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What is a woman?

(209 Posts)
VioletSky Sat 26-Mar-22 12:27:16

What is a woman to me?

I feel in modern times women are being reduced to sex categories, ignoring our vast and varied biology. The very biology that for years has allowed women to be stereotyped, seen as weaker and even seen as so great in difference to other women, women were enslaved and sold.

Biology as diverse as a woman's has caused so many non white women pain and fear yet the biology of women is now somehow fixed?

Sojourner Truth "Ain't I a woman?"

Yet we are all women and that must be respected while acknowledging our differences, our separate struggles, our journeys to claiming our womanhood. The discriminations other women have faced that we don't and the discriminations other women have faced that we do because of biological diversity.

Some simply see women as one simple biological fact, men and women. Nothing else.

Some of us see it as a rainbow, A beautiful spectrum of difference and diversity. Men, women, trans, non binary people, all valid.

I wasn't born a woman, I was born a baby, I became a child, on an equal footing with boys, running and jumping and getting dirty in the mud. What was there to tell us apart but the hair and clothes chosen for us by adults?

I wasn't born a woman, society told me I was one when I reached physical maturity. Society told me what to wear, how to act.

Am I a woman? I choose my own hair, my own clothes, my personality and how to express myself in the ways that other women do that I enjoy as an individual.

Can anyone look at me and declare my womanhood undoubtedly? Probably but only because that is what I choose and how I express myself. Is that true of all people? No.

You see everything about who I am as a woman is on the inside. Its in my thoughts, my opinions, my appreciation of beautiful things, the way I would like to look, the clothes I would like to wear, in the things I appreciate about friends and family, the strength I have for my children, the love and the pure determination to be a good mother.

I am a woman on the inside, not the outside. That's how I identify. I can change the outside. I can gain or lose weight, I can wear more or less make up, I can cut my hair or grow it out. I can have my body surgically altered but who I am on the inside remains the same.

I am one woman amongst a world of biologically diverse women, not a single one of us looks exactly the same, we don't all choose to express our gender identity visually at all, yet still identify as women.

It is the same for trans women.

I am a woman and so is she.

MaizieD Sat 26-Mar-22 12:40:12

I don't think you're describing a woman, VioletSky you're describing a person. And some of that is gendered, not biological.

I'm keeping out of this discussion, but can't let this pass..

Bridgeit Sat 26-Mar-22 12:49:29

Well you can say that about anything & everything ,
Let’s call the Sun the Moon, the Stars could become planets,
The sea ? let’s change it to sand , sand well let’s think ? Rock knock offs perhaps.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 26-Mar-22 12:49:58

Not another trans thread! Two started in one day, as you know VS because you’ve already posted on the other one. These threads always go the same way, and become unpleasant. What a is the point of this constant ‘discussion’ between the same people? I think all of us know everyone else’s stance by now.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 26-Mar-22 12:54:35

What is a woman = XX chromosomes

What is a man = XY chromosomes

Unless of course Violetsky you know something that the scientists do not?

Casdon Sat 26-Mar-22 12:56:07

I agree Germanshepherdsmum. It’s Groundhog Day.

Galaxy Sat 26-Mar-22 12:59:52

All those qualities apply to men.

Robin49 Sat 26-Mar-22 13:09:50

Germanshepherdsmum

Not another trans thread! Two started in one day, as you know VS because you’ve already posted on the other one. These threads always go the same way, and become unpleasant. What a is the point of this constant ‘discussion’ between the same people? I think all of us know everyone else’s stance by now.

Completely agree. It’s utterly tedious and boring.

grannysyb Sat 26-Mar-22 13:15:49

I was born a female baby.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 26-Mar-22 13:22:57

I can only think it’s an obsession. One which I don’t share.

Blossoming Sat 26-Mar-22 13:24:51

One cannot ignore biology. Humans are a sexually dimorphic species, male and female. Sex is not ‘assigned at birth’, a foetus is already male or female before it makes an appearance.

This is my sole contribution to this ‘debate’ on Gransnet. I have heard it all before, these threads are not achieving anything.

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:25:41

Women have a vagina.
Men have a penis and testicles.
Because, yknow a little thing called Science.

There is no such thing as a female penis.
It's a load of bollocks. Literally.

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:28:03

VioletSky why are you so interested in all things trans?
Is there something we don't know?hmm

Blossoming Sat 26-Mar-22 13:33:12

That’s a low blow SnowberryZ. A person doesn’t have to be trans to want to discuss this subject.

Kalu Sat 26-Mar-22 13:36:40

Good god woman! Same old same old. Making your point over and over is tedious.

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:40:00

Blossoming

That’s a low blow SnowberryZ. A person doesn’t have to be trans to want to discuss this subject.

Not really.
I think it's a valid question.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 26-Mar-22 13:44:04

But the compulsion to keep raising the subject is very odd Blossoming. VS is obsessed and doesn’t seem to understand that others are sick of hearing it all rehashed again and again. Which is my final contribution to this thread and the other one she’s posting on.

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:46:12

Especially seeing as alot of middle aged men suddenly decide they want to become women ar the rule old age of 50 and beyond. So not beyond the realms of possibly that one or two gransnetters are transhmm

On that subject, can someone tell me why we don't see many women getting to middle age and deciding they want to be Fred instead of Freda.

Chewbacca Sat 26-Mar-22 13:46:37

It's a load of bollocks. Literally.

This wins "Most Succinct Post of the Week" award"! ??

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:46:56

at the ripe old age of 50

Chewbacca Sat 26-Mar-22 13:51:01

Its beginning to feel like "We'll keep bombarding you with the same threads until you give in and agree with the minority!" We'll be bored into submission! grin

snowberryZ Sat 26-Mar-22 13:54:22

Lots of middle aged blokes deciding they identify as women these days. not to mention those in the public eye, Eddie Izzard. Grayson Perry
Caitlyn Jenner, Ian Huntley, to name a few.

Can someone please give examples of middle aged women (over 40 years) who suddenly think. I don't feel like being a woman anymore. Think I'll identify as a man?


Why so many middle aged men transition? And why not women?

BlueBelle Sat 26-Mar-22 13:56:41

This is all very tedious

What was there to tell us apart but the hair and clothes chosen for us by adults? Just the slight difference of your genitals VS
You weren’t born a baby, you were born a baby girl or a baby boy
You are very fixated by this subject My advice is be what you want to be, you don’t have to ask our permission and honestly we don’t need or want to know enjoy life as a woman, or a man and if you want to change what you were given do so we really don’t need any more information
Be happy

Mollygo Sat 26-Mar-22 14:07:45

snowberryZ

VioletSky why are you so interested in all things trans?

It’s a valid question snowberryZ, but adding your second comment is likely to get your post deleted.

Your question is Valid because it’s a fact that VS frequently posts on trans threads and because constant posting about something shows an overwhelming interest in the subject.

Unfortunately, constantly reiterating something on any subject, doesn’t make always make it true and doesn’t make people more inclined to agree.

Usually, as on here, the opposite happens, and people begin to notice the flaws or untruths in an argument, especially when the topic in question may affect them or their family and friends negatively in real life.

I think VS explained very clearly what she thinks, in the OP, when she talks about herself a lot in the list of I sentences. Those are her opinions. That’s her view of herself. That’s her right to post.

* We should accept that.*

But others don’t have to believe her opinions are correct and they have the right to state their opinions which may validly contradict hers, and that right should be equally accepted without posters being accused of attacking or gaslighting or whatever.

Blossoming Sat 26-Mar-22 14:28:24

snowberryZ

Blossoming

That’s a low blow SnowberryZ. A person doesn’t have to be trans to want to discuss this subject.

Not really.
I think it's a valid question.

The question in your first sentence was valid.

The snide remark in your second sentence was uncalled for.