For Smith College, rejecting a transwoman from admission as a student was based on, for them a logical reason: Calliope Wong didn't meet the criteria. Quite rightly there have been protest about that refusal. But I am left wondering if its a blessing in disguise.
Calliope may have found Smith College not the welcoming place, the protest claim it to be. Because in my experience ciswomen are fine with the idea of trnaswomen being in women only spaces. But actually interacting with transwomen is another story entirely. I have been involved in Feminist groups at the University I attend and worked with ciswomen on social issues for the trans community. For the most part it work out well, until something went wrong. Then its the fault of the transwoman. As a transwoman I am conscious of the way radical feminist see transwomen and when I am in women only spaces I try not draw attention to myself. Part of that is as a transwoman I have learnt that within the wider feminist community, transwomen need to know their place. Our place is to do the heavy lifting, fetch and carrying, be content that we allowed in the door. We are not equal partners in the feminist project, we are the very junior partner that in some time in the future be given our equality.
When it comes to social issues about the trans community, like most other things a cisgender expert tells us what our issues are and what our opinion is. Often transwomen are marginalised in the organising of such things as TDOR.
Calliope may find herself in a similar situation where her trans status maybe used to marginalise her and as a weapon to blame her, when she starts to express herself.
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