UN shares motivational quote from Munroe Bergdorf, transphobes jump in with usual s***e
Munroe Bergdorf arrives at The Fashion Awards 2018 In Partnership With Swarovski at Royal Albert Hall on December 10, 2018 in London, England. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
We are saddened to report that transphobes are back at it again and their latest target is… a motivational quote.
Is 2019 over yet, or?
The UK branch of United Nations Women, a global agency dedicated to gender inequality, tweeted an inspirational quote from trans activist Munroe Bergdorf on Monday.
Considering that motivational cat posters just don’t cut it anymore, having a trans woman who faces a daily onslaught of people telling her that her existence is against nature itself feels sufficiently more inspiring.
But as much as the quote likely did motivate UN Women UK’s followers more than instant coffee would have, it also became a battleground between trans and anti-trans campaigners.
Munroe Bergdorf named UN Women advocate and then torn into by transphobes.
Bergdorf was announced as one of UN Women UK’s new advocates earlier this week.
https://twitter.com/MunroeBergdorf/status/1201563477598507013
On the same day of the announcement, UN Women’s UK shared a quote from the model that called for ending violence against all women.
“I care about ending violence against women and girls because no woman should feel unsafe on the basis of her gender or unsafe within society at all. I want to show what happens when we all pull together.” 💪💙@MunroeBergdorf #MondayMotivation #mondaythoughts pic.twitter.com/iauTAB97ZZ
— UN Women UK (@UNWomenUK) December 2, 2019
Bergdorf will be involved in the group’s Draw a Line campaign to end female genital mutilation by 2030.
I care about ending violence against women and girls because no woman should feel unsafe on the basis of her gender or unsafe within society at all. I want to show what happens when we all pull together.
Yet, her involvement incited fury from anti-trans Twitter users. Many lashing at her and the organisation with tired transphobic tropes such as, “trans women are not women.”
Some labelled her an “intruder threat”, called trans folks’ existence “hogwash”, hit out with totally original and completely inspired messages of “women are defined by biology”, while others mercilessly misgendered her.
While Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, who was once angered that a trans ally Stonewall leader was given a peerage, lit into UN Women UK as well:
How exactly is @UNWomenUK going to fight FGM without centering female biology? You know Bergdorf doesn’t like when women do that, right? pic.twitter.com/fcjL71l8U0
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) December 2, 2019
‘There are some absolutely terrible people in these comments.’
But trans folk and allies defended both Bergdorf and UN Women UK as well as the wider community. Denouncing the detractors.
“Terfs [trans-exlcusionary radical femnists] are such sad people,” began one user.
“We live in times of unprecedented crises, climate, politics et cetera. And all they can think of is bullying one of the most marginalised and mocked groups in the world.
“Do something positive instead of punching down at people even more powerless than you.”
Thank you for this, it’s an important message that needs to get to as many people as possible.
I know the vitriol from reactionaries who hate Munroe for being trans may seem overwhelming but they are a minority who use the internet to amplify their voices through coordination.— Cee, Kerbal-bane. They/them ?????️? (@phoenix0879) December 2, 2019
Another added: “There are some absolutely terrible people in these comments.”
When i saw how many comments this had i realised the transmisogynists must be out in force.
Why are they so awful that they'll get cross about a trans woman standing up for all women? It's bizarre.— Em but only gay pirates now🐝 🏳️🌈 ☠️ (@TheEmmelineMay) December 2, 2019
