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Transmisogyny and the sordid history of abuse
I have alopecia totalis, meaning I have no hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. This makes me self-conscious, though also determined to forge my own path as a woman. I don’t wear wigs and rarely wear makeup due to how sensitive my skin is. It also means I don’t have many pictures of myself online, and those few I do have posted since I lost my hair in 2020 have been weaponised against me to attack my gender. It is striking that gender critics are quick to post pictures of trans women they deem to masculine and manly, yet all they are doing is showing their own gross misogynistic tendencies. Judging a woman solely based on her looks is retrograde, cutting against second wave feminist deconstruction of sex and gender expression. It is also telling that trans people use the same tactics satirically against gender critics, which is no less misogynistic. Punching up may feel good, but it is still bullying based on looks.
I am acutely aware of the impact such tactics have on a person. I avoid having my picture taken because I fear it being used against me. Prior to losing my hair I used to love modelling and being in front of the camera, so for me to feel this self-conscious is both frustrating and a sign that I do not want to be bullied. I am frequently asked on social media to judge others based on random images thrust at me, and just today someone asked me to critique two…
