Meghan Murphy, are beginning to realize the two cannot coexist. Christians can show them a better way.