• There’s an argument in favor of using the expression they chose. It taints it. They can say TERF is a slur, but, if the discussion about how horrible and wrong they are uses gender critical, they lose one deflection and anyone interested in the subject will see negative results in their research.

        • I hear “TERF,” and my attention goes to the bit on “Trans-exclusive”. Never gave the “Radical feminism” bit much thought.

          And before TERFs became a thing, it was just radical feminism. Having to modify it with “trans exclusive” suggests that inclusivity is actually the default position.

          • Except how often do you hear about radical feminists who aren’t TERFs anywhere in mainstream discourse? For much of the population, TERFs are the only “radical feminists” they hear about. (I reject the idea that a belief that biology is destiny as compatible with feminism in any case.). It’s not so much people in this community I worry about getting the wrong idea, it’s everywhere else.

    • I disagree. TERF is not a slur, nor is cis. If someone chooses to be offended by a term that is not offensive in any way, it’s not my fault. ‘Gender-critical activist’ is nothing but trivialization, and if we start to use it, it gets validated.