But early this year, everything changed. In January, information about the alleged misbehaviour of a self-declared transwoman (“JY”) was revealed. Initially known for filing human rights complaints against 16 Canadian women who declined to
wax male genitals, JY was now
alleged to have made predatory comments about young girls online. One comment JY allegedly left said, “Every single time I take that ferry there’s field trips with 10-12 year old girls on it… If a girl asks me for a pad or tampon and help on how to use it, if it’s her first time, what do I do?” A selfie of JY in the women’s washroom, which included girls standing in the background, also began to circulate. Understandably outraged, many women (and several men) tried to discuss their concerns about JY’s behaviour, only to be silenced for referring to JY as male. On Twitter, temporary (up to seven days) and
permanent suspensions were doled out, making it increasingly clear that the transgender umbrella was successfully being used to shut down any discussion of JY’s actions. Once I became more aware of the policing happening around the supposed “misgendering” of JY, I began to notice this happening on a broader level. Women were being silenced en masse, simply for speaking their truth.
While I remained steadfast in my beliefs that transgender individuals were vulnerable, and that women should accommodate them, the situation involving Twitter and JY created a tiny crack in my previously impenetrable armour. How was it acceptable that those sounding the alarm about egregious actions were the ones being reprimanded?