Why Are Biological Women threatened by Trans Women?

Trans Women Aren’t a Threat to Cis (BIO) Gendered Women

After a video was posted by a transwoman stating that “CIS women don’t “own” periods and womanhood,” an uproar was unleashed across the internet. Social Media was on fire by the comments with many women, CIS and Trans, either agreeing or disagreeing with the creator’s comments.

So here comes Jess Hilarious, a famous comedian, adding her two cents to the situation. She posted a response video and added fuel to the inferno.

Jess Hilarious was quoted in a video saying, “Who the f*ck is gonna stand us for us…and us — I mean women, real women, biological women. Women who were born with all the parts that you guys wish that you were.”

This situation even caused me to have a rift with a couple of my friends. One was livid that she not be called CIS-gendered. She wanted it known that she was a biological woman. My other friend stated that biological women do gatekeep periods and womanhood and trans women can’t enter those realms.

I tried to understand the feelings of my friends. I really did. But their reactions bordered on transphobia. I’m not comfortable with discrimination being part of an oppressed racial group. But I realized that the situation brought out examples of discrimination and hatred within our own community (dang, isn’t colorism and classism enough?!).

Here’s my take on the situation — Trans women are women. Yes, they don’t have the genetic markers in their bodies that identify them as female nor do they have the reproductive organs of biological women, but once they go through the hormone therapy and surgery, they are women. Granted, some trans women are shaped like men. Some trans women, like Laverne Cox, are shaped like women. Unfortunately, surgery can’t change everything for a man transitioning into a woman.

The situation about trans women has entered the political realm with states banning trans women from participating in sports, using women-only bathrooms, and identifying as a woman on legal documents. Many feel that trans women have an advantage in terms of strength and that’s why trans women are being banned from sports. I don’t think it’s fair, but transphobia leads to trans hysteria.

I think politicians are using transphobia as another distraction tool. Hey, look at those trans people stealing your rights! Meanwhile, politicians are banning books from schools, tormenting teachers, and erasing African American history. But keep arguing about trans people while the Supreme Court continues to strip away everyone’s rights.

As for my friends, I listened to their arguments and gave my two cents. I didn’t tell them all of my feelings about the situation because I felt it would have led to more arguments. I don’t want to lose friendships because of people’s fears. I just believe we have more things to worry about like — urban violence, white nationalism, and cultural erasure.

And one more point, one of my friends felt that trans women would be the end of the Black race. I don’t agree. If history proves anything, we are resilient people. Our ancestors survived the Trans Atlantic Slave trade, enslavement in America, the Reconstruction Period, Jim Crow, Redlining, the War on Drugs, AIDS, ongoing police brutality and urban violence, and COVID. We are still here and there are over a billion of us all over the world.

Black transwomen will not decrease the Black population in America. What’s decreasing our numbers are the inequities in health care, education, and jobs. In addition, environmental racism has affected our numbers as well. Flint, Michigan still doesn’t have clean water!

We also have to consider that biological Black women are deciding to either delay or not have children at all. Also, many Black women suffer from reproductive issues that prevent them from having children. Then there are the Black women who want children but want to get married first. The dating pool for Black women is not deep. These factors also impact Black birth rates in this country.

So, let’s focus on more important matters and leave Black trans women alone. As a people, we need to be working on improving our communities, our health, and our wealth. We need access to housing and good-paying jobs. Those are the factors that allow families to be formed. In addition, there are thousands of Black children in foster care waiting to be adopted. Many of those children end up with white families. Where is the uproar?

Let’s focus, my people!