‘Why are you trying to write us out of history?’ Feminists and anti-feminists clash over what a ‘woman’ is

A group of feminists and anti-feminists took part in a panel that saw heated debate over whether or not transgender women — meaning biological men — should be included in women’s feminism, among other topics such as abortion and racism.

“I would never stand between anyone with a uterus from making a decision about their body,” said Rebecca Faith Quinn regarding abortions, who describes herself as an “actress, writer, autistic, activist, feminist.”

Another panelist described how she felt abortion access should be as ordinary and easily accessible as a simple doctor’s visit:

“It’s the same as going into the doctor and getting a routine check,” remarked the artist who goes by AJ, the One.

“If there’s something for your body that you think will not just benefit you, but help you live and also help you sustain an actual good life for your child, then that’s what you need to do,” she added.

For lengthy portions of the debate, the participants were not able to agree to a definition of what a woman actually is, which caused dialogue to turn into drawn-out arguments over how to specifically refer to a man who has become a woman and whether or not that change actually allows him to become a real woman.

“I am a woman … born and raised a woman,” said a panelist named Niké, “Why are you trying to write us out of history?”

Quinn, disagreeing with a biological binary, replied, saying, “You guys keep saying there’s a biological reality of male and female, scientists do not agree with you.”

The argument continued with the panelist’s disagreements on definitions stymieing their ability to get through even examples of hypothetical situations.