Three days ago, July 3rd, Chester Women’s Aid made a statement on Twitter supporting trans women – only to then be on the receiving end of yet another Gender Critical pile – on.
Much of the GC comment revolved around the fact that trans women are not murdered at the same rate as those privileged to be natal females.
So there are two questions, firstly is it true and secondly, if so why?
In the past ten years, I would estimate that about 1500 cisgender women have been murdered by men, whilst I am aware of just seven trans women. I am very aware of women being murdered by men and the circumstances they die in. I write about it in our #EveryThreeDays campaign – and yes, for me as a writer, it is very draining. The circumstances are predictable, very often driven by domestic abuse, male jealousy and control.
So it is true that trans women in the UK (but not in other countries, I would add) are murdered significantly less often than cisgender women.
But that is not the whole story – there are other factors and reasons why.
Around 19 out of 20 women are murdered by a man she knows, the vast majority by her partner or former partner – in short, cisgender men who are also fueled by testosterone.
Testosterone has several effects; it makes men stronger, more aggressive and have sexual urges – and not to put too much of a fine point on it – sometimes dangerous.
Trans women, on the other hand, tend to stay single much more often, and those who do have a partner are in a bi or lesbian relationship.
We know women are less likely to commit a crime and are much less aggressive than men. And we know too that a significant majority of trans women are either medicated with estrogen, have had bottom surgery or are taking testosterone (anti-androgen) blockers.
Put bluntly, women in everyday heterosexual relationships are at significantly more risk than trans women who are not in a relationship or who have natal female partners.
To back this up, my Trans in Crime article showed that trans people commit crimes at a rate of five to six times less than cisgender people; this, of course, includes violent crime.
The whole ethos of being a trans woman is to be calm away from the torment of suffering gender incongruence. Trans women, by starving our bodies of testosterone (my level is just 0.4) and fueled by estrogen (I average at about 165), become loving, sensitive and caring.
We dont fight – we do cry.
But while often trans women are single or in more safe and loving relationships with our partners – once out in society, circumstances change.
Trans women then put ourselves at risk by mixing with cisgender people – many driven by “that fuel” – T.
And we are not exactly always loved.
Men.
Men who kill women and, if given a chance, would kill trans women, but out in society, it is not so easy to murder a trans woman as in the home – where most women are murdered.
But we most certainly do get attacked – trans hate crime has quadrupled in the last five years, leaving many trans folk and trans women in particular bruised and bloodied – often seriously injured.
For sure, we are not murdered by our partners that often, but we most certainly get attacked in social situations in or around pubs and clubs, significantly more so than cisgender women.
And this is why trans women need brave organisations like Chester Women’s Aid to include us, not exclude us as the gender-critical would prefer.
This is not about single-sex spaces – it is about respect for all human life and support.
All lives matter – not just cisgender ones.
Authored by Steph @PlaceSteph
