The TERF Manifesto Goes Mainstream
The dissenting opinions in the Supreme Court’s ruling on LGBTQ+ rights echo some well-trafficked TERF talking points
Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas are two of the biggest feminists on the Supreme Court. This, anyway, is the conclusion you would be forced to reach if you followed the logic of the TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) movement, which for years has argued that trans people must be discriminated against to “protect” women, and which now finds itself standing with those men on the wrong side of history.
The Supreme Court’s 6–3 ruling on Monday that queer and trans employees are protected under Title VII is a milestone for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, who for decades have fought for equal employment protections. It is also, even more significantly, the first major decision about trans rights by the Supreme Court. The victory has rightfully been celebrated. But equality advocates would be wise to pay close attention to the dissenting opinions by Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito — because their arguments are aligned all too closely with conventional TERF talking points.
Alito’s dissent, in which Thomas joined, echoed TERF rhetoric point for point: “For women who have been victimized by sexual assault or abuse, the…
